International Experience Program: India
Faculty of Education
Teach Rural Children
" The program has been an opportunity to learn about myself and appreciate another culture. I have definitely gained much from this experience. The benefits have been the friendships I have developed with others, learning to accept and tolerate individual differences and personalities, developing confidence in my own abilities as a teacher and learning that I can teach when I am thrown into new situations. A big benefit of the program has been learning about India and experiencing the Indian lifestyle- the food, transport, clothing, education system, celebration days, shopping, farming, caste system, poverty, resilience and the student's willingness to learn." CSU program participant 2010
This program provides students with the opportunity to live and teach in a rural community in India.
Small groups of students will be placed in a range of school settings, including primary & secondary schools, orphanages and centres for children with special needs where they will teach or co-teach classes. Most of the schools are run by non governments agencies who are trying to provide an educational opportunity to those who may not otherwise be able to afford to send their children to school.
In most schools there are few resources, yet many have inspiring and very dedicated staff. The school day varies. Some schools start at 8am and classes finish by 2pm. In other schools the day may start around 11am and continue to 5pm.
The level of English spoken by staff and students varies. CSU students will be given support to develop teaching practices that are appropriate to those using English as a Second or Foreign Language. Students are free to explore India at the weekend. Lonavala is approximately 3 hours from Mumbai and 1 hour from Pune. There is a brief travel period at the end of the teaching program
Program Dates: approx November 16 - December 15
Number of places: 12 students
NB. This program will require 10 students to proceed.
Individuals can participate in programs running on other dates for 2, 3 or 4 weeks! Do it in your break (January, February, April, July, September, December).
Program Cost: Approx: $2,800 (including $500 travel grant)*
*The $500 Travel Grant is not awarded directly to students but deducted from the program fee.
Cost Includes: program fee, airfares, airport pickup, transport to placement, travel insurance, accommodation, meals, work support and monitoring, 24 Hour emergency support.
Please note all CSU Global Programs are group ticketed. Your program will depart from Sydney International Airport and return to Sydney International Airport on the dates listed.
Eligibility: Second and third year students in the early childhood, primary and secondary qualification courses in the Faculty of Education
You must enjoy working with children and be able to live in rural areas. Volunteers must be open minded, willing to take initiative to contribute and learn from their environment and be respectful to their surroundings.
Credit: Credit Provisions (on application)
- All students participating in the program will be eligible to enrol in the 0 credit point subject International Cultural and Educational Program (EEB310) in recognition of full participation. There is no cost to enrol in this subject
- 8 credit point elective substitution where such exists. The substituted subject to include full participation in program, including orientation and an assignment based on program participation. Students can apply for this 8 credit point elective substitution to their Course Coordinator using the subject XYZ01C Unspecified Elective following normal credit application procedures.
Application Time-line:
- First round application close on 30 June
- Successful students notified (email): early July(exact date TBA) Interviews for positions
- Second round application closing date: 23 July (only if positions are still available)
- Successful students notified (email): 30 July August 2012 (exact date TBA)Interviews for positions
- (Students will need to submit a passport, valid for at least 6 months from the time of departure by 9 September)
- Non-refundable $100 deposit due: August 16, 2012
- Final payment date: September 9, 2012
- Pre-departure cross cultural orientation: approx. September (exact date TBA)
- Pre-departure teleconference briefings: October (exact date TBA)
Click here to download an application form [pdf]
All application forms must be submitted by the due date to:
Ms Margaret Hamilton
Business Development Officer
Faculty of Education
Charles Sturt University
Bathurst, 2795
Phone: 02 6338 4141
Email: mhamilton@csu.edu.au
Indicative Program outline:
Each day program participants will travel to their appointed schools where they will be asked to teach English or Math (in previous years some participants also taught science), or organise art, sports, craft or other activities. Participants will be expected to support each other to prepare for the teaching days ahead.
ISAC will assess participants and their progress with placements on a regular basis. Based on their feedback participants will be given the option to either continue with their current placement or switch schools. Experience has found that volunteers rarely change their placements during the program.
The program operates in several villages outside Mumbai. Locations include Pen, Lonavala, Kamshe and Karla. All these are located between Mumbai and Pune, which are two major metropolitan areas. The settings are rural with hills, valleys, historic sites and popular trekking routes. Pen is a famous centre for making Ganesha statues.
ISAC needs participants who are prepared to be flexible; who are interested in living and teaching as a volunteer in a rural Indian community; who are prepared to adjust to local conditions and be culturally sensative; show initiative and be prepared to learn. Students will learn an enormous amount during this program. ISAC work in communities where there are very few teaching resources and where the lifestyle is very different. Girls in particular are expected to be dressed appropriately. The ISAC team are keen to inject a love of learning and creativity into the rural school routine.
For photos of past trips please see this link: