World Campus Teachers Initiative (WCTI)
FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions
- Who can join the Teachers Initiative? World Campus Teachers Initiative is looking for anyone currently working in the field of Education. This includes K-12 teachers, administrators, paraprofessionals, and students in their final year of university.
- Do I have to be involved in education in order to participate? Yes. The World Campus Teachers Initiative is a Professional Development program designed for certified and classified staff working in the education system. If you are not currently working in Education and you would like to explore this program, please feel free to inquire.
- What are the ages of the students we’ll be working with in Japan? The Teachers Initiative takes place in Japanese Elementary Schools. Elementary School is more a study of concept rather than content allowing participants more freedom to express ideas rather than details. Younger students are more receptive to non-language based forms of teaching.
- Do I have to have experience working with international students to participate in WCTI? No. The Teachers Initiative has been designed to be just as effective for participants who have experience working with students from different cultures, as well as those who have not yet had the opportunity.
- Do I have to speak Japanese? Not at all. During the times where the participants are together, English is the operating language. It is the goal of the Teachers Initiative however, to place participants in an environment where language is not the only tool for communication. Therefore, during their stay in Japan participants will be exposed to situations where they will be required to step out of their comfort zone and find alternate means of communication.
- Do I have to take personal days in order to go to Japan for week? All participants must work with their own school and district in order to determine how these days may be utilized. Some districts may allow teachers to use professional development days for the program. World Campus International cannot make any guarantees on behalf of any school districts.
- Most of our foreign students come from Mexico, why not go to a Spanish speaking country? Why Japan? The World Campus Teachers Initiative operates in Japan because it provides its participants with different dynamics that enhance the overall goals of the program. Spending a week in an environment as different as Japan’s, both culturally and linguistically, encourages participants to use a variety of communication techniques. Japan also provides a chance for participants to live, for a short time, immersed in a culture that is different from their own, just as many ELL students live every day in the U.S. Finally, Japan is far enough away from the United States that participants are isolated from many of the political, social, and racial biases often associated with English Language Learners in America.
- Will there be instructors in Japan to guide the program? World Campus International staff will facilitate all aspects of the Teachers Initiative. Participants will also be paired with a Japanese teacher from the classroom they are assigned during in-class activities.
- How can I get credit for being part of this program? There are a couple of options available in order to acquire credits with WCTI. The first is Professional Development credit. This is most commonly approved by the district’s HR department and the process should be researched in the participant’s home district. The second is recertification credit. This process is managed by each individual state department of education. This process should be individually researched prior to traveling. Please see this
PDF file that outlines the Colorado Department of Education’s expectations for re-certification credit. IMPORTANT NOTE: It is the participant’s responsibility to ensure that all credit requirements made by their individual schools and districts are met. World Campus Teacher Initiative will assist participants in any way it can to ensure that necessary documentation is available. - Do we need to stay with a Japanese host family or can we chose to stay in a hotel? Participants will all be staying with local host families. The Host Family experience, for many, is the most rewarding piece to the week. In a local home stay, participants will be forced to overcome many of the challenges and obstacles students in an ELL environment have to deal with. If there are special circumstances requiring different arrangements, the World Campus International staff will work to make appropriate accommodations.
If you have a question that hasn't been answered here or elsewhere on our website, please email Jay Kinsel at jkinsel@worldcampus.org
We'd be happy to help answer any questions you might have about the World Campus Teachers Initiative!