Peace Corps recruits 01 English Education Teacher
Peace Corps
Togo
English Education Teacher
COUNTRY
Togo
REGION
Africa
SECTOR
Education
LANGUAGE REQUIREMENT
None
ACCEPTS COUPLES
Yes
APPLY BY
February 1, 2023
KNOW BY
February 8, 2023
DEPART BY
June 8, 2023
Project Description
At the request of the Ministry of Education (MoE), the Targeting English Education for Change (TEECh) project was developed in response to a shortage of English teachers capable of speaking English at an advanced level or with prior experience teaching English. The MoE has also prioritized incorporating gender equitable practices into teaching pedagogy within public school to remove the barriers that are preventing girls from continuing their education at the middle school level and beyond.
The goal of the TEECh project is for girls and boys to strengthen their communication skills in English and have equitable access to academic and/or professional opportunities.
The TEECh project’s objectives are focused on collaborating with partners to achieve the following:
TEACHERS:
• Increase their capacity to use general and English teaching skills
• Increase their English proficiency
• Increase their capacity to use gender-equitable practices in the classroom
STUDENTS, LEARNING ENVIRONMENT AND COMMUNITY
• Increase achievement of students in English skills
• Increase the ability of community members to support students’ access to learning
Based on the above listed objectives, the following are TEECh core Logical Project Framework (LPF) activities which all English Education Teacher Volunteers are expected to implement under normal operation.
• Teach or co-teach English to students in a school setting (e.g., direct classroom teaching, pull-out groups, individual tutoring)
• Facilitate informal or formal communities of practice to share strategies and tips for effective English teaching or general teaching skills
• Facilitate informal or formal trainings for community members on gender equitable techniques that enable access to learning
• Model teach and/or engage in peer observation of general and English teaching skills with teachers
• Plan and co-train teachers in workshops on strategies for English teaching
• Facilitate informal or formal trainings for teachers on techniques for promoting gender equity in the classroom
• Organize activities that involve the community in student learning
Note: Due to COVID-19, to ensure the safety and security of all English teacher Volunteers while working in communities, the above activities have been revised to align with COVID-19 measures. All Volunteers must adhere to COVID-19 policies prescribe by Post and Peace Corps headquarters See these COVID specific activities bellow:
• Collaborate with the Education Inspectors, School Directors and Community Leaders to build the capacity of English Teachers on Togo’s new education curriculum
• Conduct one-on-one engagement with teachers, and students on COVID-19 mitigation measures
• Conduct small scale youth development activities to promote life skills at student friendly school (5 to 6 participants per group)
• Facilitate informal and/or formal communities of practice to share strategies and tips for effective English teaching or general teaching skills
• Plan and (co-)train teachers in workshops on strategies for general and/or English teaching (online forums: audio, short demonstration videos)
• Engage in informal English learning and conversation practice with teachers (online – videos and resources on the net)
• Guide teachers in the use of techniques for promoting gender equity in the classroom (Reading assignments and online discussions)
Gender awareness and empowerment is a cross-sectoral activity for all Peace Corps Togo Volunteers who look for ways to work with community members to promote gender-equitable norms. Volunteers will receive training on gender challenges in their community and will have the opportunity to implement gender-related activities that are contextually and culturally appropriate once they are adequately integrated into their community.
COVID-19 Volunteer Activities
As a Volunteer, you will be trained in how to best protect yourself from COVID-19 exposure and understand the impact of and steps to reduce stigma related to COVID-19. You may also have the opportunity to engage with your community on implementing or enhancing COVID-19 mitigation activities, such as COVID-19 prevention and risk reduction strategies including social distancing, hand washing, mask wearing, addressing myths and misconceptions related to these practices, and vaccine hesitancy. Activities will be tailored to address the COVID-19 circumstances in the communities where you will serve.
Required Skills
Competitive candidates will have a Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science degree in any discipline and a strong desire to teach English
Desired Skills
The strongest candidates will have one or more of the following qualifications
• Degree in elementary or secondary education or another field of education
• Classroom teaching experience and/or teacher training experience
• Three months of 10 hours/month or 30 hours total of English, foreign language, or literacy tutoring experience with middle or high school students.
