Julie Kinnaird | November 13, 2023
This fall UNC World View launched two programs that allow educators to go deeper in learning about global issues and integrate global themes into curriculum. We are excited to share these programs and announce the recipients of the 2023-2024 Teacher-Student Initiative and the 2023-2024 Global Fellows Program.
The Teacher-Student Initiative (TSI) is off to an impressive start, introducing a dynamic cohort of 24 dedicated educators. This diverse group of teachers, drawn from 10 different counties across the state, is poised to embark on a journey of educational excellence. TSI educators will focus on Nourishing Traditions, Nourishing Lives: Where Tradition Meets Progress in South Africa. UNC faculty and partners in South Africa will discuss the interventions made to improve employment, economic security, health, and education in South Africa as well as South Africa’s diverse culture and complex history.
What sets this year’s cohort apart is its rich tapestry of experience. A quarter of the TSI teachers bring over two decades of classroom wisdom, while half of the educators boast 10 to 15 years of teaching experience. The remaining members, each with less than a decade in the field, are brimming with enthusiasm and fresh perspectives.
These educators represent a diverse array of perspectives, spanning seven distinct content areas, which encompass Food and Nutrition, Health Science, World Languages, Mathematics, Sciences, History, and Special Programs. There is also a media specialist. The diversity within the cohort promises to fuel innovative approaches to teaching and learning, enhancing educational practices across North Carolina, and ensuring that students reap the benefits of this rich and varied experience. To learn more about our TSI educator participants click here.
This year 25 North Carolina teachers were invited to join We’re Still Here: Exploring Indigenous Cultures as part of the 2023-2024 Global Fellows Program. This program is an intensive, eight-month interdisciplinary professional learning opportunity that deepens educators’ understanding of the culture, history, and contemporary life of Indigenous communities in North Carolina and throughout the world. The program kicked off in September with a virtual orientation and the Fellows came to Chapel Hill in October to attend the Global Indigeneity: Indigenous Cultures, Peoples, and Places Symposium. Over the course of the day, Fellows explored issues of colonialism and settler colonialism, Native agency, traditional dance and music, North Carolina’s Native voices, and much more.
The 25 K-12 Fellows hail from ten different North Carolina counties and represent many different disciplines including social studies, science, English as a Second Language, the arts, music, and more. As a collective group, this year’s Fellows cohort has over 400 years of classroom teaching experience! To learn more about the 2023-2024 UNC World View Global Fellows click here.
The Teacher-Student Initiative and the Global Fellows Program continue to be platforms for professional growth, collaboration, and the exchange of knowledge. With these latest cohorts, the programs are primed to make a significant impact on North Carolina’s educational landscape in the year ahead. Stay tuned for updates on the educators inspiring journeys throughout the academic year. UNC World View is grateful to the funding support provided by the Anonymous Trust and the Longview Foundation.