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The Global Teachers Programme
What is the Global Teachers Programme?
The Global Teachers Programme offers teachers and headteachers a challenging, rewarding and motivating professional and personal development experience. Their involvement lasts 15 months, centred around a five week placement in June-July in Malawi for Scottish Global Teachers and Uganda for Irish Global Teachers. On placement Global Teachers are based with one of LCD’s project schools to share skills and expertise with peers in areas of school leadership, management and teaching practice. LCD provides the Global Teachers with comprehensive training and support before, during and after the placement. This is carefully designed so that all beneficiary groups – the participants, their placement schools, their own Scottish schools and the wider education sector – can extract maximum benefit from the programme in accordance with their own education and development priorities.
"It is one, if not the best form of professional development I
have ever taken part in."
- Former Global Teacher
"The unique thing about how LCD operates is that it works with
and within a department of education like ours. That's what makes the
difference." - Derek Nkata, District Education Officer,
Uganda
What does the Global Teachers Programme aim to achieve?
- Professional development of Global Teachers due to their experiences
in this programme in both South and North - particularly with respect
to management and leadership;
- Long-lasting changes in African schools - strengthened management and
leadership contributing to improved learner outcomes, effectively supported
by departments of education;
- Long-lasting changes in Irish and Scottish schools - increased global dimension to the
curriculum, resources, teachers' and learners' attitudes, whole-school
events, policies and links;
- Increased support for global education and international partnerships
among teachers, headteachers, governors, LEA staff and others in the
sector.
Why should I apply to be a Global Teacher?
This is your opportunity to:
- develop your skills as a trainer, coach and consultant
- improve your leadership and management abilities
- deepen your understanding of school improvement
- reassess your professional values and perspective
- contribute to the development of an African school
- live in a rural community and learn about the local way of life,
culture and development challenges
- form a lasting, mutually beneficial North-South school link
- bring a global dimension to your own school's ethos and curriculum,
for example in citizenship
- join the network of hundreds of Global Teachers with whom you can
share ideas and resources
- do something completely different next summer!
Who can apply to be a Global Teacher?
To be eligible, you must:
- be a qualified teacher or headteacher with qualified teacher status;
- have a minimum of four years’ teaching experience in the UK or Ireland;
- be currently working in a school in Scotland or Ireland;
- be set to continue working in a school until June 2009;
- have some experience training or supporting other teachers;
- have never been a Global Teacher before.
Some of these criteria may be flexible, so please contact us if you do not meet all of these criteria but are interested in applying.
What training and support would I receive?
The extensive network of training and support provided for the Global
Teachers is a key factor in the success of the programme. All training weekends
are compulsory so as to ensure that you benefit fully from the training
available and that you get to meet all your fellow Global Teachers and support
team members.
- Two pre-placement training weekends to prepare Global Teachers for
their professional role on placement and their year of engagement with
the programme
- A mentor who will be a former Global Teacher
- Link Community Development staff teams in Ireland, Scotland and in the South,
with extensive experience in education and development
- In-country induction, mid-placement review weekend, regular support
visits, rigorous Health and Safety procedures and final placement
reflection weekend
- One post-placement training weekend and a conference to reflect on and
share the learning from the placements, consolidate follow-up work
plans and discuss ways to sustain the impact of the programme in
schools and communities
- Global Teacher Pack - a comprehensive file containing information,
guidance, templates and exemplar materials
- LCD's website, which contains a range of downloadable resources and
information to promote networking between Global Teachers
- The Ireland/UK-wide network of Global Teachers themselves, providing ongoing
personal and professional mutual support through friendships which may
last a lifetime
"I felt supported professionally and personally every step of
the way."
"On a professional level, contact with other Global Teachers has
proved vital - their encouragement always helps."
You may need the support of your school for time off to attend training
weekends at a range of venues around Ireland (for Irish GTs) and Scotland (for Scottish GTs). The weekends usually start on
Friday evening and last until Sunday lunchtime.
