Support Middle School English and Intercultural Club
Activity/project background
Partner: SMPN 2 Kuningan, West Java Indonesia (Government)
SMPN 2 Kuningan, a public middle school in West Java, Indonesia, aims to improve their students’ critical and analytical skills in English through improving not only the community of practice at both school and regional levels, but also by providing students with opportunities to increase their cross-cultural knowledge about America. SMPN 2 Kuningan would like to collaborate with a Virtual Service Pilot Participant (VSPP) to strengthen their English classes and English Club programs at school, thereby increasing students' motivation to practice their English skills, especially their speaking skills, and to provide cross-cultural understanding opportunities to students.
SMPN 2 Kuningan proposes that the VSPP will engage in cross-cultural discussions in one English class and one English club per week.
The organization has not previously worked with a Peace Corps Volunteer or a Virtual Service Pilot Participant. They understand that the role of a VSPP is very different than a two-year Volunteer.
Virtual service engagement and tasks
The VSPP will engage in the following tasks, in collaboration with their Host Country Partners:
• Co-design and co-develop a simple syllabus for both the English club and regular cross-cultural classes
• Co-mentor and co-teach an English club focusing on cross cultural understanding and English-speaking skills for 60 minutes per week
• Co-teach one 60-minute English class per week on cross-cultural topics such as the American education system, diversity in America, American food, etc.
This engagement is expected to be approximately 12 weeks. VSPPs are expected to engage on the tasks listed above for an estimated 5-15 hours per week.
Meetings between VSPPs and Host Country Counterparts will take place during normal office hours, 7:00 a.m. – 1:15 p.m. Indonesia time. time. Specific times will be determined during orientation.
The Host Country Counterpart will have access to WhatsApp and Zoom for regular communication and collaboration.
Per the Child Protection Code of Conduct, when engaging online with minors (0-18), two adults must be present.
Optional additional activities
The Peace Corps mission is to promote world peace and friendship by fulfilling three goals:
- To help the people of interested countries in meeting their need for trained men and women.
- To help promote a better understanding of Americans on the part of the peoples served.
- To help promote a better understanding of other peoples on the part of Americans.
Goal 1 will be achieved through the VSPP's engagement and completion of the above tasks. The counterpart and VSPP may also choose to identify an activity that aligns with Goal 2. Additionally, the VSPP may identify a Goal 3 activity to implement during their engagement. See recommendations and tools for Goal 3 activities.
Essential qualifications
Education: Bachelor’s degree in any field
Experience: 2 years of experience teaching English in a foreign country or with ESL students
Intercultural skills and motivation: Flexible, strong cross-cultural agility, high tolerance for ambiguity, able to work independently, resourceful, creative, and genuinely motivated and capable to serve virtually
Desired qualifications
Education:
• Bachelor’s degree in education, teaching, or related field
• TEFL certification
Technical Skills: Familiarity with virtual engagement and communication
Language: Basic indonesian
Experience: Experience facilitating or actively participating in a school’s English extra-curricular program and/or teachers’ community of practice program
Terms and conditions of engagement
VSPPs will be engaging with the host country partner, in coordination with Peace Corps post staff, remotely from the US. They should have access to a computer, internet, and telephone in order to enable direct engagement with the Peace Corps overseas office and the Host Country Counterpart assigned by the host country partner.
Orientation with the host country partner will be provided, within the designated virtual service hours, during the first week of virtual service via an online presentation and discussion. The host country partner will provide an overview of its organization, the local context, and how they envision collaborating with the VSPP.
The VSPP will have regular check-ins with their counterpart and bi-weekly check-ins with Peace Corps staff. Spending unstructured time with counterparts can be critical to relationship-building and is encouraged through activities such as coffee chats and informal calls within the weekly 5-15 hours.
Engagement-specific safety and security
The VSPP will receive an orientation on Peace Corps’ Child Protection Policy and how it relates to online engagement along with IT security best practices. The VSPP will be expected to follow safety and security guidelines for online engagement to ensure their safety and that of the Host Country Partner and their counterpart, and any beneficiaries of the engagement.
Supervision requirements
The VSPP will report to a designated Peace Corps staff member. The VSPP will be expected to abide by the Virtual Service Pilot Participant and Donation Agreement and Participant Principles of Engagement. The VSPP will also be expected to check in with the designated host country counterpart as assigned by the host county partner.
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