Session notes:

"No matter where we go and what we do, we are constantly surrounded by various communities that play a crucial role in our lives. From family and friends to neighbours and colleagues, the impact of these communities on our lives cannot be overstated. As someone with quite valuable experience in being part of and establishing communities, we had the pleasure of hosting Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sedat Akayoğlu for our 15th meeting, where he shared his inspiring journey.

Akayoğlu highlighted that communities with the sole goal of empowering one another have existed way before than we think. In fact, there were British coffeehouses where it was a place to learn about daily news, discuss mutual concerns, and, of course, maybe have a cup of coffee along the way. If we were to go deeper and define what a community is, it would be "a group of people who have gathered based on a mutual concern or interest in which they learn from one another as they share what they know with each other."

In our case, we need a community of English language teachers where we can easily share various teaching strategies, experiences, ideas, and so on to keep moving forward in the future. To achieve such effectiveness, social gatherings are needed to create a safe and sincere environment for learning. As Akayoğlu mentioned, it can be informal or institutionalized, and it can also be face-to-face or online. This way, also known as the Community of Practice (CoP), not only helps educators in terms of gaining the opportunity to have a voice, but it also helps them work collaboratively with one another. Additionally, ongoing support and the precious sense of belonging also boost educators immensely, Akayoğlu added.

Luckily for us, such communities already exist! One of the older examples of such a community that can be given is Webheads, established in 2002. Akayoğlu mentioned that he was able to grow both as an educator and as a person thanks to the wonderful sessions that he had with Webheads throughout the years. Having a deep connection with people in your community has led Webheads to witness Akayoğlu's career from the beginning until today, showing lots of support since his MA and Ph.D. thesis and forward. They even had their 20th anniversary, which is an impressive milestone!

More examples of such communities can be given, such as ELTER, but another one that deserves a closer look is INGED: A professional and educational organization founded in 1995 at METU! So far, they have organized conferences, drama festivals, newsletters, trainings, and beyond while continuing at full speed with more upcoming events. It is the perfect opportunity to keep updated on the latest developments, gain valuable insight into whatever they are curious about in the field, and feel the immense power of uniting for a common cause.

Technology has become a vital tool for communication and collaboration in our modern world. This is why communities like INGED are so valuable to join. Filled with enthusiastic members from all over the country, these groups provide opportunities to share knowledge and learn from others. It's essential that we support one another in our pursuit of success, and as the saying goes, sharing is caring. Investing in self-development is critical to achieving our goals, and being part of a supportive community can make all the difference."