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Tips for Teachers

Speakers Match Program

Before the Presentation

Communication with RPCV Speaker

• Communicate with your RPCV about your goals for the presentation. If the presentation is meant to tie into a particular unit of study, share the objectives of that unit so that the RPCV speaker can tailor his or her presentation to those goals.
• Discuss the logistics of the event with your RPCV guest—e.g., how to check into the school building, whether there will be an escort to and from the classroom, how to take care of any AV or technical needs that the RPCV will have, who will handle classroom management during the presentation, whether the presentation is for one classroom or a school-wide assembly.
• Work out with your RPCV speaker and your students how to handle audience questions. Will the RPCV want to take questions throughout the presentation, at the end of the presentation, or will he or she answer questions after the event and send them back to the class?
• Are there any students in the classroom with special needs?
• Communicate your students’ prior knowledge to the RPCV.
• Be sure to ask your RPCV guest whether he or she will be sharing music, clothing, food, or other artifacts from his or her country of service. Solidify any plans to share these with the students.

Lesson Planning

• Have a goal for the RPCV’s presentation. How will it tie in to what the students are learning?
• Prepare your students to learn from a guest speaker from the Peace Corps.
• Resources on the Peace Corps:
  • General Peace Corps information
  • Fact sheet and Power Point presentation about the Peace Corps
• Resources specific to the Returned Peace Corps Volunteer’s (RPCV’s) country of service:
  • General information about the Peace Corps’ programming by country, includes an interactive map
  • Search for Peace Corps stories and lesson plans about the RPCV’s country of service
• Resources specific to the type of work the RPCV speaker completed as a Peace Corps Volunteer:
  • General information about the Peace Corps’ various program sectors
• Ask students to research resources and to prepare questions for the RPCV speaker
  

During the Presentation

• Prepare students by creating an environment of respect.
  • Remind students not to focus on only the details of the culture that they find strange or "weird."
  • Consider using the Coverdell World Wise Schools Culture Matters and Building Bridges resources as extension activities.
• Observe and enjoy your RPCV Speaker! Be sure to join in activities, if appropriate.

After the Presentation

• Sign up for Correspondence Match to pair your students with a Volunteer serving overseas.
• We’d love to learn about your experience. If you have any pictures or anecdotes you’d like to share, please do.
• If you have any suggestions for us or for future speakers, please do let us know.
• Ask your students to write a thank-you note to your RPCV guest.

Questions?

If you have any questions about lesson planning or Speakers Match please feel free to email us at wwsinfo@peacecorps.gov or call (202) 692-1450.

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