The Fulbright Teaching Excellence And Achievement Program

• General academic seminars focusing on new teaching methodologies, lesson planning, and instructional technology training for teachers;
• Specialized seminars with a focus on 21st century classroom media literacy and critical thinking skills;
• A practicum of at least 40 hours with a U.S. partner teacher in local secondary schools;
• A variety of relevant professional development and cultural activities.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must:
• Be current secondary-level*, full-time teachers of English as a Foreign Language (EFL), Romanian language and literature, social studies, civics, history, global studies, media studies, communications, journalism, law, or related fields;
• Have earned a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent;
• Have completed at least five years of full-time teaching by the start of the program;
• Have Romanian citizenship and reside in Romania at the time of application and of program participation;
• Demonstrate oral and written English language proficiency;
• Have experience or demonstrated interest in the field of 21st century media literacy and critical thinking;
• Demonstrate a commitment to continue teaching after completion of the program;
• Have submitted a complete application.


Each applicant is required to submit:

• An online application form: https://oas.irex.org/fulbrightteaml (including the Institutional Support and Reference Form completed by your supervisor, and the Leave Approval Form completed by your school director)**
• A scanned copy of your passport photo page sent to office@fulbright.ro

**The forms can be downloaded directly from the online application; the documents should be hand signed, scanned and then uploaded to the relevant section of the online application.

Note: Please refer to the Online Application Instructions available here.


Timeline
• Applicants notified: May 2020
• Fall 2020 Cohort Program: September – late October/early November 2020
• Spring 2021 Cohort Program: late January – mid-March 2021

English Proficiency

The Fulbright TEA Program provides:

• J-1 visa support;
• A pre-departure orientation held in participant’s home country;
• Round-trip airfare to and within the U.S.;
• A workshop in Washington, D.C.;
• Academic program fees;
• Housing (generally shared with other program fellows) and meals;
• Accident and sickness medical coverage (does not cover pre-existing conditions);
• Transportation to local school (as needed);
• A daily allowance for incidentals during the university academic program;
• Travel allowance;
• The opportunity to apply for alumni small grants for alumni in good standing.

Selection Criteria:

• Demonstrated commitment to teaching in the field of secondary education;
• Demonstrated commitment or interest in promoting media literacy and critical thinking in the classroom;
• Demonstrated leadership potential;
• Professional and educational experience and achievements;
• Potential for developing long-term linkages between U.S. and home country educational institutions and schools;
• Preparedness (including maturity, flexibility, and ability to function independently) for an intensive U.S.-based training program;
• Willingness and capacity to work and live collaboratively with international peers to foster a positive learning community for professional development;
• Articulated ideas for applying program experience to improving secondary education (and media literacy) in the home country;
• Ability to express ideas clearly and effectively;
• Oral and written English language skills sufficient to manage coursework, participate in specialized seminars, and deliver presentations in U.S. schools;
• Applicants who have had few or no opportunities to travel to the U.S. will be given priority;
• Preference will be given to applicants who are members of or who work with students from under-served communities or traditionally underrepresented groups, including but not limited to women, racial, ethnic and religious minorities, people with disabilities, and the LGBTI community.
• Preference will also be given to applicants who have not previously received a Fulbright grant.


Defining media literacy