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Case study: Learning from the community
Dougie McKenzie was hosted on a traditional 'kraal' by an elderly, energetic
Xhosa farmer and his large extended family. Mr Lucwaba is a vivid and moving
source of information on Xhosa culture and a shrewd commentator on the changes
taking place around him. Through stories about his grandparents and his own
childhood he provided Dougie with vivid and detailed accounts of a vanished way
of life and also of life under apartheid. Dougie found that staying with a
Xhosa family was invaluable for furthering his understanding of development
issues, and enabling him to present this complex picture to his home community
in Scotland. Dougie reflected, "I have learned that
understanding development issues in an intellectual sense is a necessary but
shallow prerequisite for experiencing them; that what we would define as poverty
is much richer than what some would define as wealth. I have learned that
living and working together in mutual respect and friendship is the most
effective way of changing things; that in the developed world we may know more
but understand less."
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What would I do on placement?
Global Teachers are placed in established and ongoing projects run by LCD in
partnership with district departments of education. While there is variation in
terms of their context and focus, all projects have as their principal aim the
improvement of the quality of education provided for children and young people.
Global Teachers find themselves running workshops, coaching individuals,
modelling new teaching strategies and giving demonstration lessons, all in
accordance with the school's identified priorities and curriculum
requirements.
"I have gained in personal confidence, and have developed a
broader perspective about development issues, global citizenship and school
improvement issues."
Case study: School development planning in the Eastern Cape
During Liz Bartley's placement at Upper Culunca Senior Secondary School, she
worked closely with the principal and governors on drawing up the revised School
Development Plan, helping them to verbalise their aspirations for the school and
understand the importance of forward planning. Among other things, Liz also
introduced lesson planning and a variety of teaching and learning methods. By
the end of the placement, most teachers were using lesson plans and had tried
out group work and more interactive methods. Liz feels her presence also helped
raise staff morale. Her host headteacher, Mrs Malindi, later commented, "The teachers use a variety of teaching methods and they are using
student-centred methods."
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Case study: HIV/AIDS action planning in the Northern Cape
There have been some significant outcomes from Natalie Tembo's placement at E
R Mocwaledi Primary School. The development of an HIV/AIDS action plan was
achieved jointly with the school's Health Committee, and entailed a parents'
workshop, a visiting speaker for the students, a drama performance for the
parents and a poster competition. Another achievement was the setting up of a
'Learners Support Group' to enable older learners to support the younger ones
having difficulties due to the effects of HIV/AIDS. Natalie also ran workshops
on specific areas of concern to the school, including rapid reading techniques,
alternative methods of discipline and techniques for helping struggling learners
in maths.
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What sort of follow-up work would I be expected to do?
Using your first-hand experiences and learning from your placement you will
be able to cover a range of issues in your school, local schools and the wider
education community. In the past Global Teachers' follow-up work has ranged
from the organisation of whole school 'Africa Weeks' to in-service training
events, the creation of teaching and learning resources and the development of
schemes of work and policies. Although the follow-up work element is left
largely to choice, enabling you to pursue particular areas of interest to
yourself and your school, you will be asked to identify two or more 'modules'
for follow-up work and outline your aims for each one based on the levels of
impact that module is expected to have. You are then required to complete a
report on each module by providing information on the overall aim, starting
point assessment for the target groups in this respect, specific objectives,
activities and an assessment of outcomes and impact.
"There has not been one day since I have returned that I have
not thought about, talked about, or taught about my friends and experience in
South Africa."
How much does it cost to be a Global Teacher?
There is a fee of £1,000 for participation in the programme and you must pay a deposit of £250 by mid-March 2008 to secure your place on the programme. This is generally non-refundable should you withdraw. This fee is a contribution towards the costs of your participation in the programme (including training, international travel, placement costs and ongoing support). The actual total cost per Global Teacher is approximately £5,500, which is covered by LCD, co-funders and your fee. There are many ways in which you can raise the fee needed to participate in the Global Teachers Programme, for example:
- Your school’s staff development budget;
- Ask your Local Authority for help and advice;
- Raise the money yourself with the support of your colleagues through fundraising events, such as home clothes days or sponsored walks (bear in mind that these should be done sensitively and LCD will provide guidance at the training weekends);
- Your union(s) - LCD receives funding for members from the EIS to contribute towards your fee;
- Your local Rotary Club or other local community groups
Where can I find more information?
On this website you can find a variety of information about the Global
Teachers Programme and LCD's other work including:
Or click here to find out who to contact in LCD offices in Scotland and Ireland.
How do I apply?
You can register your interest on the application
page which will then take you to a page where you can download the application pack.
We hope you decide to apply for this once in a lifetime
opportunity.
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