TEA participants with USEFP Executive Director, Rita Akhtar and Jen MacArthur.
Forty teachers set sail for the United States for training and capacity building
Another year, another batch of 40 teachers prepared to travel to the United States to enhance their teaching skills, further develop expertise in their subject areas, and build upon their knowledge about the United States, through the Teaching Excellence and Achievement (TEA) program.
The TEA program isn’t just about cultural exchange — it aims to prepare teachers to serve as leaders and education champions to share what they’ve learned with their peers and students.
In a room buzzing with excitement, Regional English Language Officer for the U.S. Embassy, Jen MacArthur spoke at length about what teachers could experience when they arrived in the U.S. and encouraged all participants to look beyond the stereotypes of Americans and use their time there to give them the opportunity to challenge the Pakistani stereotypes. From exercises that had participants to write down what they already knew about the U.S., to what they were expecting to learn during their travels, the pre-departure orientation challenged perceptions.
The TEA program isn’t just about cultural exchange, however, but aims to prepare teachers to serve as leaders and education champions to share what they’ve learned with their peers and students. The 40 teachers will spend one week in Washington, D.C. where they will meet with U.S. government officials and learn about American education and culture, followed by a five-week collaborative training program at selected U.S. universities where they will observe current teaching methods in practice.
We wish all participants good luck on their travels and look forward to their stories!
