Location:

Beijing, China

Program Type:

Teach Abroad

Degree Level:

Undergraduate

Duration:

1-3 months

Teach Abroad:

Placement

Placement Audience:

6-12 years old

Program Overview

Program Description:

WorldTeach is a non-profit, non-governmental organization founded by a group of Harvard students in 1986 in response to the need for educational assistance in developing countries. It also addressed a growing interest among people in the U.S. and elsewhere to serve, teach and learn as volunteers overseas. Since its inception, WorldTeach has placed thousands of volunteer educators in communities throughout Asia, Latin America, Africa, Eastern Europe and the Pacific.

WorldTeach volunteers work as English teachers at two or three summer camps hosted by public middle schools in Hunan, China. Volunteers will likely teach in teams of two or three and plan at least one lesson a day. They will teach a few English classes each day and participate in camp activities such as sports and English choir. Most campers will be 7th to 10th graders. After camp, the host school will provide cultural events such as banquets and trips to local landmarks. These events allow the volunteers to experience Chinese culture outside of the school setting. Outside of these events, volunteers are encouraged to go out into the local community. There are always new discoveries just outside the school gates.

Setting Description:

Summer volunteers will live and work together at each camp placement. Placements are chosen in late spring by the Department of Education and WorldTeach. Usually WorldTeach works with two schools a year, often a rural school and an urban one. Volunteers get to experience the different lives of Chinese people across the urban/rural divide.

Cost:

The cost of the China Summer program is Fully Funded, with a required deposit of $500. This covers pre-departure information and preparation, round-trip international airfare from a US departure city to Changsha, overseas medical and emergency evacuation insurance, one week in-country orientation as well as a mid-service and end-of-service conference, 24-hour field staff support, room and board, and alumni support.