By Karen Guerrero
Karen Guerrero, Assistant Professor at the Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College of Arizona State University, was a 2019 participant in the CAORC-AIIS Faculty Development Seminar to India. In this essay, she spells out why experiential, immersive learning opportunities are so essential for good teaching.
India changed the way I teach in a way only traveling to a new country can. Exploring off-the-beaten paths full of color, smells, tastes, and sounds not experienced in my everyday American life provided a new outlook to support why I teach. Meeting the teachers, parents, authors, students, businessmen, and other leaders who are making a difference in sustainability through civic engagement provided a lens which I hope will inspire the students I teach. Through the many opportunities CAORC and AIIS provided during the intense and inspirational fellowship in India, I have become an even stronger advocate for teacher travel. And here is why.