A global citizen is someone who is aware of and understands the vibrant variability of the wider world—and their place in it. Learning background knowledge of multiple cultures is a first step, but then, having the practice and confidence to respectfully express curiosity, think critically, and communicate effectively are the essential skills that support efficacy and agency in our world—which are absolute necessities in our American participatory democracy as well.

Despite the enormous ethnic and linguistic diversity of Watertown Middle School, there is also the reality of the age and stage of development of middle school students that sometimes narrows their worldview. They are, alternatively, entirely self-absorbed or very curious to think about how they fit into the world (and wonderfully silly in-between!). In order to support student development of the historical content, critical thinking, and communication skills necessary to be successful in this world, we, as educators, must work hard to specifically and deliberately bring students into the larger, global culture. We must be explicit in developing students’ oral communication, creative thinking, and critical thinking skills, so that they can fearlessly problem-solve in any context.

While my colleagues and I have always infused elements of global competence in our Humanities and Social Studies curricula, I now realize that we need to be much more explicit in doing so. According to Tichnor-Wagner, “Students are [also] living in what military and business leaders have dubbed a VUCA world—one that is volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous.” This world context is undoubtedly contributing to the enormous increase in youth anxiety that I witness every day in my classroom. This, coupled with adolescent physical, hormonal, and neurological changes, leads many middle schoolers to profound helplessness. If, instead, we educators were explicit in teaching students global competence skills that will help them maneuver this world, we can hope that their increased efficacy leads to decreased anxiety. If we say, “Ok, this world is crazy [fill in the blank with age-appropriate examples from the students]. We are going to give you some skills to help you find your way through it all,” I think that they will sit up, zoom in, and focus. By moving beyond that paralysis, they can begin to take meaningful steps forward.

On my agenda in this post-Fulbright year:

• Continued explicit teaching and practice of speaking and listening skills

• More critical thinking practice with the News Literacy Organization’s AI teaching resources

• Communication with parents to deepen partnership with regard to these goals

Sources: 

• Asia Society, Global Competence Definition | Asia Society

• CDC, Data and Statistics on Children's Mental Health

• Tichnor-Wagnor, Ariel et al. Becoming a Globally Competent Teacher. ASCD, 2019)

More Ideas: Five Reasons Why Global Competence Matters