Ukrainian University Faculty Members Visit New York City as Part of Professional Development Program
Faculty members from universities in Ukraine visited New York City for three weeks this month to learn from and share with educators in the U.S. as part of a professional development program.
The visit was part of a program designed to advance English language pedagogy in Ukraine and attend to the vitally important integration of mental health and psychosocial supports, including social-and-emotional learning, as the faculty members are educating the next generation of teachers in Ukraine for the bright future they are striving for after the war.
“Childhood Education International understands the power of people-to-people connections, which is why we are so proud to be a part of this educator exchange program,” said Diane Whitehead, President and CEO of CE International. “These faculty members are working to advance English language learning and support the well-being of young people in their nation. This will have a significant impact on children and youth today and far into the future.”
Yearlong Program with Three-Week Intensive Exchange
With support from the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Embassy and the Regional English Language Office in Kyiv, 30 Ukrainian TESOL faculty have been taking part in an intensive yearlong professional development program organized by CE International’s Center for Professional Learning, in partnership with Dr. Laura Baecher of Hunter College, City University of New York Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) program.
Ukrainian faculty and educators from CE International and Hunter College have been meeting virtually since December 2022 and will continue their virtual collaborations through November as a vibrant, diverse community of practice.
Spring 2023 workshops featured leaders in the TESOL field and beyond who shared expertise on building professional learning networks, integrating technology in the English language classroom, incorporating social-and-emotional learning in teacher preparation courses and in English language classrooms from primary through higher education levels, and exploring syllabi in relation to teacher identity, various pedagogical models, and much more.
This month, colleagues participated in exchanges, with half visiting New York City and half doing exchanges virtually. After these exchanges, they will apply learning as they develop their research agendas, write articles and presentation proposals, revise course curriculum and syllabi, and prepare for a fall webinar series to be hosted by Childhood Education International.
“We are honored to work with our Ukrainian colleagues as part of this important cultural and educational exchange,” said Julie Kasper, Director of Teacher Learning and Leadership at Childhood Education International. “Throughout this program, the Ukrainian teacher educators have been active in communities of practice that are sustaining and developmental. We are learning from and supporting each other as we foster Ukrainian-U.S. engagement on English language teaching and learning.”
Virtual and In-Person Exchanges
The fifteen faculty members visiting New York City observed classes and took part in discussions at CUNY, Hunter College, New York University, Teachers College, Columbia University and the Borough of Manhattan Community College. They also visited New York City P-12 schools, including Manhattan Academy for Arts and Language and The Children’s Workshop School, and they visited cultural, artistic, historical, and educational sites.
Simultaneously, fifteen other faculty members took part in a virtual exchange that immersed them in New York City’s virtual riches and provides opportunities to deepen their understanding of SEL integrations in TESOL methodologies, technology use in cross-cultural exchange, and much more.
Photo Gallery from New York City Exchange
Below are some photos from the in-person program in New York City.
