US GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCES TEACHING EXCELLENCE AND ACHIEVEMENT PROGRAM
Three secondary school teachers from Azerbaijan will travel to the United States in fall 2009 to participate in a 6-week professional development program (Teaching Excellence and Achievement Program, TEA) at a US university, said Andrea Callan, head of IREX Baku office. The professional development program will include coursework and intensive training in teaching methodologies, lesson planning, teaching strategies for the participants` home environment, educational leadership as well as use the computers for Internet, word processing and as teaching tools. The 6-week program also will include a 2 to 3-week internship at a secondary school to actively engage participants with American teachers and students. Trips to US cultural sites and academic support will be provided for participants throughout the program.
In spring 2010 a cohort of 40 US teachers will reciprocate the visits of the international teachers. Each US teacher will be hosted by a TEA alumni school in the participating country where they will team-teach and discuss best teaching practices, curriculum and educational issues in the host country. The trip will include visits to the local school, NGOs and local government offices.
TEA will provide follow-on-grants to the international teachers to purchase essential materials for their schools, to offer follow-on training for other teachers.
TEA is a program of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the US Department of State and implemented by IREX, Washington, DC-based non-profit organization.
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