CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo., Jan. 17, 2007 – Fourteen international secondary teachers from the Middle East and Asia will arrive at Southeast Missouri State University Jan. 24 to study advanced pedagogy, curriculum construction and instructional technology, and begin participating in eight-week internships at three area high schools.

The program is the result of a $70,077 U.S. Department of State grant awarded to Southeast's College of Education, according to Dr. I. Sue Shepard, dean of the College of Education.

The program will place the visitors in internships at Cape Girardeau Central High School, Jackson Senior High School and Sikeston Senior High School.

Among the international teaching fellows are Magadelene Gomes, Kamel Haque, Samira Bari, and Md. Shaleleen from Bangladesh; Samira El Filaly and Abdellatif El Moncef  from Morocco; Ibrahim Ahmed and Magdy Hassan Aly from Egypt;  Saritha Mathai and Bindu Jose from India; Tan Siew Lan from Malaysia; Zeinab Al-Ajarmeh from Jordan; Manal Salam from Lebanon; and Rudhi Julianto from Indonesia.

The program, which is administered by the International Research and Exchanges Board, is designed to provide the international teaching fellows with professional development experiences in the United States that will enhance their ability to contribute to the improvement of their own teaching, and play a role in their country’s national development. The program also is to create deeper understanding and knowledge of the United States and develop productive and lasting relationships and mutual understanding between the international participants and the American teachers and their students.

Dr. Jean Benton, director of international programs for Southeast's College of Education and associate professor of middle and secondary education, will serve as project director and liaison with the public schools and the U.S. Department of State. Dr. Simin Cwick, associate professor, and Dr. Mary Ann Deline, assistant professor, both from Southeast's Department of Middle and Secondary Education, will teach courses in curriculum and technology to the participants and assist with the supervision of the participants’ field experiences.

NOTE:  The international contingent of teachers will be available for interviews and photos from 10 a.m. to noon and from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Jan. 26 in Scully Room 325. Please call the Southeast News Bureau at (573) 651-2552 if you would like to conduct interviews or take photos during these times.

SEE ALSO THE PROGRAM WEBSITE
http://cstl-coe.semo.edu/benton/TFweb/index4.htm