Job Description


SPECIAL NOTICE ABOUT CITIZENSHIP:
Candidates who are dual citizens of Ecuador and the U.S. are not eligible to serve with Peace Corps Ecuador. Volunteer safety is of paramount importance, and the protections of U.S. citizenship promote Volunteer safety. If anyone holding dual U.S.

and Ecuadorian citizenship were to face a legal, safety, or other emergency situation in Ecuador, the Peace Corps' ability to intervene would be limited.

If you hold citizenship with both the U.S. and Ecuador, we encourage you to look at other opportunities with Peace Corps.

Although geographically small, Ecuador's four regions are home to some of Earth's greatest biodiversity. Ecuadorians reflect this within their regional cultures.

As a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ecuador, you will have the opportunity to collaborate with Ecuadorian communities while gaining experience living and working in this rich geographic and cultural tapestry.

The goal of the Peace Corps Ecuador TEFL program is to collaborate with Ecuadorian teachers to support students in public schools or universities to develop communication skills in English that will help them access further academic and/or professional opportunities that can contribute to the socioeconomic development of Ecuador.

The specific objectives of the program are:


Teachers:

• Increase the capacity of teachers to use general and English teaching skills.
• Increase the capacity of teachers to use gender-equitable practices in the classroom.
• Increase English proficiency of English teachers.

Students:

• Increase achievement of students in English.

Community:

• Increase the ability of community members to support students' access to learning.

Activities could include the following:

• Co-planning and co-teaching activities promoting communication and critical thinking.
• Training English teachers in new methodologies, subject content, resource development, and learning tools.
• Improving English language skills to increase access to academic and technical resources published in English in the Universities.
• Promoting language classes as a tool for improved quality of life and employment opportunities.
• Working with local teachers to design English teaching plans that are gender-equitable and relevant to students' lives.
• Working with local teachers and the broader school community to design English teaching plans to implement climate adaptation and resilience awareness
• Developing extracurricular classes or clubs for youth focused on creating opportunities for professional development via conversational language workshops.

Required Skills

• Competitive candidates will have a Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science degree in any discipline and a strong desire to teach English

Desired Skills
Competitive candidates will have one or more of the following:

• Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science degree in any discipline with secondary education state certification in English, TEFL, TESOL, ESL, TESL, or foreign language.
• Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science degree in English, TEFL, TESOL, ESL and TESL, or Foreign Language with 6 months classroom teaching experience at the secondary level in English, TEFL, TESOL, ESL, TESL, or foreign language
• Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science degree in any discipline with classroom teaching experience at the secondary level in English, TEFL, TESOL, ESL and TESL, or Foreign Language Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) in English, Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL), Master of Arts in Teaching of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), Master of Arts in English as a Second Language (ESL), Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL), Master of Arts in Teaching a Foreign Language, or Applied Linguistics
• Master of Education (M.Ed.) with graduate or undergraduate concentration in English, TEFL, TESOL, ESL, TESL, or Foreign Language
• Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science degree in Secondary Education with concentration in English, TEFL, TESOL, ESL, TESL, or Foreign Language
• Experience living and working overseas
• At least 3-6 months' experience teaching

Living Conditions


HOUSING:
Trainees live with a host family during the 10 weeks of training.

After swearing-in, Volunteers then live with a new host family in their community for at least the first four months of service.

Peace Corps Ecuador carefully selects host families in the community prior to Volunteer arrival. Living with a host family increases Volunteer safety, acceptance, integration, and language acquisition.

Volunteers are encouraged to live with a host family throughout their entire service, as this is the norm for most adults, including college-educated professionals, who generally live with their parents until they get married and start a family of their own.

COMMUNITY LIFE:
Volunteers live in urban, semi-urban, and rural communities across coastal, highland, and Amazon regions. Most houses have electricity, but outages can occur. While many homes have indoor toilets, latrines are common in rural areas.
Common foods include rice, potatoes, meats, seafood, and vegetables. Soups are popular and fruit smoothies are common. It is possible to be vegetarian, but difficult for vegans. Maximum flexibility around accepting local foods is essential for strong integration.
Volunteers travel on public buses between communities and cities.

Travel by boat is common in the Amazon region and in some coastal areas, while biking is popular throughout the country.

The Ecuadorian climate is temperate year-round in the mountain valleys, a humid subtropical climate in coastal areas, and rainforest lowlands, with two seasons: rainy and dry.

Traveling with layers is recommended.

During Pre-Service Training, Volunteers will live in communities at around 9,500 feet in elevation and will be supported in learning how to adapt to high altitude conditions.

Each job location and counterpart organization will have its unique benefits and challenges. It's up to each individual to adapt into that reality and make it a positive experience.


APPEARANCE:

Ecuadorians dress professionally for work in a style that translates to "business casual." How one dresses is important for successful integration.

It is important to keep hair neat and clean, and beards trimmed. In general, tattoos should be covered, and visible facial piercings removed in the workplace.


TECHNOLOGY:
Phone service is reliable but calling the U.S. is expensive. Many towns and cities have internet cafes, and many shops/restaurants offer Wi-Fi.

Volunteers have found that bringing a laptop or tablet, while not required, facilitates completing assignments during training and access to share technical resources during service.

As an alternative to bringing your own laptop, Volunteers may complete assignments and access resources through PC computers at the Training Center.

CULTURE:
Ecuadorians are typically very social and curious. It's important for Volunteers to socialize and engage with family and neighbors. They are likely to ask personal questions to better understand U.S. culture and the Volunteer's background.
Developing cultural agility means understanding that norms in another culture can be different than your own. It is common to observe different concepts of politeness and appropriate behaviors. You may encounter stereotypes about what U.S Americans look like or behave like. Your outward identity may bring about curiosity and questions about your nationality or family history. Volunteers may find that local customs are very conservative and should be prepared for this challenge. Ecuadorians are generally tolerant but also conservative.
Volunteers should be mindful of cultural norms and use their judgment in their communities. We encourage Volunteers to be open to Ecuadorian culture, including approaching Ecuadorian cultural values and views with curiosity. The Peace Corps strives to support Volunteers throughout service by cultivating an open, non-judgmental atmosphere.

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