Cultivating Global Thinkers
Cultivating Global Thinkers
How to Have a Global Classroom When You Cannot Go Anywhere
Celebrate the school and classroom community. Invite families of various cultures to discuss their culture and lifestyle differences.
Support the schools second language program (French). Use french terms in the classroom whenever possible.
Introduce global content into your curriculum.
Connect classroom processes (getting water from the water fountain, paper usage, etc) with local/global challenges.
Think with students about attitudes, values and dispositions.
Use technology to connect across culture and geographical regions (Google Maps, Skype, etc.)
Discuss global perspectives of major historical events.
Have honest, kid appropriate conversations about the differences between the Fickett community, the Atlanta metroplex community, U.S. regional communities, and other places around the globe.
Look for and utilize teachable moments.
Teaching about the Native Americans? Discuss the recent Dakota pipeline protests.
Teaching about weather? Discuss recent natural disasters and how organizations have helped.
Discuss current events.
Suggestions:
1. Assign a student to be the reporter for the week and have them research an important local, national, and world news story. Let them discuss with the class during morning meeting. Map the locations students mention.
2. Subscribe to newspaper magazines like Time for Kids, National Geographic, etc. and find and dedicate time to delve into the topics within.
3. Include an interesting or controversial (kid friendly) article in an ELA Center. Have students read article and discuss their opinions and the possible global implications of the article.