Cabrera Christian Teaching Fellowship & Internship Program | Dominican Republic
Spend the Winter Somewhere Warm — Where Your Gifts Are Needed
Teach children on the Caribbean coast of the Dominican Republic for a semester or a full school year, walk closer with God than you have in years, and leave behind something that will outlast us all.
A WORD FROM ONE RETIREE TO ANOTHER
Stephanie and I know this season of life well. After long careers as university professors, we could have settled into a quiet retirement. Instead, God brought us to the small town of Cabrera, on the north coast of the Dominican Republic, and in 2022 we opened Cabrera Christian Classical Academy.
I won't pretend it has always been easy. But I can tell you this: we have never felt more useful, more alive, or more dependent on the Lord than we do right now.
Here is something I've noticed. Retirement hands you two things that most of the world is starving for: time, and a lifetime of wisdom. Our nearly fifty students need both. They need grown-ups who will sit beside them with a book, listen patiently, and say, "Try it again — you've got this."
You may be exactly the person they've been praying for.
WINTER, WELL SPENT
While much of North America is shoveling snow, our Spring Fellowship is under way: January 5 to June 5, with warm Caribbean breezes, palm trees, and a classroom full of eager learners.
Picture your days: mornings in the classroom, afternoons by the sea, and evenings with a community of fellow believers who are grateful you came.
You can come for the semester that suits you, or for the whole school year:
THE SPRING FELLOWSHIP
January 5 to June 5
Trade winter for the Caribbean
THE FALL FELLOWSHIP
August 20 to December 20
Home in time for Christmas
THE FULL ACADEMIC YEAR FELLOWSHIP
August 20 to June 5
The deepest roots and relationships
Each term begins with a week of orientation & training.
Classes run Monday through Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., and Fridays are for planning. That leaves long weekends to rest, explore the coast, and worship with the local church. School lunch is provided on teaching days, so you'll share a table with our students.
As a Teaching Fellow, you won't be a visitor watching from the back of the room. You'll be a real member of our faculty: planning lessons, leading a classroom, reading with children, and becoming, in every way that matters, part of the family.
Do you need to speak Spanish? No. C3A is an English-based school, and our students are learning from you.
Do you need a teaching degree? No, that isn’t required. What you need is a love for Jesus, a love for children, and a teachable heart.
IN THEIR OWN WORDS
"My life was forever changed when I answered God's tugging at my heart and came to C3A. I was in my late 70s, hadn't taught in a classroom for over 40 years, didn't speak Spanish, and had no idea what living in a Caribbean country would be like. But quickly the school became 'my school' and the kids 'my kids.' Oh, there were plenty of challenges, but I soon learned that God would give me insight into a student or a creative way to teach exactly when I needed it. I left part of my heart in Cabrera."
— Irene, volunteer teacher in her late 70s
"My recent experience at Cabrera was one of my most challenging, and most rewarding, teaching assignments! God stretched my faith and made me realize how much I depended on His direction. This school is doing amazing work through rigorous academics and God-focused instruction. The teachers and staff model God's love to the students and strive to help them succeed. Please prayerfully consider a teaching assignment at this awesome school. You will be amazed at how God can use you too!"
— Dave, retired teacher
Would you like to talk with a past volunteer before you decide? Just ask, and we'll gladly put you in touch.
— Headmaster, Cabrera Christian
WORK THAT LASTS
So much of what we spend our days on simply… disappears. Not this.
When you teach a child to read, she reads for the rest of her life. When you help a young man learn to think clearly, speak honestly, and choose what is right, you are shaping the father, the neighbor, and the church leader he will become.
Our mission is to raise up local children to be wise and virtuous leaders who love Christ and will serve this country for decades to come. Your name may not be on the building — but your fingerprints will be on the future.
Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm.
Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully
to the work of the Lord, because you know that your
labor in the Lord is not in vain.
— 1 Corinthians 15:58 (NIV)
TWO WAYS TO SERVE
FOR RETIREES: YOUR BEST CHAPTER YET
You spent a lifetime pouring yourself into others. You know how to manage a room, explain fractions three different ways, and spot the quiet child who needs a little extra encouragement. Those gifts did not retire when you did!
Whether you're a retired teacher or simply someone who loves children, there is a place for you here. Couples are warmly welcome. One of our most beloved volunteers was in her late 70s. Come for a sunny winter and spring, or stay the whole year — and discover what may be the best chapter of your story.
FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS AND RECENT GRADUATES: THE C3A TEACHING INTERNSHIP
You're standing at the edge of what comes next — a career, graduate school, a calling you're still trying to name. Before you take that step, spend a semester or a year as a C3A Teaching Intern.
You'll gain genuine classroom leadership, cross-cultural experience, and mentoring from two career educators — the kind of internship that makes a résumé and a graduate school application stand out. Many colleges can award internship or field-experience credit; ask your advisor, and we'll gladly provide whatever documentation your program needs. Most of all, you'll learn who God made you to be, and no office cubicle can teach you that.
