Preparing Students to Become Responsible Global Citizens:)

As the United States approaches national standards (a.k.a. common core), teachers will need to add a global component to all their lessons.  This vital connection is one that will not only make lessons more meaningful in that they serve a use in the real world, but also energize students about learning since these lessons will look at every aspect of a lesson from multiple cultural perspectives:)

This feature of a lesson will appear at every grade level from kindergarten through 12th grade.  Students will see how decisions on almost subject material extends beyond American borders.  If the focus of a lesson is on fossil fuels and their effect on the household budget, students could look beyond the pocketbook to the long term effects on the planet's environment in terms of climate change and how specific sections of the planet might suffer more ecologically speaking than other parts.  Students building community gardens might team up with students in poorer countries using SKYPE to jointly plan gardens, and in doing so, as teams discover more effective ways to produce viable plants able to survive drought and pests.  Teams of students from different countries could plan joint projects on common themes.  Such collaboration definitely sets up American students to work in a globally diverse workforce when the finish college or vocational schools. TEACHING STUDENTS HOW TO MAKE A GLOBAL IMPACT  --see how this teacher moves the lesson beyond the classroom with ease. 

Such active engagement through peaking student interest will also bring the struggling student into the lesson more successfully than in the past.  Start that spark of interest is the key to motivating them to want to learn.  Teachers scaffolding and checking for understanding regularly will ensure that no one is left behind.  Long term English language learners, those with special needs, and those who just need more time to process information will be more actively engaged with little prodding on the part of the teacher.  HOW TO REACH UNDERPERFORMING STUDENTS --see how this teacher reaches underperforming students through accessible, interesting, engaging lessons and activities.

 Denise

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