Why Global Ed Matters In a Connected World

We live in a globally connected world, to embrace that in our learning experience is imperative. Because of the Internet our walls of the classroom no longer exist. I am thankful for the global mindedness of our school. This year our school started an international student program that allows students from other countries to come to our school and live with people/families associated with our school already. This gives our students an opportunity to see and hear views outside of what they commonly hear. It broadens the mindset and the awareness of students beyond their own culture leads to understanding and acceptance of others. I am thankful for this new mission at Chattanooga Christian School. Under the direction of Lorraine Hoffman, the international students recently hosted an International Day Festival where decorations, student presentations, and food dishes were all part of the sharing. 

In two weeks our high school students have the opportunity to choose from various options of learning during interim week. These options include everything from drivers education, cooking, knitting to a week of international travel to places like Costa Rica, Japan, Spain, Chile, or Italy. To allow students to experience the culture of others is learning in itself. 

I am thankful to work at a school that values broadening the minds and cultural experiences as part of the educational process. This global mindset helps students put their own world in perspective to the rights and responsibilities of others. As a mother that has watched her own children experience global travel, I see great value in "out of comfort zone experiences." We live in a world full of prejudice, fear, and entitlement. This is exacerbated by the right, wrong and indifferent views bombarding us in a constantly connected society. To be part of a school that both values and allows students to have multicultural experiences is a beautiful thing to see. 

Schools going beyond the teaching of foreign language and the studying of how different country's decisions caused the series of events that have shaped our world's history is important in this 21st century. Our students can talk to people across the world via social media but the cultural nuances may not easily be picked up on. It is more important than ever before for an understanding of the big world we live in. 

Being a Connected Educator at ISTE- What a Difference a Year Can Make!

Last year I came to ISTE and had no personally face to face connections. I didn't really use Twitter chats much, I didn't blog on a regular basis, I wasn't seeking my professional learning network for help often. I sat alone in a big room at the keynote and gleaned loads of really awesome information but I was a silo'd educator lonely in a crowd. I would see faces and names I knew from Twitter but I didn't "know" anyone.

What a difference a year makes! This year, due to regularly participating in Twitter chats like #ChattTechChat, #TnTechChat, #BYOTChat, #GwinChat, #SatChat, etc I have Twitter "friends" that I truly want to connect with face to face while at ISTE this year. By being a constant blogger in the EdTech community, there are people that want to connect with me as well. By being part of the planning committee for #EdCampGigCity in Chattanooga, Tennessee I have another source of connection to many attending ISTE as well.

Last year, I roamed from room to room gathering information and learning but this year I gather and learn with friends! This year, I'm able to backchannel things I've heard around a table at supper with likeminded individuals. This year, I am able to discern which sessions might be most beneficial to me based on the fact that I follow these individuals on Twitter and know what their passions and points of interest are as well. This year, being a more connected educator has made my ISTE experience more interactive and rewarding.

So when I tell you why you should join social media educational communities such as Twitter (or Voxer, or Facebook, or Pinterest, or a myriad of other options that might spark your interest more than one mentioned here) don't "p-shaw" me and cluck at me like I don't understand true learning and pedagogy, just stand back and watch and be awed like I am today. Striving not to be a silo'd teacher has magnified my ability to reach out to others at ISTE to get answers to take back to my school.

Being an ISTE newbie last year was a little overwhelming, http://techhelpful.blogspot.com/2014/07/what-i-learned-at-iste2014-i-am-little.html, yet extremely rewarding. I have no doubt what I will take away from ISTE this year will be even greater do to my desire to connect to more educators in this last year. As educators, we know that connections to our students matter, it shouldn't come as a surprise to us that the same rules apply to ourselves. I challenge you to go out there, meet people, ask questions, curate information, follow and lead so you can go back home ready to set your educational community on fire with enthusiasm and innovation!