Want to be a Breakthrough Teacher?
Here are some answers to Frequently Asked Questions:
Am I eligible to apply to teach with Breakthrough?
I'm studying abroad this spring, and I won't be able to attend an interview. Can I still apply?
What do I get paid?
I'm not a U.S. Citizen. Can I still apply?
Is there unlimited housing available?
What is housing like?
What differentiates each Affiliate from each other?
How competitive is the internship and which are the most competitive Affiliates?
What else is involved in Selection besides the Application?
Is the eRecommendation form more like a letter of recommendation or a scaled evaluation using a rubric?
Still have more questions?
Am I eligible to apply to teach with Breakthrough?
Breakthrough recruits excellent high school and college students to teach in our programs. We have a minimum age requirement of 15. Current seniors in college are eligible to apply.
I'm studying abroad this spring, and I won't be able to attend an interview. Can I still apply?
Yes! It's common for many of our applicants to study abroad during the application season; our directors expect to conduct many interviews at strange hours over the phone or via Skype. Please check the site roster to learn more about each sites selection process.
Actually, nothing. The Teaching Internship is unpaid with financial aid and living expenses provided for teachers. Stipends range from $1000 to $3300 depending on need and experience.
I'm not a U.S. Citizen. Can I still apply?
Yes! You will need to have authorization to be a teacher-intern in the U.S. (or Hong Kong should this be your teaching site) by the time the summer program begins. We encourage you to contact the proper office at your college or university which supports international students. You can also consult Association for International Practical Training as an online resource. Please be up front with Placement Directors about your authorization while you are going through the process as they are ultimately responsible and will need to operate within the terms of the law.
Is there unlimited housing available?
No, sites are able to offer housing for a few candidates. When you are applying please make sure to explore the "Site Roster" (located on the top right hand corner of the application after you log-in) for specific housing information for each site.
It varies from site to site and is not guanteed for any candidate. Site Directors recruit students families, board members, families from the host school, as well as current and former teachers’ families for homestays.
What differentiates Affiliates from one another?
Sites differ in many ways. At the core of Breakthrough is the student and teacher profile, unbelievably high expectations and a commitment to excellence. To learn more about what makes each site unique do three things: 1) log into the application and click into the Site Roster. This will allow you to learn important elements of each Affiliate. 2) Go to each website. You can link to each Affiliate's website through the Find an Affiliate Page. 3) Search for their Facebook Fan Page: You can link to each Breakthrough Affiliate's Fan Page by checking out the “Favorites Box” on the Breakthrough Collaborative’s Fan Page.
How competitive is the internship and which are the most competitive Affiliates?
For the past two years, we have averaged a 35% selection rate nationwide. The Site Roster (inside application, top right corner next to the logout button), has two fields “Teachers Selected Last Year” and “Teacher Applications Last Year.” You can determine the relative competitiveness using those figures.
What else is involved in Selection besides the Application?
In addition to your application, Breakthrough will ask you to have a former mentor, teacher, or supervisor submit an online recommendation, and a phone interview. Many sites will additionally ask for an in-person interview, a teaching demonstration (either in person or over online video) and participation in a selection event with other applicants.
Is the eRecommendation form more like a letter of recommendation or a scaled evaluation using a rubric?
Actually, it's a combination of both. The eRecommendation form asks recommenders to complete a brief rubric evaluation for each candidate on a number of core competencies that we have learned make excellent Breakthrough teachers. Additionally, recommenders are asked to write corresponding essays describing their scaled evaluation. There is a final open box for the recommender to put in anything that the specific prompts may not have asked.
Still have more questions? Contact us. Also, if you are a student at one of our Campus Recruiter campuses reach out to our recruiters and get your questions answered in person!