Transcriber: Jesse Thompson Reviewer: Sebastian Sanchez
All of you in the audience, particularly those who are parents or teachers,
would probably agree that kids say the darnedest things.
From my perspective as a high school teacher,
I would say that this extends to high school kids, as well.
Believe me, they’ve been known to say a “darnedest thing” or two.
For example, I once overheard a student complain about work.
“I hate that my boss is making me close on a Friday night.
I’m so tired, sore and smelly when I get home.”
You mean like this?
Yet another students expressed their extreme displeasure about life at home,
“I cannot stand sharing a room with my little brother.
He’s loud, nosy, rude, and a pest with a capital P.
Is it too much to ask for a little privacy?”
You mean like this?
Now, I’m sure you’re wondering what in the world do these conversations
and images have to do with the theme of my talk.
Well, in short, everything.
The previous slides were meant to evoke empathy.
The keys to the car, if you will,
for my journey from classroom teacher to global educator.
It is often said that the shortest distance between two points is
a straight line.
However, for me, the journey from classroom teacher to global educator
was anything but a straight line.
There were many twists and turns, bumps and potholes, detours and traffic jams,
but I was guided through the journey by mile markers.
Transitions that would ultimately develop
my interest in and realize the value of global education.
I would like to start with Mile Marker 1:
in my transition from teaching physics to teaching students.
As a physics teacher, I’m always looking
for novel approaches and creative strategies
to help bring physics to life in the classroom.
The approaches and strategies that are most effective
include hands-on activities, project-based learning
and inquiry-driven investigations.
To me, they underscore the primary objective of each lesson,
which is to ensure that students not just learn the content,
but understand it.
This can be illustrated by the following analogy:
A child who learns something can tell it to Grandma,
a child who understands something can explain it to Grandma;
from a teachers viewpoint,
a student who learns will forget five minutes after a test,
a student who understands will remember five years after graduation.
When students truly understand a concept or topic,
they then can extend and build upon their knowledge
to ask higher level probing questions,
critically analyze a situation or scenario,
and apply problem solving skills to address an issue.
and propose solutions.
This leads me to Mile Marker 2:
and my transition from preparing students for physics
to preparing physics students for Life.
One of the things I absolutely love about teaching physics
is that I never have to think long and hard about presenting examples
of physics concepts relevant to my students’ lives.
Oftentimes, these examples come about from my travel experiences.
I see travel as opportunities not only to enhance and expand
physics concepts taught in class,
but also to introduce cross-curricular topics
from geography, history, culture and languages.
Whether it was traveling to Vietnam as a Fulbright Educator,
Antarctica as a polarTREC teacher,
or South Africa as a student in the School of Rock,
each experience provided me with
opportunities and platforms to reach diverse audiences
ranging from teachers and students to children and the general public.
All of these travel opportunities served as the basis for Mile Marker 3:
and my transition from “making a grade” to “making a difference.”
The final Mile Marker addresses the transition
from students concerned about “making a grade” with an assignment,
to a teacher concerned that students “make a difference” with an assignment.
One tool that teachers can use in this regard
is to incorporate the Sustainable Development Goals
into classroom instruction.
The Sustainable Develpment Goals
are 17 Goals developed by the United Nations
that addresses issues related to the fair, just and equitable distribution
of economic resources and social reforms for all global citizens,
as well as to recognize and take action on impending threats to the planet,
like climate change and medical epidemics like COVID-19.
The Sustainable Development Goals allow teachers, regardless of
background, experience, teaching subject or grade level,
to link curricula to issues of global importance,
thereby facilitating the objective of Mile Marker 3, “Making a difference.”
There is, however, one challenge,
exclusively linked to the success of Mile Marker 3,
that involves a topic very difficult to teach:
empathy.
Empathy is about asking students to stop thinking about
running around in their shoes,
and consider walking a mile in someone else’s.
Empathy is caring less about what others think of you and what you have
and caring more about what you think of others and what they don’t have.
Students who demonstrate empathy will have a vested interest
in an assignment whose outcome will serve to make a difference
in the lives of others in the global community.
If empathy is lacking,
then the assignment is just that: an assignment for a grade.
In 2018, I traveled to Kowloon, Vietnam, for three weeks as a Fulbright educator,
where I modeled physics instruction and I assisted science teachers
in content delivery and strategies.
Of the many differences that I noted among the students in Vietnam
in comparison with the students in Texas,
they all shared the same three similarities:
a curiosity about the world around them,
career goals and life dreams.
I believe it’s incumbent upon all teachers to consider global education as a means
for making these similarities a reality for all students.
Just imagine.
Just imagine a world where students,
in addition to their academic classes,
are taught to collaborate instead of isolate.
Search for solutions instead of rely on excuses,
shake hands instead of pound fists,
open hearts instead of close minds,
explore the one way it might work instead of resign
to the many ways it won’t work.
This list addresses key attributes and skills
that arise from and are critical to the success of global education,
but I can hear it now:
just a small sample from a large list
of excuses and complaints from teachers regarding global education.
I hear the concerns and can totally relate.
Implementing global education into the classroom
can be challenging, time consuming and at times hard.
But I suspect that there are some intrigued
with the prospects of global education,
and are wondering: Can I?
Can I?
Can I encourage and empower my students to engage in global education?
Can I?
Well, can you? Of course you can.
There is nothing you cannot do if you put your mind to it,
your heart in it, and your drive behind it.
You see, the question is not ‘Can you?’, but rather ‘Will you?’
Will you?
Will you encourage and empower your students
to engage in global education?
Will you?
Well, will you?
As I reflect on the impact global education has had on me,
I am reminded by this quote from Aristotle
that inspired me to become a global educator:
“Educating the mind without educating the heart
is no education at all.”
I am hopeful that students will continue to channel their knowledge
and foster their intellectual spirit toward greater change
and that teachers will be there to lead the way
Thank you for your time and attention as you joined me on my journey
from classroom teacher to global educator.
(Applause)