Toyota International Teacher Program
Program Sponsor
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2011 by the Numbers

 Fifty U.S. teachers were selected for the program: 24 participated in a study tour to South Africa and 26 participated in a study tour to Costa Rica. Since the program’s inception, 685 U.S. teachers have participated in Toyota International Teacher Programs in Japan, the Galapagos, Costa Rica, and South Africa.

2011 Program Highlight: A highlight of the 2011 Toyota International Teacher Program to South Africa was four days of shared programming between the 24 U.S. teachers and 12 South African teachers. These educators collaborated on the development of environmental education curricula and team-taught and presented lessons at local South African schools.

Toyota International Teacher Program

The Toyota International Teacher Program is an international professional-development opportunity for U.S. secondary school teachers focusing on environmental stewardship and global connectedness. Selected teachers travel on a short-term (2-3 week) study tour to a country that is at the forefront of innovative solutions to environmental challenges. The teachers explore environmental issues through hands-on activities and incorporate what they learn into interdisciplinary and solution-focused lesson plans to share with their students and communities in the U.S.

Learn more about the program

Where do the programs take place?

Since 1998, the Toyota International Teacher Program has sent a total of 685 U.S. secondary school teachers on intensive study tours to Japan, Costa Rica, the Galapagos Islands, and South Africa. 

Learn more about the program destinations

Who should apply?

Applicant must be a U.S. citizen, be employed as a full-time classroom teacher or teacher-librarian in a U.S. secondary school (grades 7 – 12), and have a least three years of full-time teaching experience. The Toyota International Teacher Program values diversity and encourages educators of all backgrounds, subjects, and school types to apply for this unique professional development opportunity.

Learn more about how to apply

About the Sponsor

Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc. is committed to being a good corporate citizen in the communities where it does business and believes in supporting programs with long-term sustainable results. Toyota supports numerous organizations across the country focusing on education, the environment, and safety. Since 1991, Toyota has contributed more than $500 million to philanthropic programs in the U.S.

Learn more about Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc.

News & Events

  • To date, the Toyota International Teacher Program has focused on environmental sustainability issues in Japan, Costa Rica, the Galapagos Islands, and South Africa.  Now, in consideration of Toyota's critical needs to be supported in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), Toyota and IIE are exploring a new strategic direction for the program. 

    During this development process, we will not host a study tour.  However, we would greatly appreciate your input as an educator to help craft this strategy.   We invite you to take 10 minutes to complete the followig survey: 

    Click here to access Survey 

    Please continue to check back to this website for updates.  You can also sign up for our mailing list via the survey link above.

Annual Report Feature 2011
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Participant Stories
  • Jorge Lopez

    Since his journey, Jorge Lopez's students have started their own environmental club.

  • Lydia Gloria Calderon

    "I am so very glad I had the opportunity to be chosen to go on the trip."

  • Tortoises, Sue Cullumber

    "My approach to teaching has changed - I have become more passionate about making my students global citizens..."

  • Chris Clark, Toyota International Teachers Program

    Chris Clark studied animal and plant species in a Costa Rican rainforest as part of The Toyota International Teacher Program.

  • Michael Wing, Toyota International Teachers Program
    Inspired by his trip with the Toyota International Teacher Program, teacher Michael Wing created a new science program.