The Fulbright program is a prestigious international exchange project that allows teachers from other countries to visit the United States schools. Fulbright scholars began in IHS on September 11 and were in classrooms every Wednesday for six weeks. 

This program encourages foreign teachers to immerse themselves into a new culture as well as share their culture with the students and staff in the schools. 

Ms. Fabiana Martins is from Brazil and she teaches a class known as the Project of Life. Fabiana joined this program because she felt it was a great opportunity to get insight into education and culture. When Martins returns to Brazil, she would like to introduce sign-out sheets, as she believes this will help build more structure for students’ days. There are many difficult aspects to being in a foreign country. Martins comments on a challenge she faced. “Before I came here I thought I knew the language but now, I [faced] a lot of challenges, I [felt] it was tiring to live in a place where all people speak English all day.”

Mr. Deo Muhenda is a government and current affairs teacher from Uganda. He joined the Fulbright program to get more information about the American education system. One key difference Muhenda noticed is that the classrooms are smaller in the U.S. Although Muhenda teaches current affairs, he has to be strict with the syllabus. When Muhenda returns home he hopes to be able to “try to chip in more current affairs to inform students about real-world events.”

Ms. Ai Hui Lin felt inspired to join the program by the American Fulbright teachers in Taiwan who worked with her. Lin was excited to work with outstanding teachers from around the world. She was also excited to enter the classrooms and observe the teaching. Lin comments on her experience, expressing, “It [was] a life-changing experience, even though I worked with American Fulbright teachers, it’s so different here.”

One challenge that the Fulbright teachers faced was adjusting to the language. Many commented that the slang that many students and staff used was unfamiliar to the foreign teachers. 

The Fulbright program is an incredible way to gain experience as well as knowledge of other cultures. This program is difficult to get into due to the high interest and education you can retain from this experience.

The Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching Program for International Teachers (FDAI) is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, and administered by the International Research and Exchanges Board (IREX).