OREANDA-NEWS. October 13, 2011. Twenty-six U.S. teachers have been selected to travel to Costa Rica through the Toyota International Teacher Program. Taking place November 19 – December 3, 2011, the program will provide educators with unique learning experiences to help them encourage and inspire their own students to become more involved in environmental, cultural and world studies.

Now in its13th year, the program has sent more than 650 educators from across the country to Costa Rica, Galapagos, Japan and South Africa to complete a two-week study tour during which they learn about the environmental challenges each country faces. The program’s aim is to provide a unique and enriching experience for teachers and librarians, and equip them with learnings that will help them develop interdisciplinary, hands-on and solution-oriented educational approaches in their classrooms.

Program Overview
Funded by Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc., and administered by the Institute of International Education (IIE), the Toyota International Teacher Program advances environmental stewardship and global connectedness in U.S. schools and communities.

The program to Costa Rica, a country dedicated to protecting its natural resources, will give educators an opportunity to explore environmental and cultural preservation, biodiversity and sustainability through a variety of site visits, discussions, lectures and hands-on activities. Program participants will have an opportunity to meet with local experts, visit schools and museums and experience the rainforest first-hand.

During their travels to San Jose, Guácimo, Sarapiquí and La Fortuna, the educators will participate in a variety of activities that highlight the relationship between Costa Rican history, culture and the environment. They will tour innovative sustainable agriculture projects at Earth University and engage in service projects at La Selva Biological Station, one of the most studied tropical rain forests in the world. Area experts will educate participating teachers on local development, agronomy and conservation practices. Other activities include learning about research methods at Earth University and visiting rural Costa Rican primary and secondary schools to observe classes and interact with teachers and students. All activities are aimed at exploring the role of environmental education in spreading environmental awareness.

To help bridge their Costa Rican experiences with the curriculum projects, the educators will be accompanied by 2009 Toyota International Teacher Program alumnus, Jason Shields. As an on-site Discussion Leader, Jason will provide support and mentorship, facilitating several group debriefs and activities throughout the study tour to stimulate creative thinking among the participants.

Representing 20 states, the 26 participating teachers were chosen through a competitive, merit-based process administered by IIE, the nation’s most experienced nonprofit educational exchange organization. Selection criteria include professional qualifications, evidence of interest in international education, and feasibility of incorporating the study experience into the curriculum.