What Does Global Competence Look Like in a Teacher?
(Manise & Soppelsa, 2015)
1.
"Understanding one's own cultural identity and its influence on personal dispositions and classroom practice."
2.
"Knowing and integrating global dimensions within the disciplines one teaches."
3.
"Engaging students in learning about the world and in exploring their place in it."
4.
"Using real-life global examples, materials, and resources when considering local, national, and human issues."
5.
"Valuing the input of culturally and linguistically diverse learners, families, and colleagues, and modeling cultural sensitivity."
6.
"Creating environments that encourage positive cross-cultural interaction."
7.
"Modeling social responsibility in local and global contexts."
8.
"Helping learners find appropriate actions to improve local and global conditions."
9.
"Assessing learners' global competence and providing growth opportunities based on their levels of development."
10.
"Advocating for global education and social responsibility."
Is Global Education "One More Thing?"
As educators we are constantly being bombarded with new resources and initiatives that are often short-lived and lack the systematic follow through true change requires. The beautiful quality about incorporating Global Education is that it aligns with the goals and objectives of most state, city, district, community and individual school standards, mission statements and visions.
For example, New York City Public Schools has several citywide initiatives. Together these initiatives make up the vision for the success of all New York City Public School students. These initiatives include Equity & Excellence for All, Together for Justice, Diversity in Our Schools, Resilient Kids; Safe Schools, Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Education. Each of these initiatives align with one of more of the 4 Domains of Global Competency. The Equity and Excellence Initiative provides opportunity for students to Investigate the World, Recognize Perspectives, Communicate Ideas and Take Action through Algebra for All, Computer Science for All and Universal Literacy. The Diversity in Our School Initiative provides opportunity for students to Investigate The World and Recognize Perspectives through the individual District Equity Plans. All of the Initiatives that make up the vision for New York City Public Schools correlate with the goals of Global Education.
At PS 1, where I have been a teacher for 18 years, you can see the footprints of Global Education in our Vision, Mission, Instructional Focus and CEP Goals as well as our SEL Initiative: The Leader In Me. Our vision statement says, "We, as a collaborative community, believe all of our students can learn and will be prepared for the 21st century workforce." Students who are prepared for the 21st century workforce are going to need to be proficient in the 4 domains of global competency regardless of the field they choose to work in. Our instructional focus states, "Students engage in collaborative problem solving, and discourse of real world issues to become independent and confident critical thinkers." This sentence is rooted in a belief that children should Investigate the World, Recognize Perspectives, Communicate Ideas and Take Action. Our CEP goals reference using inquiry based mathematical practices, deepening student engagement through reading and developing the whole child. These goals support student growth in Investigating the World and Recognizing Perspectives. The 7 Habits from our SEL Initiative go hand in hand with multiple global competencies. For example, Habit #5: Seek First to Understand, then to be Understood helps students to Recognize Perspectives. Habit #1: Be Proactive encourages students to take risks so they can Investigate the World. After spending a year investigating what Global Education is, I am convinced that PS 1 has been on this path all along.
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Global Education is not "one more new thing" for teachers and parents to have anxiety about. It is a pathway that already aligns with our mission and values. It is a pathway we can take students on to ensure success beyond high school as well as promoting leadership and equity. All students can become empowered, Global Citizens!