Teaching Excellence and Achievement (TEA) Program 2021

Teaching Excellence and Achievement (TEA) Program 2020-2021

A program sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), with funding provided by the U.S. Government and administered by IREX.

PROGRAM OVERVIEW
FOR INTERNATIONAL TEACHERS

Program Overview

The Fulbright Teaching Excellence and Achievement Program (TEA) is an intensive non-credit, non-degree, six-week professional development program at a U.S. university (January – March 2021 or September – November 2021), for secondary – level teachers of English, math, science, and social studies.

It is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

The 2020-2021 program will mark the twenty-fouth year of the Teaching Excellence and Achievement Program.

Program Components

Teachers who are selected to participate in the TEA Program will:

  1. Participate in advanced undergraduate or graduate level classes at a U.S. host university.
  2. Observe classes, co-teach, and share their expertise with U.S. colleagues in U.S. secondary schools.
  3. Participate in an online professional learning community with other participants to share best practices and other elements of host and home country educational systems.
  4. Take part in other education and cultural activities while on program in the United States.

Upon returning home, teachers will be expected to share the knowledge and experience gained on the program with teachers and students in their home schools and within their communities.

University Coursework:

Weekly Seminars: Teachers will participate in weekly seminars at their host university featuring presentations and discussions led by university staff, faculty members, and invited educational experts. The academic seminars will focus on new teaching methodologies, content-based instruction, project-based learning, infusing thematic topics into curriculum, lesson planning, and instructional technology training for teachers.

U.S. School Placements: Teachers will be placed in a U.S. secondary school during the U.S. program, where they will observe classes, co-teach, and share their expertise and information about their home countries and schools. Each participant will be paired with a U.S. partner educator at their assigned school to facilitate sharing of best practices between the teachers.

Online Professional Learning Community: Each participant will participate in a virtual community with other international educators to collaborate and share best practices about education and leadership in the participating countries.

How to Apply:

Download, fill and send the forms below to CulturalMVD@gmail.com

Application deadline: Saturday, April 18, 2020.

For more information contact: Veronica Perez Urioste

Program Dates

Spring 2021 – Late-January-mid-March 2021
or
Fall 2021 – September-late October 2021.

Logistical Information

Travel: Teachers will be provided with an international airline ticket and will also be reimbursed for round-trip travel expenses between their home city and Montevideo (if they are from the interior).

Housing: Participants will live on or near the host university campus in housing that is arranged for them. Dependents are not permitted to accompany the teachers on the program.

Finances: Each teacher will receive a maintenance allowance during the program to cover expenses such as supplies for classes, household items, personal items, medical co-payments, and cultural and other activities. Also included in this total is a daily stipend to purchase groceries, meals at local restaurants, or food from on-campus dining services. Costs associated with housing, required program activities, and other program-related expenses are paid in advance by the Fulbright TEA Program and may vary by host university.

Eligibility

Eligible applicants must meet the following requirements:

  • Be current secondary school-level teachers at a public high school, charter type school, UTU or Access;
  • Have 5 or more years of classroom experience in TEA teaching disciplines: English, EFL, Social Studies, Mathematics, Science, or special education;
  • If teachers are teaching additional grade levels, they must teach middle or high school students more than 50% of their work time
  • Be citizens or residents of, AND teach in URUGUAY;
  • Have earned a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent;
  • Have a very good level of English (obtain a minimum score of 450 on TOEFL on April 25, 2020, which will be a program requirement and all costs will be covered if you are pre-selected)
  • Demonstrate a commitment to continue teaching after completion of the program.

*A limited number of participants with TOEFL scores between 425 and 450, or equivalent, will be accepted for the program into a special cohort with additional English language training included in the professional development program.

TEA promotes diversity in the classroom and in learning. TEA supports inclusion and strongly encourages teachers with disabilities to apply.

Applicants who have had few or no opportunities to travel to the U.S. will be given priority.

TEA Program Information

For more information, contact the U.S. Embassy in your home country:

Veronica Pérez Urioste – perezuriostev@state.gov