Think Global, Teach Local Capstone Project - Lessons from Finland
AN INTRODUCTION TO THIS RESOURCE GUIDE
By Jennifer A. Chavez-Miller, Fulbright Distinguished Award in Teaching Grantee 2014 - 2015
Welcome. I'm so glad you're here.
Over my 18 years as a public school educator, I have experienced a variety of priorities, reforms, and initiatives introduced at the school, local and national level. In the last few years, there has been an increasing emphasis on international trends which has included ranking of the United States in comparison to countries like Finland, Singapore, and South Korea whose students are outpacing American students in reading, math and science based on the the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA.)
With PISA scores indicating vast differences in education across the world, the discussion about students requiring 21st Century Skills is forefront in many contexts - economic, social, environmental, and political. Countries are responding with global education initiatives that vary in purpose, values, and intended outcomes. There is consensus that students need skills, knowledge, values and attitudes to prosper in their future and beyond, but how countries are addressing this need are diverse and contextual.
In my classroom, I have always sought ways to bring the world into the classroom. My understanding and practice was enhanced exponentially through my participation in the Teachers for Global Classrooms program in 2013 - 2014. Through this year-long program, I collaborated with educators across the U.S. and in Colombia to understand principles of global competency and to implement globalized curricula. Throughout my participation, I wondered how global education looks in top-performing countries. I parlayed these ideas into an inquiry project through my application for a Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching fellowship.
Early in my preliminary research about global education worldwide, I discovered the inspiring book Schools Reaching Out to a Global World which explores the possibilities of how global citizenship and competencies could live in Finnish classrooms across the country. Finland had been on my radar through a flush of media reports exalting the "Finland Phenomenon." Like others, I was intrigued and curious. It all sounded....too good to be true. The stars aligned - I could study global education in Finland through the Finnish education system.
At the end of January, 2015, I left my middle school classroom for the remainder of the school year. My daughter and I moved into an apartment in Jyväskylä, Finland, where she attended a typical, neighborhood school and I embarked on my quest to understand how Finnish teachers engage their students in learning how to be global citizens.
This portfolio is a culmination of my inquiry into how a world-class education system - Finland - defines and promotes global education through principles, policy and practice.
Over my 18 years as a public school educator, I have experienced a variety of priorities, reforms, and initiatives introduced at the school, local and national level. In the last few years, there has been an increasing emphasis on international trends which has included ranking of the United States in comparison to countries like Finland, Singapore, and South Korea whose students are outpacing American students in reading, math and science based on the the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA.)
With PISA scores indicating vast differences in education across the world, the discussion about students requiring 21st Century Skills is forefront in many contexts - economic, social, environmental, and political. Countries are responding with global education initiatives that vary in purpose, values, and intended outcomes. There is consensus that students need skills, knowledge, values and attitudes to prosper in their future and beyond, but how countries are addressing this need are diverse and contextual.
In my classroom, I have always sought ways to bring the world into the classroom. My understanding and practice was enhanced exponentially through my participation in the Teachers for Global Classrooms program in 2013 - 2014. Through this year-long program, I collaborated with educators across the U.S. and in Colombia to understand principles of global competency and to implement globalized curricula. Throughout my participation, I wondered how global education looks in top-performing countries. I parlayed these ideas into an inquiry project through my application for a Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching fellowship.
Early in my preliminary research about global education worldwide, I discovered the inspiring book Schools Reaching Out to a Global World which explores the possibilities of how global citizenship and competencies could live in Finnish classrooms across the country. Finland had been on my radar through a flush of media reports exalting the "Finland Phenomenon." Like others, I was intrigued and curious. It all sounded....too good to be true. The stars aligned - I could study global education in Finland through the Finnish education system.
At the end of January, 2015, I left my middle school classroom for the remainder of the school year. My daughter and I moved into an apartment in Jyväskylä, Finland, where she attended a typical, neighborhood school and I embarked on my quest to understand how Finnish teachers engage their students in learning how to be global citizens.
This portfolio is a culmination of my inquiry into how a world-class education system - Finland - defines and promotes global education through principles, policy and practice.
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There are several definitions of global education and global citizenship that come from a variety of international educational, non-profit, corporate and NGO entities.
Here are a few thoughts about global education and citizenship that resonate with my stance as a global educator:
"Global education is an active learning process based on the universal values of tolerance, solidarity, equality, justice, inclusion, co-operation and non-violence."
~ Global Education Network of Young Europeans
"Global citizenship brings together education for citizenship, international education and sustainable development education and recognises the common outcomes and principles of these three areas. All curriculum areas can contribute to developing the skills, attributes and knowledge that will create active global citizens."
~ Education Scotland
"Education for global citizenship helps enable young people to develop the core competencies which allow them to actively engage with the world, and help to make it a more just and sustainable place." ~ Oxfam
"Global competence is the capacity and disposition to understand and act on issues of global significance. Globally competent individuals are aware, curious, and interested in learning about the world and how it works. They can use the big ideas, tools, methods, and languages that are central to any discipline (mathematics, literature, history, science, and the arts) to engage the pressing issues of our time. They deploy and develop this expertise as they investigate such issues, recognizing multiple perspectives, communicating their views effectively, and taking action to improve conditions." ~ Partnership for Global Learning, Council of Chief State School Officers and the Asia Society, Educating for Global Competence: Preparing Our Youth to Engage the World
Here are a few thoughts about global education and citizenship that resonate with my stance as a global educator:
"Global education is an active learning process based on the universal values of tolerance, solidarity, equality, justice, inclusion, co-operation and non-violence."
~ Global Education Network of Young Europeans
"Global citizenship brings together education for citizenship, international education and sustainable development education and recognises the common outcomes and principles of these three areas. All curriculum areas can contribute to developing the skills, attributes and knowledge that will create active global citizens."
~ Education Scotland
"Education for global citizenship helps enable young people to develop the core competencies which allow them to actively engage with the world, and help to make it a more just and sustainable place." ~ Oxfam
"Global competence is the capacity and disposition to understand and act on issues of global significance. Globally competent individuals are aware, curious, and interested in learning about the world and how it works. They can use the big ideas, tools, methods, and languages that are central to any discipline (mathematics, literature, history, science, and the arts) to engage the pressing issues of our time. They deploy and develop this expertise as they investigate such issues, recognizing multiple perspectives, communicating their views effectively, and taking action to improve conditions." ~ Partnership for Global Learning, Council of Chief State School Officers and the Asia Society, Educating for Global Competence: Preparing Our Youth to Engage the World