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Beyond Borders: International Education and Global Citizenship
Comments Off on Beyond Borders: International Education and Global Citizenship“I think it [the global ethic] is about global citizenship. It’s about recognizing our responsibilities to others.” – Gordon Brown, UK Prime Minister, July 2009[1]
What do meatballs, bicycles, and debates have to do with global citizenship? Plenty. At least that’s what I learned while studying in Sweden for a year. In the late summer of 2006, I started a Master’s program in Society Science and Technology at Lund University in Lund, Sweden. I’m often asked why I chose Sweden, and there are two simple answers: experience and cost. Wanting to differentiate myself from fellow Bachelor’s grads, I pursued graduate studies to gain international experience and improve employment prospects. As a cost-conscious student, I also wanted to get my Master’s without spending a fortune. Conveniently enough, Swedish universities are tuition-free for domestic and international students (though fees may be implemented for select foreign students starting 2011).[2] Despite several family trips to Sweden prior to my studies, nothing could have prepared me for the year-long lesson in global citizenship.
Learning in an international context had a profound impact on my understanding and analysis of issues, my attitudes towards others and their personal values, my skills development, and my sense of belonging.
My studies were merely the tip of the iceberg, as much of my learning happened outside the classroom. From understanding foreign customs to comparing Canadian and Swedish social policies, I was engaged in learning all the time. An international education, I will argue, is an invaluable experience that fosters intercultural competence and leads to greater societal involvement.
Journal Entry, Lund, Sweden, 12 August 2006: “… my Swedish is progressing nicely, and I think I am becoming keen on learning languages. I also miss home, and am eager to make friends and socialize.”
New Ways of Looking at Things
Darla Deardorff defines intercultural competence as the “knowledge of others; knowledge of self; skills to interpret and relate; skills to discover and/or to interact; valuing others’ values, beliefs, and behaviours; and relativizing [sic] oneself.”[3]
My intercultural competence developed almost unbeknownst to me during my stay. Periodically, I would think of life in Canada and question: why did we have so few bike lanes? Why did I have to pay for my university education? Why didn’t we have more female Members of Parliament? It was in those instances when I really began to see Canada in light of other countries, and myself in light of other citizens of the world. Learning in an international context had a profound impact on my understanding and analysis of issues, my attitudes towards others and their personal values, my skills development, and my sense of belonging.
Learn by Studying
As a junction for thought and discussion, the classroom was a hotbed of cross-cultural debate. When asked to offer critical insight and personal perspectives, fellow classmates often began with, “Well, in my country…” followed by an overview of the country’s position on an issue and a personal comment. Like a microcosm of real-life cross-country discussions, classmates would vehemently uphold their position, believing that their way was the right way. Unlike classes in my undergraduate career, the in-my-country statements were difficult to refute as they were often rooted in historical events or framed in a cultural context. Suffice to say, differences in opinion were common. Disputes, however, forced all of us to re-examine the strength of our own arguments in light of opposing, and often new, perspectives.
Self-examination of my beliefs and opinions extended beyond classroom conversations. While discussing a country-based case study with classmates over a meatball lunch, I argued that the strongest competitive advantage of the country in question was its natural resources. As a Canadian, I took for granted the abundance of our own natural resources, and assumed the same strategies and ideas could be applied in most, if not all, contexts. I was quickly forced to re-think my position when a classmate from a small land-locked country quipped, “The party won’t last forever.” He insisted that natural resources are finite, and the greatest asset to any country is its people. Indeed, placing myself in other people’s shoes and incorporating a people-first approach have since become personal cornerstones in addressing any issue.
Learn by Working
Like many students, I wanted to work part-time, but unlike many students in Sweden, I was fortunate enough to land a part-time job. In Canada, it was easy for me to take for granted my knowledge of the country’s official language and the abundance of part-time work available in big cities. But job hunting in Sweden was a humbling experience, and I gained the greatest empathy for newly landed immigrants in Canada who face barriers to securing employment.
I managed to land a student mediation job with the University and was paired up with a Swedish student. Our job was to minimize conflicts between international students and the housing authorities, and there was plenty of diplomacy involved. A haughty leadership style – so common in North America – had no place in an international social milieu. Notions of authority gave way to consensus-building, self-interest to cooperation, and confrontation to negotiation. It was in this role that I witnessed the simple commonality of people’s desires: respect, fairness, and equality.
