Why get involved?

Teachers lead professional lives which are full and extremely challenging. In addition to the day to day world in the classroom they are required to undertake curriculum management and development, and a significant amount of education administration. Teachers are also required to undertake continuing professional development so that they are up to date and offer the best possible experience to the young people in their care. In this complex professional life is there any time – or indeed any need – to add in the possibility of international professional development?

The fact that you are looking at this website suggests that you think it might be worth looking at further. These are some of the things that other teachers have said about their TIPD experiences in countries throughout the world:

• “I had forgotten why I chose to become a teacher, but I came back having recaptured the reasons I decided to become a teacher all those years ago.”
• “I saw some really interesting and exciting new ways at looking at things: I’m not sure they will all work here, but we’re certainly going to try some out.”
• “I will never ever complain about lack of resources again, having seen the sheer dedication of my professional colleagues in the schools in….”
• “The children in my class were as excited as I was about my visit, and wanted to hear every detail of what happened. We are now working to make a long term link with one of the schools I visited.”
• “I feel very privileged to have had this opportunity and I am only sorry it was so short.”
• “We all came back exhausted, but this was because we had packed so much in and had so many new experiences.”
• “Our hosts were fantastic – they seemed so genuinely pleased that we had come to see their schools. I am working to arrange for two of their teachers to come to us next year.”
• “This visit has not only changed the way I look at things as a teacher, it has changed the way I look at my life.”

We don’t think it necessary to make a case for taking part in a TIPD visit. Britain is the only country in the world that offers such a scheme. We have had teachers return from TIPD visits saying it was different from what they expected, but we have never had a teacher return saying it was a waste of precious time!