THE PRACTICAL DETAILS
HOUSING
Our shared, donor-subsidized Teaching Fellows House is ready and waiting: air-conditioned, safe, and a short walk from grocery stores and the school bus stop, with rent of about $350 a month. Many retirees, and especially couples, prefer a place of their own. We'll gladly help you find one; private apartments nearby typically run from $500 to $1,200 a month.
GETTING AROUND
Fellows are welcome to ride our school bus to and from campus. For anything beyond that, you'll arrange your own local transportation.
COST
Fellows are volunteers who come supported by their own savings, a sending church, family, or a personal support network. Thanks to donor-subsidized housing, a fellowship costs far less than most people expect. We’ll gladly help you share your story with your church and supporters, and gifts made through C3A are tax-deductible.
Plan on about $850 a month for rent, food, and personal expenses. Add round-trip airfare to Santo Domingo (SDQ), usually about $700, and your own health and travel insurance. Private housing will add to these figures. Here is what each term comes to before airfare:
THE SPRING FELLOWSHIP
January 5 to June 5 (5 months)
About $4,250
THE FALL FELLOWSHIP
August 20 to December 20 (4 months)
About $3,400
THE FULL ACADEMIC YEAR FELLOWSHIP
August 20 to June 5 (about 9½ months)
About $8,350
WHO WE'RE LOOKING FOR
— A committed follower of Jesus Christ
— Willing to sign our Statement of Faith and Christian Lifestyle Commitment
— At least 19 years old, in good health, with a heart for children
— A native or fluent English speaker
— Able to carry health and travel insurance for your stay
— Teachable, flexible, and ready for adventure
TRAINING AND SUPPORT
Every cohort begins with an orientation and teacher training covering our classical curriculum, classroom life, Dominican culture, and safety. Throughout your fellowship you'll be mentored by our Headmaster, Dr. Tim Slater, and our Principal, Dr. Stephanie Slater — two retired university professors who have spent their lives helping teachers flourish.
YOUR QUESTIONS, ANSWERED
AM I TOO OLD?
Almost certainly not. One of our most beloved volunteers was in her late 70s. If you are in good health and can manage a school day, there is a place for you here.
Even in old age they will still produce fruit; they will remain vital and green.
— Psalm 92:14 (NLT)
I HAVEN'T TAUGHT IN YEARS — OR EVER. IS THAT A PROBLEM?
Not at all. Retired teachers bring wonderful experience, but you don't need a teaching degree. Every Fellow begins with a thorough orientation, and Stephanie and I mentor you throughout.
CAN MY SPOUSE COME TOO?
Yes, and we'd love that. A spouse who isn't drawn to the classroom will find plenty of ways to serve in our community: volunteering in our school library, helping at the women's vocational center, or caring for the stray dogs of Cabrera. And on a slow afternoon, there's always sea glass waiting to be found on the beach.
WHAT ABOUT HEALTH CARE?
Cabrera is a small town with its own hospital and several medical clinics close at hand, and many expatriates find care here both good and affordable. Every Fellow carries their own health and travel insurance, and we're glad to point you toward options.
WHAT IF I'M NEEDED AT HOME?
Life doesn't stop for aging parents or new grandchildren. Flights to the U.S. leave daily from Santo Domingo (SDQ), the airport we recommend, and we'll work with you if a family need calls you home.
CAN I EARN COLLEGE CREDIT?
Many colleges award internship or field-experience credit for a semester like this. Ask your advisor, and we'll gladly provide whatever documentation your program needs.
WHAT IF IT ISN'T THE RIGHT FIT?
The first 90 days are a trial period for both of us. If either of us senses it isn't the right fit, we'll talk it through together, with no hard feelings either way.
CAN I VISIT FIRST?
Yes. If you'd like to see the school before committing to a full term, ask us about joining one of the church mission teams that serve with us for a week throughout the year or schedule a time to come visit our site.
ABOUT C3A
Cabrera Christian Classical Academy is an English-based K–12 classical Christian school founded in 2022 in Cabrera, on the beautiful north coast of the Dominican Republic. Now in our fifth year, we serve nearly fifty local children with fourteen teachers, volunteer missionaries alongside a dedicated Dominican staff. C3A is fully-accredited in the United States and partnered with the Dominican Ministry of Education (MINERD). Our families are hard-working, our students are bright and joyful, and our mission is simple: to raise up wise and virtuous leaders who love Jesus — and to change lives along the way.
THE NEXT STEP
Perhaps you've been asking God, "What now, Lord?" Perhaps this page is part of His answer.
We'd love to talk with you, with no pressure and no obligation. Tell us a little about yourself, and we'll set up a friendly phone or video call to answer your questions, share more about life in Cabrera, and pray together about whether this is your season to come.
We review applications on a rolling basis, and spaces in each cohort are limited, so we encourage you to reach out early.
With warmest regards,
Dr. Tim Slater, Headmaster, Cabrera Christian Classical Academy