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The Visiting Teachers from Spain is an International Cooperation program sponsored by the Education Office of the Embassy of Spain in the US and various U.S and Canadian departments of Education. The program started back in the mid 80's in California and New York. Since then, it has expanded to over 30 states and has had over five thousand participating teachers. This program enables
local school districts, as well as private and charter schools, to hire highly-qualified native Spanish speakers to teach at elementary, middle and high schools. Visiting teachers from Spain make a one to threeyear commitment to teach in the US, provided that the school district agrees to rehire them. Participating districts employ these teachers in accordance with state regulations and
policies and pay them according to their experience and certification level. Teachers from Spain are interviewed and screened by representatives of the different states and schools prior to their placement. These teachers are considered both highly qualified and licensed to teach in the US, and arrive with appropriate documentation of background evaluation.
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Goals of the Program The spirit of the program is based on multicultural understanding and cultural exchange. Its main objectives are, thus, built on these strong foundations:
o To strengthen the relations between the US/ Canada and Spain. o To provide support for the teaching of the Spanish language in the US and Canada.
o To provide support for the implementation of bilingual/dual language and multicultural education programs that help students prepare for future personal, academic and professional success.
o To provide the Spanish teachers with an excellent opportunity for professional development and growth.
Legal Framework This program is based upon: o J1 Exchange visitor program: U.S. Department of State (DOS) This program enables foreign teachers to have the opportunity to teach in accredited primary and secondary schools in the United States under a J1 Visa for up to three years.
o Memorandums of understanding signed by Spanish Ministry of Education and Education Authorities of different states and provinces in the US and Canada. The purpose of these MOUs is to increase mutual understanding between the people of the different participating states and the people of Spain by means of educational and cultural exchanges and establishes the guidelines of collaboration between both parties.
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As a J-1 sponsor, local institutions are responsible for ensuring that exchange visitors and their host schools abide by the strict program rules and requirements established by the U.S. Departments of State and Homeland Security. The Spanish Ministry of Education has signed MOU in Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Illinois, Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa, Massachusetts and New York. It also has collaboration agreements in the area with various school districts in Minnesota, Wisconsin, South Dakota and Missouri.
"Our experience with the program has surpassed our expectations. The visiting teachers are excellent professionals and highly qualified bilingual teachers. The state advisor to Illinois has been very supportive and dedicated to ensuring that this program is successful for our district, and the students that we serve. This program has enriched our bilingual programs in many ways and we look forward to our continued partnership with the program."
Joe Wiemelt Director of Bilingual & Multicultural Programs Urbana School District, IL
Teacher's Status o Teachers will come on a J-1 cultural exchange visa, valid for three years o Visiting teachers will have a Highly Qualified Status o The international teaching certificate should be valid for three years
Who are the candidates? In order to participate in this program a teacher must comply with the following requirements established by the US Department of State:
o Meet the qualifications for teaching in primary or secondary schools in Spain. o Have a minimum of three years of teaching or related professional experience. o Satisfy the standards of the U.S. state in which they will teach.
o Enter the United States for the purpose of teaching full time at a primary or secondary accredited educational institution.
o Possess sufficient proficiency in English language to participate in his or her program. Furthermore all teachers in the Visiting Teachers from Spain Program have:
o At least a Bachelor's Degree, although most of them have a Master's Degree.Degree.
o All their educational credentials are accredited by WES (Word Educational Services)* o Backgrounds in bilingual or multicultural education.
o A strong interest in international education and new pedagogical opportunities. * WES (Word Educational Services) is a non-profit organization that provides research about international education and offers expert credential evaluation services.
Highl
y Qu alified
Visiting Teachers receive a Temporary Visiting International Teacher's Permit from the Department of Education in the participating states.
o This license recognizes the High Quality Teaching Status of Visiting Teachers. o It is valid for up to three years. o It is nonrenewable.
