In this slideshow I present my experience as a cultural exchange educator, advice and tips for current teachers, those willing to teach abroad and ideas after you are back teaching in your home country, or not.

1. Why my experience as a Cultural
Exchange Educator Helped Bridge
the Gap between my Community
and Others.
by Fabiana Casella
-Argentina-

2. High School Spanish Teacher at East Rowan
High School,Salisbury, Rowan Co., North
Carolina, US 2001-2004
High School and Middle School ESOL
teacher at South Rowan High and
Southeast Middle School, Salisbury,
Rowan Co., North Carolina, US 20052008

3. What does “Cultural Exchange” mean?
*What is culture?
*Why is it important to raise cultural awareness
among your students?
*How can you do that in your classroom when
you are or when you are NOT in your country
of origin?.

4. Teaching about your country and your culture
can be a great challenge for exchange teachers!
*Language (s) - Dialects
*Customs
*Traditions
*History
*Geography
*Civics
*Politics

5. How did I face the challenge?
How did I bridge the gap?
*Opened the window.
*Explored my identities.
*Explored communities.
*Valued my heritage.
*Told differences and similarities between
cultures.

6. A Cultural Exchange Educator should
*Understand the role of culture in the world.
*Integrate global content in the classroom.
*Investigate the world through inquiry.
*Connect and collaborate with a global purpose.
*Inspire students to appreciate and accept other
cultures.
*Promote peace and passion for global learning.

9. Cultural Awareness and Global Education:
*Two visionaries: VIF founders and Canada
School owners, the school I work at in Argentina.
*Visiting International Faculty Program (VIF) started bringing
international teachers to the USA in the 1980´s.
*Canada School owners promoted cultural exchange, students
traveled to Australia and New Zealand to live in family houses
and play sports.

11. What is a Cultural Ambassador?

12. As an international teacher I had to be:
*Flexible
*Adaptable
*Knowledgeable
*Competent
*Empathetic
*Patient and...much more!

15. Host a Cultural Event week
*Culture corner creation.
*Investigate about culture through poster
creation, or using web tools.
*Invite a guest reader or speaker to the class.
*Blog about the event: make flags of countries
or passports.
*Use multimedia: music, radio, tv shows, plan
a virtual trip and eat or prepare typical food.

17. Steps to be an international teacher:
*Interview with a US school representative.
*Pre-Departure Orientation.
*Adjusting to American culture.
*Teaching in US schools.

19. How to globalize your class once you
come back to your home country:
*Become a Connected Educator.
*Communicate with teachers from different parts of
the world.
*Join Social Media Educational groups on
Facebook, Twitter #chats and Edmodo.
*Blog, blog, blog!.
*Connect, get involved and go international once
again!

21. Email: fabianacasella@gmail.com
@FLCasella
Skype id: fabianna.casella
Blogger:
http://all4efl.blogspot.com.ar/2013/10/gl
obaledcon-connecting-educatorsand.html