First, the news…

Hannibal schools may get foreign teachers

By Ann Pierceall

Herald-Whig Staff Writer

HANNIBAL, Mo.  Hannibal school officials are looking at a different kind of cultural exchange next school year  recruiting teachers from other countries.

International Educator Cultural Exchange is a program that will bring teachers from another country to Hannibal schools to teach for one to three years. Superintendent Jill Janes told about plans for the exchange at the School Board meeting Wednesday night.

“It allows us to bring in some good role models for all our children, and it also helps with hard-to-place positions,” Janes said.

The first exchange teachers  Janes hopes for two  will come from Ghana. (more…)

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The exchange student program has its good points, but far too few students get the full opportunity to actually learn something from the exchange student. From my experience, too much time is spent “americanizing” the student. This teacher program sounds like it has some great potential. Especially since many foreign teachers are a lot more qualified than our home-grown teachers.

Maybe there is an unspoken goal in this exchange program .