Teaching Assistant

  Hawaii (USA)

• Other Cities in Hawaii (USA): 
Hilo

Term: Throughout the year 

Description: As a Teaching Assistant, interns will be assigned to a teacher and a classroom. When working with younger children you have the opportunity to create your own lessons plans and serve in the same capacity as a teacher. Most classes include at least fifteen students from a variety of ethnic backgrounds and most are from lower socio-economic communities. However, the community and local government have contributed to the facilities of the local schools. Most classrooms have a computer, sufficient supplies and reading materials.

Interns will have the opportunity to work collaboratively with a teacher to share responsibilities of the classroom. You will help plan lessons, assign and correct assignments. Additionally, you will act as a tutor, offering private attention to students on difficult coursework. You will assist in physical education, sometimes organizing your own activities and games for the students. Past Teaching Assistants have even conducted Story Time.

Highlights: Rich with an eclectic mix of cultures and communities, Hawaii has undergone enormous change in recent history. With the population and the natural environment coping with the ebb and flow of the tourism industry and the economy, Hawaii's values and customs have remained strong. Family unity, love, and cultural heritage remain important Hawaiian identifiers throughout the island chain. Teachers get a peek at several different facets of the community in Hawaii. Especially in urban settings, low family incomes often affect a child's nutrition, health, even domestic safety. These are some of the challenges teachers confront in the classroom. Working in education, interns will have the opportunity to experience the importance placed on family and the spirit of Aloha, or love. Teaching Assistants integrate into the community, sometimes referred to as "Auntie" or "Uncle" by students, and become the mentor of dozens of children while watching their growth over time. This is a matchless opportunity to impact young lives.

Qualifications: good health, adventurous spirit

Experience Required: no

Participants Travel to Hawaii (USA) Independently

Application Process Involves:

• Online Application plus Application Assessment
• Phone Interview
• Resume

Institute for Cultural Ecology's Mission Statement: The Institute for Cultural Ecology was founded on the conviction that visits to exotic destinations imply a commitment to cultural sensitivity and environmental stewardship. Our programs match the interests, academic goals, and passions of the participant to select host organizations and researchers. Once you connect with a place and its people, they become a part of you. Forever.

Year Founded: 1999