Nov 29, 2016
Thanks to the support of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), the Fulbright Commission could again send two ethnically diverse groups of 12 trainee teachers to San Antonio, TX and Lincoln, NE.
The two-week long seminars "Diversity and Integration in the Classroom" (from October 15 – 30, 2016) introduced the two groups to the school systems in the two respective states. On the agenda were introductory sessions about the U.S. education system, the political and cultural developments and discussions about issues related to diversity in the broadest sense. The theoretical framework was complemented by visits to local schools to provide for an individual look “behind the scenes” and exchanges with American colleagues, students and school administrators.
The participants also had the chance to meet with mentors one-on-one to facilitate an in-depth understanding of actual school routines. An excursion program provided the opportunity to experience and appreciate the local traditions and the role of sports.
During the debriefing at the end of November, which coincided with the Fulbright Commission’s celebration of Thanksgiving, both groups confirmed the immense value of their participation for them personally and for their future professional career.
