“It is critical that we work collaboratively with teachers to develop policies that will truly transform and elevate the profession. I am proud of the work our Teaching Ambassadors do every year to talk with and listen to other teachers across the country as well as the direct input they have given staff.” – Secretary Arne Duncan
We are happy to announce that applications for the U.S. Department of Education’s sixth cohort of Teaching Ambassador Fellows are now open. The application period will run from December 19, 2012, and is scheduled to close on January 29, 2013 at 11:59 pm Eastern Time. For more information about the application process, visit our program page at www.ed.gov/programs/teacherfellowship or go directly to the applications for the Washington and Classroom Fellowships on www.usajobs.gov.
Before their fellowship ended, 2011-12 Washington Teaching Ambassador Fellows gave Secretary Duncan one final briefing. Official Department of Education photo by Leslie Williams.
Since 2008, the Department has employed eighty outstanding teachers on a full or part time basis through the Teaching Ambassador Fellowship program. This highly selective program was created because we believe that teachers should have meaningful opportunities to both contribute to and understand the policies that impact their students and school communities. We know that when families, students, and other teachers want information about education, it is most often to teachers that they turn.
The Teaching Ambassador Fellowship supports the Department’s mission by employing a diverse cadre of teachers to gain significant knowledge about the Department information and resources, share this information with other educators across the country, and contribute their classroom expertise to the national dialogue.
Teaching Ambassador Fellows are outstanding teachers, with a record of leadership, strong communication skills, and insights into educational policy based in classroom expertise. They come with networks of support from their professional communities and have participated in training or development programs that have prepared them to write and speak frequently about teaching, educational leadership and/or policy.
The Washington Fellowship is a full-time appointment based at the Department’s Headquarters in Washington. The Classroom Fellowship enables teachers to participate on a part-time basis for the Department, in addition to their regular school responsibilities, working in collaboration with the Department’s Regional Offices.
All Teaching Ambassador Fellows spend one year learning about key federal programs and policies; sharing their expertise with federal staff members; and providing outreach and communication about federal initiatives to other educators on behalf of the Department in order to help teachers understand and implement these efforts at the federal, state and local levels, to improve the likelihood of their success. For the Fellows, the program adds greater knowledge of educational policy and leadership to their toolkits to contribute to solutions at all levels for long intractable challenges in education.
Teacher leaders — please consider applying and share this information with your colleagues! Sign up for updates on the application process and call 1-800-USA-Learn or email us at TeacherFellowship@ed.gov with questions.
Click here to read Homeroom blog posts from current and former Teaching Ambassador Fellows.
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I can’t believe this email was just forwarded to me today. Please
add me to your email list for future correspondence.
Thanks!!!!
I’d love to see an Administrator Ambassador Fellow program start. Any chance this will be this year?
Thank you for your interest in an Administrator’s Program. We are considering this right now. Please email us at TeacherFellowship@ed.gov and we’ll add you to our list to be updated as this develops.
Thanks! Gillian Cohen-Boyer
Director, Teaching Ambassador Fellowship Program
This sounds like an exciting opportunity. Does this program require teachers to be employed? Presently I’m transitioning from Ohio to N.Carolina, so I’m out of the class room…but looking for a job. I have 10 years class room experience and was lead teacher for my department for many years.
Actually feel like this would be a great time to become a Teacher Ambassador.
Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.
I am interested to join Teacing Ambassador Fellowhip. It sounds like an intersting opportunities for teachers. I am certified in P-K and Educational Leadership. Let me know more about this.
I Want join as a teacher my qualifications M.Sc ;B.Ed. MATHEMATICS. 7 YEARS EXPERIENCE.
Is this wonderful opportunity open to school counselors. I am a K-12 counselor on Long Island, with 19 years experience. I would love the opportunity to learn more about educational policies, share what I have observed over these years, and pass useful information along to all that will listen.
@Matthew – the answer regarding counselors is somewhat complicated. Please email us at TeacherFellowship@ed.gov, so that we can share the longer explanation with you?
@Gigi and Karen – unfortunately no, you would not be eligible give your circumstances. Fellows need to currently be employed in an instructional role in order to be eligible for the program because of the mechanism by which we can bring Fellows on for the year.
@Christine and K – please take a look at the applications and see if you think you are eligible and wish to apply.
Best of luck to all and thank you so much for your interest in the program.
Gillian Cohen-Boyer
Director, US Department of ED Teaching Ambassador Fellowship Program
Are recent retirees eligible?
@Yolanda, thank you for the question. There is a great deal of interest at ED in starting a similar program for principals. Please sign up for our email list at the link above and you will be notified as information becomes available.
Hi, When will an Administrator Ambassador Fellow be created?