Two secondary teacher education students at the University of Delaware recently studied and taught in Eastern Europe in separate programs that each described as “a fantastic opportunity.”

Amy Fligor, a senior majoring in math education, spent the spring semester in Hungary as part of the Budapest Semesters in Mathematics Education program.  

Brian Gilewski, a senior in history education, traveled to Poland this summer through a language and cultural exchange program for teachers run by the nonprofit Kosciuszko Foundation.

Traditional study-abroad programs can be difficult for teacher education students to fit into their busy schedules, which include a full academic major in their discipline in addition to teacher-preparation courses and classroom teaching experiences.

Michelle Cirillo, associate professor of mathematical sciences, heard about the Budapest program and suggested that Fligor consider it. Fligor said she was especially interested when she learned that the program was specifically targeted to college students who wanted to teach math.

“Hungary puts a lot of effort into studying and teaching mathematics,” she said. “They’re very proud of their abilities in math, and there’s a lot of respect for math teachers.”

Fligor and seven other students in her group took a two-week, intensive Hungarian language course to begin the program. During the next five months, in addition to taking mathematics and education classes — taught in English — she observed local teachers and classrooms and worked with sixth-graders on their math skills.

Being immersed in another country and another culture was a valuable experience in itself, Fligor said, but she also gained new perspectives on teaching methods and education systems. In schools she visited, for example, subjects such as algebra and geometry weren’t taught in separate courses but were integrated into more inclusive general mathematics classes.

Gilewski, whose family has Polish origins but who had never traveled to Poland, said he also benefited from experiencing a new culture. During his time in Warsaw and nearby villages, he taught English to students ranging from ages 5-16.

Part of a group of teachers and teaching assistants in the summer program, he created a framework for his lessons based on having students prepare as if they were taking a trip to America. The students then discussed the trip and learned vocabulary and phrases they would need while traveling.

Most participants in the Kosciuszko program are already practicing teachers in the U.S., Gilewski said.

“They don’t normally take college students,” he said. “I’m so grateful they took a chance on me, because it was a great experience.”