Study Abroad for Teachers—It’s a Thing!

Each summer, the CIEE Global Educator Institute (GEI) brings together a small group of high school educators for a weeklong professional development course on interdisciplinary learning. Past participants refer to it as “study abroad for teachers”—a rare opportunity for educators to venture outside of the U.S. to gain insights from the study abroad practice and network with other like-minded peers. 

As they observe high school students learning in a real-world setting, participating educators collaborate to develop globally focused interdisciplinary lesson plan they bring home to their US-based classroom. 

Lance Tomas, Latin teacher at Stuyvesant High School in New York, took part in 2024’s Global Educator Institute in Merida, Mexico. Below he reflects on his experience and how it impacted his classroom this year. 

CIEE: How would you say your students responded to the interdisciplinary lesson plan you developed on program? Were there any unexpected impact/benefits to the student?  

Lance: My students responded very well to the interdisciplinary lesson we developed concerning how civilizations throughout history have justified the use of coerced labor.  

Prior to translating the authentic Latin, I asked students to discuss in small groups other examples of coerced labor they have learned about in other classes, specifically in AP European History. During the seminar-style class discussion, students were able to build a foundation of knowledge by citing Latin evidence from the selections from Seneca, analysis ranging from the use of diction to literary devices, to citing other classical contemporary sources. A few students had remarked on how difficult it was to separate their own personal views from their analysis, which was understandable considering the complicated nature of the subject. However, one thing that was stressed throughout was the nuance between a civilization justifying the use of coerced labor and the ethical rightness of such use, which students deftly discussed. I did, however, feel that it was rushed and out of place within my curriculum, considering we were in the middle of the Roman Stoicism unit. 

This has led me to consider potential curriculum changes so that topics such as this can be included more organically.  

CIEE: How did this professional development training impact your own teaching practice or interdepartmental collaboration at your school?  

Lance: Because our school [Stuyvesant High School] is so big, interdepartmental efforts are few and far between. It was great to work with a history teacher, whom I had only recently met prior to the PD training, and to hear her insights on pedagogy, especially on how to handle such an indelicate topic delicately. Moreover, some students mentioned that they enjoyed being able to use prior knowledge and notes from other classes, realizing that education and coursework do not always have to be confined and separated. 

CIEE: Why would you recommend this professional development trip to a peer? 

Lance: This PD training was one of the few pedagogically focused trainings that I have found to be both useful and enjoyable in my career. The trainings were engaging and insightful. I particularly enjoyed the different pedagogical techniques presented including inquiry-based learning and systems design. The work we did utilizing these techniques felt meaningful and practical. During the training sessions, as my group was discussing the technique and completing the activity, I was already getting ideas on how I could use this in my own classroom.  

In Summer 2025, we are pleased to offer two locations for the  Global Educator Institute: Merida, Mexico and Lisbon, Portugal. Spots are still available. Learn more and join us!