PROFESSIONAL EDUCATOR EXCHANGE
Corona del Sol High School social studies’ teacher, Larry Campbell, and Regensburg, Germany’s, Sister City president, Franz Feldmeier, established the Professional Educator Program in 1989.
What started as a three-week reciprocal educator exchange with German educators has now expanded to Lower Hutt, New Zealand, and Zhenjiang, China.
This program encompasses full-time elementary and high school educators who currently teach within the boundaries of the city of Tempe. Tempe Sister City funds travel expenses for the selected Tempe educators to visit our fellow sister cities throughout the world.
Their colleagues in Germany, New Zealand and China then home host Tempe teachers, with subsequent reciprocal visits for our new friends and colleague who travel to Tempe for the exchange.
The purpose of the program is multi-leveled. Our goals are to enhance teaching skills and learn new classroom methodology through observation, participation and sharing ideas with others; to become better informed about the country and culture in which they are visiting and, of course, to promote friendship.
Throughout the past 20 years, the teachers have established long-term friendships, integrated into their host families, and returned home with a professional experience that could only be offered through an organization such as Tempe Sister City, which has the outreach to make these exchanges possible.
Over 268 educators and administrators from Tempe, Germany, New Zealand and China have participated in this outstanding and life-changing exchange.
Applications are currently available on the left hand side of this webpage.
For further information or questions about this unique professional educator exchange program, contact Linda Parrish, Coordinator, through tempesistercity.org