Licensing Theodore Potter Spanish Immersion Magnet School has been called a cultural jewel deep in the heart of Indianapolis. This was made possible through a partnership between School 74, the Spanish Ministry of Education and the visiting teachers. During our short time as a dedicated magnet school, School 74 has earned district, state, and national recognition for program excellence and academic growth.That is why we treasure our partnership with the Spanish Ministry of Education and the visiting teachers program. There is no doubt in our minds no matter how specific we are about what we need; they will be able to provide us that person. It is as if they understand our school as well as we do and have the perfect candidate in mind long before we ask.
Tim Clevenger, Principal School 74 IPS. IN
Selection Process A. All candidates are rigorously pre-screened by the Spanish Ministry of Education in two different stages. 1. The Ministry of Education in Madrid selects from all the applicants only the ones that meet the qualification and experience requirements to participate in the program established by the US DOS. 2. The Education Office of the Spanish Embassy in the US selects a pool of candidates according to the profiles required by the schools. B. Those candidates are extensively interviewed in the Spring in Madrid by representatives of the different states and institutions on: o Pedagogical / Differentiation / Assessment skills; o English language proficiency o Technology skills; o Classroom management potential; o Cross-cultural skills; o Flexibility / Cultural and professional adaptability; o Openness to new methodologies o A desire to learn. An Alternate Waiting List with potential candidates that meet the standards but do not obtain a position after the interviews is established, so that a pool of candidates is available all year around.
All hosts must be willing, and able to provide their visiting Spanish teachers with the following: o A position appropriate for a guest educator in a secure, year-long position. o Salary and benefits commensurate with their education and experience.
o Assistance getting settled in an affordable and safe living situation. o Strong mentoring throughout the academic year. o Flexibility and opportunities to experience American culture outside the classroom setting. o Rich cross-cultural experiences.
General Requirements to host a Visiting Teacher "The visiting teachers from Spain are energetic, hard working and committed to providing our students with a variety of cultural and linguistic experiences. They have strengthened cultural acceptance and understanding within our community. I would highly recommend participation in this program for any district seeking high quality Spanish speaking staff."
ELLYN WRZEZKI,SUPERINTENDENT WOODSTOCK CUSD 200, IL
Spanish Education Office Responsabilities The Spanish Education Office screens candidates and verifies their credentials and experience in order to provide a group of top candidates that meet the requirements of the potential school districts. In addition to this, The interview process is facilitated by paying for interviewer travel and accommodation expenses. Teachers are supported with: university transcripts evaluation, Visa Paperwork, Certification and Licensure, Settlement and adjustment, PD opportunities and ongoing support during their stay in the US.
District Responsabilities o Salary & Benefits Compensation must be commensurate with educational attainment, the candidate's years of formal classroom teaching experience, and any union bargaining agreements. o Insurance Coverage Employee health insurance provided by the host school must have a minimum of $50,000 benefit per accident or illness. This is a requirement of the J1 Visa Program
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In our district, this program has been a very successful one and we have been hosting teachers from Spain for more than ten years. Currently, seven Visiting Teachers are teaching and sharing their culture with our students. The Visiting teachers and the hosting schools receive strong support from our regional education Advisor, Sr. Manuel Collazo. We realize that these teachers need strong support since they not only encounter a new educational system, but also a new culture. We are very happy with our Visiting Teachers; they are enthusiastic, dedicated and well-prepared professionals.
Tom Shelton, PhD, Superintendent Fayette County PS, Lexington, KY
Teachers Responsabilities
Teachers must pay for their
travel
expenses to and from Spain, as well as their accommodation expenses.
As full-time teachers, they are expected to fulfill the same requirements as the rest of the teachers including: o Teach a regular work day, o Elaborate their lesson plans. o Provide all other documentation required by administrators. o They should also collaborate actively in their departments and schools in all initiatives.
o Visiting Teachers are currently required to provide their own medical evacuation and repatriation of remains insurance coverage for the duration of their stay. o Medical evacuation (min. $10,000 coverage) and repatriation of remains (minimum of $7,500 coverage). Visiting Teachers are required to purchase their own insurance (a minimum of $50,000) for their first two months of stay to ensure that they have health coverage until the get insurance coverage from their employer.