• Experience in utilizing gender equitable practices in an educational setting
Required Language Skills
There are no pre-requisite language requirements for this position.
Experience with or knowledge of a Romance language is preferred but not required.
Living Conditions
Most Volunteers live in two-to-three-room houses within a family compound with a host family. Living within a shared compound affords Volunteers a valuable opportunity to truly observe and be a part of the culture, enjoy the benefits and security of communal living, and learn the language of their host community. Many Volunteers do not have electricity in their homes. Access to cooking gas is usually consistent, but there may be times when it is necessary to cook on a charcoal stove. Water sources could be traditional wells, a pump, and/or cisterns. Volunteers will be given a water filter and training on how to properly treat drinking water.
Diet will consist of locally grown foods or a combination of local and preserved foods. A typical Togolese meal is corn ‘pâte’ (paste), with a spicy/hot sauce. Meat is available throughout Togo, as is dried fish, but fresh fish is only available in larger towns. Fruits and vegetables are seasonal, limiting the diversity of a vegetarian diet at times of the year. However, tofu (soy) is available throughout the country.
Distance between communities and regional capitals vary, but can be as far as 60 kilometers. Some Volunteers bike the shorter distances. Volunteers will be provided funds to purchase a bicycle to facilitate work and enable them to have greater access to nearby communities. Per Peace Corps COVID-19 transportation policy, Volunteers are prohibited to ride as a passenger on the back of a motorcycle taxi or use local public transportation (bush taxi). The COVID-19 transportation policy will remain in effect until further notice.
Volunteers are encouraged to rent their own mail box at their local post office in order to receive mail. Regional capitals and some larger towns in Togo have internet connections (often very slow and/or unreliable). Peace Corps Togo currently maintains one workstation with internet connection for Volunteers in each of the maritime and plateau regions. Volunteers will have access to internet at least once a month when they travel to their regional capital to do banking and buy necessary food items.
Volunteers are strongly encouraged to bring a laptop, which enables them to complete and save required assignments off-line. For those who arrive without a laptop, Peace Corps will provide funds sufficient to purchase a simple tablet device a SIM card and a simple cell phone. Many Volunteers decide to bring unlocked dual-SIM smart-phones to keep in contact with fellow Volunteers and friends/family in the States.
Dress, appearance, and cleanliness are of great importance in the West African concept of professionalism. Volunteers are required to dress appropriately, professionally, and respectfully once posted to their assigned communities as well as during Pre-Service Training (PST). Dressing in an inappropriate manner can diminish the respect community members have for Volunteers and can make their work more challenging. For classrooms and meetings, closed-toed shoes, trousers, short and long sleeve collared shirts are appropriate for men. For women, closed-toed shoes, skirts that cover the top of the knees when seated, and dresses and blouses that cover the shoulders are appropriate.
Peace Corps Togo provides support to a diverse group of Volunteers. Togo has some restrictive laws that target certain sexual acts. Volunteers will need to be mindful of cultural norms and country-specific laws and use their best judgment to determine how to approach topics related to sexual orientation and gender identity in their communities. Due to safety and security concerns, LGBTQI+ Volunteers are generally advised not to serve openly in this country. We recognize the difficulties that keeping your personal identity regarding sexuality may be a challenge; thus, we are committed as Peace Corps staff to support LGBTQI+ Volunteers amidst these challenges.
Serving in Togo
Learn more about the Volunteer experience in Togo: Get detailed information on culture, communications, housing, health, and safety — including health and crime statistics — in order to make a well-informed decision about serving.
Couples Information
Peace Corps Togo welcomes couples. Your partner must qualify and apply for
– Sustainable Agriculture Educator
– Community Health Educator
During Pre-Service Training, couples will be in the same training center.
Medical Considerations
Before you apply, please review Medical Information for Applicants to learn about the medical clearance process.POSTULER