Daniel McNeal | August 13, 2019
As summer winds down and everyone gears up to go back to school, it’s important that we start the year off with a global focus and work towards developing global competence among our students. Global competence, according to the global non-profit Asia Society, is the capacity and disposition to understand and act on issues of global significance. We live in an increasingly interconnected world and today’s students need a globally conscious education in order to succeed.
What makes a globally competent student? A collaboration between the Council of Chief State School Officers – a non-partisan, non-profit organization of public officials that provides leadership on major educational issues – and the Asia Society has identified four characteristics of what makes a globally competent student: to investigate the world beyond our immediate environment, to recognize other perspectives, to communicate ideas effectively with diverse audiences, and to take action to improve conditions. Globally competent students explore critical questions that have global significance. Issues like water scarcity, international trade conflicts, climate change, immigration and others affect people worldwide and are globally significant. These issues shed light on the diversity of different peoples while also highlighting the interconnectedness of experiences across different localities. Learning about and understanding globally significant issues prepares students to thrive as effective citizens of the world.
Fortunately, there are several resources available to teach lessons that connect students to globally significant issues. Edutopia has compiled resources specifically aimed at Global Competence and has lesson plans on subjects like climate change and migration that may be useful for you. The Peace Corps Coverdell World Wise Schools program provides online educational resources that fosters an understanding of other cultures and global issues. Additionally, the National Education Association has compiled curriculum guides and teaching resources specifically focused on global education.
World View and educators from Cabarrus County Schools and other K-12 World View Partners will start the year off with a global mindset during the 2019 Global Education Summit, Real Connections to a Global World, on August 15 at Hickory Ridge High School in Harrisburg. This free global education professional development event will highlight best practices in global education and introduce strategies for bringing global themes, content and skills into the K-12 classroom. More information can be found here.
Interested in learning more about teaching for global competencies? Come hear Asia Society’s Vice President for Education and Director of the Center for Global Education, Dr. Tony Jackson at World View’s annual Global Education Symposium on October 16-17 in Chapel Hill. The theme for 2019 is The Sustainable Development Goals: Classroom Connections.
World View looks forward to working with you in the 2019-2020 school year to help bring global perspectives to North Carolina’s classrooms.