Belize: Culture and Classroom
On This Page:
Program Type
- OHIO Credit
Academic Focus
- Education
- Leadership and Community Engagement
Program Feature
- Field Work
- Teach
Country/Region
- Belize
Program Term
- Summer
For more information contact:
Laura Wentworth
Program Director
Debra Dunning
Program Director
Courtney Talbot
Program Coordinator, Office of Global Opportunities
ct994222@ohio.edu
Office of Global Opportunities
Application Deadline
February 14, 2024
Apply for this OHIO Credit Program
***For Summer 2024 - Students who apply by the program deadline AND participate in the program, will automatically receive a $250 grant during the term of travel.***
Overview
Students will spend one week in classrooms in San Narciso, Belize. Working in partnership with a master teacher and faculty supervisor, students will attempt to gain an understanding of common struggles within a high-risk classroom. Students will implement one classroom lesson during the week and shadow a classroom teacher for the remainder of the experience. This will allow students to learn and explore different options of instructional strategies and understand how to effectively evaluate their own professional performance to improve student achievement.
Belize is located on the eastern coast of Central America, bordered by Mexico, Guatemala and the Caribbean Sea. Belize is the only country in Central America where English is the official language, although Spanish and Belizean Creole are also commonly spoken. Belize is known for its extreme biodiversity and distinctive ecosystems and is part of the Mesoamerican biodiversity hotspot, containing many jungles, wildlife reserves, variety of different species of flora and fauna and the largest cave system in Central America.
Highlights and Excursions
Students will take a one day tour of the Mayan Ruins off the shore of Corozal Bay. They will also participate in a day-trip to Banana Beach Resort on San Pedro Island, Ambregis Caye.
Good to Know
- Wifi and cell phone service may not be available in some areas.
- Participants will need to purchase and drink plenty of water in order to prevent dehydration.
Living Arrangements
Students will be housed in shared hotel rooms. Lunch will be provided at the school.
Program Dates
June 12, 2024 - June 22, 2024
Academics
During the latter part of spring semester, students will attend an orientation session and five additional group sessions, which will focus on developing an educational project specifically based on the needs of a classroom, communicating with school teachers via Skype and reviewing basic rules/regulations of the trip.
Students will also choose a lesson to implement and measure its effectiveness during and after the experience.
In Belize, students will work alongside a master teacher to implement their semester project while collaborating with the classroom teacher. Once back on campus, students will present their findings to Patton College faculty and students during a student research forum.
After completion of the orientation sessions field experience in Belize, students will earn 3 credit hours (EDEC 2900).
Cost
The program fee for this program includes: Student accommodations, some meals, excursions, airport transfers, transportation to all program-related activities, farewell dinner, and international medical health insurance.
In addition to the program fee, students should plan for 3 credit hours of tuition*, administrative fee, and out-of-pocket costs. Below is the student budget worksheet for this program, which outlines these costs.
Items that are not related to the program (ie. additional entertainment, souvenirs, extra travel, contingency funds) are not included in the cost estimates provided and should be budgeted for separately.
*Note:
- Non-resident surcharge waived for the credit hours associated with this program.
- If you are nominated to this program, you will be required to pay a deposit to confirm your participation. The deposit is a down payment on the total costs to be billed by OHIO and is determined by the total cost of the program.
Funding Opportunities
***For Summer 2024 - Students who apply by the program deadline AND participate in the program, will automatically receive a $250 grant during the term of travel.***
More information on financial aid and scholarships can be found on our funding pages.
Eligibility and Requirements
This program is open to all undergraduate education majors who have completed all method courses and need to satisfy a diversity requirement.
Students who will be on probation at any point during the program for a conduct offense that took place less than a calendar year from the program start date may not study abroad. Read the entire conduct policy.
This program accepts NON-OHIO students. For more information about this process visit the Non-OHIO student page.
Participants must have a at least a high school diploma or the equivalent (e.g. GED) by the start date of the program to be considered for eligibility. Students enrolled in College Credit Plus (CC+) are not eligible for study away programs.
Application Requirements
- 1 page personal statement
- 1 Resume
Entry and Exit Requirements
U.S. citizens are required to have a valid U.S. passport when traveling outside of the United States. If you plan to study or travel abroad in the next year, apply for your passport now. Some countries also require a visa to legally enter or reside in the country.
U.S. citizens will not need a visa or other special document to enter the country for the length of this program. Please also note that visa requirements may vary if you plan to stay in the country longer than the program dates or travel to other countries during or after the program. Please familiarize yourself with these recommendations and requirements prior to applying to this program.
For more specific visa related information, please visit OGO’s Visa Information Page
Information for Non-U.S. citizens