Happy New Year and welcome back to the Fulbright ETA Monthly Highlights! The ETAs began the year with a lot of excitement and determination. At this point in the grant year, the ETAs have a better understanding of their schools and the greater host community. Returning to their regular schedules after a long December break was the perfect chance for ETAs to try new activities in class, begin engaging community projects, and bond with community members.
Read through the highlights for stories about the ETAs feeling more comfortable in their role as teaching assistants and cultural ambassadors.
Many thanks to all of the ETAs for their wonderful stories and photos.
Be sure to get the next month Highlights, February 2019, edition. Plus, if you would like to read the best articles from previous editions (August – December 2018), take a look at our special edition “Best of Fulbright ETA”.
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Some Cool Creative Characters
Throughout the week of January 28, ETA Andrew Shifren and his co-teachers decided to structure their lesson around characters. As the 2019 WORDS storytelling competition in Jakarta is fast approaching, this was a way to engage all the students of SMK Stella Maris in storytelling. At the start of class, the students were divided into.. Read More.
The Making of a Storyteller
The Mid-Year Enrichment Conference during the second week of January allowed ETA Alexandra Gwynn time to reflect on her Fulbright experience thus far to transition into a purposeful 2019. Alexandra co-led seminars focused on identity and problem-solving that gave space for the cohort to share experiences and brainstorm solutions. On January 14, ETA Alexandra shared.. Read More.
I Scream, You Scream
We all scream for es krim! ETA Anisha Tyagi, currently teaching at SMKN 6 Semarang, treated her English Club to ice cream after a good session about the 2019 WORDS competition. She spent January learning all her students’ names, so it was wonderful getting to know a little bit about their personalities through.. Read More.
Recounting Student Stories
Though the end of January means ETA Sarah Wozniak has already spent six months in Indonesia, she still learns more about her students at SMAN 1 Demak every day. In her tenth grade classes throughout the last two weeks of January, students drew inspiration from historical recount texts to recount the stories of their lives… Read More.
A Saturday of Volunteering
With the start of a new semester, ETA Emma Barnes is looking forward to finding new ways to get more involved in her local community. She was given the opportunity to begin volunteering with a local pre-school, which is owned by the husband of another teacher at SMAN 5. On this particular day, she and.. Read More.
On Air with RRI
With the beginning of a new year, resolutions and aspirations abound. “How can we reach the wider Bukittinggi community with one-to-one English language instruction without it being too high-stakes or tedious?” asked ETA Alexander Lopez-Perez and his counterpart Mr. Harryanto last fall. With help from some friends, and the personable nature that the two aforementioned.. Read More.
Heroes, Dreams, and Martin Luther King
After a long semester break, ETA Anna Misenti was excited to get back in the classroom with her students again. For two weeks in mid-January, coinciding with Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK) Day, she incorporated learning about the American civil rights movement and Martin Luther King Jr. into her classes’ lessons. The topic was an.. Read More.
MLK Day Celebration and Discussion
On January 24 and 25, in celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK) Day and the upcoming African-American History month, ETA Brian Miner met with the teachers and students of SMKN 1 Sangatta Utara to talk about Martin Luther King Jr., his legacy, and the African-American Civil Rights Movement. Students and teachers were encouraged to.. Read More.
My Future Indonesia…
In anticipation for her local 2019 WORDS competition, ETA Caroline Kim led a workshop on writing a storybook for over thirty interested participants. The workshop began with the students writing their dreams for their country on sticky notes. Some of Caroline’s favorites included: “I wish Indonesia can play in the World Cup” and “I hope.. Read More.
Into The Frying Pan
On Friday, January 25, ETA Ryan Ulrich was waiting outside his residence for a fellow teacher, who was going to give him a lift to school. Ryan teaches at SMA Muhammadiyah 1 Gresik as an English teacher. When the car arrived and Ryan got in, his colleague, Mr. Ali, asked him if he would help.. Read More.
