Why Fulbright?

There comes a time in any teacher's career when you get that feeling of missing something, needing redirection, or even some reinvention! I reached that point two years ago during my 18th year of teaching. I wasn't unhappy with my assignment or my school. And I had received praise and recognition from administrators and peers as a creative and innovative teacher. But, I knew I had reached a point in my professional career where I felt too comfortable and I needed to challenge myself. I needed to re-evaluate my practice and find a new focus. I had been looking for information about scholarships and grants to see if any opportunities caught my eye. I even considered adding new subject areas to my professional certificate and going back to school.

But the "aha!" moment did not happen until one weekend while cleaning my closet. I spotted one of my old photo albums and started browsing one page of photographs after another. I realized that as a young adult I had fallen in love with traveling. During my first trip to Europe, my world suddenly became much bigger and I had the realization for the first time that I had so much to learn. I wanted to see the world- all of it! Of course, life threw me on a different path but this made me think why not travel to learn more as a teacher? I started to research travel opportunities for teachers and came across the Fulbright Teacher Exchange program. 

Of all the different grant opportunities I chose the Teachers for Global Classrooms (TGC) program. This is a year-long fellowship program that seemed like it would be a great introduction to the world of global education for a teacher like me. And boy was I right!

One of the best parts of the Fulbright TGC program is the fact that you go through a 10-week introductory course. Participants learn all about global education and the required mindset for a global teacher. I learned to reframe my practice, not only to ensure my teaching is culturally relevant but also to make sure that my learning outcomes include shaping my students into global citizens.  Deepening their thinking and becoming more empathetic citizens. I also learned the importance of challenging them to take action and make a positive influence in their local community and the world.

Even though our travel was postponed due to the COVID pandemic our cohort is still working on completing all the fellowship requirements such as our capstone project which is this website you are visiting now. This has allowed me the opportunity to further reflect on my learning and continue planning for our trip next year. My experience with Fulbright has also prepared me to take on a new assignment as a Global Perspectives teacher with the Cambridge AICE program. This is an international diploma program launched last year in our school. I am so excited to be a part of the AICE team, to help the program grow, and to put into practice all my new learning during the next school year.

There are other short-term programs available for teachers and administrators that can last from 10 days to a couple of weeks. Click below for more information and to apply. Also, feel free to email me at rrodriguez@flvs.net if you have any questions for me that may help you in your global ed journey! Happy trails!