U.S. HOSTS VIRTUAL ORIENTATIONSeptember 15, 2010 : U.S. HOSTS VIRTUAL ORIENTATIONSeptember 15, 2010 2010–2011 Administrator Programs
Argentina, Brazil, Mexico and the United States
Sponsored by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA)
U.S. Department of State, the Commission for Educational Exchange Between the United States of America and the Argentine Republic, the National Council of State Secretaries of Education – CONSED/Brazil and U.S.-Mexico Commission for Educational and Cultural Exchange
Administered by American Councils for International Education
Virtual Orientation Goals : Virtual Orientation Goals Understand the goals of the Argentina, Brazil and Mexico Administrator Programs
Learn about hosting expectations
Learn more about the visiting principals
Understand what to do if…
Learn about follow-on alumni grant possibilities
Ask questions of American Councils staff
Dialogue with other U.S. hosts and share schedule ideas
Administrator Program Goals : Administrator Program Goals Support mutual understanding between educators in the U.S., Argentina, Brazil and Mexico through professional development and exchange
Provide educators with the opportunity to interact with one another, other principals, teachers, students, and community leaders and to share perspectives and best teaching practices from their respective school systems
Support the internationalization of school curricula by providing opportunities for the broader school community to learn about global issues, to be exposed to culture in the U.S., Argentina, Brazil and Mexico and to participate in joint collaborative projects and school partnerships
How to Achieve the Program Goals? : How to Achieve the Program Goals? Make sure your hosting schedule:
Is educationally and professionally fulfilling
Includes a variety of cultural activities
Includes the whole school community
Three-Week Program in the Host Community : Three-Week Program in the Host Community During the three-week U.S. program your international partner will:
Participate in discussions on best teaching/school management practices and related education issues with the host school teachers/principals and with a wider community of educators
Visit local schools, parent committees, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs)
Serve as a guest speaker (as requested) on their home country’s education and culture
Visit cultural sites
Arranging the Program in the Host Community : Arranging the Program in the Host Community Work with your visitor remotely to create a schedule where the time is roughly broken down:
70% for professional and educational activities
30% for cultural enrichment
Keep in mind that your visitor is participating in this program to:
deepen his or her professional understanding of education in the United States;
develop skills and methods that can be used in his or her home country;
become acquainted with the U.S. culture; and
serve as a valuable resource on Argentina, Brazil or Mexico for your school and larger community.
SCHEDULE: Professional and Educational Component : SCHEDULE: Professional and Educational Component Plan for your international principal to…
Visit a variety of schools:
Elementary, middle, high schools
Charter, public, private, magnet
Rural, suburban, urban
Attend any or all of the following in your school or in the other schools:
Classroom lessons to observe teaching
Department, faculty, school board meetings
Student Council/PTA meetings, community/civic meetings
Presentations about your school, school open houses
Parent-teacher conferences
SCHEDULE: Professional and Educational Component : SCHEDULE: Professional and Educational Component Provide opportunities for your visiting educator to:
Make presentations on their school and/or the Argentina, Brazil or Mexico school system
Speak with members of the school community (students, teachers, and parents)
Attend school events (orchestra/band/drama, extra-curricular events, school sports games)
SCHEDULE: Cultural Component : SCHEDULE: Cultural Component Beneficial for both the host and the visitor
Provides opportunities for meaningful dialogue
Some cultural component ideas:
Attend a high school, university, or professional sporting and/or music/theatre event
Visit museums or historical sites
Visit local, regional, or national parks or other sites of local interest
Seasonal events—fairs, food festivals, music events, etc.
Anything that typifies your town, city, or community
Ideally, there should be some cultural outings planned for the work week evenings as well as on the weekends.
Getting the Community Involved : Getting the Community Involved This is a crucial piece of the exchange and can be extremely useful in making hosting honoraria stretch.
Make sure that you let the entire community know about this exchange and how it will benefit the school/community (many people will want to get involved if you show that you are very excited about this unique opportunity).
Don’t be afraid to “pass” your partner around within your community. If they are comfortable with this, then it is a great way to see different aspects of schools, communities and life in general in the U.S.
What would you do if… : What would you do if… It seems that my visitor doesn’t want to do anything by herself and expects me to accompany her for all the planned activities and I don’t have the time to do all these…
In the evening when I described the plan for the next day—a meeting with the local school board—my visitor seemed to be very enthusiastic. However, the next day I found out that he has made his own arrangements for a different meeting and won’t attend the one that we were planning to attend together.
Program Logistics – Housingfor the Argentina and Mexico Programs : Program Logistics – Housingfor the Argentina and Mexico Programs Host schools are expected to make housing arrangements
Apartments, houses, and host family arrangements are all acceptable
The educator must have their own room—it cannot be shared with another family member
Program Logistics – Housingfor the Brazil Program : Program Logistics – Housingfor the Brazil Program Host schools are expected to make hotel arrangements for the Brazil principals and a language interpreter
The language interpreter must have a separate hotel room
Program Logistics: Transportation : Program Logistics: Transportation Host schools are expected to have a plan in place for your partner’s transportation needs
Your partner can walk or use public transportation if his/her housing is strategically located
The official U.S. host need not be solely responsible for transportation, but it is essential that your visiting partners is able to travel easily
In those areas where public transportation is not available, many people from host schools and communities have volunteered to help with the exchange teachers’ transportation on previous programs
Program Logistics - Meals : Program Logistics - Meals Though each visiting principal will receive a stipend to help defray their food and transportation expenses, they in general will expect to be fed by their U.S. host
When possible, always try to provide food for the visiting partner
Let meetings and cultural events serve dual purposes and provide food at these events
Cultural and Communications Scenarios: What to do if. . . . : Cultural and Communications Scenarios: What to do if. . . . I offered food but my visitor said that she isn’t hungry. Later I learned that she hadn’t had any food since the morning she left Washington, DC.
