VISITING TEACHERS FROM SPAIN
2020
Sponsored by: - Embassy of Spain - Education Office - Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education - Maine Department of Education
The program addresses the needs of schools VISITING TEACHERS Â and enhances multilingual education and FROM SPAIN dual language programs. Visiting Teachers from Spain is an International Cooperation program sponsored by the Education Office of the Embassy of Spain in the US and various US and Canadian Departments of Education.
This program enables local school districts, as well as private and charters schools, to hire highlyqualified native Spanish speakers to teach at elementary, middle and high schools.
The program started back in the mid 80's in California and New York. Since then, it has expanded to over 30 states and has had over five thousand participating teachers.
Visiting Teachers from Spain make a one to three year commitment to teach in the US, provided that the school agrees to rehire them.
Participating districts employ these teachers in accordance with state regulations and policies and pay them according to their experience and certification level. Teachers from Spain are interviewed and screened by representatives of the different states and schools prior to their placement. These educators are considered both highly qualified and licensed to teach in the US and arrive with appropriate documentation of background evaluation.
GOALS
The spirit of the program is based on multicultural understanding and cultural exchange.
OF THE PROGRAM Visiting Teachers foster cultural acceptance and diversity
The main objectives are built on: Strengthening the relations between the US and Spain. Providing support for the teaching of the Spanish language in the US. Providing support for the implementation of bilingual/dual language and multicultural education programs that help students prepare for future personal, academic and professional success. Providing the Spanish teachers with an excellent opportunity for professional development and personal growth.
Ongoing Support
LEGAL FRAMEWORK As a J-1 sponsor, local institutions are responsible for ensuring that exchange visitors and their host schools abide by the strict program rules and requirements established by the U.S. Departments of State and Homeland Security.
This program is based upon:Â J1 Exchange Visitor
The Ministry of Education of
Program: U.S. Department
Spain has signed
of State This program enables foreign teachers to have the
Memorandums of Understanding with more
opportunity to teach in
than 30 states in the USA,
accredited primary and
Massachusetts and Maine
secondary schools in the
among them.
United States under a J1 Visa.
TEACHER'S STATUS Teachers will come on a J-1 Cultural Exchange Visa, valid for three years, although a Connecting two years extension may Communities be possible, and will from the U.S. have a Highly and Spain Qualified Status.
"We have had very positive experiences with the Visiting Teachers Program as it has provided highly qualified, dynamic educators for the Mendon-Upton Regional School District's K-12 Spanish Immersion Program. I have found the teachers to be enthusiastic about bringing the Spanish language and culture to our students, always enhancing the curriculum so students may make connections. The Visiting Teachers program have also become a critical part of our school and district life, also serving as coaches and extracurricular club advisors. Thus, it has been a win-win for our district and I am very grateful for the ongoing support from the Education Office of the Embassy of Spain throughout the years."
Joseph Maruszczat Mendon-Upton Regional School District, MA Superintendent
WHO ARE THE CANDIDATES? In order to participate in this program educators must comply with the following requirements established by the US Department of State:
Meeting the required qualifications for teaching in primary or secondary schools in Spain. Have a minimum of two years of teaching experience. Satisfy the standards of the US state in which they will teach. Enter the United States for purpose of teaching full time at a primary or secondary accredited educational institution. Possess suficient proficiency in English. An Advanced Low in ACTFL Standards (B2 in CEFR standards) is required to enter the program. Submit clean background checks.
Excellent Language Models Furthermore, all educators at the Visiting Teachers from Spain program have: At least a Bachelor's Degree, although most of them hold a Master's Degree. All their educational credentials are accredited by WES (World Educational Services. www.wes.org )*. Backgrounds in bilingual or multilingual education. A strong interest in international education and new pedagogical opportunities.
LICENSING Â Visiting Teachers receive legal teaching status from the DOE Â in the states of Massachusetts and Maine while in the program.