The job also involved a lot of biking to and from different student residences all over town. Inevitably, my Swedish co-worker and I had time to discuss culture, politics, and life. One day I read an article criticizing the absence of tuition fees for international students and thought about the argument. After trying to place myself in the shoes of the author, I too felt that if Canada offered free tuition to foreign students, Canadian taxpayers might question the value. I then asked my co-worker what he thought about the issue. He didn’t gripe about wasted taxes but instead argued that this was a good way to gain knowledge and expertise from other countries and create an appreciation of Swedish culture. Yet again, I was challenged to look at things from a different perspective – it wasn’t so much about what the international students were taking, but what they were giving.
Learn by Volunteering
The most valuable lessons came from my volunteer work at Amnesty International in Lund. Impassioned about the promotion of human rights, I joined Amnesty because I wanted to meet others who shared the same interest. While toying with potential fundraising ideas and awareness campaigns, I suggested we organize a debate competition. As an avid debater in Canada, I naïvely thought debating clubs were common in every country, and that there would be no shortage of argument-hungry students. This, however, was not the case. In fact, the debate competition was the first of its kind, and it was an arduous struggle to sell the idea of direct verbal confrontation in a country that has been at peace for almost 200 years. Cooperation, communication, and support became pillars in the small international organizing committee. Without a doubt, the value of our six-month-long effort became obvious on the day of the event.
I, along with many of the participants, spectators, and volunteers, felt that the competition brought the issue of migration in Europe to a public level. High school and university students from over two dozen countries engaged in intelligent discussion about a topic that is often at odds with national identity. From a New Zealander studying environmental sustainability to a Venezuelan studying physics, participants created an unconventional dialogue that informed and challenged existing ideals. It was a discussion that people wanted to have but had little opportunity for. The end of the event marked only the beginning of the debate, which continued outside of the auditorium when students returned to their residences, spectators to their families, and volunteers to their communities.
Framing issues in a global lens forces people to look beyond a national scope and discuss them as global citizens who understand their responsibility to other people.
Journal Entry, Lund, Sweden, 18 March 2007: “… we [a friend and I] spoke about the event [the debate competition], and he said it was going to be a highlight for him, and that he too attributes good group dynamics to the lack of strong personalities.”
The Ambassadorial-Effect
Upon my return to Canada, friends, family, and colleagues would ask, “So, how was it?” Summing up a year’s worth of experience is hard to do in a few words, so I would simply say, “It was different.” It was different from the “one-city-per-day” Euro-trip that so many of my friends rave about, and different from the month-long language course I took abroad one summer. I felt as though I had become an unofficial ambassador for the country I lived in and the people I met. The ambassadorial-effect, as I would call it, leads one to respect and appreciate other cultures after having experienced them.
Living in a country, as I discovered, is far different from visiting a country. A complete immersion means learning how to live in a different society. This creates empathy for people that few other experiences can match. Over time I, like many other international students, began to reflect this understanding in my thoughts and actions while abroad and at home.
Recent research from Canada World Youth (CWY), an international youth exchange organization, suggests that my experience is not uncommon. A 2006 CWY impact assessment study found that past participants felt the program’s greatest influence was on their values and attitudes, knowledge/learning, and skills.[4] Respondents cited tolerance and open-mindedness as the personal values that changed the most, while communication and organizational skills also made notable improvements. Moreover, CWY hosts reported that the program’s impact on community went beyond its three-month duration. Evidently, the ambassadorial-effect works both ways and can result in a cultural legacy that most Canadians would likely see as a positive influence.[5]
Journal Entry, Hong Kong (a small vacation before returning home), 10 October 2007: “…lesson learned, take opportunities to get experiences, instead of holding out.”
A Strengthened Citizenry
To varying degrees, an international experience can contribute to the development of all three kinds of citizens that Joel Westheimer discusses: the personally responsible citizen, the participatory citizen, and the social-justice oriented citizen. [6] In my case I worked, paid taxes, and respected local laws and cultural traditions, like a personally responsible citizen; I participated in community initiatives, like a participatory citizen; and I created a socio-political dialogue on migration, like a social-justice oriented citizen. This, however, is not to say that we can only experience this kind of civic engagement while studying abroad. Living in an international context simply broadens the experience and can inspire us to do more when we return to our own country.
The more young minds are able to experience foreign places, people, and cultures, the more globally informed their future decisions will be.
