The Cordell Hull Foundation has enabled me to broaden my horizons by giving
me the opportunity to travel and teach in the U.S., sharing cultures, teaching
experiences, curricula, make new friendships, and to be rewarded by a student's
saying "thank you for being my teacher." I would definitely recommend the
Cordell Hull Foundation to teachers around the world and thank Marianne Mason
for her outstanding work, professionalism and devotion.
I arrived in August 2000 thinking that I would only be teaching in the U.S.
for a year. I had previously taught American History for fifteen years in
Melbourne, Australia and had always wanted the opportunity to teach in America!
So this was it! I am now in my second year of teaching high school in Seattle
and absolutely love it!
Teaching in the U.S. for the past two years has been rewarding and
challenging. I have made many new friends and have thoroughly enjoyed the
involvement and friendliness of students, teachers and parents. The advice that
I would give to other exchange teachers is be a part of the Cordell Hull
experience! Be prepared, ask questions, get involved in as much of the extra
curricula activity of the school as your schedule allows, take time to reflect,
keep a diary or make a scrap book of your experiences!
Teaching World History has made it pertinent to incorporate Cordell Hull into
my curriculum. I talk to the freshmen about World War Two and Cordell Hull's
involvement in Pearl Harbor, as he was Secretary of State during that period.
Students also do a research paper about his life and great achievements as a
statesman of the United States.
Teaching in America is very different from teaching in Australia. For
instance, there are no school uniforms in Australia. Here in the U.S. the day
begins earlier (8 am compared to 9am) and ends earlier (2.30 pm compared to 3.15
pm). I teach at a Catholic school. Students must study religion every day. They
have the opportunity to go to chapel every day. This is a very important part of
their education and it also enriches their lives by teaching them values and an
understanding of the underprivileged world around them.
Pep Assemblies, Cheer Leaders, Drill Team, Grub Tolo, Girls Club (of which I
am the advisor), Pyjama Jam, Halloween, Homecoming - I would have real fun
translating these events back home! The school has a tremendous focus on sport
and students really enjoy the challenge of competition and seem to thrive on the
discipline required to be successful.
When I first began teaching in the United States, the students
thought that everyone in Australia had a Koala bear sitting in a gum tree in
their backyards and that kangaroos hop across the streets, that Australia was
mainly "the outback", always sunny and everyone practically lived at the beach.
I wasted no time in telling them that Melbourne is a thriving metropolis of over
3 million people, green, and I lived an hour from the beach. The only places I
have seen Koalas and kangaroos is at the zoo! ! !