"I've had had experience working with the Spanish Visiting Teachers program in Illinois and now in Maine. First and foremost, I have seen that the teachers selected through the program have always been of the highest quality. The Education Office of Spain in the US has always worked above and beyond to make sure that the match is right and that teachers have the support they need once they are in the country. In Portland, we have been fortunate to be able to recruit amazing teachers through the program that have helped us to launch what is fast becoming a stellar immersion opportunity for our students and attractive option for our families." Xavier Botana Portland School District, ME Superintendent.
SELECTION PROCESS All candidates are rigorously pre-screened and selected by the Ministry of Education of Spain and representatives of the different American institutions in four different stages:
01 The Ministry of Education in Madrid selects from all the applicants only the ones that meet the qualifications and experience requirements to participate in the program established by the US Department of State. 02
The Education Office of the Spanish Embassy in the US selects a pool of candidates according to the profiles required by the schools and calls them for interviews in Madrid.
Interviews via Skype available
03 Those candidates are extensively interviewed in the Spring in Madrid by representatives of the Massachusetts DESE and Maine DOE according to the demands of the schools in order to select a pool of candidates for these states. Candidates are assessed on: Pedagogical / Differentiation / Assessment skills English language proficiency Technology skills Classroom management potential Cross-cultural skills Flexibility / Cultural and professional adaptability Openness to new methodologies A desire to learn Etc.
04 Representatives of DESE and Maine DOE recommend preselected candidates to schools so that administrators can Skype with them and make the final decision on their hiring. An Alternative Waiting List with potential candidates that meet the standards but do not obtain a position after the interviews is established, so that a pool of candidates may be available all year around.
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS TO HOST A VISITING TEACHER
All host schools must be willing and able to provide their visiting Spanish teachers with the following: A position appropriate for a
Program within the state of Maine and we wouldn't exist if not for our relationship with the Ministry of Education of Spain. We began this program with total reliance on visiting
guest educator in a secure,
teachers from Spain. The knowledge
year-long position.
and skills of these educators has been
Salary and benefits
exceptional. There is a genuine
commensurate with their
exchange of instructional practice
education and experience.
between the visiting teachers and our
Assistance getting settled in
staff as well as the sharing of our
an affordable and safe living
unique cultures. These teachers
situation.
become contributing, collaborative
Strong mentoring
members of our school community
throughout the academic
and provide our students with an
year.
educational experience that will
Flexibility and opportunities
enable them to be productive citizens
to experience the American
in an ever-changing global society."
culture outside the
All teachers are highly qualified
"We are the only Spanish Immersion
classroom setting. Rich cross-cultural experiences.
Lenore Williams Lyseth Elementary School Principal Portland Public Schools, ME
SPANISH EDUCATION OFFICE RESPONSABILITIES The  Education Office of Spain screens candidates and verifies their credentials and experience
Teachers are supported
in order to provide a group of
with:
top candidates that meet the
University transcripts
requirements of the potential
evaluation
school districts.Â
Visa Paperwork. Certification and Licensure. Ongoing support during their stay in the U.S. Settlement and adjustment P.D. opportunities
The selection process is facilitated by setting up the recruitment fair in Madrid and sponsoring interviewer travel and accommodation expenses.
DISTRICT RESPONSABILITIES Salary and benefits: compensation must be commensurate with educational attainment, the candidate's years of formal classroom experience and any union bargaining agreements.
"Here at Millis High School we have been very fortunate over the years to welcome visiting teachers from Spain.
Insurance Coverage: Employee Health insurance provided by the host school must have a minimum of $50,000 benefit per accident or illness. This is a requirement of the J-1 Visa program.
In addition to giving our students access to native Spanish speakers, Visiting Teachers have provided our students with tremendous cultural and historical perspective. Our students have benefited greatly from our association with the Visiting Teachers Program. We have found the teachers to be well-trained and prepared to teach in an English-speaking high school. They have added greatly to our school culture and have helped us develop robust immersion and traditional Spanish language learning programs. The bond these teachers have built with our staff and students extend beyond their time here in Millis, as we have maintained contact with a number of teachers when they return to Spain and students have been able to meet up with them in Spain on a number of our trips abroad. We are very thankful to the Education Office of the Embassy of Spain for their support of this valuable program."
