Is your school interested in hosting a Visiting Teacher?
The success of the Visiting Teacher in the Host School environment is critically dependent on the attention provided by the Host School and district. Past experience has shown that to make the program viable, the school and district should have:
- A clear understanding of the goals and objectives of the program.
- A written agreement and school hosting plan that outlines how the teacher will be integrated into the educational setting (host school application and host school placement acceptance form) and what resources the school will be able to provide for the Visiting Teacher’s work.
- The active participation of a Mentor Teacher who will work regularly with the Visiting Teacher throughout the school term.
- A willingness to provide opportunities for professional development: access to professional in-service and cultural opportunities; visits and observations in other schools and at all grade levels; attendance at state or regional in-services.
As a school administrator, active support is crucial to the success of the program. Some areas where administrators have shared their expertise are:
- An awareness of overall school district goals that relate to intercultural learning and educational ties to the global community.
- An awareness of those areas of the curriculum that relate to the specific goals of the program (i.e., world languages, cultural awareness and understanding, intercultural communications skills).
- An awareness of district resources–both human and financial–that can be used to support the program and better ensure its success.
- The ability to act as an advocate and communicate the program goals to other educators, the school board, and general community.
Finally, the school administrator is instrumental to ensure that adequate time is provided for the Mentor Teacher (especially near the beginning of the school year) to work closely with the Visiting Teacher. As you can imagine, Mentor Teachers are not effective when the responsibility is randomly tacked onto already busy schedules, with little or no time for planning or face-to-face discussion.
Is your family interested in hosting a Visiting Teacher?
In addition to their own professional development, Visiting Teachers who travel to the United States are interested in learning about American lifestyles, culture, and family life, and sharing in their own customs and traditions.
Becoming part of a family affords them the opportunity to experience “real American life.” In turn, families who host adults gain a mature and informed perspective on another country, while forging friendships and memories that can last a lifetime. If you’re interested in hosting a teacher, please download the Visiting Teacher Host Family Application.
