By Susan O'Rourke | April 18, 2022
[The UNC World View Fellows] programs have been phenomenal for providing amazing experiences learning with and from other educators from around the state and experts who give rich and valuable information that can enrich my lessons. The Fellows themes are specific enough to focus a conversation but broad enough to make relevant links to all manner of content and subjects possible. Moreover, the topics chosen can relate directly to North Carolina, increasing the relevance to our students. In all of my experiences with World View, there is something that I can take away to make me a better educator and strengthen my practice.
This month, we are honored to feature Stephanie Morgan in our Educator Spotlight.
Stephanie is a mathematics teacher at Pisgah High School in Canton, NC and notes that “this school and community are very near and dear to [her] heart, as [she is] also a proud Pisgah alum.”
Stephanie is a dedicated global educator who brings interdisciplinary learning to life in her mathematics classes. She explains that her approach helps make “the mathematics [she] teaches be more applicable and more easily understood” all while “[helping] prepare [her] students to be productive members of the global society in which we all live.”
Global connections are evident in in Math 3, Pre-Calculus, and Calculus courses. For Calculus, Stephanie introduces her students to the topics of clean, renewable energy across the globe through a “Global Windmill Project.” As part of the project, “Calculus students….explore the kinematics of wind turbine motion as well as the use of wind energy around the world.” The lesson is truly global! Stephanie emphasizes that students study and “[locate] wind turbine use on all seven continents and [look] at the ways in which such turbines impact the areas in which they are used.” Stephanie’s lessons even draw students’ attention to the global forces at play in outer space. She explains that, “[after] a study tour to the UAE, [she] created a lesson for [her] Pre-Calculus class to explore the UAE’s Hope Probe and Mission to Mars.” This lesson introduced global perspectives all while “[giving] contexts and application to the exploration of ellipses in a unit on conic sections.”
Stephanie has also brought learning from UNC World View programs back to her classroom. Following an educator study tour with UNC World View in China, Stephanie felt she had the “information [needed] to integrate the Terracotta Army into [her] rational functions unit.” She further noted that “[her] very first symposium gave [her] the ideas and impetus to create the Global Windmill Project.” These programs helped Stephanie create innovative and engaging projects.
Stephanie is also a generous educator and collaborator. She has participated in two UNC World View Fellows programs in order to develop globally-focused resources that are published and shared with other educators. Stephanie is currently “participating in the World View Fellows Program on Exploring Indigenous Cultures: Ancient North Carolinians, Past and Present” during which time she has “created lessons to teach volumes of three-dimensional solids as well as arc lengths and sectors while also learning more about the Indigenous cultures living in North Carolina.” Previously, Stephanie was a 2018-2019 World View Fellow with the OVERBook Project on the Environment and Sustainability program. Stephanie encourages other educators to join future Fellows programs:
These programs have been phenomenal for providing amazing experiences learning with and from other educators from around the state and experts who give rich and valuable information that can enrich my lessons. The Fellows themes are specific enough to focus a conversation but broad enough to make relevant links to all manner of content and subjects possible. Moreover, the topics chosen can relate directly to North Carolina, increasing the relevance to our students. In all of my experiences with World View, there is something that I can take away to make me a better educator and strengthen my practice.
Stephanie further shared the importance of global perspectives across disciplines at the 2022 Richardson Lecture. At this year’s lecture “Global Supply Chain: Learning Lessons,” Stephanie spoke alongside UNC professor and global supply chain expert Jay Swaminathan and North Carolina businessperson and industry-leader Derick Close. Stephanie helped the audience understand the important role educators have in discussing and dissecting the global supply chain and its local relevance with students across North Carolina. Stephanie emphasized how educators across multiple disciplines can empower and prepare students for a global workforce. We are grateful for the representation she provided!
Stephanie encourages other educators that “patience,” collaboration, and partnership with organizations like UNC World View can lead to enriching globalized lessons. She notes:
The biggest piece of advice I can give is to be patient. It’s exciting to think about everything that you can do, just pace yourself so that you don’t burnout. If possible, find colleagues who share your passion for global education, as they can be an excellent source of support as you try new things as well as individuals whom you can bounce ideas off of. Take part in globally connected professional development, even if it doesn’t initially present as something related to your content area. If it’s something you’re interested in and think you can apply to your classes, give it a shot. Get on different email listservs for groups like World View or the Area Studies Centers that can provide you with additional professional development opportunities. As you take those first steps, you’ll be amazed at the new doors that open and opportunities that present themselves to help you on your journey to incorporate global themes in your classroom.
We couldn’t agree more! We appreciate Stephanie’s innovative global lessons, and we look forward to future collaboration!