Robert Mullaney, Principal Millis High School, MA.
S ES R I E T I H C BIL A TE NSA O P S E R Visiting Teachers are required to purchase their own insurance (a minimum of $50,000) for their first two months of stay to ensure that they have health coverage from their arrival in the country until they get insurance coverage from their employer.
Teachers are responsible for their travel expenses to and from Spain, as well as their accommodation expenses. As full-time teachers, they are expected to fulfill the same requirements as the rest of the teachers, including: Teach a regular work day. Elaborate their lesson plans. Provide all other documentation required by administrators. Collaborate actively in their departments and schools in all initiatives. Provide their own medical evacuation (min. $10,000 coverage) and repatriation of remains insurance (min. $7,500 coverage) for the duration of their stay.
Al l e du ca to in rs a En re gl ish pro fic ie nt
ORIENTATION Visiting Teachers from Spain receive orientation in different phases during their stay in the program: - Pre-departure orientation in Spain (July). - Visiting teacher orientation in the recipient state upon arrival.
- New teacher orientation provided by the host school or district.
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o en rs do rec rs ei em ve en a b t i
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- The State's representative and the Education Advisor of the Education Office in Boston conduct frequent visits to host schools.
RECOMMENDATION FOR SCHOOLS The process could include any of the following:
Housing and Accomodation The sooner the teacher gets settled in the community, the faster s/he can focus on her/his work. It is highly recommended that the school provides some help settle in as quickly and confortable as possible, prior to the start of the school year.
Host family for the first one or two weeks.
Optimally, candidates would stay with a family in the communit
that has the time, ability and interest to help them familiarize wi the community. The teacher might need directions with: Scouting out apartments and used cars prior to their arrival. Opening a bank account, finding a place to live, purchasing a reliable used vehicle, acquiring car and renter's insurance, moving and settling in, identifying a good local doctor, getting a SSN card. Assisting in securing donations of furniture and other common household items, etc
MENTORING Providing an intensive, yearlong, mentoring program by a highly qualified mentor. Â Schools should allow for a period of intensive and guided orientation before teaching responsibilities begin. This should include time for the Visiting Teacher to observe, for at least the first few days of class if not the entire first week, in order to focus on establishing rapport, setting up routines, classroom management, pedagogy, instructional sequencing, differentiation, formal/informal assessment, grading, contacting parents, etc. Schools need to provide mentoring to include the following:Â Cultural Mentoring High visibility of administrators with frequent drop-in visits during the firsts weeks of classes. Positive, frequent, constructive and easy understandable feedback by all observers. Required journaling and self-reflection. Administrative checks on your Visiting Teacher frequently throughout the entire school year to ensure adherence to all Spanish Visiting Teacher Program requirements. Maintenance of working conditions that are safe and sanitary at all times.
Monitoring that the Visiting Teacher's workload is appropriate and that requirement supports are in place and functioning optimally. Report to your State Responsible Officer and to the Spanish Office of Education without delay any infraction of the law or violation of educator code of conduct that is allegedly committed by a VT. Ensure that the Visiting Teacher receives due process in the event an alleged violation of the law or the educator code of conduct is made. If your VT is struggling in any way, alert your state representative and your Education Advisor for the area immediately and intervene positively to assist them.
The presence of the  Visiting Teachers fosters knowledge
WHY PARTICIPATING IN THIS PROGRAM?
"Framingham Public Schools has had a long-standing collaboration with the Ministry of Education of Spain
and appreciation of
through its Visiting Teacher's
similarities and differences
Program.
between the two countries.
For the last ten years, since 2008, Visiting Teachers from Spain have
It addresses problems
been invaluable to our district's
associated with the
mission of understanding and valuing
availability of qualified and
diversity, promoting cultural and
certified Spanish-speaking
educational endeavors, developing positive cross-cultural relationships
teachers.
and positive attitudes toward their
It provides communities with
own culture and that of others.
a diverse, multicultural atmosphere.
