When you read that line, I'm sure many of you hear Louis Armstrong's voice singing it. The two have become synonymous. That inextricable connection is also made when we talk about technology and today's primary and secondary students. Adults immediately think that these digital natives have a larger grasp on the world because of technology. I would argue that they size of the world hasn't changed, nor their view because of their development. While there is unprecedented access to the world, students aren't seeking out that world due to their developmental stage. Until they are able to experience the bigger world, it is harder for them to fully comprehend its magnitude.
This is an area where Catholic education is far superior to others. One of the main tenants of a Catholic education is Catholic Identity. Before you think I am taking you down a conversion rabbit hole, let me explain. My family is not Catholic, but one of the things that initially drew us to the school was the humanity and kindness we witnessed while I was assisting in the 8th grade play in the Spring of 2016. I have often said, and will continue to do so, that they can call it Catholic Identity, but what it really is, is humanity. We are teaching our students to be humans. We do that through the many arms of the Catholic church. Our students, as young as preschool are involved in global projects. We have sister parishes all over the globe and different grades interact with these schools in different ways.
Our little school, near the end of the United States, removed from major metropolitan life, is connecting all over the world and helping to ensure our students know that they are members of a global community. To aid this even further, I have begun a few initiatives to take this up another level, trying to ensure that every grade (we have one class per grade) is interacting with a project globally at some point during the year. So far, this year we have done: - Kindergarten and Pre-K participated in a card exchange with a school in Nicaragua.
- 2nd grade Skyped with a researcher in Antarctica about weather balloons.
- 3rd grade Face Timed with a classmate who is traveling the US for 3 months.
- 7th grade composition project with a school in Argentina.
- 1st grade virtual field trip to Yellowstone National Park.
- 6th & 8th grades virtual field trip to Gettysburg (or Fredericksburg)
I need to find something for my 4th and 5th graders, but this is my first year, so rather than focusing on the fact that they have been omitted, I will focus on the fact that I have reached out to so many thus far. Next year I have so many more things planned too.
As the media specialist, I am also the librarian. I’m hopefully that my students will participate in Global Read Aloud. The program coordinates students all over the globe to read a book and then discuss it. What an amazing way to connect my little school on the same level with students all over the world.
I am hopeful to pair some of my more reluctant readers with similar students. Can you image being a 9 year old kid, who really doesn’t like to read and finding out that there is a kid like you in Australia? Promoting commonality amongst students is a key to creating global citizens.
As we continue to prepare students for jobs that have yet to be created, we need to show them the global community in which they live. The students from the 1960s had the space race to propel their imaginations, our 21st Century learners have space and the world.
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