Program Goals
This program creates the opportunity for a two-way exchange of ideas between the Visiting Teacher and the Host School. To support teaching and learning, the Visiting Teacher can enhance social studies, world history, geography, art, music, world literature, health, physical education, and other subjects with a more global perspective. Visiting Teachers can also teach students the language of their native country or support foreign language instruction. Their presentations and lessons provide a distinctive complement to classes and students of all levels, not just elementary or high school.
Program Support
Volunteerism, a founding principle of AFS, is an integral component of the Global Educators Program. There are active AFS Volunteers in communities around the country. Working with the Host School, they provide three key support features for each Visiting Teacher:
1. A Host Family: to provide a secure home environment that will enhance the Visiting Teacher’s personal development experience.
2. A Mentor Teacher: to help the Visiting Teacher integrate his or her skills and interests with the curricular needs of the Host School and school district. Generally the Mentor Teacher serves as a bridge to local or regional educational opportunities. A faculty or staff member of the Host School should undertake this role, as that person will be most familiar with the school, curriculum, resources, and schedule.
3. A Liaison: to provide all-around support and assistance for the Visiting Teacher. Typically the liaison’s responsibilities have included helping to introduce the Visiting Teacher to local community groups and activities or lending a sympathetic ear to homesickness or adjustment difficulties.
Each member of a Visiting Teacher’s placement–the Visiting Teacher him or herself, the Host Family, Mentor Teacher, and Liaison–will receive a handbook at the beginning of the program. Each handbook is intended to provide useful guidelines and references, based on the suggestions and experiences of past participants.
