TeachUSA Cultural Activity Report

This form does not allow you to save and return later so please be prepared with all the information and documentation you need to complete it.

As an international teacher working in a U.S. school, you have the tremendous opportunity to enhance U.S. American students' knowledge of your home country culture and expand their understanding of the world around them. Each year, you are expected to complete at least one activity in both of the below categories every year:

#1: One-Way Exchange Activity

An activity for your classroom, larger host school or host school district population, or the community at large designed to give an overview of the history, traditions, heritage, culture, economy, educational system and/or other attributes of your home country.

This could be a presentation, activity, or event that shares information about your home country’s culture and customs with students or your larger host community.

*Are you teaching at an international school?  If you teach at a school that primarily follows a foreign curriculum and/or includes students predominantly not from the U.S., you must complete your activity outside your host school – either in a nearby school or your larger communities where international opportunities may be more limited and/or your activity can reach U.S. American students.

#2: Two-Way Exchange Activity

An activity that allows U.S. American students to interact with students located in another country (preferably from your home school) through virtual exchange or other means. In their interactions, students must exchange information or ideas about each other's culture, traditions, history or other unique parts of their home country and culture.

This could be virtual connections (e.g. Skype, Google Meet, Padlet, etc.) or other means of creating connections (e.g. pen pals, exchanging gifts, etc.) between U.S. and international classrooms.

Please review the Cultural Activity Guide for more information.

Reminder: If you do not complete these activities, you will not be considered “in good standing” on your J-1 visa and you will not be eligible to extend your program.

Date

An international school is one that meets any of the following criteria:

Official Designation:
The school is formally designated as an international school by its school district, state, or another relevant governing authority; OR

Curriculum Focus:
The school’s curriculum is primarily centered on international subject matter and/or includes a significant language‑immersion component; OR

Foreign National Curriculum:
The school mainly follows the national curriculum of another country

If you are at an international school, you must conduct this activity outside the host school in nearby schools or communities where international opportunities may be more limited than those found in your host school.

Sorry
You are required to present information about your own home country or culture. Please resubmit the form once you have completed an activity that meets the criteria.

*You must submit at least two sentences describing your activity. The description must also include a clear description of how you addressed the cultural topics that you selected in the previous question about cultural topics, ex: history, traditions, heritage, culture, economy, education system, etc.

*You must submit at least two sentences describing your audiences’ learnings, reactions, and/or take-aways.

*Please note that photographs of students' faces should not be included in submissions unless explicit permission has been obtained from the student and their parent or guardian.

Date

*Must be at least 2 students

*Students must be physically located abroad (outside of the U.S.) You cannot complete the activity with international students in your U.S. host school.

*You must submit at least two sentences describing how you used this technology, tool, or platform in your activity.

*You must submit at least two sentences describing your audiences’ learnings, reactions, and/or take-aways.

*Please note that photographs of students' faces should not be included in submissions unless explicit permission has been obtained from the student and their parent or guardian.