Teachers bring with them a depth of understanding about their Spanish language and culture that enriches
It brings qualified and
our students' educational
extraordinary teachers to
experiences and broadens their
the education and lives of the students.Â
cultural horizons." Genoveffa Grieci Bilingual Education Program Director Framingham Public Schools, MA
TENTATIVE TIMELINE DECEMBER JAN - MARCH
National call for applicants in Spain The Ministry of Education of Spain screens all the applications and selects the pool of candidates who will be tested by state representatives in April .
JAN - APRIL 17
Schools submit the Spanish Visiting Teachers Program Application to their state representatives.
APRIL 27- MAY 1
VTs. Selection Process in Madrid. Face to face interviews.
MID MAY JUNE 15 LATE JUNE. JUNE - JULY EARLY JULY
State representatives communicate best matches of prospective VTs with requesting schools. Deadline for districts to put their Visiting Teachers under contract Sponsor institutions issue paperwork to VTs to get their visas. VTs interview at the U.S. Embassy in Madrid for their J1 visas. VTs attend pre-departure orientation in Madrid.
JULY
VTs arrange their own travel to the U.S.
LATE JULY - AUGUST
VTs attend pre-service orientation.
MID AUGUST
VTs travel to schools
As a large, bilingual school, we are always searching for highly qualified native Spanish speaking teachers. We have been very please with the visiting teachers we have had at Barbieri. They have been well trained, experienced professionals who have added to the richness of our program, both with their language skills and their cultural perspective. It is always fun to see what new accents and vocabulary our students learn having teachers from all over the Spanish speaking world. Susan McGilvray-Rivet Principal at Barbieri Elementary. Spanish Immersion School. Framingham Public Schools
VISITING TEACHERS FROM SPAIN IN MASSACHUSETTS AND MAINE 11 school districts 41 Teachers in 18 schools 28 in Elementary School 7 in Middle School 6 in High School
MASSACHUSETTS Framingham PS. - 19 VTs Cambridge PS. - 4 VTs Holyoke PS. - 3 VTs Mendon-Upton RSD - 3 VTs Maynard SD - 4 VTs Southbridge PS 1 VT Cohasset PS - 1 VT
An opportunity for personal and professional growth
Prospect Hill Ch. Sch - 1 VT Newton P.S. 1 VT MAINE Portland PS, ME. - 3 VTs Baileyville PS,ME - 1 VT
VISITING TEACHERS FROM SPAIN IN THE U.S. AND CANADA
A cultural exchange program with more than thirty years of experience
VISITING TEACHER APPLICATION FORMS AND INSTRUCTIONS
Contact your Education Advisor for the area to get all the required documents . Manuel Collazo manuel.collazo@educacion.gob.es Be sure tu include a copy of your district´s salary schedule for teachers for the 2019-2020 school year, if available. If not, use 20182019. TEACHER´S PROFILE
Be specific regarding the skills and type of teacher you want. Include information about your school culture, your community and your expectations to help the DOE interviewer and the Spanish Ministry of Education´s Advisor identify the best candidates possible for your school
Deadline for submission is March 31
Impact the education and the lives of your K-12 students
MANUEL COLLAZO EDUCATION ADVISOR Consulate General of Spain 31 Saint James Avenue. Suite 905 Boston, MA. 02116
MARÍA FREDERICK A. RESPONSIBLE OFFICE Massachusetts DESE 75 Pleasant Street. Malden, MA 02148
LAVINIA ROGERS WORLD LANGUAGE SPECIALIST Maine DOE 23 State House Station Augusta, ME 04333
PHONE
PHONE
PHONE
617 678 5920
781 338 6619
207 624 6825
manuel.collazo@educacion.gob.es
mfrederick@doe.mass.edu
lavinia.m.rogers@maine.gov
CONTACT INFORMATION
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