Getting Global

By John Clements, Principal of Nipmuc Regional High School 

As our world has become much smaller, the scope of our possible connections has become much larger. Today’s teacher is a globally connected citizen.”
​Heidi Hayes Jacobs and Marie Hubley Alcock from Bold Moves for Schools: How We Create Remarkable Learning Environments

What does the term global education mean to you? As educators and consumers of news and social media users - we recognize the truth of the statement above - that “today’s teacher is a globally connected citizen.” If we can agree with that statement, the next questions that emerge are how does this belief impact your practice? In what ways do you help students explore global connections?

At last month’s ASCD conference in Boston I had the chance to attend workshops with Heidi Hayes Jacobs and Marie Hubley Alcock that helped me think about these questions in new ways. Like all great PD - these sessions not only introduced new ideas but also provided resources to help me continue learning beyond the session. In this post, I’ll share some of my takeaways from their workshop and their book Bold Moves for School: How We Create Remarkable Learning Environments. Check out the takeaways below and learn about how you can participate in this month's digital conversation about global education. 

Takeaway #1: What do we mean by global education? 
Establishing shared definitions of terms is critical. Bold Moves for Schools helped me to see “global education” as more than a buzzword by discussing it in terms of competencies. The book shared four competencies of global education (as defined by the Council of Chief State School Officers and the Asia Society) including investigate the world, recognize perspective, communicate ideas, and take action. 

This simple framework provided a lens to view the ways that my own school is exploring global education. This definition prompted me to consider the tech tools that are being used to build connections. It encouraged me to think about whether these opportunities were taking place across all disciplines. It made me wonder about the resources teachers need to make these connections in the curriculum.

Takeaway #2: Resources for getting global. 
There’s a reason that so many schools and districts include global citizenship in their mission and vision statements. As educators, we recognize that this is a critical competency for the modern world. Although we believe getting global is important, making it a part of our professional practice isn’t easy. The right tools can take the mystery out of putting this belief into practice. Included below are two of the wealth of resources from Bold Moves for Schools that could spark some ideas to build global connections in the curriculum.

NewspaperMap.com: Just as it sounds, this resource provides a digital map that allows you to find and translate newspaper websites from across the globe with a single click. Imagine how this tool could be used to help students “investigate the world” and “recognize perspectives” by exploring translated newspapers from across the globe that discuss a range of topics.
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Gapmider.org: Gapminder is so rich and diverse as a resource that it’s challenging to give a simple definition of its capacity. Consider it an accessible database of images, facts, and perspectives that encourages a personal and inspiring understanding of the day-to-day life of people across the world. 

The “Dollar Street” project on the site couples pictures and data collected from a range of countries, giving a moving insight into the details of daily life. Viewers can investigate intimate data about the spectrum of human life. Pictures of a range of topics from armchairs to backyards to cars to diapers to earrings to front doors (and on and on!) are coupled with monetary value, giving perspectives on wealth, values, and quality of life. You have to see it to believe it. Imagine how you could use this data across all disciplines to allow students to develop deep inquiry about the distinguishing details of the  human experience across all of the world’s population. Check out the site’s educator resources that will help you to find a way to use this dynamic tool. ​​

Takeaway #3: Teacher as a globally connected citizen
One of the most powerful parts of their book is the way the authors define “The Job Posting for a Contemporary Teacher.” They identify “teacher as a globally connected citizen” as a core competency. They discuss how this skill will inform curriculum and shape learning experiences. Perhaps more importantly, this competency reminds us how critical it is to embrace a culture of learning in our professional work. In a world where technology is flattening the globe at a tremendous rate, only educators who value their role as learners (above that of being a teacher) will be able to design learning experiences that connect our students to the world.

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On Thursday, April 12, at 8pm EST you can “walk the walk” as a globally-minded educator by joining our digital conversation about global education. Click here on 4/12 at 8pm EST to participate in a free digital discussion about global education.  

Check out Bold Moves for Schools: How We Create Remarkable Learning Environments to explore the resources above and so many other ways to rethink past practice as we reimagine school into inspiring places of learning. ​​