US Embassy - Teaching Excellence and Achievement Program

Deadline: 6-May-2011

The Teaching Excellence and Achievement Program (TEA) will provide international teachers with unique opportunities to develop expertise in their subject areas, enhance their teaching skills, and increase their knowledge of the United States.

TEA is a bilateral exchange program that will provide 178 secondary school teachers from Europe and Eurasia, East Asia and the Pacific, the Near East, South and Central Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, and the Western Hemisphere with a six-week professional development program at eight U.S. universities or colleges. The international participants will travel to the United States in two cohorts of 22-24 teachers each in spring and fall 2012. The program will consist of academic seminars focusing on new teaching methodologies, curriculum development, lesson planning, teaching strategies, and computer training. Intensive English language instruction will be offered to teachers who need it. The program will also include an internship at a U.S. secondary school to actively engage participants in the U.S. classroom environment. Cultural enrichment, mentoring, and support will be provided to participants throughout the program.

Teaching Excellence and Achievement Program (TEA) Seeks to:

* Enhance teachers’ expertise in their teaching discipline and equip them with a deeper understanding of best practices in teaching methodologies, lesson planning, and the use of technology in teaching.

* Create among educators a more nuanced understanding of the U.S.

* Develop productive and lasting relationships and mutual understanding between U.S. and international teachers and their students.

* Contribute to improving teaching in participating countries by preparing participants to serve as teacher leaders, who upon returning home will apply and share their experience and skills with their peers and students.

Eligible Teaching Disciplines for the Programs are:

* English as a Foreign Language,

* Social Sciences (social studies, civics, history, or geography)

* Mathematics and Science

Selection Process and Criteria

TEA fellows will be selected through a merit-based open competition based on the criteria below. Top candidates will be interviewed by an interview panel and must take the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) examination or provide valid results no more than 1 year old. The final selection will be based on the top candidates application, interview and TOEFL test results.

Selection Criteria

* Be secondary school-level, full-time teachers with five or more years of classroom experience in disciplines;

* Be citizens of and residents in Cambodia;

* Continue teaching after completion of the program;

* Demonstrated commitment to teaching in the field of secondary education and leadership potential;

* Professional and educational experience and achievements;

* Potential for developing long-term linkages between U.S. and home country educational institutions and schools;

* Preparedness (including maturity, flexibility, and ability to function independently) for an intensive U.S.-based training program;

* Ability to express ideas clearly and effectively;

* English language skills adequate to develop lesson plans, conduct research, audit classes in U.S. host universities, and team-teach in U.S. schools (a minimum score of 450 in TOEFL); and

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

Program Dates

* Cohort 1: February – March 2012

* Cohort 2: September – November 2012

General Application Instructions & Submission Guidelines

* Please answer all questions on the application.

* Please type or print in black ink.

* If a question does not apply to you, enter N/A (not applicable).

* Include your full, legal name as spelled on your passport (if available) or other photo identification.

* Include complete contact information (including zip codes for all addresses and city codes for all phone and fax numbers if available).

* Write your full name, city, and country in the top right corner of each page.

* You may attach additional pages if necessary to answer the questions completely.

* Please indicate in which cohort (spring, or fall 2012) you would prefer to participate. (Please note that effort will be made to accommodate your first choice; however, applicants will be considered for both programs and placement in your first choice is not guaranteed.

Institutional Support and Reference Form

All applicants must include:

1. One completed recommendation form from a person who is familiar with your professional work. Recommendations may be from colleagues or supervisors. Recommendations must be submitted with the application. Recommendations submitted separately will not be accepted. A family member may not write the recommendation. Please provide an English translation of recommendation letter if it is not written in English.

2. An Institution Support Form completed by the director of the school for which you are employed. This form will confirm that the school supports your participation in this program. Please provide an English translation of the Institution Support Form if it is not written in English.

The same individual may complete the recommendation form and institution support form so long as that person is the head or chair of the school at which the applicant is employed.

Applicants must submit the original application and three complete copies (for a total of four copies). Each copy of the application should be submitted in the following order:

1. Application. Click here to download (PDF - 502 KB).
2. Completed Institutional Support and Reference Form. Click here to download (PDF - 190 KB)
3. A copy of your passport (if available).

Interested students who do not already have an official TOEFL score of 450 or above should plan to take the Institutional TOEFL Practice (ITP) on March 26, 2011 and April 23, 2011 at the Royal University of Phnom Penh. Registration for the ITP is available through the Educational Advising Center at RUPP (room 103) from Monday - Friday, with a registration deadline, one week before the test date. Please contact Mr. Hang Chanthon for registration of the ITP at 023-884-320.

Please Return Completed Applications to:

Contact Person: Mr. Chau Sa

The Public Affairs Section, U.S. Embassy

#1, Street 96, Sangkat Wat Phnom, Khan Daun Penh

Telephone: 855-23-728-248

Fax: 855-23-728-800

Email: chaus@state.gov

Moreinfo: http://cambodia.usembassy.gov/tea.html