A foreign experience can have a transformational impact on individuals, their future choices, and the societies in which they live. In my case, I gained a greater understanding of multiculturalism, learned about the values of multilingualism, and realized the importance of global citizenship. Deepened knowledge of these areas has informed my everyday actions, from choosing what to eat to deciding which petitions I will sign. Perhaps most important, my decisions as a voter are now based on policies and character, rather than politics and charisma. I am now able to make informed decisions based on what I feel is in the best interest of all Canadians, and not just my own.
Journal Entry, Toronto, Canada (home), 15 December 2007: “It’s still really strange for me to hear so many English conversations at once, and to see so many Canadians all in one place.
Conclusion
After studying and living abroad I firmly believe that Canada needs to focus on and promote international exchange opportunities. The more young minds are able to experience foreign places, people, and cultures, the more globally informed their future decisions will be. Admittedly, many parts of Canada – such as Toronto and Montreal – can toot the horns of multiculturalism, but this alone does not lead to a true understanding of global citizenship. Foreign experience is like learning about a historical event – it only becomes real when you visit the place and listen to the people. In Grade 8, the Battle on the Plains of Abraham was just another date to remember until I stood on the Plains during a class trip. A sense of place, an understanding of culture, and an appreciation for people became more real than ever. Instilling a meaningful historical or globalized viewpoint can only happen when we feel connected to other people and other places.
The quote at the start of this paper highlights our responsibility to others as part of global citizenship. I didn’t know it when I first arrived in Lund, but my Swedish teacher gave me a similar lesson on responsibility to others. Baffled at the advanced English skills of almost every Swede I encountered, despite the fact that it is not an official language, I asked why this was. She replied, “We are a country of only 9 million people – we must make the effort to learn the language of others if we are to be part of the dialogue.” Similarly, Canada is a country of only 33 million people, and we must take the initiative to think beyond borders and engage with the world around us if we are to play a meaningful role in the international community.
EN BREF – L’expérience de vivre à l’étranger peut avoir un impact immense sur les individus, au point de les transformer eux et les sociétés où ils vivent. Lors d’un échange étudiant avec la Suède, j’ai pu mieux comprendre le multiculturalisme; j’ai appris les valeurs du multilinguisme et pris conscience de l’importance d’être citoyen du monde. Vivre dans un pays est très différent de simplement le visiter. L’immersion totale signifie apprendre comment vivre dans une autre société et engendre l’empathie comme peu d’autres expériences le permettent. Au fil du temps, j’ai commencé à refléter cette prise de conscience dans mes réflexions et mes actions à l’étranger comme chez moi. D’après une étude d’évaluation d’impact de 2006 de Jeunesse Canada Monde, ce que j’ai vécu n’est pas unique. Les anciens participants considèrent que le programme a surtout influencé leurs valeurs, attitudes, savoirs, apprentissages et compétences. Plus les jeunes pourront faire l’expérience de la vie dans d’autres pays, parmi d’autres peuples et d’autres cultures, plus leurs décisions futures seront éclairées par une perspective mondiale.
[1] G. Brown, “Gordon Brown on global ethic vs. national interest,” TEDGlobal 2009, July 2009, (www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/gordon_brown_on_global_ethic_vs_national_interest.html).
[2] Studyinsweden.se, Possible tuition fees for non-EU students from 2011, September 2009 (www.studyinsweden.se/Home/News-archive/Possible-tuition-fees-for-non-EUEES-students-from-2011/).
[3] J.C. Jurgins and C. Robbins-O’Connell, “A Comparative Study of Intercultural and Global Competency Opportunities on American and Irish University Campuses,” International Education 38, no. 1 (Fall, 2006): 66-101.
[4] Canada World Youth, Canada World Youth Impact Assessment: Synthesis Report, December 2006 (www.canadaworldyouth.org/en/content/doc/SynthesisReport_EN.pdf)
[5] Environics Institute, The Canada’s World Poll, January 2008 (www.environicsinstitute.org/PDF-CanadasWorld.pdf)
[6] J. Westheimer, “What Kind of Citizen? Democratic Dialogues in Education,” Education Canada 48, no. 3 (Summer, 2008): 6-10.
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High School Graduation: An Alternative
Comments Off on High School Graduation: An AlternativeSteven Covey urges us to “begin with the end in mind.” Covey asserts that we build everything twice. First we build a mental image of the future, and then we build that future for real. As we educate our children then, what end should we have in mind? Is it the image of the typical high school grad with greetings from school board members and politicians and award presentations? Is it scholarship presentations where the assembled crowd gasps in awe when they hear the winning student’s average? Is it a ceremony where most of the students wait for hours before crossing the stage to collect their diploma without a word being said about them? Or is it something more reflective of the educational purposes we espouse?