I told the visitor that s/he is welcome to open my refrigerator and eat anything that s/he wants but I have noticed that s/he never prepares any food independently.
Making Hosting Work Logistically : Making Hosting Work Logistically As a program host, you will receive a stipend to help defray the cost of meals and incidental expenses
Your visiting partner will also receive a stipend for miscellaneous expenses as well as a stipend for shipping educational materials purchased in the United States back to their home school
If you would like to take your visitor to a museum as part of the official activity, you should arrange to pay for their entrance fee
If you choose not to pay for something and would like your partner to cover the cost, it is important to explain that the activity is optional or will be “on your own” in advance
A Little about your International Partner… : A Little about your International Partner… He/she has received the following:
A J-1 Visa (a non-immigrant visa issued by the United States to exchange visitors participating in professional, cultural, and academic programs)
A pre-departure orientation will be held in their home country prior to their departure for the U.S.
Accident and sickness insurance through ECA’s Accident Sickness Program for Exchanges (ASPE)
An international phone card from American Councils so they can call their family. It is a good idea to make sure that they are clear on how to use it before calling from your home
About your International Partner Continued… : About your International Partner Continued… The program organizations in Argentina, Brazil and Mexico have booked all the travel for your international partners
American Councils has booked all domestic travel for U.S. participants
It is possible that a few of the international participants might extend their stay beyond the end of the program (November 6, 2010)
Administrator Program Workshops : Administrator Program Workshops The visiting educators U.S. program includes two workshops in Washington D.C.:
The three-day Orientation and Educational Workshop in October
A two-day Educational Leadership Workshop before departing for their home country in November
COMMUNITY AND VOLUNTEERISM FAIR : COMMUNITY AND VOLUNTEERISM FAIR U.S. educators will give poster presentations to the international participants on how their school promotes student and community involvement
U.S. educators should think outside of standardized curriculum, but rather focus on using tools such as community service, volunteerism, student newspapers, field trips, and student government.
Some things to remember… : Some things to remember… About the J-1 Visa
The visitor’s U.S. address is the address you provided to American Councils as your hosting address
All participants are expected to stay “on program” (in your community, following the schedule you have designed and agreed upon) for the duration of their time in your community. Alert American Councils immediately if your partner says they want to go off program.
Other Programmatic Difficulties : Other Programmatic Difficulties Please inform American Councils immediately if any of the following happens with your visitor during his/her stay in your host community:
An accident, serious illness, or hospitalization;
Professional difficulties at the host school;
Arrest or violation of U.S. law; and/or
A situation that would prevent his/her participation in the program.
Language Challenges -- for the Argentina and Mexico Programs : Language Challenges -- for the Argentina and Mexico Programs It is sometimes difficult to accurately gauge Spanish/English comprehension over email
Once in your community, if you encounter language barriers with your visitor (if you are having problems communicating in English/Spanish), we suggest that you use resources that you may already have in your school such as:
Students taking Spanish language may need community service hours and could serve as excellent interpreters/facilitators if you are unavailable
Parents in the community may be available to serve as an interpreter/facilitator
Spanish language teachers may need to be contacted to serve as a language facilitator
Language Challenges -- for the Brazil Program : Language Challenges -- for the Brazil Program American Councils will assign a language facilitator to each host community to assist with communication
The facilitator is expected to be present (or available per your instructions) during all scheduled events.
Communicate with your facilitator before and during the program to ensure that expectations are clear
Please contact American Councils if you have any questions or any challenges develop
How to Continue Collaboration : How to Continue Collaboration Educational Seminars Program has an Alumni Small Grants component that funds collaborative projects that benefit the international alumni home school and U.S. host school or district
The maximum grant award is $5,000 regardless of the number of collaborators
Alumni Small Grants will be awarded four times a year
Brainstorm ideas with your partner and apply for Alumni Small Grants
Most Importantly… : Most Importantly… American Councils staff is here to help you and your international visitor. Please contact one of our staff if you have any questions or concerns or if you run into any problems.
We can help you with ANY problem you have…but only if we know about it!
We would also love to hear about any of the program success stories!
American Councils Contact Information : American Councils Contact Information American Councils for International Education*
1828 L Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036
(202) 833-7522 - telephone
1-800-621-9559 - emergency phone
(202) 833-7523 - fax
* If you are mailing something, please state who you would like it sent to (i.e. Julia Homstad, etc.)
American Councils Staff Emails : American Councils Staff Emails Senior Program Manager Zara Hovhannisyan zhovhannisyan@americancouncils.org
Senior Program Officer Tim Hair thair@americancouncils.org
Program Officer Julia Homstad jhomstad@americancouncils.org
Program Officer Elise Villemez evillemez@americancouncils.org
Questions? Comments? Concerns?GOOD LUCK WITH THE PROGRAM!! : Questions? Comments? Concerns?GOOD LUCK WITH THE PROGRAM!!