Teaching Internships in Greece
July 16-August 1, 2015
Overview
The CHS offers the opportunity for up to three Harvard University undergraduate students to work as teaching fellows (TFs) from July 15-August 1, 2015 and gain teaching experience alongside a professor from Harvard University in the High School Summer Program (HSSP).
The TFs will have the opportunity to increase their knowledge and skills, and moreover, to coordinate, guide, and support high school students with little or no previous exposure to university methods of studying texts, writing essays, conducting surveys, and preparing presentations. The internship will include two phases: the preparation of the seminar (March-April, in Cambridge MA), and the seminar itself (July 16-August 1, in Nafplion, Greece)
Phase one: Preparation (March-April, Cambridge MA)
During the months of March and April, the TFs will assist Harvard faculty member Dr. Nicolas Prevelakis in the preparation of the course syllabus. They will also participate in the selection of the high school students.
Phase two: Seminar (July 16-August 1, Nafplion, Greece)
The TFs should be in Nafplion by July 15, 2015. During the HSSP seminar, they will participate in teaching, assist with daily activities, guide the high school students during study hours, and evaluate the students’ written work. They will also guide the students in conducting small research projects and in organizing a closing event. The TFs may also be asked to give presentations of their own about the American higher education system and the application procedures.
The CHS will provide hotel apartments in Old Town, Nafplion. The CHS will also reimburse TFs up to $1500.00 for airfare to and from Greece. The TFs will also receive a stipend to offset costs associated with local transportation, meals, and incidentals.
Living and Working in Nafplion
The TFs will live together in hotel apartments within easy walking distance from the CHS. They will be responsible for their own meals and laundry.
Details about the seminar
The high school seminar is entitled “Introduction to the Study of Humanity” and is led by Dr. Nicolas Prevelakis (Harvard, Social Studies). It introduces students to Social and Political theory, as well as to the foundations of the social sciences. It covers broad topics such as the differences between types of human societies, the factors that lead to social change, the relationship between morality and politics, and the role of nationalism, ethnicity, and religion in today’s world. The high school students have the opportunity to experience an American college-level course, relying heavily on student participation, class discussion, writing assignments, and independent research.
Each day consists of three hours of class in the morning, followed by three hours of activities, lectures, and homework in the afternoon. Skype sessions with Harvard scholars take place occasionally, as a way to introduce students to some contemporary American practitioners. Throughout the course, students develop a research project, which they have the chance to present at the program’s closing event.
In addition to the seminar instructor, the students have the chance to work closely with the TFs who will provide them substantial help and guidance as they prepare their assignments. The course will be capped at 15 students, which assures close interaction among the students, the professor, and the TFs.
Extra sessions will be dedicated to presentations of the American and Greek educational systems by the TFs, as well as the Educational Advisor of the Fulbright Foundation in Greece and will provide students with information about educational opportunities and university application procedures.
For more information about the HSSP, visit the webpage.
Application
To apply, fill out the online application!
The application deadline is February 11, 2015 and recommendation questionnaires are due February 16.
Harvard students interested in applying should
- fill out the online application,
- include in the application contact information for two references* and
- attach a PDF copy of his/her most recent transcript and a PDF copy of his/her résumé to the online application.**
*We ask that you provide us with the contact information for two faculty members who can speak to your academic work and evaluate your plans for participating in the High School Teaching Internship. If you cannot supply the contact information for two faculty members, please provide information for high school teachers, employers, or mentors who know you well. We will contact them directly about their recommendations.
**Application attachments MUST be in PDF format or they will not go through the system.
The CHS will contact finalists to schedule an interview.
Eligibility
Concentrators from all Harvard departments are eligible, but a background in the Social Sciences or in Social/Political philosophy is strongly recommended. Social Studies concentrators or classicists with a strong background in moral/political thought are particularly encouraged to apply due to their studies’ relevance with the thematic areas of the summer program. The requirements are intellectual curiosity, willingness to support high school students with no previous exposure to university methods, a readiness to gain teaching experience alongside a Harvard faculty member, and engage directly with other cultures. Only current sophomores and juniors are eligible to apply and participate. The minimum GPA is 3.0/4.0.
Students who have participated in CHS programs in the past are eligible to apply. However, students who have never had a CHS internship will have priority.
For more information regarding the Internship program and registration with the program’s mailing list please contact us at internships(at)chs.harvard.edu.