For over 40 years, the School of Teaching and Learning, in cooperation with the Office of International Engagement and the University of Brighton, has offered education majors at Illinois State University the opportunity to student teach abroad in Eastbourne, England. This year, two alumni from the program decided to remain overseas to teach full-time after completing the program and graduating from Illinois State University in May 2024.
Timothee Staley, chemistry teacher education major, and Natalie Klosowski, math teacher education major, both from the College of Arts and Sciences accepted teaching positions at Willingdon Community School in Eastbourne, England after student teaching there in the spring 2024.
Staley and Klosowski responded to interview questions to share their experiences in the Student Teaching Study Abroad program and their teaching positions at Willingdon.
Timothee Staley ’24, chemistry teacher education
Why did you decide to do the Student Teaching Study Abroad program in England?
I chose to do the study abroad program because travel and getting out of my comfort zone is something that I enjoy doing. My thoughts were even if I learned nothing from the experience, I would get to take away the experience and traveling.
What challenges did you face while student teaching abroad?
I think the biggest challenge was in the content. I was studying high school chemistry content and when I came over, I was teaching mostly middle level physical sciences. That for me was the hardest thing to adjust to, because it was teaching big ideas and not small concepts.
How do the schools in England differ from those here?
The students here are less involved in the school and the activities it has to offer. There is little to no school community here which is something that has been hard to adjust to. Without the Friday night football games, spirit weeks and just overall community in the schools in the U.S.—it’s something I have missed. The students in the U.S. care more about their schoolwork and they will do the work you give them, whereas in the U.K. the biggest problem is getting them to do work. There is no grading and instead they will take their General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) exams at the end of year 11 which is similar to our SAT but they take an exam for every subject.
How did you come to the decision to stay in England and accept a teaching position there?
The decision for me was an easy one—the science department at Willingdon Community School is one of the best I have been around. They made me feel welcomed, helped me figure everything out, and were the ones that told me I should apply for the position. For me I have never been sure about where I want to live and was always open to the option of moving away from friends/family. My family and friends were very supportive of me moving over which helped me feel like it was the correct decision. Overall, this place felt like somewhere I could grow as an individual.
What have been the highlights of teaching in England so far?
The highlights of teaching in England have been walking the downs with my students for the activity day. I would also say that the students here have been so welcoming and love to chat with me about any and everything. I think one my biggest highlights is that I love to be traveling and doing stuff. I am visiting London once/twice a month and have planned a few trips to Spain, Scotland and other places in the U.K. and E.U.
Do you have any suggestions for other students who are considering study abroad programs?
I would suggest that you do it. It is a once in a lifetime opportunity to be able to. You must keep your expectations and assumptions to a minimum otherwise the experiences that will make great stories will pass you by.
Do you know your longer-term plans?
The long-term plans are up in the air, I have a visa to stay for 3 years and I foresee myself staying until the end of those three years. After that is up, I would be open to teaching in a new country, staying here, or coming back to the US. Whatever opportunities open up will determine my decisions. I do love the area where I live but may consider moving into the hearth of London soon.
Natalie Klosowki ’24, Math Teacher Education
Why did you decide to do the Student Teaching Study Abroad program in England?
I had always had a desire to travel, with England being high on my list, so the program seemed like the perfect opportunity to do some traveling with the benefit of helping me to finish my degree.
What challenges did you face while student teaching abroad?
The biggest challenge the first few weeks was getting around—learning how to use the public transport efficiently and navigating the different schedules and what to do if a train or bus was cancelled. Overall, it was managing the time difference between England and Illinois. Specifically attending Zoom meetings with my cohort and completing a group project I had started before leaving to come over, but it was eventually sorted and enjoyable to be able to “see” everyone else and hear about their student teaching experiences.
How do the schools in England differ from those here?
Especially in math, they expect the students to understand content at a younger age than in the U.S. schools. I have enjoyed being able to teach algebra, geometry, statistics, and even trigonometry all within the same year to my students. The trade off with this is we do not get to dive in as deeply to some topics since teaching follows the standards of the nationalized tests. Having a school wide behavior policy was also a big adjustment as well as “grading” the students based on their behavior in the classroom.
How did you come to the decision to stay in England and accept a teaching position there?
I originally said no when the offer of a teaching position was broached. I was hesitant because I wasn’t sure if I could leave my family and friends to do something so unplanned even though I had loved everything about my experience. After talking to them and reflecting, I realized I would rather take the offer than regret not doing it later in my life (plus, Timothee slightly pressured me, but I thank him every day for it).
What have been the highlights of teaching in England so far?
The students. Being able to learn about the ways they learn has caused me to approach topics and problems from a completely different viewpoint than I would have if I was teaching in the U.S. schools. Getting to show them “our way” of thinking has led to some interesting discussions because we organically get to debate which way is best, while I also am able to provide them with an alternate strategy to problem solving. It has also been a lot of fun to find some cultural differences in the small moments of the day, like what the students do on their Friday nights since Friday night football games aren’t a thing.
Do you have any suggestions for other students who are considering study abroad programs?
If you are curious about the way of life, the culture, or feel like you need to shake something up in your life, I would say GO FOR IT. There will likely be brief moments where you feel lonely or question whether you made the right decision, but you get to learn so much about yourself and others through the experience. I personally think it showed me how independent I can be and allowed/forced me to break out of my comfort zone, something I had been trying to do but kept finding excuses to delay. Also, I did not know anyone prior to leaving but left with so many amazing memories attached to those people and the experiences we got to have together. Bus ride karaoke, pretending to be siblings while on a pub crawl, puzzle rooms in Belfast, swimming in the Blue Lagoon, and getting poured on in London to name a few.
Do you know your longer-term plans?
Honestly, I am letting life happen and am not concretely set on any long-term plans. Right now, it is to stay in the U.K. for a few more years and then return to the U.S. to teach.
Although the Student Teaching Study Abroad program in Eastbourne is no longer available after fall 2024, the School of Teaching and Learning does offer another student teaching program in Alcalá de Henares, Spain, as well as additional study abroad opportunities to locations such as Taiwan and Belfast. Students interested can find more information through the Office of International Engagement website.