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Teachers Without Borders

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California State University, Dominguez Hills
University of Wisconsin, Parkside
Soka University Japan - Transcend Art and Peace
Created: January 29, 2002
Latest Update: January 29, 2002
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jeannecurran@habermas.org
Olivier at tapcourse@yahoo.com
takata@uwp.edu

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Copyright: Jeanne Curran and Susan R. Takata and Individaul Authors, January 2002.
"Fair use" encouraged.

On Sunday, January 27, 2002, Fred Mednick wrote:

Subject: A message from TEACHERS WITHOUT BORDERS

Dear Teachers Without Borders Members & Friends,
www.teacherswithoutborders.org

While our membership and volunteer base grows, our partnerships solidify, and our influence strengthens, I need your help with three initiatives, all of which have enormous bearing on how we move forward to do our best to close the education divide by providing resources to teachers and connecting them with each other.

TEACHERS FROM REGIONS IN CONFLICT:

Our success in the Middle East, in two programs, shows that teachers can be educational diplomats. When teachers connect, so do their students. For this reason, I am developing a program by which teachers from regions currently at war (or close to it) can find common ground as educators. By sharing ideas about teaching and each other, we will be making a contribution to peace. Such an initiative has the full support of our International Advisory Board. There are several areas where we can focus: our Bridges to Understanding program, for one (please see our home page: www.teacherswithoutborders.org) is a great opportunity. Other ideas include the development of specific teacher communities and the use of technology to facilitate dialogue. I AM LOOKING FOR YOUR IDEAS and STRATEGIES. I also believe a program of this sort is fundable, clearly. No question that it is desperately needed.

PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATE OF TEACHING MASTERY

Clearly aligned with our mission, we have finished a proposal to provide this certificate through e-learning, with mentors, worldwide, selected for their expertise in particular subjects. The courses are just being designed now, and so this is a golden opportunity to COLLECT BEST PRACTICES in the teaching profession in pedagogy and curriculum development. The certificate will be validated by Teachers Without Borders as well as selected four-year universities and will provide a clear incentive for teachers to continue their education: in some cases, higher page; for most, the chance to connect; clearly, the ability to be a more attractive candidate; for some, an opportunity to travel. PLEASE EMAIL US FOR MORE INFORMATION. Are you interested in participating as a designer or mentor? info@teacherswithoutborders.org. Just type: Teaching Certificate in the subject line.

EDUCATION INITIATIVES

We are building our resource base of teachers global wisdom in

  1. early childhood education
  2. literacy, and
  3. girls education.

Your contributions are essential here. Once we have collected enough, we will translate the sites and post special pages for each.

FUND-RAISING AND STRATEGIC PLANNING

This is an organization that does not advertise nor collect membership fees. However, it puts us in a precarious position. Though we have plunged into concrete projects and accomplishments and have tested our ideas with success, we need to create income streams, comprehensive grant applications, and multiple funding sources. Knowing how our operation works grassroots connections, local projects, and the like we have grown too fast and far to stay the same. We need your help in raising funds, as well as writing grants for particular projects (such as those above) and our other Community Teaching & Learning Centers (CTLCs). Teachers Without Borders needs to be around a long time. It is also time to rely on our membership to find financial support for the following:

  1. CTLCs :

    • India
    • Pakistan
    • Nigeria
    • Jordan

  2. Bridges to Understanding (see home page) needs grant-writers and financial support

  3. Course development for Certificate of Mastery

I have not written to the entire membership for quite some time, and many of you might feel as if we have not communicated enough; for that, I apologize. We began tiny and were overwhelmed with teacher generosity and have not kept up with the pace. With new technological support, lately, we re much more efficient.

Clearly, in a world that sits precariously on the brink, the teacher must be central to our society's health. I hope you can join me in helping make this all a reality.

With affection and good will,
Fred
Dr. Fred Mednick
Founder and President
Teachers Without Borders
www.teacherswithoutborders.org