Request For Proposal: Global Teacher Training Design + Implementation
Due by Sunday, April 28, 2024 at 11:59PM EST
Click here to download the Request for Proposal as a PDF.
OVERVIEW
The World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh (the Council) seeks support from an industry expert in professional development design, curation, and/or purpose-driven program planning to serve as a thought partner and innovator to co-create the Council’s Global Teacher Training program. This support will help to develop a replicable program delivery model that focuses on offering immersive and transformative trainings for rural teachers across our region.
The Council’s approach is centered around creating inclusive and accessible experiences that generate transformed leadership for youth, business and community leaders, and educators – and a greater sense of belonging for all.
For this vision of the future to become a reality, the Council works to create and execute diverse, bold, and engaging programming centered in the Pittsburgh area with reach across the Southwestern Pennsylvania. We work hard to ensure that meaningful, action-oriented global learning opportunities are at the heart of our work and that our programs reflect the great diversity of our world across generations.
Since 2020, the Council has placed an emphasis on connecting BIPOC communities and other underrepresented groups to global learning. The Council’s youth programming includes school-based programming to forge friendships between immigrant youth and their classmates, youth-led activities including conferences on foreign policy and global careers, and global learning training for educators and adult allies.
Adult allies are key partners for the World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh. For over half a century, the Council has offered professional development opportunities for educators to deepen their content knowledge and share innovative practices.
In 2023, the Council served 1,468 program attendees through a combination of 35 youth programs and 10 public programs, reaching 41 schools, and working with 40 expert speakers and 53 community partners.
SPECIFICATIONS
The focus of this request is to specifically work on bringing global teacher trainings to rural and disconnected communities in Southwestern Pennsylvania, with a reach across the region. The programming will focus on serving middle school and/or high school teachers who do not currently have access to this high-impact, globally-focused work.
By leveraging the existing infrastructure and experience of the Council and partnering directly with local education and cultural institutions, the Council will be able to fill a gap in the region while ensuring that the programming meets the desires and needs of each specific community. This effort will not only result in a roadmap for offering transformative teacher trainings, it will specifically expand the Council’s reach and ensure that more people have access to global learning and community.
SCOPE
With its bold strategic plan and this framework in mind, the Council has made great strides in adapting its programs towards achieving its mission to convene and connect people around global issues to build a thriving, competitive, and inclusive Pittsburgh. In order to continue increasing the impact of the Council’s adult ally programs, we now need a comprehensive, cohesive approach for reaching educators across our region, especially those in rural and under-resourced schools.
The Council has a strong track record in building partnerships in both urban and rural areas to provide meaningful global education. Relationship building and working with (not for) communities is at the heart of the Council’s approach, as well as ensuring that programming is aligned with what communities want and need and does not duplicate local efforts already in place. We envision the following components for this project:
- 1. Identify partner districts and teachers with guidance from Council leadership
- 2. Conduct a needs assessment to determine global content options that are relevant to these schools and that aligns with the Council’s work, approach, and existing strengths and assets
- 3. Co-design a training curriculum for middle/high school teachers, along with classroom resources and activities
- 4. Launch a 4-part teacher training during the Fall semester
- 5. Evaluate the program and develop a plan for sustained implementation
The goal of the Global Teacher Training program is to provide innovative professional development opportunities for middle/high school educators committed to integrating global competency and humility into their teaching through an equity centered approach that demystifies some of the most pressing issues of our times – from civics to foreign policy.
This immersive teacher training will provide recurring learning experiences through a cohort model for middle/high school teachers from identified rural school districts.
A teacher-centered curriculum will be developed that addresses the global learning gaps teachers face across targeted grade levels, followed by implementation of up to 4 newly developed trainings for a cohort of teachers from rural and under-resourced school districts, with Act 48 accreditation available to all participating teachers.
The training will address current academic priorities and equip teachers with the skills and resources to be better prepared for the future of teaching and learning in an increasingly interconnected world. Through the program, teachers will:
- – Network with experts and build community with other educators
- – Gain awareness of critical global issues and emerging strategies for teaching and learning
- – Return to their schools with innovative ideas for bringing a global perspective to their students
- – Obtain interdisciplinary classroom resources and activities—aligned with PA State Standards—that integrate and scaffold into existing curriculum
- – Establish an action plan that integrates training concepts into their teachings, supporting their classroom educational goals now and in the future
We aim to contract and partner with someone who 1) understands how to design meaningful educator programs with the intent to build community, 2) has lived experience around the sensitivities and opportunities when convening stakeholders around global issues, and 3) is an innovator who understand the value of integrating the arts, culture, and storytelling to humanize programming. Current and former educators are encouraged to apply.
This person or team fully understands and is aligned with the vision, mission, goals, and greater landscape of the Council, while bringing a relevant skill set and dedicated time to co-create this core programming model and move it forward.
