Meet John Miller, an educator from California who participated in the Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching Research Program to Singapore in 2019.
Why I applied
I teach with low socioeconomic groups and kids that struggle. I’ve used games with kids for a long time to get them to engage with the curriculum and read more. I knew that Singapore had a reputation as an educational powerhouse. I wanted to see how Singapore used games—particularly with disadvantaged kids—to promote literacy and how they used educational technology. I had a good support team in place. So, I didn’t feel like I had to go it on my own when I applied.
What I did
In Singapore, education was very top-down. The teachers were really experts at game design and kids played the games, whereas I try to involve kids in game design. What’s fascinating about their system is the time they devote to professional development. They only teach part of the day and really have time to learn, plan, and form groups with other teachers. Some groups address literacy or STEM or even more specific topics like flight. I interviewed teachers and co-created an educational game with them. We then did pre-and post-testing with students to see how they liked the game. I got some good data. It was just an invaluable experience. It made me a better teacher and a better person.
What changed
When COVID hit, we were distance learning for over a year. The school district didn’t have any real plans—no one really did. Most school districts were trying to just recreate traditional school online. I proposed the Singapore model for that year. We combined history teachers and art teachers. Math and science teachers got together to create lessons. We emphasized teacher professional development. We gave all of our lessons similar elements. Days off were for lesson development, scoring kids, and giving them real feedback. We slowed down the pace and gave teachers time to really grow and to connect with kids. It worked really well.
Read more about John's experience in his November 1, 2021 blog post for The National Network of State Teachers of the Year (NNSTOY).
More Alumni Voices
Robert Kenfack
Language Teacher, Cameroon to United States
"I became a technology expert in my country, and I’ve been able to share this knowledge with other teachers in Cameroon."
John Miller
Middle School Teacher, United States to Singapore
"I wanted to see how Singapore used games —particularly with disadvantaged kids—to promote literacy and how they used educational technology."
Baman Kumar Ghimire
Language Teacher, Nepal to United States
"My exchange program sowed the seed of school counseling in me, helping me connect globally and bring hope to many students."
Anthony Adjetey Adjei
Science Teacher, Ghana to United States
"My experience helped broaden my knowledge in getting to learn new trends in education, learn the cultural diversity of the United States, and that of other educators from different countries. I am a better version of myself than when I left the shores of Ghana."
Ana Inés Battaglino
Math Teacher, Uruguay to United States
"For me, being a Fulbright Teacher goes beyond acquiring pedagogical strategies or attending academic seminars. It is about fostering global understanding through education and promoting cultural exchange within our teaching practices."