Suggestions to help K-12 teachers & other groups prepare for a Global Ambassador visitor:
- Determine the topics you want the student to discuss. Specifying family life, environment, religion, holidays, celebrations, political system, education, changing traditions, etc. provides a focus for the student’s preparation.
- Please allow 2 weeks advance notice of requests, to ensure availability. Please note that if you must change the date of your request less than 2 weeks prior to the event, the students may not be able to re-schedule.
- Provide accurate driving directions. Transportation will be provided by the students themselves when possible. If schools can provide transportation, this would be greatly appreciated, though we realize this is not often possible.
- In order to make the visit as meaningful and accessible as possible for the guest speaker and audience, K-12 classes should have no more than 40 (and preferably fewer) students.
- Have the necessary audio-visual equipment set up and in working order (a malfunctioning LCD projector or laptop can waste precious time.)
- Arrange a display table for display items.
- Even though each student has been carefully screened and chosen for the Global Ambassador program, they are not teachers and therefore, should be expected to give no more than two presentations in a row.
- If several talks are scheduled, please see that the student is given a short break and water.
- If students speak to several classes, it is best to have the school children change rooms so that display items already set up do not have to be moved. Having to move and set up twice cuts into the limited time scheduled for the guest speaker.
- Please stay in the classroom, or ensure that a responsible adult is present, to discipline when needed. Showing an active interest in the speaker helps make the student feel welcome.
- If possible, debrief your students after the presentation to assess the impact of the speaker and reinforce lesson goals. Guest speakers are delighted to receive thank you cards from students.
SCHEDULING a Presentation: Please contact the student(s)directly if you are interested in them presenting in your classroom. Contact the Study Abroad office if you have trouble contacting a particular student.
AFTER a Presentation: Please complete and return an evaluation form in the forms section.
Constructive comments let the speaker know what aspects of the talk were most valuable and what might be improved. Evaluation forms are available from the speaker, online, or pdf version in the forms section.
Thank you for your support of the Global Ambassador Program. We hope this is a rewarding experience for you and these uniquely qualified students. Let us know what you think!