What Does It Mean to Teach Sincerely?
A little nostalgia followed by an interview with Kay McKesey from Sincerely Teaching.
I haven’t been on Instagram in over a year. But there was a time, not too long ago, when Instagram was the place I went to post the ideas that later inspired this newsletter. And I wasn’t the only one…there was (and still is!) an entire community of teachers talking about changing the way English is taught.
One of the primary ways we spread our ideas was through Instagram Lives. We would come up with a topic, set up a time, create a Canva flier, publish it with a countdown, and be set. We were all so passionate, giddy to share all of our knowledge and experiences. And we did. We laughed, connected, and learned with a bunch of followers—some whose names we recognized, others whom we’ve never seen before. Whether we were talking about bilingualism, Spanglish, or lo que sea, those people would send their messages to us, sharing their stories and experiences.
During that time that is now rather nostalgic for me, there was one teacher that I did more Lives with than anyone else (it feels like we did about five Lives in the span of two years!). That teacher was Kay, who ran an account called Diaspora English. Whether our Lives were talking about accent discrimination or the lack of representation of certain accents in ESL materials, what I appreciated so much about Kay was that she brought so much historical, political, and personal knowledge, as well as ideas for concrete changes that teachers could make.
In my last newsletter, I said that I was pausing Languaging because I had said what I set out to say. The reason why I’m writing this newsletter is because I do have something I want to share: Kay has created a course for teachers to help them turn all of their passion for change into action.
I know that the audience of this newsletter is filled with ESL teachers passionate about that very topic, so I wanted to introduce you all to Kay and what she has been working on. I hope you enjoy it!
When you first started teaching ESL, did you have a single moment in which you realized that the curriculum felt off?
It wasn't a singular moment, but a gradual realization. Frequent comments like "You don't look Canadian" or a desire for a Canadian point of view that wasn’t truly mine, left me feeling like a stranger in my own skin. As a Black Canadian woman, I found myself navigating a minefield of assumptions and suspicion.
To me, these experiences were reflective of the societal biases ingrained in mainstream ESL curriculums. Not only did they fail to capture the diverse reality of English-speaking cultures, they actively rejected it. Instead reinforcing narrow stereotypes as reality. I realized that teaching ESL wasn't just about language, but also about challenging preconceived notions and broadening worldviews.
This eye-opening process showed me how much students learn outside the classroom, and how deeply it affects their expectations. It became clear that our role as educators extends far beyond grammar and vocabulary.
You say that you’re inspired by all of the conversations you’ve had through your online community. While teachers are interested in change and are passionate about discussing change, they aren’t quite sure how to enact change. Why do you think this last step is so difficult?
I think it’s two-fold. First, many are afraid of getting it wrong. They may not know where to start, how to implement changes, or what they might lose by altering their current practices. As a result, they cling to familiar methods, even if they’re not working well for either them or their students.
Second, change demands a commitment to personal growth. It’s challenging to embrace new approaches without evolving oneself, which can be unsettling. Personal transformation often accompanies professional change, and some people are still navigating this process and aren’t quite ready. My philosophy is to engage with these challenges directly rather than avoiding or denying them.
What can teachers expect from your program? Is it more about how to teach the English language (e.g. which accents to present) or more about fostering empowering conversations with learners or more about teachers learning the biases in their own beliefs and pedagogy? None of the above? All of the above?
It’s about adapting English language teaching to reflect contemporary realities and teaching from that perspective. Often, ESL curriculums present a skewed, inaccurate view of the world, overlooking the real issues students face related to language use and identity. In lesson planning, we are taught to anticipate difficulties within the lesson itself, but not necessarily on difficulties students will face using the language outside of the classroom—an area where many students struggle. The Creating Cycles of Empowerment course will help teachers understand the social context of the English language and the challenges it presents to learning, and offer seven dynamic strategies to address and prevent these challenges.
Incorporating steps towards decolonizing the ESL classroom will inevitably lead to some important but complex discussions. For example, accent reduction is often seen as fully good and tenable or completely evil and destructive. How can you equip teachers to navigate these discussions?
From a decolonial perspective, I wouldn’t dictate rules as in, one way is right or wrong, but pose thoughtful questions, such as: How much freedom are we giving ourselves with this approach? Does it reinforce our sense of self? Does it reinforce or ameliorate social inequalities? Asking questions and guiding students through a process of reflection can help them find the answer that’s true for them. Listening to others’ perspectives is also important. Connection—to one another and reality–is paramount.
One of the main features of the Creating Cycles of Empowerment course is the dynamic conversational format of the live classes. Participants will actively reflect on their own experiences, in a community setting, while challenging common beliefs in English language teaching and the popular culture associated with it.
The great thing is, it’s designed to empower course participants to develop their own critical thinking and get clear on their guiding values, with the support of academic scholarship, social frameworks and field studies.
English is by far the most diverse language in the world: it has the highest number of bilingual learners and is spoken in the most corners of the world. How does your program teach educators to bring that diversity to the forefront?
With the 7 dynamic strategies to create equity, belonging, dignity and empowerment, teachers will learn how to change the narrative that excludes the majority of English speakers and places where the language is spoken. They will receive an in-depth education on the history of the English language and its spread via colonialism and how some of the values passed down through colonialism have prevented us from both seeing and celebrating the vastness of the English language. It will be an inevitable result of the course!
What is your dream with creating Sincerely Teaching? How do you hope to impact teachers–what would it mean for them to teach sincerely?
My dream for creating Sincerely Teaching is to see both teachers and students thrive in English language teaching and enjoy long, fulfilling careers. This vision involves removing barriers and bridging gaps to empowerment, self-expression, and dignity—tackling the challenges that make sustaining our passion for teaching difficult. By addressing the constraints imposed by rigid systems and biases, I aim to help teachers find freedom and confidence, ultimately enabling them to guide their students to do the same.
To me, teaching sincerely means teaching with heart and with honesty— being able to acknowledge where you’re at as a whole person, not just as someone with the title of teacher. It’s being able to acknowledge our shared humanity in the process of learning and growing and honouring the roles we play in each others’ lives.
If you’re interested in joining her cohort starting this week, or a future one, you can find all the information here.
P.S. It’s been so long since I’ve written one of these newsletters! …I miss this community and I hope you’re all doing really, really well!
it's nice to read you again :)