Teacher Mentors Abroad (TMA) is devoted to building the capacity of educators in under-resourced environments throughout the world.

Our core belief is that good instructional practices engage all students – regardless of ability or background – and are the foundation of a quality education.

We base our work on the following principles:

1. We are exclusively not-for-profit.

2. We support both public and private schools in our host countries, with specific focus on non-profit schools.

3. Our involvement is always at the invitation and pleasure of the host country or school system.

4. Mentoring relationships are based on mutual trust and respect.

5. Improved teaching practice can be learned.

6. The support of a professional learning community will enhance teacher performance.

7. Our projects are culturally relevant, sustainable and adapted to the diverse classroom needs of our partners.

8. Our projects are designed for long-term impact.

9. We partner with, and learn from, those who share our goals and intents.

10. Our outreach work stems from professional interest and is not influenced by ethnicity, race, religion, politics, gender or financial ability.

Our long-term goal is to build a future generation of young people better able to serve, support and give back to their communities.

This simple concept relies on a complex strategy for partnering with and supporting distant school communities:

• We identify and work with a core group of teachers who show strong commitment to the project.

• We develop a multi-tiered approach, including: structured workshops, direct coaching with Canadian mentors, a system of written communication and feedback, classroom visits, and facilitation of professional development events for host teacher communities.

• We foster emerging local leaders willing to guide and coordinate future training and development opportunities for their peers.