((PKG))  FOREIGN TEACHERS IN THE U.S. 
((Banner:  Help from Abroad)) 
((Reporter/Camera:  Deepak Dobhal))
((Map:  Julesburg, Colorado)) 
((NATS)) 
((Charmaine Teodoro, Math Teacher, Julesburg High 
School, Colorado))  
That one is my bank.  Right across the street (no comma 
needed) is the grocery store.  This is the theater where we 
watch the movies.  And then, there is the pharmacy and the 
only cafe that we have in town.  I was surprised because I 
didn't expect America, because in the Philippines we think of 
America, we just think of New York or California, and we 
didn't really expect that there are rural areas too in (no 
commas needed) America.  
((NATS)) 
((Charmaine Teodoro, Math Teacher, Julesburg High 
School, Colorado))  
I'm Charmaine Teodoro and I grew up in Manila.  Here, I 
teach 7th through 12th math and that is the core subjects, 
pre-Algebra, Algebra 1, Geometry and Algebra 2. 
((NATS)) 
The graduation for the Julesburg School DistrictÉ..  
((Shawn Ehnes, Superintendent & Principal, Julesburg 
School District, Colorado)) 
This is her second year with us.  My name is Sean Ehnes 
and I'm the principal, superintendent of the Julesburg School 
District which is located in Julesburg, Colorado. 
((NATS)) 
((Shawn Ehnes, Superintendent & Principal, Julesburg 
School District, Colorado)) 
Didn't really think about it until I got in that place where I 
knew that I was totally out of options for hiring a teacher from 
the United States. 
((NATS)) 
((Shawn Ehnes, Superintendent & Principal, Julesburg 
School District, Colorado)) 
Two years ago, had a longtime math teacher that resigned 
and moved away from the area that he had been with our 
district for about the last 12 years.  And so, we ran that 
campaign for about three to four months trying to recruit and 
get applicants to fill that position.  I ended up getting one 
application from someone in the United States.  Wasn't able 
to recruit the one application that I had.  So, I knew that I 
needed to look for other avenues and options and that's 
when I contacted a recruiting company which works with J1 
visas for teachers out of the Philippines. 
((NATS)) 
((Shawn Ehnes, Superintendent & Principal, Julesburg 
School District, Colorado)) 
Did five interviews using video conferencing, and Charmaine 
ended up being one of the five that we felt, like, was the best 
fit for our situation what we're looking for her to teach and 
work in a small school district. 
((Pop-Up Banner:  In 2018, more than 3000 teachers from 
20 countries taught in the US))   
((NATS)) 
((Charmaine Teodoro, Math Teacher, Julesburg High 
School, Colorado))
First, I couldn't believe it and I was thinking it could be a 
scam.  Up until my flight coming here, I still, I'm still not 
believing it until Mrs. Ehnes, and she's a dean of students, 
she's the one who fetched me at the airport, that was the 
time that I said, OK, this is real because they're actually 
here.    
((NATS)) 
((Charmaine Teodoro, Math Teacher, Julesburg High 
School, Colorado))  
First they thought that I am also a student because they said 
I look young and I'm short.  I'm just a fellow student, like a 
foreign exchange student, and they are huge.  I was telling 
my friends about the height of the students that I am 
teaching and they all get shocked.  
((NATS)) 
((Charmaine Teodoro, Math Teacher, Julesburg High 
School, Colorado)) 
I've had some challenges during my first year.  I had some 
students, not all of them, like, some of them will just test you 
and just see how far they can go with what they were doing.  
So, I would say, it's really different behavior-wise, because in 
the Philippines you don't have to do anything.  They see you 
in uniform, as a teacher, they respect you.  Here, I think, you 
have to prove yourself before they respect you. 
((NATS)) 
((Shawn Ehnes, Superintendent & Principal, Julesburg 
School District, Colorado)) 
I think she connected with the kids really well and she's a 
very good mathematics teacher. 
((Parents)) 
And I've noticed, and, of course, nice, good grades are 
always a nice thing but just her confidence in math, and that 
she's able to come home and do it by herself. 
Thanks so much for being here, for teaching, everything 
you've done for our kids.  Appreciate it.  Thank you. 
((NATS)) 
((Shawn Ehnes, Superintendent & Principal, Julesburg 
School District, Colorado)) 
So, you're finishing your second year with our district.  And 
so, did the second year go little better than the first year?  
Do you feel more confident and at home? 
((Charmaine Teodoro, Math Teacher, Julesburg High 
School, Colorado))  
Very smooth this year, because last year I had some 
classroom management issues with some of the kids, and 
this year it's very different.  Would want to stay.  
((Shawn Ehnes, Superintendent & Principal, Julesburg 
School District, Colorado)) 
OK.  And do you know what that process looks like to be 
able to extend the visa. 
((Charmaine Teodoro, Math Teacher, Julesburg High 
School, Colorado))   
No, I will probably do some research about it.   
((Shawn Ehnes, Superintendent & Principal, Julesburg 
School District, Colorado)) 
We'd love to have you back.  You've done a great job.  
Thank you very much.   
((Charmaine Teodoro, Math Teacher, Julesburg High 
School, Colorado))   
Thank you. 
((Shawn Ehnes, Superintendent & Principal, Julesburg 
School District, Colorado)) 
We're in a area here where all the schools around us are 
small districts of 200-300 kids, and I talk to other 
superintendents and principals, and in the state of Colorado, 
even in our neighboring states, and hiring and recruiting 
teachers is a big task and a difficult task to acquire those 
folks to come to a smaller school and community to teach 
and live. 
((Pop-Up Banner:  An estimated 40% of rural school 
districts in the US face staffing problems)) 
((NATS)) 
((Charmaine Teodoro, Math Teacher, Julesburg High 
School, Colorado))   
I think, I'm comfortable living here now.  So, I am planning to 
stay for as long as I could.  
((NATS)) 
She says she is shy. 
The challenges are, it's difficult to find friends of my age with 
the same interests.  But again, IÕm just lucky that I have a 
host family with me, has been helping me. 
((Lynda Pitzer, Landlord))  
I had a stipulation with Mrs. Ehnes.  Did I ever tell you this? 
That, you know, if it wasn't working out, you know, by 
Christmas time, you know, we were going to change the 
situation.  And, I think, she asked me around Christmas time, 
and I go, oh no, there's no problem.  She's part of the family. 
Mom would fix the meal, I'd fix the meal, Charmaine would 
fix a meal. Then, you know, we just kind of rotate around. 
((NATS)) 
((Charmaine Teodoro, Math Teacher, Julesburg High 
School, Colorado))   
I usually eat rice because I can still get that here.  Finding 
the ingredients is also difficult.  There are some vegetables 
that I canÕt easily find so I canÕt cook some of the food that I 
want.  The food, the food because, well, when you eat it, it 
makes you feel at home because you can only eat that, I 
mean, the taste of the food will feel like home.  
((NATS)) 
((Charmaine Teodoro, Math Teacher, Julesburg High 
School, Colorado))  
The only times that you would probably feel loneliest is 
during your birthday and Christmas. 
((Pop-Up Banner:  Experts estimate by 2020, the US will 
need more than 100,000 new teachers))
     ((NATS))