Ask yourself the following questions. Then ask these questions of your faculty and administration.

• Is global awareness and education important to students who do not and most likely will never own a passport?
• Should/is Global Awareness/Global Competencies (be) taught as a (required) separate course/subject?
• Do you infuse culture BEYOND food, music, games, festivals, language or art?
• Do teachers need to be globally connected in order to connect their students?

Where do you stand? Where does your school or district stand?

Why Global Competence?

Teaching and assessing student work that addresses issues of global significance around the world or in students’ own backyards are essential to a world-class education system. The global marketplace is real, and today’s schools must prepare students to participate, interact, and thrive in it. The more our students know about recognizing the challenges and opportunities of an interconnected world, the better they will be able to work in it and improve it. Our students’ well-being, the vitality of our communities, and the welfare of our nation depend on it.

I believe that in order to teach global competence and connect your students globally YOU HAVE to be a globally connected educator! Take a look at the Global Competency Matrix developed by EdSteps and Asia Society (download Global Competence Matrix as a pdf). These global competencies talk about connections, collaborations and communication  and call for students to investigate the world, bring in perspective, knowledge, skill and disposition. How DO YOU become a globally connected teacher? How DO YOU open up classroom walls and connect your students to the world beyond the international food fair and the Cinco de Mayo celebration?

The presentation slides below are my answers/perspective to these questions.