Going Global: Preparing U.S. Students for an Interconnected World Nebraska Summit on International Education May 6, 2008 Heather Singmaster Senior Program Associate, Education Asia Society hsingmaster@asiasociety.org

Definition: What is International Education? Knowledge of other world regions, cultures, and global/international issues Skills in communicating in languages other than English, working in global or cross-cultural environments, and using information from different sources around the world Values of respect and concern for other cultures and peoples International education is not seen as an additional, separate subject but rather as integrated into all the major curriculum areas

Innovations in Schools Walter Payton College Prep High School Diverse school in Chicago Every student takes 4 years of language (Chinese, Japanese, Latin, French and Spanish) Partnerships with schools in China, France, North Africa, Japan, Switzerland, Chile, Italy and South Africa. (Videoconferences, homestays, sister schools)

Innovations in Schools John Stanford International School Public K-5 bilingual immersion school in Seattle Students spend half day studying math, science, culture and literacy in either Japanese or Spanish; the other half of the day is spent learning reading, writing and social studies in English Partnerships with local offices of multinational businesses Offers ESL courses for children and after-school courses for their parents Seattle now plans 10 internationally focused schools

Innovations in Schools Evanston Township High School Diverse student body in suburb of Chicago One-year international studies requirement for graduation Area studies courses on the history, literature and art of Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Middle East and global issues courses Ongoing professional development through partnerships with local university area studies centers

Innovations in Schools International School of the Americas Urban, public, magnet in San Antonio, TX Emphasis on experiential learning: Model UN. Study trips to Zacatecas, Mexico and the Heifer Ranch Science Partnerships with Japan Partnerships with local teacher colleges and museums Every student has internship with international focus

Asia Society’s International Studies Schools Network (ISSN) 11 ISSN schools: Charlotte, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Mathis (TX), and New York 2 Anchor schools (red stars): Bloomfield (CT) and San Antonio

What are the Elements of these Globally-Oriented School? Global vision Modernize curriculum by integrating international content across all subject areas Emphasize language proficiency Use technology International experiences – travel, local internships

Integrate international content in all curriculum areas Science & Math: Apply scientific study to real world problems English Language Arts: Add international texts Social Studies: Connect the local to the global and the past to the present. Make it come alive through simulation exercises.

Integrate international content in all curriculum areas (cont.) Visual & Performing Arts: Examine similarities and differences in cultures Physical Education: Integrate international dances, sports and eastern martial arts and include study of the associated culture Interdisciplinary and capstone projects: In-depth study of a world region or issue

Emphasize Effective Language Learning Make time – Start in elementary school and have instruction daily Ensure that students are engaged – focus on communication Create opportunities for cultural interaction – in the community, online or through study abroad Develop content-based learning – deliver lessons in other subjects in a second language Example: Glastonbury, CT, instituted a K-8 language requirement – 93% of students study at least one language; high school continues sequence

Use technology to access broader knowledge and connect schools to schools around the world Tap global information sources – universities, news organizations, companies and think tank websites Online courses can offer students international content they don’t usually have access to Create classroom-to-classroom collaborations through iEARN or videoconferencing Publish student projects on the web

Partner Schools “Every school in the U.S. should have a link with a school in another country.” -Connecticut has linked more than 85 schools with schools in Shandong province, with teacher and student exchanges.

Critical Gap Most teachers are not prepared to teach about global issues Of the top 50 colleges and universities that train teachers, only a small number require any coursework on Asian history or international subjects like economics for those preparing to teach social studies/history.

Provide Teacher Opportunities Universities offer professional development in world regions and global issues Travel programs can broaden and enrich teachers’ worldview and perspectives School visits allow teachers to see how other schools are internationalizing Professional conferences such as ISSA

Partner with local businesses, museums, communities with international links Universities and colleges offer international specialists, and courses for teachers Businesses offer student internships, donations, executive for a day Cultural groups from local heritage organizations to museums to World Affairs Councils to embassies, offer activities, and materials

What can Nebraska do? Use MOUs with China and Spain to establish more sister school partnerships. Include business, policy, education – including higher education teacher training programs – and cultural institutions on your steering committee. Workshops on how to infuse international education into the curriculum – using existing lesson plans or guidebook

Resources Upcoming Asia Society Event: Putting the World into World-Class Education: Forum for International Education Policy and Practice July 10 -12, 2008 Washington, DC www.AsiaSociety.org/Education

Resources for Policymakers: InternationalEd.org

Resources for Schools: AskAsia.org Featuring: Multidisciplinary Classroom Resources: Lesson Plans Maps Readings Art Images Interactive features for students and kids

Resources See AskAsia.org/Chinese