“Education in Focus” could have been the slogan of America for Bulgaria Foundation right from its beginning eight years ago. Not only because our investment in Bulgarian education exceeds $100 million, but also because it reaches every third school, from the biggest cities to the smallest villages in the countryside. Now, it’s time for a new step. We are happy to announce ABF is establishing an Academy for School Leadership.
One of ABF’s goals is to raise the prestige of the teacher and the teaching profession. The ABF Education Academy will provide quality training programs and credit-qualifying programs in Bulgaria for school directors and school teams as well as innovative training sessions for teachers well into their careers.
One of the “ABF Education Academy” programs is “Education Technology Specialist”. This is a unique educational qualification program created by America for Bulgaria Foundation in collaboration with Columbia University in New York. As is apparent from the name of the program, it puts modern technology and its meaningful use in the modern educational process. Hello, 21st Century.
Over the past year, 17 teachers from various Bulgarian schools were qualified as “technology specialists” by Columbia University lecturers. The final module will bring these skills and technologies directly into the classroom. During the week of June 5, leading specialists from the Faculty of Education at Columbia University in New York came to Bulgaria to conduct the training. Let’s meet them.
Caron Mineo is Director of Research at the Center for Technology and School Change. She has experience as a teacher in all stages of education, both in public and private schools. Currently, Caron is working on her doctorate at the Teachers College at Columbia University.
Dr. Rita Sánchez is the Associate Director for Professional Development at the Center for Technology and School Change. Previously, she was a mathematics and physics teacher for eight years. She holds a Ph.D. in Mathematics Education at Teachers College, Columbia University. Dr. Sanchez’s specialty and passion are mathematics, technology, natural sciences and engineering. Caron and Rita train teachers from all over the world to teach mathematics and science to better engage the students. We are delighted Caron and Rita spent time in Bulgaria to help teachers inspire more children in the classroom.
