Student Teaching Abroad in Thailand

Samantha Vell ’16 with students at Berkeley International School.

Samantha Vell ’16 with students at Berkeley International School (Image provided by Thea Yurkewecz).

ΊΓΙ«ΟΘΙϊ alumnae Hannah Hunter Chhan ’14 and Samantha Vell ’16 find it deeply rewarding to teach at the Berkeley International School in Bangkok, Thailand. The school provides a culturally diverse environment where values of global citizenship are fostered, they say. 

Chhan and Vell wanted to bring that international student teaching experience to ΊΓΙ«ΟΘΙϊ students. In 2016 the alumnae fostered a partnership between the Berkeley International School and ΊΓΙ«ΟΘΙϊ’s Ella Cline Shear School of Education to build a student teaching abroad experience.

β€œTeaching abroad allows you to experience many new culturesβ€”as our classrooms are very diverseβ€”while using what we've learned at ΊΓΙ«ΟΘΙϊ in a different context,” said Chhan. 

ΊΓΙ«ΟΘΙϊ’s student teaching program at the international school has recently finished a successful second year, with the number of applicants growing each year. The program is a seven-week student teaching placement that includes opportunities for cultural experiences within Thailand.

β€œFew people are aware of the opportunities that exist throughout the world of teaching abroad,” said Vell, β€œso I thought it would be powerful to have student teachers come directly to Berkeley.”

Chhan also appreciates the many benefits of teaching abroad. β€œInternational teaching is truly another world, and once you're in it, you don't want to leave,” said Chhan. β€œThere are networks, room to grow as educators, benefits, and diversity in both staff and students.” 

Thea Yurkewecz, assistant professor of reading and literacy in the School of Education and coordinator of the Thailand student teaching experience, praises the alumnae’s initiative. 

β€œWe should recognize alumni who take a leadership role in connecting our current ΊΓΙ«ΟΘΙϊ students with global opportunities,” said Yurkewecz. β€œWithout their ΊΓΙ«ΟΘΙϊ connection, we would not have a student teaching experience abroad in Thailand.” 

The two alumnae knew each other from the Royal Lady Knights sorority at ΊΓΙ«ΟΘΙϊ, and they are looking forward to new possibilities in teaching and travel. β€œI'm so excited about the future of the program at Berkeley and possibly expanding student teaching abroad opportunities,” said Vell.

After teaching two years at the Berkeley International School, Chhan is currently teaching first grade at NIST International School in Bangkok. Vell will be moving to Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates this fall to teach second grade at an international school. Both hope to continue developing ΊΓΙ«ΟΘΙϊ connections to other international schools around the world.