Mr. P. Goes Global

Global Education Resources & Blog

Introduction

The world is changing in ways we have not seen since the Industrial Revolution. New technologies have changed the way we live, work, and engage with people here and around the world. We need to see the entire world as a singular place, which can be difficult in the current climate. This fact makes our work even more vital.

As institutions of learning, we must think of ourselves as Global Citizens. One must not only embrace the idea that we are members of a global community with the human race, but that we will take action in making this a reality in our day-to-day lives. Global Competency is achieved through world-class educators preparing all students for success in an interconnected world. The idea that the curriculum will push students (as well as myself) to reach out to others in the world is daunting and exciting. We need to be focusing on global education. As students apply their growing global competence to engage new topics with sophistication, they prepare to succeed in college and participate in a life of work and civic responsibility.

What is global citizenship education?

Global Citizenship Education (GCED) aims to empower learners to assume active roles to face and resolve global challenges and to become proactive contributors to a more peaceful, tolerant, inclusive and secure world.

The Danger of the Single Story

Culture. The word originated with the definition"to cultivate land," and evolved into a "cultivation of the mind." Today the word is ambiguous, referring to our attachment to a place, traditions, and beliefs. It also has ominously been used to discuss an "otherness" through stereotypes.

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie shares her experiences with the notion of culture inThe Danger of a Single Story in an important TED Talk that will explain the importance of global intelligence.

Click on the image to view the TED Talk.

Why Global Education?

In order to prepare our kids for the challenges of our rapidly changing world, we need to teach students to be global citizens and improve their global competence. Below is a brief list of challenges facing today's youth:

Flattened global economy
Changing demands of work
Unprecedented global migration
Teaching empathy in a world divided
Climate instability & need for environmental stewardship
Trying to reclaim our place alongside the best schools in the world, making meaningful work by tapping into students’ sense of justice

The Best School Systems in the World Produce Global Citizens

In a special report, Dan Rather explores the education system of Finland, widely considered to be the most progressive and effective in the world. Other major nations like Australia and Canada followed suit.

Watch this clip, and see what must be accomplished in order to become globally competent and prepare students for challenges that lie ahead.

Click on the image to see the interview.

What do Global Citizens do?

Investigate the world beyond their immediate environment, framing significant problems and conducting well-crafted and age-appropriate research.

Recognize perspectives, others’ and their own, articulating and explaining such perspectives thoughtfully and respectfully.

Communicate ideas effectively with diverse audiences, bridging geographic, linguistic, ideological, and cultural barriers.

Take action to improve conditions, viewing themselves as players in the world and participating reflectively.

Do not ask me where I'm from, ask me where I'm local.

Have you ever asked someone, "Where are you from?" What prompts you to ask someone that question? What kind of answer are you expecting? This question connects to our shared sense of identity.

Taiye Selasi explores the concept of "home" in this important TED Talk, and offers us alternative ways of seeing that open our minds to the importance of becoming more locally and globally mined.

Click on the image to see the TED Talk.

Andover Portal from Shared Studios

The Andover Portal connects students and members of the Andover community with people around the world. We are the first public school in the United States to be connected with Shared Studios.

Please click on the image and watch the introductory short film. Also, click the icon below to visit the Shared Studios website for more information.

Shared Studios

The World Is as Big or as Small as You Make It

What kind of music do you listen to? What are you schools like? What are your favorite foods? In the short film “The World Is as Big or as Small as You Make It,” students from Philadelphia use technology to connect with peers around the world in touching, cross-cultural exchanges.

These are the kinds of experiences we are bringing to our school system. You can find similar experiences in the "Study" section under "Additional Resources."

Click on the image to view the short film.

IREX

My work would not have been possible without IREX. I am currently engaging in the Fulbright Teaching Excellence and Achievement Program (Fulbright TEA). This website and my work with global citizenship is the result of this year-long, fully funded professional development opportunity for U.S. elementary, middle, and high school teachers to become leaders in global education.

The IREX Mission:

We strive for a more just, prosperous, and inclusive world—where individuals reach their full potential, governments serve their people, and communities thrive.

But around the globe, persistent poverty, repression, and injustice prevent too many people from achieving their full potential.

To address these problems, we focus on people, not on vaccines, roads, or wells. We support individuals and institutions to create change in their own communities—and to create person-to-person bridges between nations.

We are doers. Our decades of on-the-ground experience help us create greater impact, practical recommendations, and lasting partnerships.

With an annual portfolio of $80 million and 400 staff worldwide, IREX works with partners in more than 100 countries in four areas essential to progress: cultivating leaders, empowering youth, strengthening institutions, and increasing access to quality education and information.

Click on the image to visit the website.

How to Use This Site

This website is a resource for teachers as well as memeber of the Andover Community. In the "Study" section you will find global education assessment tools, as well as additional resources for educations and people interested in global education.

In the "Teach" section, you will find resources specifically designed for teachers, including community resources, international teaching opportunities, global standards lined up with state standards, as well a my global education plan. See how I enhanced my curriculum for Advanced Placement English Literature & Composition, by implementing global citizenship and the Andover Portal through Shared Studios.

Finally, the Travel section will include a blog of my experiences with global education this past year, as well as my forth coming trip to Indonesia through my work with the Teaching Global Classrooms (TGC) Fulbright Fellowship.

Click on the icons below or at the top of the web page to begin your journey.