Orientation Spanish visiting teachers receive orientation in different phases during their stay in the program: o Pre-departure orientation in Spain ( July), o Weeklong visiting teacher orientation in the recipient state on arrival. o New teacher orientation provided by the host school or district. o Sponsoring States organize follow up meetings during the school year. o The State's representative and the Education Advisor of the Education Office in the region conduct frequent visits to host schools.
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Tentative Timeline December 2013
National call for applicants in Spain.
Jan - March.
The Spanish Ministry of Education screens all the applications
and selects the pool of candidates who will be tested by state
representatives in April. Jan - April Mid April
Schools submit the Spanish Visiting Teacher Program Application to their state representatives
May 2
Visiting Teachers Selection Process in Madrid State representatives communicate best matches of prospective
VTs with requesting schools.
May 23
Deadline for districts to put their VTs under contract
Last week May
Sponsor Institutions issue paperwork to VTs to get their Visas
June - July
VTs interview at U.S. Consulate in Madrid for their J-1 visas.
First week July
VTs attend pre-departure orientation in Madrid
July
VTs arrange their own travel to the U.S.
July - Aug
VTs attend pre-service orientation
First week Aug.
VTs travel to Schools.
Recommendation for districts o Housing and accommodation
o Assistance in setting up house-keeping
The sooner the teacher gets settled in the community the faster he/she can focus on his/her work so it is highly recommended that the school provides the following help:
o The teacher may need directions in order to:
o Host Family for the first one or two weeks.
o Assist in securing donations of furniture and other common household items, etc.
Optimally, candidates would stay with a family in the community that has the time, ability and interest to help him/her familiarize with the community. The process could include any of the following: opening a bank account, finding a place to live, purchasing a reliable used vehicle, acquiring car and renter's insurance, identifying a good local doctor, moving and settling in, getting a SSN, etc. Placement with administrator and/or supervisors should be avoided. Bringing a visiting teacher from Spain has been a wonderful experience for our students. They have been exposed to a teacher from a different culture while they are learning a new language.
Susan Rauch, Principal Fort Frye High School, Beverly, Ohio
o Scout out apartments and used cars prior to teacher arrival
o Settle in as quickly and comfortably as possible, prior to the start of the school year.
Mentoring Provide an Intensive, Yearlong Mentoring Program by a Highly Qualified Mentor Schools should allow for a period of intensive and guided orientation before teaching responsibilities begin. This should include time for the Visiting Teacher to observe, for at least the first few days of class if not the entire first week, in order to focus on establishing rapport, setting up routines, classroom management, pedagogy, instructional sequencing, differentiation, formal/informal assessment, grading, contacting parents, etc.
Schools need to provide mentoring to include the following: o Cultural mentoring, o High visibility of administrators (frequent drop-in type visits during the first week or two of classes). Positive, frequent, constructive and easily understandable feedback by all observers. o Required journaling and self-reflection. o Administrative checks on your visiting teacher frequently throughout the entire school year to ensure adherence to all Spanish Visiting Teacher Program requirements. o Maintenance of working conditions that are safe and sanitary at all times. o Monitoring that the Visiting Teacher's workload is appropriate and that required supports are in place and functioning optimally. o Report to your State Responsible Officer and the Spanish Office of Education without delay any infraction of the law or violation of educator code of conduct that is allegedly committed by a Visiting Teacher o Ensure that the Visiting Teacher receives due process in the event an alleged violation of the law or educator code of conduct is made o If your VT is struggling in any way, alert your state representa tive your Education Advisor for the area immediately and intervene positively to assist then.
Why participating in this program o The presence of the teachers fosters knowledge and appreciation of similarities and differences between the two countries. o It addresses problems associated with the availability of qualified and certified Spanish-speaking teachers. o It provides communities with a diverse atmosphere. o It brings qualified and extraordinary teachers to the education and lives of the students. Bryan Station Middle School has had four visiting teachers from Spain in the last five years. They have helped tremendously not only by teaching contents in Spanish for our students, but also by bringing their culture to our classrooms and by exposing it to our students. They have also been involved in after school activities such as coaching sports and field trips. Visiting teachers have definitely been part of our program's academic success and a key role in the cultural component from the Spanish Immersion program at middle school.
