About this role
Co-teach Cross-Cultural English Club Activities to Lyceum Students
Description: The lyceums in Ukraine serve as vital institutions of advanced secondary education, designed to prepare students for higher studies and professional life. Their mission is not only providing rigorous academic training but also to cultivate resilience, civic responsibility, and global awareness. In the context of English education, the lyceums emphasize language as a bridge to international knowledge, collaboration, and opportunity. By fostering strong English skills, the lyceums aim to equip young Ukrainians with the confidence to share their experiences with global peers, humanitarian networks, and academic opportunities. They actively support initiatives to promote student-centered learning and interactive teaching methods, English language development through clubs, projects and communication activities, civic education and volunteerism, cultural exchange, and global awareness.
Because of the war, students have few chances to talk to native speakers or experience other cultures. Thus, four groups of lyceums are interested in collaborating with Virtual Service Pilot Participants to engage students from secondary school in weekly English clubs. Potential club participants are motivated teenagers who need a safe online space to practice English, build confidence, and learn soft skills outside of regular lessons.
All educational institutions are requesting VSPPs to work with a group of 15–20 self-reliant, motivated, and change-oriented high school students, aged 14–17. Prior to orientation, VSPPs will be assigned to four lyceums. Each school group will meet with their respective VSPP once a week for a 60-minute session for 26 weeks. Virtual English club participants are eager to be immersed in engaging activities that cover topics such as art, social media, youth life, traveling, natural wonders, holidays, traditions, sports, education, and others. The VSPPs will work with local teachers to create interactive activities for the virtual English clubs. These partnerships are vital to give their students a global perspective and maintain a high-quality education, despite the challenges in Ukraine.
One lyceum has previously collaborated with the Peace Corps. Two lyceums will be engaged in summer English clubs in June for the first time. One lyceum has not previously collaborated with the Peace Corps. They all understand that the role of a VSPP is very different than a two-year Volunteer or Peace Corps Response Volunteer.
Desired Qualifications: Education: Bachelor's degree in education, secondary education, or related field and/or relevant certification: TEFL, TESOL, Cambridge, or similar
Experience: • Virtual engagement and communication • Co-teaching or co-facilitation for virtual classrooms
Required Skills: Education: Bachelor’s degree in any field
Experience: 1 year of TEFL/TESOL teaching in the U.S. or abroad
Intercultural skills and motivation: Flexible, strong cross-cultural agility, high tolerance for ambiguity, able to work independently, resourceful, creative, and genuinely motivated and capable to serve virtually
Host Country Partner’s Mission and Goals: Group 1: Hlevakha Academic Lyceum, Kyiv Region HCP Counterpart: Tetiana Moroz, Teacher of English – Strengthening educational opportunities for lyceum students; improving their English communication and critical thinking skills; and enhancing their confidence and cross-cultural understanding.
Group 2: Kropyvnytskyi Lyceum Maximum HCP Counterparts: Iryna Ivanova, Teacher of English; Olena Zhelezkovska, Teacher of English – Kropyvnytskyi Lyceum Maximum is committed to fostering global citizenship and academic excellence through a collaborative partnership with qualified American educators. By integrating American cultural perspectives and innovative teaching methodologies into the lyceum curriculum, the school aims to enhance English language proficiency, promote intercultural understanding, and empower their students to thrive in an interconnected world.
Group 3: Fastiv Lyceum #9, Kyiv Region HCP Counterpart: Natalia Hulshyna, Teacher of English – Educating all students to the highest levels of academic achievement, expanding their potential, and preparing them to become productive, creative, and confident members of society.
Group 4: Kyiv Drahomanov Lyceum, Kyiv Region HCP Counterparts: Nataliia Solohub, Teacher of English, Head of English Department; Iryna Petrova, Teacher of English – Providing better English Language learning opportunities for their students through communication with native speakers; promoting cross-cultural awareness and recognition of other cultures and ethics; and improving students’ motivation and interest in on-going learning.
Virtual Service Engagement and Tasks: The VSPP will engage in the following tasks, in collaboration with their Host Country Partners:
• Co-develop learning resources that incorporate U.S. culture • Co-design English club session plans with clear policies, procedures, resources, and learning outcomes designed to improve students’ fluency, confidence, and cultural understanding • Co-teach one 60-minute virtual English club session per week for a group of 15–20 students aged 14–17 • Co-assess conducted sessions, identifying learning objectives and appropriate communicative activities for future sessions
VSPPs are expected to engage on the tasks listed above for an estimated 5–15 hours per week. This engagement is estimated to be six hours per week.
Online collaboration will generally occur between 3:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m. Ukraine time. Specific times will be determined during orientation.
The Host Country Counterpart will have access to email, Zoom, and WhatsApp for regular communication and collaboration.
Per the Child Protection Code of Conduct, when engaging online with minors (0–18), two adults must be present.