Event: IGA NTC 2025
Vien holds a Ph.D. in Learning Systems Design and Technology and an M.A. in TESOL from Southern Illinois University Carbondale. Currently, she serves as Professor of English and Coordinator of the English Program at Escuela Superior de Economía y Negocios (ESEN) in El Salvador, where she also directs the Center for English as a Second Language.
Beyond the classroom, Vien leads the Teachers Up initiative, funded by the U.S. Embassy in San Salvador, which offers free professional development to in-service and pre-service teachers of English in El Salvador and Guatemala. She is also president of the Fulbright Alumni Research Group (FARGP), which supports research, training, and mentoring for educators.
Now in mid-career herself, Vien draws from her personal and professional journey to explore themes of growth, identity, and purpose. Her current work includes helping teachers navigate change, find their voice, and embrace new technologies, especially AI, to stay inspired and impactful in today’s fast-changing world. She has presented at conferences around the globe and believes deeply in creating space for teachers to continue becoming who they are meant to be.
If You Save 40, You Save Everything: A Wake-Up Call for Teachers of English
Teaching English in a non-English-speaking country is a rewarding but demanding journey. Teachers often face immense pressure, not only to help students master a global language, but also to serve as role models, mentors, cultural bridges, and lifelong learners. Over time, the weight of these roles, combined with family responsibilities and institutional demands, can lead to burnout, self-doubt, and a quiet loss of direction—especially around mid-career.
Inspired by the words of Korean motivational speaker Kim Mi Kyung, the talk explores the emotional turning point many teachers experience at midlife and makes a powerful case for starting over, not by quitting teaching, but by reconnecting with ourselves. Through storytelling, relatable examples, and honest insight, participants will be encouraged to reflect on where they are in their personal and professional journey. The talk introduces the idea of digging, investing deeply in a personal passion, skill, or habit, not for fame or recognition, but for survival, fulfillment, and freedom. Teachers will be challenged to rethink the narratives they’ve accepted about aging, purpose, and possibility, and to begin taking small, deliberate steps toward personal growth and renewal.
This talk reminds us that we don’t need to leave the classroom to start over; we just need to give ourselves permission to dream again, grow again, and live intentionally. Whether you’re 25 or 55, this session offers a gentle but firm call to take charge of your path and remember: you matter, your voice matters, and it’s never too late to begin again.
