Amanda Miller, the Gifted Resource Teacher for Helena Intermediate School, is one of 44 public school educators in the United States to be chosen for the NEA Foundation’s 2020 Global Learning Fellowship program. Miller is the only participant chosen from Alabama for the year-long professional development program where educators will spend a year in a peer learning network, building their comprehension of issues of global significance and ability to bring them into the classroom.

Over the course of a year, the NEA Foundation staff, partners, and program alumni will support the fellows as they immerse themselves in online coursework, webinars, and collegial study, including two-day professional development workshop in October in Washington, DC and a nine-day international field study next summer to Peru. The field study will bring the cohort together as they investigate the historical and cultural context of Peru where they will interact with local educators, students, administrators, and policy-makers; make school visits; and hear from business and non-profit leaders.

The 2020 Fellows will use what they learn during the year to prepare their students for global citizenship. They will also share their methods for globalizing instructional practice and advocate in their communities and beyond for global education.

“I hope to gain a deeper perspective of educating our students for a global economy making education relevant in the face of global challenges and how global issues can be engaged in my classroom,” Miller said of her upcoming fellowship experience. “After participating in this professional development I want my students to have experiences that are inclusive of cultural and diverse perspectives. ” 

“Global learning opportunities for educators are vital in today’s interconnected world,” added Sara A. Sneed, president and CEO of the NEA Foundation. “The foundation’s fellowship has enabled hundreds of public school educators to have immersive experiences with their peers, growing their impact in the classroom. It is not only educators who benefit, but also schools and students whose educational environment is enriched by greater global competency.”