There were lots of surprises awaiting Alvin De Leon on his first trip outside his home country, the Philippines, in late summer 2024 – and he’s very happy that trip brought him here to Durham.
“The first reaction was I was so amazed! The community felt simple, yet very progressive,” said De Leon, who teaches honors and AP Biology at Riverside High School. “People are very welcoming. I noticed how diverse the community is; there are many cultures represented in Durham. I felt like I could really belong here.”
De Leon is one of 271 international teachers working in Durham Public Schools this year who were recruited by Global Teaching Partners, an organization that promotes cultural exchange opportunities for students and faculty.
The district has worked with Global to place international teachers in more than half of DPS schools.
“We’re getting experienced teachers who, from most of their countries, really teach foundational, back-to-the-basics types of skills,” said Michelle Hayes, Executive Director of Talent Acquisition and Employee Recognition at DPS. Plus, many of these teachers offer a “love for learning, just being excited about wanting to be here. For a lot of them, it’s a dream come true to teach in America.”
In addition to the Philippines, current international teachers in DPS hail from Barbados, Jamaica, Colombia, Argentina, Honduras, Kenya, and Zambia.
LEARNING FROM ONE ANOTHER
At the heart of the international teachers program are the cultural exchange opportunities that both students and teachers have, enhancing the experience for both.
International teachers are required to lead cultural exchange activities with their students and colleagues, including food, attire, music, talents, and more. De Leon said he also provides virtual meetups for his students from both countries so they can learn about one another.
Dr. Gloria Woods-Weeks, principal at Riverside, said she appreciates the impact that the international teachers have on her school.
“We are so pleased and honored to have our international teachers,” Woods-Weeks said. “Global representation is what expands and broadens our students’ horizons. Mr. De Leon has been so responsive and so supportive…. He is just simply so inspiring and a joy to work with.”
FINDING THE BEST FIT
International teachers typically commit to teaching for three to five years in DPS through the program. They then go back to their countries to teach for at least two years and share what they’ve learned in Durham. After that, if they meet all the criteria, they are allowed to come back to the United States for another three to five years.
Danté Johnson, Director of Educator Success for Global, works with Hayes and her team to match teachers from other countries with schools in which they are apt to be most successful.
Johnson also works with international teachers to help them assimilate once they arrive, including helping them find housing and showing them around Durham.
“I think the biggest thing for a lot of our teachers is preparing them for life here,” Johnson said. “We talk about going into the community, making sure they understand what’s around them – for example, where the nearest grocery store is, what to take with them when they go to the DMV.”
SUPPORT FOR ALL STAGES
Veteran international teachers are asked to serve as “transitional advisors” for the newly arrived teachers. Global coaches visit schools regularly to ensure that the new teachers have what they need for success.
“Our coaches partner with principals and curriculum coaches in the building to make sure our teachers are getting the resources they need,” Johnson said. “They’re there to help them become comfortable professionally and with how things operate in the classroom.”
Johnson added that they receive a warm welcome from DPS teachers and administrators, as well.
“I have principals calling me wanting to meet their teachers at the airport to welcome them,” he said. School families have also stepped up, including donating furniture and household items to help teachers get settled.
De Leon said that his experience at Riverside has been very supportive. Woods-Weeks and her administration “are more than willing to help because they know we are still adjusting and learning the system. They’re always asking us if we need anything or if we need help,” he said.
PAYING IT FORWARD
Now in his second year at Riverside, De Leon is paying it forward by serving as a transition advisor for a first-year international teacher.
“One thing that I have learned here is whenever I receive help, I’m going to share it with other people,” he said. “I got support from my transitional advisor. Now, I get to do the same thing, helping [my advisee] with the process, validating her feelings that this is normal and that everything is going to be OK.”
De Leon certainly has a lot of wisdom to share. He has thrived at Riverside – so much so that students and faculty voted to give him the RHS Pirate Hero Award in February.
“I was shocked, knowing that Riverside is one of the largest schools in Durham,” he said. “Having that award, I was motivated to be better and to provide better teaching and learning processes with my students.”
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