Ciannait Fitzpatrick, 34, is an "English-English" teacher.
Originally from Surrey, England, she's teaching English at South County High School as part of the Fulbright Teacher Exchange Program for the 2008-09 school year.
Specifically, the Woodbridge resident is teaching grammar and literature to students in grades 9 and 12.
"It's amazingly different," says Ciannait (pronounced K-ear-na) of her South County experience. "The national curriculum is very different; the grading is different, and how school is set up is different."<b>
HOW DIFFERENT? </b>She said students in America are better behaved in certain aspects. "The people don't seem as stressed here as they are in England," she said. "And the parents seem to be far more involved in their child's education."
The Fulbright Teacher Exchange is an educational organization that exchanges teachers to countries worldwide. The program incorporates international educators from 20 countries from around the world.
To be accepted as a Fulbright teacher, the applicant has to have taught for four years in his or her country.
Fitzpatrick said the program matches a teacher to a school that has the same socioeconomic makeup of students — race, background, income, religion, etc. — as their own school work experience.
"They try to put you in the same age group," she said. "It's a lot harder than I originally thought.”
Driving has also been an issue. Because everything is so spread out here, Fitzpatrick had to buy a car — a Ford Tempo. "Where I live now is very spread out, and in my home town, it's very small and you can get to places without a car," she said.
In terms of curriculum, she said in England, more is required from the students academically.
"In England, children are examined throughout their lives," she said. "They are aware of where they are in the structure of being academically intelligent. By the time they reach secondary school, they already know where they stand."
In the U.S., Fitzgerald said there's lots of praise for people regardless of their academic achievement. "Which is good, and that's why they have more self esteem," she said.
Regarding Americans: "I think they're friendly," Fitzgerald said. "The people I work with are very helpful."
On the flip side, with her British accent, some people speak to her rather condescendingly, as if English isn't her primary language.