Way back, just barely pre-COVID, all the teachers in our district received an email about Fund for Teachers. I briefly explored, but I knew at the time I just didn’t have the time to devote to an application, so I put the idea of visiting my immigrant students’ families in their home countries on the back burner. And then, bam, COVID-19 and all thoughts of international travel–of any travel–was gone. Fast forward to 2022, and I knew now was the time, especially since I’ve welcomed a lot more newcomers in the last 2 years.
I started by planning a map of where all of my immigrant students were from and figuring out what would be doable–it, unfortunately, wouldn’t be all of their hometowns. I attended a FFT webinar and scoured their website for ideas and help, even finding a couple of teachers who had done similar trips–one of them eventually read over my application and gave me feedback.
I sent letters home with students to see which families would allow me to interview them, and I started researching, creating detailed spreadsheets with possible itineraries. It all felt daunting because trying to price lodging in developing countries is difficult–I relied a lot on my students’ families who communicated with other family members still living in Honduras, Guatemala, and Mexico to help me find places and estimate costs.
And finally in mid-January I hit submit and sat back trying not to think about March 28. All morning on the 28th I checked my email, and then finally around lunch I received the news that I was a 2023 FFT Fellow.
Last night I published to Facebook to spread the word and to thank those involved in helping me improve my application and plan the details. The support from my district, my students, their families, my family, and my friends has been overwhelming, and I feel blessed. I’ve already been contacted by people who are willing to help me figure out logistics and connect me with people in country. It’s going to be challenging, but the chance to educate myself about the lives my students had before I met them and then share all of that with not just my district but the whole community is what I’ve dreamed of.