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International Traveling Teacher Program Provides Teaching Opportunities Abroad

By Kate Smith
UWRF University Communications

OCT. 27, 2008--The University of Wisconsin-River Falls Outreach and Graduate Studies department is now offering a program that provides experienced UWRF educators the opportunity to teach abroad and learn about other countries' education systems.

The International Traveling Teacher program allows educators from all subject areas and levels to volunteer job-shadow or team-teach with another educator from a host country for up to four weeks during the summer months. The program, which has successfully placed educators in more than 30 countries, is open to administrators, counselors and specialists as well.

The educators find the trips to be both educational and inspirational. "They do so much with so little," says Ellie Richards, a Greenwood (River Falls) Elementary School teacher who traveled to Vietnam as part of the program. She recalls how she enjoyed learning about another educational system and how much she enjoyed connecting with the students and working with the Vietnamese teachers. Richards said she highly recommends that all teachers and other educational professionals participate in the program. "You contribute a little and get back a lot," she says.

Each participating educator must pay for all trip expenses, and he or she may stay with a host family if possible. Although the experience is unpaid, participants can earn graduate credits from UWRF upon completion of the program and additional independent study.

For more information about the program, visit the International Traveling Teacher website at http://www.uwrf.edu/educator/travelteacher or contact Judy Freund at 715.386.9336 or Amber Tubre at 715-425-3256.

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