he primary goal of most educator exchanges is to provide an opportunity for teachers and administrators to be immersed in an educational and cultural experience that will enhance their professional knowledge and skills. They participate to increase their proficiency in the language of the host country, to learn more about the students they teach, and to promote goodwill between the host and visiting countries.

SEDL sponsored two short-term exchanges between the U.S. and Mexico (described in more detail in Section III) to increase teachers' and administrators' knowledge about cultural and educational backgrounds of immigrant students and to study the impact these exchanges had on educators. The paired exchanges involved twelve teachers from New Mexico and Nuevo Leon and two administrators from Texas and Tamaulipas (a total of 28 participants). Each member of the pair stayed in the other's home and shared his/her professional experience for two weeks.

SEDL then reviewed transcripts of focus groups, questionnaires, and journals kept by the participants (see the Appendices) as well as some active teacher exchanges. Based primarily on the SEDL Educator Exchange Program experience, the following section provides aspects to consider when thinking about participating, establishing, or tailoring an exchange program.

To help ensure a successful exchange experience, it is important to match participants' expectations for the exchange as closely as possible with the opportunities and parameters of the exchange. In addition to the exchange's goals, there are other features that should be considered. These include exchange activities; orientation sessions; duration of exchange; criteria for participation; travel, lodging, and meals; and financial support.

Exchange Activities

In selecting an exchange, it is important to clarify the range of activities available. Most educator exchanges include a mix of activities, such as participating in professional development sessions; providing in-services when necessary; teaching in bilingual, English as a second language (ESL), and foreign language classrooms; participating in extracurricular events and meetings where students/parents are involved; tutoring; translating; and attending faculty meetings.

The SEDL exchanges were designed for the participant to shadow the host teacher from morning until evening. Opportunities for cultural outings, shopping for supplemental materials to take back home, and visiting other schools were also provided. For example, during the SEDL-sponsored exchanges, teachers co-taught with their host teachers for two weeks. During this time they also planned lessons together, shared materials, and questioned each other about the educational systems of their countries. Some of the U.S. participants whose work involved different grade levels at their schools or districts had the opportunity to work and/or visit both elementary and secondary levels in Mexico. All of the New Mexico participants prepared a mini-workshop in reading or ESL, and some had the opportunity to provide professional development to other teachers in the host schools. Participants observed and visited other classrooms, interviewed students, and interacted with as many people as possible who could provide more in-depth information about the students and the educational system. The administrators from Mexico attended a professional development institute.

Orientation Sessions

Although seeing is believing, it is helpful to prepare participants with a very specific orientation session in advance of the visit and/or exchange. Every exchange orientation should provide information about the culture of the host country, including its customs and traditions. Consulates and embassies can provide additional information regarding travel and other logistics, pertinent cultural issues, the curriculum used in schools, teacher certification requirements, scheduling, school facilities, etc. Ideally, orientations would also include scenarios to help participants prepare for unforeseen circumstances and how best to deal with them. This can help participants overcome some of the culture shock they may experience when visiting another country. One group from the SEDL-sponsored exchanges attended several orientation sessions, including one provided by a previous cohort of exchange teachers.

Duration of Exchange

The length of time teachers participate in exchanges can vary tremendously. Post-to-post exchange programs, where teachers exchange teaching positions simultaneously for a given period of time, are common in programs between Spain and some U.S. states. The duration of other exchanges depends on the commitment made between the exchange teacher and the school or school district; for instance the Mexican government and the U.S. Migrant Education program promote four-to-eight week exchanges during the summer. Although the duration of most exchanges is limited to several weeks, there are exchange programs, such as the Visiting Teacher Program offered through the Spanish Embassy, that require teachers to stay for at least a full academic year, with an option of extending the stay up to three or more years.

Criteria for Participation

All exchanges require participants to have proficiency in the visiting country's language. Some require a specific number of years of teaching experience in certain grade levels and in specific subject areas. Other exchanges require participants to take language-proficiency tests, and in the case of long-term exchanges, modified versions of the teacher competency tests mandated by the host state.

Travel, Lodging, and Meals

Logistics involved in organizing the exchanges include arranging travel permits, group rates for flights, and other matters. It is advisable to contact the host country's consulate regarding travel permits, visas, and other assistance as well as to ensure that the proper documentation is in place when participants get ready to travel.

Some exchanges include lodging and meals; others do not. In the case of the SEDL exchanges, participants stayed in the homes of host families (in most cases, in those of the teachers with whom they were paired), where they were also provided with meals. Other exchanges may have participants staying at hotels and/or college dorms, or in the case of lengthier exchanges, in apartments. There are several factors to consider when arranging lodging, such as gender, marital status, and age of the visiting and/or host participants. Problems could arise if more than one participant stays with the host family since costs for that family would increase, especially for meals, utilities, telephone calls, etc.

Financial Support

Securing appropriate funding for establishing or participating in an exchange is clearly the most difficult aspect of such a program. Very few exchanges provide the necessary funding for this activity, although some might pay partial expenses. For example, the Program for Mexican Communities Abroad, which sponsors a teacher exchange between several states in the U.S. and Mexico, pays for teachers' travel from Mexico to the U.S. However, U.S. schools are expected to pay a stipend for the Mexican teacher once she or he arrives.

 

Teachers from Mexico who participated in a SEDL exchange discuss their experiences in one of the focus group sessions following the exchange.