Welcome to Kazilla ELT!

Hello everyone!

Thank you for stopping by. Since this is the very first post, I wanted to introduce myself so you can get an idea of where I come from. 

I'm Kaz, the founder of Kazilla ELT, and I've been an ESL teacher for almost thirteen years and I am currently teaching academic ESL for graduate students at University of Southern California. I have experience in teaching a variety of ESL subjects like undergraduate-level academic English, graduate-level academic English, business English, legal English, and English for automotive. I even taught Japanese for undergraduate level courses.  

I've also been actively involved in professional activities outside of teaching. I've presented in different countries and won an award for my innovative teaching ideas. I began by getting involved in CATESOL which is the largest professional organization for ESL teachers in California. I started as a treasurer for the chapter in San Bernardino and eventually served as the coordinator and a board member. Along with my team, I hosted workshops and events for ESL teachers where they could learn about the newest educational-tech trends and innovative teaching strategies. I was also the creator of Iron Educator, a teacher training competition which brought teachers together in a mission to create the most innovative lesson. 

I was also involved in union activities as being part of a negotiation team at my school where I work. For about two years, I was at the negotiation table with university administrators trying to improve work place and student's learning environment. This helped me get a better understanding of worker's right and labor laws which are not often taught in graduate programs for teachers. 

Outside of teaching and engaging in professional development, I'm constantly studying about personal finance and investments. Aside from traditional 401(k) and 403(b), I currently invest in stocks, REITs, concurrency and P2P lending. I do this not only to achieve financially success but I believe that learning how to manage your own investments helps you understand macro- and micro-economy which is crucial in making sound financial decisions. If young educators wish to survive and to prosper as we enter into a post-capitalist era, they must learn this. 

At this point in my career, I've been doing most things that a young ESL teacher can possibly do to improve myself. 

This leads to my next topic which is to write about why I decided to create Kazilla ELT and this blog. I created this blog to empower young ESL educators so they can help change the landscape of ESL education and build a world where ESL teachers are respected, rewarded, and recognized for their work. I believe that our current environment in ESL profession is not attractive for young educators who mostly come out of graduate programs with huge debt. If we want to make ESL a respectable and a sustainable profession, we must do everything we can to change this situation. My mission is to share what I've learned through my experience in teaching, finance, professional development, and labor disputes, and inspire change and success for young and aspiring educators around the world. 

Therefore, this blog is for educators who care about advancing our field and for people who are self-motivated to learn, to improve, and to take risks to achieve your professional goals. 

As always, please feel free to post your comments, questions, and suggestions. 

Thank you for reading!

-Kaz