The Council’s leadership and Youth Programming team will support and collaborate with the selected person or team throughout the project term in order to achieve quality and sustainable deliverables.
Through this contracted partnership, the Council will bridge the educational and opportunity gap for rural educators and youth who are otherwise disconnected from global learning opportunities and will enable rural teachers to better prepare youth for graduating high school and pursuing post-secondary education and employment in an increasingly global and interconnected market.
MILESTONES
- – Project kickoff – May 2024
- – Investigation, design thinking, and co-creation phase – May – August 2024
- – Implementation and testing (assess and refine as needed) – September – November 2024
- – Roadmap, templates and tools finalized – December 2024
DELIVERABLES
- 1. Learning phase (May 2024) – Research the Council’s educator programming roots and current vision, review the strategic plan released 2021, and understand subsequent efforts to bring the strategy to life
- 2. Needs Assessment & Existing/New Partner Outreach and Engagement (May – June 2024) – Conduct a needs assessment to understand the state of global learning curriculum and professional development within rural schools and to identify emerging trends on new teaching approaches, insights, and resources. Work with Council leadership and partners to identify school districts and agencies to participate in the programming.
- 3. Program Planning & Curriculum Development (June – July 2024) – Building upon learnings from the Council’s history of teacher professional development and current work and integrating takeaways from the needs assessment, develop a plan for the Global Classroom Teacher Training program. Work with experts, teachers, and Council partners to design a standards-aligned, immersive curriculum and accompanying classroom resources and activities.
- 4. Teacher Training Program Recruitment and Implementation (August – November 2024) – Begin recruitment and support the Council-led implementation of the teacher training program in rural areas across Southwestern PA.
- 5. Evaluation and Program Adaptation (November – December 2024) – Support the Council team in collecting and analyzing participant feedback and overall data to inform program changes for future iterations of the teacher training program, building a framework for future trainings and forming recommendations for developing an earned revenue strategy.
SCOPE
Key areas of work include*:
- – Needs Assessment
- – Training Curriculum Design
- – Implementation Support
- – Evaluation/ Sustainability Planning
If your strengths and expertise align with one or more of the areas listed above, but do not match 100%, we still encourage you to reach out to set up a time to discuss your interest in the project.
Contact Kathleen Newell, Director of Youth Programming, at kathleen@worldpittsburgh.org.
*Please note that this is a request for proposals to design a Global Teachers Training program that will impact educators across the region. It is not a grant to support program implementation within one school district.
BUDGET
Please provide a projected budget for your anticipated time, materials, and program implementation.
The total budget should not exceed approximately $35,000 in order to be fully considered.
Agreed upon professional/ consulting fees are contingent upon experience, understanding of project needs, and creativity.
ORGANIZATIONAL VALUES
INCLUSION We celebrate and embrace diverse lived experiences. We invest in relationships, elevate youth voice, and value all perspectives because we know a collaborative approach to our work is necessary to embody antiracism and pursue equity.
INQUIRY We lead with curiosity. We ask questions and prioritize reflection as we strive for continuous improvement. We allow ourselves and those around us to be vulnerable in the pursuit of learning and growth.
INITIATIVE We take action to solve problems. We meet challenges with a “can do” attitude, push ourselves to reimagine what could be, and take smart risks to find new opportunities and ways to be of service to others.
INTEGRITY We build on a foundation of trust and reliability to consistently deliver quality. We take the time to prepare, hold ourselves and those around us accountable, and take a mindset of alignment and shared purpose into everything we do.
TIMELINE
The project start date is slated for May 2024 and will last approximately six months, ending December 2024, with the majority of the design hours taking place May – August 2024 and implementation hours taking place September – November 2024. The selected industry expert will work with Council leadership to set expectations around meeting frequency, deliverable dates, and monthly hours. The selected individual/team should anticipate some level of fluidity and flexibility during the design and implementation phase.
NEXT STEPS
In order to be considered, please email the following materials to kathleen@worldpittsburgh.org:
- – Bios for the individual or team members who will be involved
- – Samples of relevant work in whatever format best communicates your style and outcomes
- – Letter of interest indicating why this opportunity aligns for you
- – Projected budget for your anticipated time, materials, program implementation
- – Email and/or phone for three past partners/clients we can contact to learn more about you
Candidates are actively being considered. If interested, we encourage you to reach out as soon as possible.
Individuals and teams from the global majority, underrepresented communities, and/or with deep understanding of diverse lived experiences are strongly encouraged to apply.
OFFICE HOURS
If you would like to set a preliminary meeting to better understand the project before finalizing your submission, please provide as much of the above material as you are able and attend one of the two office hours being offered on April 10 and 12 from 10AM-1PM EST. Once you contact us, our team will share the Zoom link with a recommended time for you to join the office hours. If neither of the options work with your schedule, please let us know and we will advise if we are able to make any accommodations on a case by case basis.