Reflecting on “Global Competence”
Prior to my trip and upon completion of the Fulbright course, it’s vital to reflect on what “global competence” means to me as a educator about embark on this journey. As an educator who recently finished his 16th year of teaching, I’ve fortunately acquired some of the global competency traits described by the Asia Society and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (2018). As teachers, we want to see our students flourish beyond measure. Teaching is a challenging profession that requires educators to meet the needs of students in atypical ways; the best way for educators to meet this challenge is to engage in critical thinking to develop solutions to pressing obstacles. Teaching through COVID-19 and multiple hurricanes in Louisiana, both of which have caused mass disruption, required diverse solutions to meet my students’ needs over the last few years. Furthermore, teaching near a rapidly disappearing coastline requires innovation to combat these obstacles. This issue puts our local communities on the front line of a global crisis and demands solutions.
Teaching also requires passion for educating future generations. For a teacher to be successful, we must empathize with our students to better understand both their struggles and needs. We must also develop a sense of awareness of both ourselves and our students to craft a culture respective to their needs. Cultivating a culturally relevant classroom with global competency at its core has granted me a rationally optimistic outcome in a world suffering from the repercussions of climate change and various forms of strife. If we fully invest in our students, we will see the return of that investment in transformative ways.
Despite obtaining traits regarding global competency via teaching, it’s vital to recognize that there is always room for growth. We, as educators, should never feel these traits are adequately satiated. We must be open to grow and learn, just as we expect our students to grow and learn. We must be vulnerable and honest about where we fall short, just as we expect this from our students. The more educators invest in the growth of global competency, the better off our students will be in their educational journey. The more a teacher can engage in critical thinking, the better students will engage in a similar process. The more rationally optimistic a teacher is with their students, the more this attitude can transfer to students. The more solutions a teacher develops, the more doors open for students. In conclusion, a globally competent individual embodies these traits to better ensure students flourish in ways they were truly meant to.
Organizations in the Field
Interested in learning more? These organizations have a ton of opportunities, resources, and tools for educators to explore:
United Nations (17 Sustainable Development Goals)
Edutopia (Resources for Global Competency)
Global Education Assessment Tools
Additional Resources
Want to better familiarize yourself with global education? Check out these five recommended resources to help get you started:
Ask Where I’m a Local: When someone asks you where you’re from … do you sometimes not know how to answer? Writer Taiye Selasi speaks on behalf of “multi-local” people, who feel at home in the town where they grew up, the city they live now and maybe another place or two. “How can I come from a country?” she asks. “How can a human being come from a concept?”
Becoming a Globally Competent Teacher (Tichnor-Wagnor, Ariel, et. al., 2019): “Teachers today must prepare students for an increasingly complex, interconnected, and interdependent world. Being a globally competent teacher requires embracing a mindset that translates personal global competence into professional classroom practice. It is a vision of equitable teaching and learning that enables students to thrive in an ever-changing world…”
Eight Effective Education Diplomacy Techniques for Soft Power (The Diplomatic Insight, 2023): “In the 21st century, states have adopted new ways of diplomacy to achieve their national interests. It is believe that education is one of the effective strategy of soft power to advance country’s national interests in the international arena, as has been shown after the collapse of the bipolar international order.”
The World Is As Big Or As Small As You Make It (Loki Films 2016): “In North Philadelphia local kids gather at a rec center to participate in an innovative program where they forge friendships with their peers across the world.”
Nurturing a Global Mind (Boudreau, 2020): “What educators can do to help students become global citizens,” from Harvard Graduate School of Education.
Disclaimer: This website is not an official U.S. Department of State website. The views and information presented are the participant’s own and do not represent the Fulbright Teachers for Global Classrooms Program, the U.S. Department of State, or IREX.
Chris Dier 