Argentina Fulbright

Argentina Fulbright-Hays

SEMINAR Abroad

ON CHILDHOOD AND EDUCATION

FOR K-12 and COMMUNITY COLLEGE TEACHERS

2007

You are invited to participate in a Fulbright-Hays Group Study Abroad seminar organized by the University of Kansas. This five-week seminar will take place in Argentina in June and early July of 2007. This opportunity is open to K-12 and community college instructors in Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Colorado, and other states provided that the teachers are willing to travel to Lawrence, KS, for training and roundtrip travel to Argentina.

OVERVIEW:

Participants in this seminar will study the culture, economy and history of Argentina, approached through a focus on childhood. The five-week seminar/curriculum development program is intended for elementary, secondary and community college educators. Educators will experience daily life in a Latin American country through lectures and visits to schools and many institutions focused on childhood. Each participant will live with a host family to gain insight into daily life in the province of Cordoba, Argentina. In addition, teachers will engage in a three-day service-learning project at an apprenticeship school for at-risk youth. Spanish language classes tailored specially to the needs of each participant will be held on a daily basis. Travel and visits will also include the provinces of Salta, Jujuy, and Buenos Aires. Visits and lectures will allow insights into multicultural and multilingual education programs among indigenous populations of Northwestern Argentina.

PURPOSE:

The seminar will offer a meaningful overseas experience to teachers; provide teachers with a greater understanding of childhood, family life, education, health, religion, economy, indigenous issues, work and recreation in Argentina; enable them to gather elementary and secondary-level materials useful for classroom instruction on Latin America and Argentina in particular; promote relations between schools in the Midwest and Argentine schools at all levels; and create and develop international and Latin American curriculum units for use in classrooms.

Selected participants will develop interdisciplinary curricular units on Argentina aimed at internationalizing their courses. Collected materials, such as pictures, audio and video recordings, printed materials, music, and instruments, will enrich these units. A “traveling trunk” on Argentina will be developed as a group project. Instructional modules developed during the seminar will be published on a website for other educators to use.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Applicants must be current full-time K-12 or community college instructors and must submit an application form, current resume, letters of recommendation, and a room and board form. Of special importance is a statement thoroughly explaining how the trip will enhance the particular courses taught by the applicant as well as the overall impact on his/her school. Teachers in the humanities, social studies, area studies, and foreign languages are encouraged to apply. Previous applicants are encouraged to reapply as there were 71 applications for only 13 spots for the 2004 Argentina Seminar. Some knowledge of Spanish is helpful but not required.

SELECTION CRITERIA:

Applicants will be selected based on the following criteria:

	Plan to utilize program experience to develop teaching modules in an interdisciplinary format;
	Demonstrable interest in enriching cultural area-specific dimensions of teaching as evidenced by a commitment to participate in pre-trip orientation activities and all programs, lectures and trips within Argentina;
	Commitment to attend the full length of the seminar (to travel with the group on specific days);
	Potential impact on other teachers through in-service or other talks and team teaching;
	Potential impact on students’ ability to think internationally;
	Willingness to adapt to a new culture, customs, food and to a host family living experience;
	Potential for contribution to a group seminar, to the group teaching modules, and the traveling trunk;
	Service learning project proposal for volunteer service at apprenticeship school for at risk youth;

COST:

The grant pays for air transportation from KCI, travel within Argentina, lectures, educational materials, field trips, homestays, hotels, and per diem.

Due to the fluctuating currency exchange rate in Argentina, we will be requiring a $500 contribution from each participant. Consult with your school district or college regarding professional development travel funds to cover this expense.

TIMELINE:

Tentative travel dates are June 8 - July 13, 2007.

Deadline for application: December 1, 2006.

To receive an application packet and for general information, please contact Adriana Natali-Sommerville adriana@ku.edu, Center of Latin American Studies, University of Kansas.

For program questions you may contact seminar leader Samuel Sommerville, Professor of Spanish, Johnson County Community College at ssommerv@jccc.edu