Teacher Exchange Programs: What They Are & How You Can Do OneIf you’re a teacher looking for a new experience in wanting to make an impact, participating in an international teacher exchange is a great option. You get to experience a different culture and bring your teaching skills to different students in another country. It also allows you to share teaching tips with teachers and other countries while still maintaining your job at home. If you’re not quite sure what a teacher exchange program involves, here’s some more information about what it is and how you can participate in one.
Basically, participating in a teacher exchange program means that you swap jobs with a teacher in another country. These typically last a full school year, but can also continue after that. The benefits include learning how other teachers in another part of the world teach and how students learn. It can be a great way to broaden your perspective and even experience a little vacation while still working. At the end of the teacher exchange program, you return to your regular job. During the program you usually still get paid from your regular teaching job.
Most of these programs are available only to professional and qualified teachers from elementary, middle school and high school. Many programs do not except brand new teachers. Most require a bachelor’s degree, a state license or a post graduate certificate. Here are some general requirements:
Qualified to teach in your country/state
Full-time teacher
Minimum Bachelor’s Degree
Minimum two to five years professional teaching experience
Strong leadership skills
Proficient in English
Many teacher exchange programs around the world are run by government education departments and can be pretty selective of the teachers they accept. After participating in one, you may find your skills are much more developed and your experience with dealing with children in another culture can help you be a better teacher at home. It can also be a great experience if you plan on moving into an administrative role in your career.
Here are some of the most well known in the steamed teacher exchange programs:
Fulbright is a program sponsored by the US Department of state. Teaching candidates must run workshops, observe classes, review courses and be able to team teach.
American Culture Exchange Program is nonprofit, and invites teachers around the world to teach in the United States.
Invisible Children provides a way for American and Canadian teachers to teach in Africa during the summer for six weeks and allows Ugandan teachers to visit schools in North America during the winter.
International Teacher Exchange services is sponsored by the US Department of state and supports international teachers to teach in US schools.
Being part of an exchange program is it for everyone. There can be significant culture and language differences to adjust to. Plus, you may not be able to teach in the country of your choice. But it can be an incredibly rewarding experience that can benefit the rest of your career.
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