Updated 6/10/2008
World Languages - Maine Learning Results
SUPPORTING MATERIALS FOR IMPLEMENTING THE 2007 LEARNING RESULTS
The Maine Department of Education is developing several tools to support deeper understanding of the revised Maine Learning Results: Parameters for Essential Instruction for World Languages. As these materials are finalized, they will be posted on this website.
World Languages PowerPoint - Provides an introduction
to the Learning Results revision process, changes in structure and content for World Languages standards, and potential considerations for implementing the revised standards.
Narration Notes to the World Languages PowerPoint in PDF and RTF (text only) formats.
THE VISITING TEACHERS FROM SPAIN PROGRAM
The Visiting Teachers from Spain program is available to Maine elementary, middle/junior high and high schools for the 2008-2009 school year. Sponsored by the Ministry of Education and Science of Spain, the Visiting Teachers from Spain program began in 1985 and currently includes a number of state Departments of Education in addition to individual school districts in almost thirty states. Although the application deadline has passed, interested Maine schools/districts may still contact Don Reutershan, World Languages Specialist (don.reutershan@maine.gov, tel. 624-6826), about possible inclusion in the program for the next school year.
In November 2007 Commissioner Gendron signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science in order to collaborate on educational initiatives. The MOU was created, in part, to address the critical shortage of qualified instructors of Spanish in Maine elementary and secondary schools. Under this agreement, visiting teachers from Spain may come to Maine to teach the Spanish language and culture(s) for a period of up to three years.
Program objectives:
- Improve and expand the teaching of the Spanish language and culture in Maine.
- Foster relations between the people of the state of Maine and Spain.
- Increase global awareness in Maine school communities.
- Provide Maine students in this program with bilingual and cultural educational experiences that will help to prepare them for future success in personal, academic and professional spheres.
Qualifications of the visiting teachers:
- Teacher certification in philology (languages) with a certificate of pedagogical aptitude
- Postsecondary degree equivalent to a Bachelor’s degree or higher in the U.S.
- Three or more years of teaching experience in the Spanish or English language or related educational activities
- Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively in English
- Spanish and/or international driver’s license
General requirements for participating Maine school districts:
- Full-time language teaching assignment for the visiting teacher
- Placement of the visiting teacher under contract, including employee health insurance coverage, with salary payment commensurate with the teacher’s educational levels and years of teaching service. An initial one-year contract may be followed by contract renewals of one or two years if all parties agree.
- Assignment of a teacher mentor to the visiting teacher
- Placement of the visiting teacher with a temporary host/welcome family for the first 2-3 weeks until the teacher locates suitable rental housing, the cost for which the visiting teacher will be responsible
- Assistance in arranging for permanent housing and vehicle purchase or lease
- Payment of $100 application fee for an International Visiting Teacher Permit (pending approval of the State Legislature) issued by MDOE’s Teacher Certification office
- Payment of $55 fee for a Criminal History Records Check (fingerprinting)
- Payment of fee for the visiting teacher to obtain a federal J-1 exchange visitor visa ($1,500 for first year, $500 each additional year)*
- Payment of expenses for the visiting teacher to attend the annual Foreign Language Association of Maine (FLAME) Conference held in Portland, Maine in March 2009
- Payment of the visiting teacher’s expenses of up to $300 to attend a 3-4 day orientation program on living and teaching in Maine (held in August in Augusta, ME)
*The Maine Department of Education will seek to become a federally designated Exchange Visitor Program sponsor, which would potentially decrease or eliminate the annual visa fee for participating schools/districts in future years. The application process, however, has not yet been completed at this time.
Responsibilities of the Maine Department of Education:
- Interview candidates and evaluate their proficiency in both speaking and writing.
- Match candidates with prospective schools/districts and arrange for a telephonic interview between the recommended candidate and a school/district official.
- Assist in the application process for obtaining J-1 exchange visitor visas.
- Provide an orientation program in Augusta for the visiting teachers.
- Monitor visiting teacher placements throughout the school year and work with schools and districts to resolve any issues and concerns that might arise.
- Ensure coordination of the visiting teacher program and act as liaison between the participating schools/districts and the Embassy of Spain’s education advisor in Boston, MA.
Selection and hiring process:
- The Spanish Ministry of Education recruits and screens candidates to work in Maine.
- The MDOE World Languages Specialist travels to Spain at the beginning of April to select candidates to match with Maine schools/districts, based on a review of credentials (transcripts, diplomas, certificates), face-to-face-interviews and a writing sample.
- Immediately following the daily sets of face-to-face interviews of candidates in Madrid, the MDOE World Languages Specialist will identify any appropriate matches and call a school/district to recommend a candidate.
- During the phone call, a school/district official will have the opportunity to briefly interview the candidate. At the end of the call, the school/district official will either approve or decline the selected visiting teacher candidate.
- The visiting teacher subsequently will be issued a contract by the hosting school district.
Orientation and support:
- Orientation and professional development provided by the Spanish Ministry of Education prior to the teachers’ departure from Spain
- 3-4 day orientation program on living and teaching in Maine, which will include a general orientation to Maine and its educational system, as well as professional development in instructional methods and classroom management (held in Augusta, ME prior to the start of the 2008-2009 school year)
- Ongoing support and resources from the regional education advisor from the Embassy of Spain’s office located at the Massachusetts Department of Education.
Application of Intent Form (due April 1, 2008) (Word) (Adobe pdf)
Additional information about this program is available at the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science website: http://www.mec.es/exterior/usa/en/programs/visiting/default.shtml
For more information or questions, contact Don Reutershan at 624-6826 or don.reutershan@maine.gov.
Don Reutershan
World Languages Specialist
207-624-6826
Fax: 207-624-6821
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