News

Friday, August 14, 2009

Fulbright Teacher Exchange Program: Rebekah Sillars and Yasmin Ali Khan Exchange Jobs and Homes

La Colina Junior High School teacher Rebekah Sillars is packing her bags in preparation for a year-long teaching experience in England. Ms. Sillars, who is leaving on Tuesday, has been awarded a Fulbright Teacher Exchange grant to teach at Kingsmead School in Enfield, England.

Her counterpart, newly arrived Yasmin Ali Khan, spent today at La Colina Junior High School, meeting staff and becoming familiar with the school. Ms. Ali Khan has been teaching at Kingsmead School for the past six years. She's the head of the Media Studies Department, and teaches English as well. This is her first visit to California.

Fulbright Teacher Exchange grant winners Rebekah Sillars and Yasmin Ali Khan with La Colina Principal David Ortiz

According to Ms. Sillars, “Kingsmead School has 1,400 students in Year 7 (like our sixth grade) through Year 12 and sixth form (like our senior year). It is a specialist school in visual and performing arts, and was labeled an Outstanding School during the 2008 Ofsted review.” Ms. Sillars continued, “She and I will be exchanging homes as well as schools. ”

When asked about differences she expects to encounter, Ms. Sillars said, “British schools have more breaks than American schools; while we have two weeks during the winter, and one during the spring, Kingsmead will have seven weeks off during the school year. However, Kingsmead does not finish for the summer until July 15 or so. This is going to be an exciting and challenging year, and I can't wait to get it started!”

Ms. Ali Khan is equally excited about the opportunity to live and work in the United States, “I love to travel and have never worked in another country so I am delighted to have the opportunity to do both. As a British person, teaching English here might present some challenges, like spelling. There are also differences in our school cultures. For example, the students in most British schools wear uniforms, a mini kind of business suit, often grey in color. Here at La Colina I am a grade 8 teacher but in England I teach 11-year-olds up to 18-year-olds. It is going to be a very different type of experience.” Ms. Ali Khan is eager to start her teaching assignment and, as time allows, explore California and take a summer road trip across America.

For information on Kingsmead School, go to http://www.kingsmeadschool.org/download/Ofsted/January%202008%20report.pdf