Scottish Teachers' Trading Places

Scottish teachers are being urged to take advantage of a unique opportunity to trade places with their American equivalents thanks to a scheme run by The British Council.

The Fulbright Teacher Exchange Programme allows teachers the chance to spend either the Autumn term or one full academic year teaching in elementary and secondary schools throughout the United States, while their counterparts take their place in the UK.

Teachers return home with a renewed enthusiasm for teaching, while others have found the experience has helped them towards future promotion.  The exchange can also provide first hand information for Professional Development.

Living in America

While you immerse yourself in the world of American teaching, the incoming teacher brings a new way of thinking to your school and there is huge opportunity to broaden pupils' views on the world.

The costs of transport for your exchange are covered by the programme and you will continue to be paid by your employer while on the exchange.

All applicants take part in a selection procedure prior to acceptance on the programme and currently around sixty teachers exchange annually with US partners.

Teachers taking part this year

Joanna Hall, a primary school teacher from Glasgow, has agreed to write a diary for us to document her year teaching in Oregon, USA.  Read Joanna's first diary entry.

How to Apply

The programme covers all levels from nursery to further education and if you'd like to apply, you must:

• Be a qualified teacher
• Have four years' full-time teaching experience in the UK
• Have spent two of these years in the institution from which the exchange will take place

The closing date for applications is 15 November 2007, to find out more about this exciting opportunity visit the Fulbright Teacher Exchange Programme website.