Map of my mind

I need to learn the mind mapping technique that Anthony employed in his response to the readings . That visual map would have been so fitting for my own thought process.

My mind wanderings went along these paths:

These ideas of the "WHAT we teach, the WHY we are teaching it, and the HOW we are teaching it" are not new for me as I always asked myself those questions over and over again. Reimers article brought the need to ask these questions zooming to the forefront with great urgency. In this global community , the skills our students need ( and each of us needs) have shifted and we are in a "space of possibility" for shifting the way we teach and learn. Students need to actively participate in building their understanding of the world and make strong connections to the relevancy of what they learn to their ability to actively participate in making a difference in the future of this world. The curriculum IS these students, each and every one of them, and how they interact with and make meaning from comparative studies of important constructs that affect global affairs.

The students need more than ever to understand the relevance of their education to the world in which they live. That world is accessible at their fingertips but the need for understanding how the world community evolved to this point in time is very complex. Immigration, economic opportunities, technologies, all mentioned in Reimers article, have brought us to this point. Knowledge and understanding of world history, traditions of diverse cultures, the impact of climate, geography, health issues is paramount to becoming a well educated, effective participant as a global citizen.

Our own BB&N mission urges us to ...and I love this statement from the readings, " Prepare students with the skills and ethical dispositions to invent a future that enhances human well being." It cannot be said better than that. The concrete examples of projects and activities for different developmental age groups were very interesting and I have already visited iEARN.org and Change.org to gather momentum for new ideas.

From every piece of literature chosen for curriculum to the science projects that invite transnational participation, the ideas are there to explore. We need to open ourselves to this "space of possibility" and think in the broadest way possible. I love the idea of study groups around global curriculum and the sharing of ways large and small to transform our journey as facilitators of the possibilities that a truly global education has to offer for our students.

Yes, ( to say the least)I was inspired by the readings, energized and a bit overwhelmed at the same time. Mostly I feel privileged to fully realize the impact that our work with young people has at such a critical point in the history of this world.

Shera