WAY American Schools, Brazil (WAY) offers a different path for students to enjoy their education. The WAY program runs within private high schools in Brazil, offering students the opportunity to earn two distinct high school diplomas—the American and Brazilian—in a school-within-a-school arrangement. The program operates through an online platform called HERO, which delivers the curriculum, grading, and offers collaboration space. Students engage in project-based English and Social Studies courses that are aligned to U.S. national and state standards, and all WAY projects have been designed by certified teachers. Every student is provided with a personalized, project-based, student-centered learning experience, with 24/7 live access to educators within unique in-school and online environments.
The WAY American Schools in Brazil are a network of AdvancEd accredited schools. The program aims to offer an exemplary educational experience designed to open a world of opportunity for its students. Currently, 550 students Grades 9–12 engage in inquiry-based learning through WAY. The teaching staff of 20 comprises nine Brazilians and 11 teachers from North America.
In Brazil, WAY has partnered with private schools that have provided classrooms within their schools. WAY schools are currently present within 16 schools in eight different cities in Brazil, with plans to expand to several new cities in the next semester. The schools are usually located in the main cities of each state, and in the best neighborhoods. Due to the nature of the schools with which they partner, WAY tends to serve students from more affluent backgrounds. The campuses are always located in safe areas, with easy access to public transportation and services.
The WAY program operates as an after-school program. Teachers report at 9:00 in the morning to plan, collaborate, grade, and attend meetings. They then have an hour for lunch before teaching two, two-hour classes between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. The entire curriculum is online and project-based. Lessons generally consist of a language-developing activity, followed by content-based activities and engagement, and finally some work time where students work collaboratively, either with each other or with their teachers. Current teacher Dan Blank, in his third year with WAY, is deeply impressed with the dedication and behavior of his students. He says,
“They enjoy being able to speak in another language, and they are very adamant in speaking English for the two hours a day they are in our class, so they can increase their English proficiency. . . . I also enjoy how the students have the options to work individually, in partners, or in small groups if they choose in our circular tables. . . . I have noticed [that] when you give the students these options, they are able to get work done at a quicker pace because they find our classroom to be more fun than the traditional-desks-lined-in-a-row classroom.”
WAY continues to expand throughout Brazil and is always looking for great people to join their team. The school prefers to hire single teachers with prior overseas experience. They will consider teaching couples—including those with a non-teaching spouse—and exceptional, newly-certified candidates. All candidates must hold an academic degree in the subject they will be teaching. Teachers up to the age of 65 must have a minimum of one year of full-time teaching experience to obtain a work visa in Brazil.
The WAY package includes basic furnished housing in a safe neighborhood as well as airfare at the beginning and end of the contract. For professional development, new teachers are sent for training at WAY headquarters in Michigan prior to starting their job in Brazil. Worldwide health insurance is fully covered as well. This package allows for some savings!
To gain access to WAY American Schools, Brazil’s full profile on the Search Associates database, including a list of all open positions, candidates can apply for membership by clicking here. Candidates already registered can easily access the school profile directly through their dashboards.
Please note: The information presented about this school was valid on the date published. This information may change, and the most up-to-date information can be found on the school profile.
