First Of 521 Teachers Embark On Fund For Teachers Fellowships Around The World

Educators awarded $2 million in grants for self-designed professional development, spend summer break pursuing relevant learning to engage students

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Fund for Teachers

May 22, 2014, 02:00 ET

HOUSTON, May 22, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- As Tere Pelaez waves goodbye to her first graders at Entheos Academy in Salt Lake City, she'll also grab her bags for a conference on early childhood education in Italy. Leaving today, Pelaez represents the first of 521 preK-12 teachers awarded $2 million in Fund for Teachers grants to depart on odysseys pursuing knowledge and skills they identified as essential to student success.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140522/90317 )

Students celebrate Tere Pelaez and her upcoming Fund for Teachers fellowship to Reggio Emilia, Italy. Pelaez designed this particular fellowship to to gain a deeper understanding of the Reggio Emilia approach to communicating teacher/student learning and apply this approach related to assessment and documentation. (PRNewsFoto/Fund for Teachers)

"This experience will be very different than attending staff development after school where I may already know the content, or the topic may not apply to my students' grade level," explained Pelaez. "The fact that this is self-initiated and focused on what I'm passionate about bringing back to my classroom is very powerful."

More than 90 percent of teachers participate in workshop-style training sessions; yet, studies show that short, one-shot workshops don't change teacher practice and have no effect on student achievement. Alternatively, Fund for Teachers invites educators to choose the subject area and outlet for their professional development and provides $5,000 for individual grants or $10,000 for team grants to make it happen. This year's fellowships include conferences, self-guided expeditions, fieldwork and service learning projects in 85 countries on 6 continents. A complete list of grant recipients, their schools and fellowships is available at fundforteachers.org.

"Fund for Teachers offers educators opportunities they would never otherwise have – opportunities that revolve around the student while benefiting the educator," said John McDonough, superintendent of Boston Public Schools, in a recent celebration of Boston recipients. "What an amazing opportunity to match interests and passions with incredible experiences, then bring that learning back to the classroom. I'm very jealous."

Since 2001, Fund for Teachers has invested $22 million in the personal/professional growth of 6,000+ educators across the country. The 2014 class of Fellows will post updates throughout the summer on the organization's blog, Facebook and Twitter feed. Teachers may begin applying for 2015 Fund for Teachers grants beginning October 1.

Fund for Teachers enriches the personal and professional growth of teachers by recognizing and supporting them as they identify and pursue opportunities around the world that impact their practice, students and school communities. For more information, visit www.fundforteachers.org.

SOURCE Fund for Teachers