In a rare moment, far from classrooms and school buildings, 112
teachers and administrators from 32 states came together to
discuss what it means for students in the United States to be globally competent.
The conclusion: global education spans disciplines, demonstrates 21st century
student competence, and is a necessary aspect of U.S. core curricula. “I used to
think about global education in a passive way,” an administrator noted following
the Symposium, “but now I realize that we need to actively engage our students
in international thought.”
The teachers and administrators came together last weekend in
Washington, D.C. at the inaugura
Education Symposium. During concurrent sessions both
teachers and administrators examined the invaluable role of global
education in linking improved student outcomes and a more holistic
worldview for U.S. students.
“Today there is so much emphasis on test scores,” said Jodi Ide, a
high school teacher of Cottonwood Heights, Utah, “but we’re doing
an injustice if we do not teach students how to be globally competent.”
At the Symposium, participants gained insight into the need for global
education initiatives, discussed methodologies for analyzing student
work in global education, and garnered inspiration from one another
as they continue globalizing teaching and learning in their schools.
Since the start of the TGC program, participating teachers have
collectively adapted over 300 middle and high-school lessons to
incorporate global competencies, such as investigating world issues,
effective cross-cultural communication, the recognition of global
perspectives, and taking action to enhance learning outcomes into
class disciplines spanning social studies, math, science, and
English language learners.
The Symposium offered a space for teachers and
administrators to continue challenging their notions of
what education standards should look like. “In a democracy
you have to have education for all, and global education is
an important aspect of that,” said Ide’s principal, Charisse
Hilton, “but it goes beyond being a good citizen; it’s about
being a global citizen.”
Following the Symposium, TGC Fellows will continue
developing global tools for their classrooms in six countries
around the world, including Brazil, Ghana, India, Indonesia,
Morocco, and Ukraine.
The Teachers for Global Classrooms Program (TGC)
is funded by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural
Affairs of the U.S. Department of State and implemented
by IREX.
