Teaching Globally: Teaching in Another Culture

Charles Hutchison’s new book, Teaching in America leads me to think about the experiences we’ve had in exchange programs for students and teachers. In the 1990s, many of us were involved with a number of countries, including the USSR (Russia and the other Independent States that emerged from the Soviet State), Spain, Czech Republic, Australia and other countries. Through the Global Thinking Project teachers and students were able to not only work together on the Internet, but also had opportunities to teach and go-to-school in host countries schools. Our early experiences involved having teachers from Russia and America teach in each others’ schools. Although the teachers were normally on three-week exchanges, the long term relationships that emerged raised many of the issues that are discussed in Hutchison’s new book (influence of culture, urban vs rural schools, pedagogical issues, and diversity). The link above describes one of our funded proposals to the USIA, and shows how we involved teachers and students in international issues. High schools around the world offer students opportunities for international study through the International Baccalaureate Program. I recommend you take a look at this website, as well Dr. Hutchison’s new book.