Undeniably Global

For at least a year, we've talked about 21st Century skills and the imperative to go global. We've asked school level Technology Facilitators and district Instructional Technology staff to read the ISTE publication Digital Citizenship in Schools by Mike Ribble and Gerald Bailey to focus attention on the need to teach the appropriate use of technology. We've expanded staff development offerings to share tools that promote collaboration inside the classroom and across the globe. We've asked educators to rethink the possibilities.

Some folks "got it". A few folks were willing to take the leap and make time and financial commitments to implement change and explore new ways to reach our digital natives. Some folks just weren't ready to go there or didn't feel the need to stretch their community to include global connections.

Last week I read a blog article posted at Public School Insights by Claus von Zastrow titled "Lessons of the Fall". He feels the current economic crisis is a "teachable moment" about our interdependence. I see the extensive coverage of our struggling global markets as undeniable evidence that we are part of a global society.

It is all too easy to get caught up in the problems in our individual schools or our district and forget to look past the county line, state line or national borders. That may have worked for past generations but we don't live in the same world we grew up in. We don't have the luxury of ignoring the millions of people outside our communities because what happens to them affects us and our communities.

Let's take a fresh look at the bigger picture. Let's acknowledge that we are members of a global society. Let's help our students take advantage of the expansive wealth of knowledge and resources available to this generation. Let's make sure our students are prepared to safely interact with people beyond our walls and borders. Let's develop an awareness of our interdependence and the need to consider broader consequences of our actions. Let's learn to look beyond our selves because ...

We Are Undeniably Global.