WorldTeach - Volunteer Teaching in Micronesia (past program)

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WorldTeach program in Micronesia

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About

In Micronesia, there is a big need for volunteer teachers to teach math, science, English, health, and social studies classes. Teachers will be placed in various levels of schooling. Although English will not be the native language of most students, they will have varying levels of English from fluent to beginner; your classes will be taught fully in English. WorldTeach volunteers in Micronesia will be working in one of three states: Pohnpei, Kosrae, or Chuuk.

Our Micronesia program is fully funded by the Chuuk, Kosrae, and Pohnpei Departments of education and volunteer airfare is also covered.

With our year-long program, you can also become TEFL certified to earn credibility and give you an edge in the ESL teaching job market. While certification usually costs about $1,899, with WorldTeach you can become certified for only $350 while also gaining priceless in-country teaching experience.

Questions & Answers

What is the biggest challenge you encountered?
I think the biggest challenge would be that the education system although based on the U.S. system often times has the goal of completiting a whole text book in a year. This is not the case often times in U.S. classrooms where chapters are skipped or the whole book is not completed. So as an Algebra 2 teacher I had to go over concepts from Algebra 1 and Geometry again so they could better...
By Ben Sander on June 21, 2016

Reviews

81%
based on 16 reviews
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  • Benefits 8.2
  • Support 7.6
  • Fun 7.6
  • Facilities 7.9
  • Safety 8.4
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Emily
32
Female
Brooklyn, NY
9/10

WT Pohnpei 2011-2012

I spent the year teaching in Pohnpei, Micronesia in 2011-2012 and had a great experience! After returning the US, I became a teacher in large part due to my experience in Pohnpei. Plus, my younger brother is about to leave for his year in Kosrae through WorldTeach in a two months!

On island my year, there were ten volunteers (ages 21-60s) spread out among three public high schools and the College of Micronesia, and each of us lived with one other volunteer in a local apartment. You can drive around the island in about two-three hours, so the WT volunteers (along with Peace Corps and Jesuit volunteers) would often meet up on weekends.

I taught at the main, regional high school in Kolonia, the largest town on island. Although I signed up to teach math, I ended up switching to 12th grade English just before the school year (which I was happy to do!). I had Pohnpeian students as well as outer islander students who lived in the dorms during the school year - at one point, my students and I counted that amongst us, we spoke 8 languages! My classes had between 18-36 students and my students were wonderful and well-behaved, if lacking on essay writing skills. I also took over the College Prep club that a previous WT volunteer started at my school the year before. My students always hung out in my room during lunch and even taught me how to play ukulele!

Besides teaching, volunteers spent our free time reading, playing ukulele, hiking, and hanging around in general - island life really teaches you how to sit still for long periods of time :) Kolonia has a tiny movie theater, library, a couple bars, and a small expat scene, but otherwise, Pohnpei's really isolated. It's too expensive to ever leave Pohnpei during the year, but we did go camping on some of the smaller nearby islands (2 hour boat ride) on weekends and holidays which were the absolute most picturesque tropical paradises that you can imagine! Otherwise, take note that Pohnpei has NO beaches and is one of the rainiest places on earth!

How can this program be improved?
Can't think of anything off the top of my head on WorldTeach's part. It would have been nice to have more teaching materials (curriculum, etc.), but I think that's been improved since! Honestly, WorldTeach is an amazingly run program :)
Response from WorldTeach

Thank you so much for taking the time to leave this review!

Over the years, our WorldTeach Department of Education has dramatically strengthened our Teacher Quality Program.

During orientation, volunteers are provided with curriculums that have been designed to work at each school level (primary, secondary, adult, etc) within each individual country, working within the cultural and academic values of each country. This way, volunteers have the materials needed if their schools don't have existing curriculums in place, or need adjustments and new materials.

Additionally, volunteers are in constant contact with their Teacher Quality Coordinator in the U.S. office, who is currently pursuing his/her master's degree in Education, and often has international TEFL teaching experience in that specific country. The Teacher Quality Coordinator is available to critique lesson plans, answer questions and concerns about class dynamics, provide additional resources, all to give the volunteer more support in the classroom.

Thank you so much for your time!

WorldTeach

By WorldTeach on May 8, 2014
May 7, 2014
Yes, I recommend

Interviews

Meet the Alumni

Amy
Amy Delyla Ulm
2011 Alum

Meet the Staff

Mary Winters of Worldteach Micronesia
Mary Winters

About WorldTeach

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WorldTeach was founded in 1986 by a group of Harvard students who were motivated by the desire to promote local education initiatives in places where teachers and resources were lacking. Today, we continue to provide opportunities for individuals to...

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