Student Host Families: How to Become a Host Family

Have you ever thought about participating in a student exchange program as one of the many student host families throughout the world? If so, do you need some additional information on how to get started? Student host families are an integral part of any student exchange program, with an immeasurable number of benefits for both students and their host families. In this article we will briefly mention a few of those benefits, and outline the steps normally required to become a student host family to one of the thousands of international students that participate in these programs each year.

Student Host Families: The Benefits

Student host families are the bedrock on which international exchange programs are built, and while it’s true that the generosity and caring of these families has changed many students lives for the better, most student host families will tell you that they, too, benefit greatly from these programs. Student host families have the opportunity to:

· Learn about and embrace a different culture

· Learn a new language

· Act as an ambassador for their country

· Share in the experience of their student’s life

· Teach their children about acceptance and tolerance

· And much, much more…

Student Host Families: How to Become Involved

There are hundreds of organizations worldwide involved with international student exchange programs, and while each has their own particular procedure for locating and qualifying student host families, generally the process is very similar with each one of them. This includes:

· Submit a Host Family Interest Form. Completing a host family interest form is usually the first step for potential student host families. This informs the organization that you are interested, who will then connect you with a volunteer working in your area to help answer any questions and explain the application procedure.

· Attend an Informational Seminar. Families willing to share their home with an international exchange student will usually have the opportunity to attend an informational meeting or seminar, either in a physical location or via online. Here the organization will provide all the information families need to know, including how the program works, the various countries that the children are from and how to begin the application process.

· Complete an Application. Many international exchange organizations have now streamlined the application process, allowing applicants to apply online. The application itself is fairly straightforward, typically asking you to provide some general information about your location, the size of your household, your community, your lifestyle and the things that are important to your family, i.e. education, religion, etc. Also required, for the safety of the child and the program, is a criminal background check on all the adults living in the household. Some organizations may even require the same criminal background checks on all persons 14 and older.

· Be Matched Up with a Student. Once your application is approved, you will typically have the opportunity to review student profiles with a program staff member, and from the information in those files you’ll be matched up with a student whose interests are very similar to your family’s interests.

Many organizations will usually hold some type of orientation event just prior to the school year or semester, giving your family the chance to meet other student host families, many of whom will have prior experience and can give you some helpful tips.

Famous Educators that Have Made a Difference

One of the unfortunate truths of our current world era is that educators rarely get their due respect and admiration. Truth be told, this is a bit baffling, given that aside from those who have trained in medicine and law, teachers are, on average, the most educated professionals worldwide. Despite their long hours and meager salaries they persist in educating the youth of the world, molding and shaping the individuals who will soon take the torch as tomorrow’s leaders.

Despite that they fail to get their due attention and esteem in present day society, educators—and the teaching profession in general—have not always been overlooked. As it happens, in past eras teachers were held in very high regard and were considered some of the most prominent leaders of their day—in a number of different fields. Many of these famous educators went on to become some of the most celebrated authors, poets, philosophers and scientists the world has ever witnessed, with names that even today are synonymous with brilliance, genius and societal progression—responsible for words, techniques and ideas that have helped to shape the world we live in.

Some of these famous educators include:

Confucius (551-479 BC). Confucius was a famous educator and philosopher in China whose ideas about self-improvement through education are still widely read and valued today.

Plato (428-348 BC). Plato, who is said to have founded the first university, was a Greek teacher/philosopher who was adamant that both teachers and students should be lifelong learners and continue to improve themselves through education.

Jesus (5 BC-30 AD). No famous educator is more widely read today than Jesus, whose daily lessons via parables and proverbs continue to steer the lives of Christians around the world.

John Locke (1632-1704). John Locke was a famous educator who believed education should revolve around improving one’s character. He stressed guided training over rote instruction and preparation for life over preparation for university.

Horace Mann (1796-1859). Considered the “Father of the American Public School,” Horace Mann was a famous educator who believed that every child—wealthy or poor—should have regular, daily access to a well-rounded education. “Education for all,” says Mann “would become the great equalizer of men.”

Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862). Henry David Thoreau, although perhaps best known for his poetry later in life and his love of nature, was a schoolteacher who believed that education should involve more than textbooks and memorization. He introduced new teaching techniques such as journal writing and field trips that, he said, would enhance the overall learning experience.

Anne Sullivan (1866-1936). There is perhaps no teacher who demonstrated more persistence and commitment than Anne Sullivan—the famous educator who worked closely and tirelessly with Helen Keller, a blind student with severe learning disabilities. Despite a handicap of her own, Sullivan developed and implemented a form of touch reading for Keller, stressing that children learn from direct experience and repetition rather than vague concepts.

This is just a partial list of the many famous educators whose commitment to teaching and learning has revolutionized the world and made progress possible. Collectively, they are a shining example of how central teachers are to the fabric of our society, and why teachers today should receive the notoriety and praise they deserve for the consistent dedication they demonstrate in carrying out the most essential of responsibilities: Educating our children.

Educators Scholarship: Financial Assistance for Aspiring Teachers

Have you ever thought of becoming an educator—a teacher with the opportunity to change the lives of your students for the better? If you have, you may be surprised by all the opportunities for financial assistance that are currently available, including many organizations that offer a full educator’s scholarship. In the article below we will list a number of these opportunities for financial assistance, including educator’s scholarship, grants and fellowships, with a brief description of each offering.

Financial Assistance for Educators: Scholarship, Grant and Fellowship Opportunities

AFCEA Educational Foundation

The AFCEA Educational Foundation’s educator’s scholarship is available to students who are actively pursuing an undergraduate degree or teaching credential for the sole purpose of instructing United States secondary school students in mathematics, science, engineering and technology.

James Madison Memorial Fellowship Foundation

Dedicated to producing exceptional teachers with a deep knowledge and appreciation of the United States Constitution, the James Madison Memorial Fellowship is an educator’s scholarship that is annually awarded to teachers of American History and Government, along with Social Sciences teachers pursuing a graduate level degree. The fellowship is awarded through a national teacher competition held each year.

National Council of Teachers of Mathematic

Each year the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics awards an educator’s scholarship for both elementary and secondary school teachers of mathematics who are pursuing a graduate degree. Teachers of mathematics are underrepresented in many teacher preparation programs, which is why many organizations such as this are so eager to offer these types of educator’s scholarships.

Barbara Latze Educator’s Scholarship for Future Teachers

The Barbara Latze Educator’s Scholarship is for undergraduate students who are either enrolled in, or plan to enroll in a program of physics with the purpose of teaching at the secondary school level.

Woodrow Wilson-Rockefeller Brothers Fund Fellowships

The Woodrow Wilson/Rockefeller Brothers educator’s scholarship is aimed at helping aspiring teachers of color earn their undergraduate degree and certification to teach at a K-12 school. The fellowship is awarded annually and is open to students who are currently enrolled and those planning to enroll in any teacher preparation program.

Lenore Annenberg Teaching Fellowship

The Lenore Annenberg educator’s scholarship is very unique in that it offers recent college graduates AND career changers financial assistance if they agree to work in urban and rural communities with a disproportionate number of disadvantaged youths.

The number and variety of educator’s scholarships is very impressive indeed when compared to the number of scholarships offered to students in other fields of study. This is largely due to the extreme need for qualified teachers in almost every state across the county. If you are either currently enrolled in an undergraduate, graduate or teacher preparation program, OR if you are considering returning to school to pursue a program or degree of this nature, there has never been a better time to do so. New scholarship opportunities are always being added, so for additional information about what is available in your area, you may want to speak to the Financial Aid office at the school you plan to attend.