Lester Diaz. Principal BSMS, Fayette County PS, Lexington, KY.
Visiting Teachers across the US and Canada 2013-2014 Only can the be dida st t sele es are cted
VT in the Midwest and Northeast Regions 2013-2014 kes ple ma o e p g tin Connec difference the
14 states 364 teachers
Visiting Teacher Application o Deadline for submission is April 4, 2013.
o Be sure to include a copy of your district's salary schedule for teachers for the 2013-2014 school year, if available. If not, use 2012-2013. o Be specific regarding the skills and type of teacher you want. Include information about your school culture, your community and your expectations to help the CIESC interviewer and the Spanish Ministry of Education's Advisor match the best candidate possible to your school or district. o Forms and instructions: contact your Education Advisor for the area.
"Teaching in the US has been a life-changing experience. It has allowed me to grow personally and professionally, and give back to my students much more than I would have ever thought. I see how my American students accept and embrace cultural differences very naturally, they learn different ways of interaction, and they become academically successful. It is a wonderful adventure with an amazing and positive impact on students and their families." ALBERTO DE LA CRUZ, KINDERGARTEN BILINGUAL TEACHER, IL
Testimonials Having had little experience with the Visiting Teacher Program in the past, I have been very impressed with the program so far. The interview process in Spain last Spring was intense, 66 interviews in 5 days! The quality of the candidates was impressive. This year, we have 3 new visiting teachers at our school who are experienced, well trained and bring a new dimension to our Dual Language Program. Our students and families are from all over the Spanish speaking world, but few from Europe. The Spanish teachers expose our students to new vocabulary, new accents and new culture. We have been very pleased with our experience so far!
Susan McGilvray-Rivet, Principal Barbieri Elementary School. Framingham, MA
This has been a wonderful learning experience for all of us here at Lindley Elementary, as well as our two Visiting Teachers. For us, their colleagues, as well as their students, it is an invaluable cultural exchange. The Visiting Teachers' students have experienced, knowledgeable, and caring teachers who are completely bilingual. This program is conducive for exchanging ideas and sharing teaching methodology from another country. It is a win-win program for all involved; especially our students, who benefit directly from this international experience.¨
Lindley
Trudy C. Grafton, Principal. International Spanish Academy. Wayne, IN
Ft.
"After completing an exceptional first year with one of the teachers from Spain and seeing the tremendous leaps gained with respects to students with special needs, we knew we needed to bring more specialists of this caliber to impact a greater amount of students in our school! We now have 2 fabulous teachers from the program working side by side with students and teachers in Calmeca Academy of Fine Arts & Dual Language. It has been a powerful two-way collegial learning experience for all of us!"
Frances Garcia, Principal Calmeca Academy of Fine Arts & Dual Language, CPS. IL
Contact Information Education Office of Spain 358 Fifth Avenue, Suite 1404 New York, NY. 10001 Phone: 212 629 4435 admin.usa@mecd.es
MANUEL COLLAZO Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio
Education Advisor - Embassy of Spain Spanish Resource Center Cavanaugh Hall 205 425 University Blvd. Indianapolis, IN 46202 Ph. 317 278 1210 manuel.collazo@mecd.es
EVA MARTĂ?N Massachusetts, Maine
Education Advisor Consulate General of Spain DESE 75 Pleasant ST, 4th floor Malden, MA 02148-4906 Ph. 781 338 6236 evam.martin@mecd.es
JORGE BERNÉ Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota Education Advisor - Embassy of Spain ISBE 100 W. Randolph St. Ste. 14 300 Chicago, IL 60601, USA Ph. 312 814 5696 jorge.berne@mecd.es
CLARA GOMEZ Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and S. Dakota
Education Advisor- Embassy of Spain Spanish Studies Institute- UNL 61B Henzlik Hall Lincoln, NE 68588 Ph. 1 402 472 0683 clara.gomez@mecd.es
FRANCISCO BARBA New York, Connecticut, New Jersey Education Advisor - Consulate of Spain 358 Fifth Avenue, Suite 1404 New York, NY, 10001 Ph. 212 629 4435 . Ext. 105. francisco.barba@mecd.es