There isn’t a school or district that doesn’t publicly state its belief that all children can learn, that doesn’t claim to have high expectations for all learners. If this is the end we have in mind, then we are striving for a life of rich possibility for all; we want every grad to have the capacity to contribute to the common good. So, how might our graduation ceremonies reflect these goals?
This was a question I struggled with as a principal and as a superintendent. I knew that we should shift the emphasis away from speeches and awards and do more to honour the achievement of each and every graduating student. The traditional high school graduation is one of those aspects of schooling that is so fixed in our minds that we can’t really conceive of a different way of doing it.
As I write this, President Obama is challenging American schools to raise their graduation rates, and in his speech to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, he cited the example of the MET school (Metropolitan Regional Career and Technical Center) in Providence, Rhode Island. He praised the MET’s “individual attention” and “real world, hands on” curriculum. He might also have drawn attention to how they approach the ritual of graduation.
At the MET every student has his or her own graduation ceremony. As Eliot Levine details in his account of the MET, One Kid at A Time, “These events have four parts: the senior project overview, the valedictory address, the advisor address and the diploma signing . . . . Standing at a podium before 20 or 30 students, staff, parents, and invited guests, each graduate reflects publicly on her growth, her plans and the people who have nurtured her development. Following the valedictory address the advisor offers an extended reflection on the student’s years at the MET.”
In Seven Oaks School Division, we had been borrowing ideas from MET School founders, Dennis Littky and Elliot Washor, for a few years. All of our 3,000 plus high school students have a teacher advisor who spends an hour a week with them throughout their four years in high school, knows them as individuals, knows their families, and acts as an academic and life coach. At Maples Collegiate, with more than 1,300 students in Grades 9-12, teacher advisors meet students while they are still in middle school. They help them complete their first high school course registration and they hand them their diplomas when they cross the stage at graduation, usually with a hearty handshake and a hug. So to make our graduation ceremonies more reflective of our aspirations for all of our students, we just went one step further. We asked our three high schools to read a citation for each and every student. In order to keep the length of the grad ceremony reasonable, this meant almost no awards and almost no speeches.
But it also meant that all students were acknowledged in a meaningful way, in a way that celebrated their unique experiences and contributions through their years of public school. It also meant that our grad ceremonies were turned upside down. In years gone by, the ceremonies routinely ran almost three hours with two or more of those hours taken up by speeches and awards and the final 45 minutes or so being a procession of grads receiving diplomas. The ceremonies aren’t any longer now, but a full two hours of the ceremony is devoted to reading a citation for each graduating student.
Some of the citations are similar to the award citations of past graduations, but now Teacher Advisors write about students they know really well. For example:
A student who strives for academic excellence, Keeley has demonstrated outstanding leadership and citizenship in school and community events. She has been a peer tutor, an instructor with the Lighthouse Program at Victory School, and dance assistant teacher. Co-founding an endowment fund to support school projects in Seven Oaks School Division, Keeley has also been actively involved with the Reach for the Top Team, graduation committee and Performing Arts Program. She has especially appreciated all of her experiences with the drama productions and is looking forward to more travel experiences. Keeley has received an entrance scholarship to the University of Manitoba where she will study this fall.
Jarred would like to thank his family and friends for their support throughout his high school career, without them he wouldn’t be here today. The highlight of his high school career would be winning two provincial basketball championships. In the future he would like to be a professional basketball player or enter the fields of law or criminology. Jarred will be attending the University of Calgary next year. Jarred is the recipient of: the High Performance Achievement Award, the Garden City Collegiate Parent Council Award, the Seven Oaks School Division Special Award, Male Athlete of the Year, and the University of Calgary Athletic Scholarship.
While those citations may echo the award citations of the past, they and many other citations also thanked family members and teachers for their support.
Excited to be graduating, Melanie will always remember Mr. Hanson’s accounting class. She is considering further education at Red River College and working in a bank or credit union. She is appreciative of everything Mrs. Haworth and Ms Ward have done for her, and she is also looking forward to raising and enjoying her son, Trent.
Trevor would like to thank his mom for encouraging and supporting him throughout his high school years. We wish him luck in his future endeavours. Way to go Trevor, you did it!
In four years at Maples I learned a lot – even if it didn’t have anything to do with school. In the last two years, if it wasn’t for Mrs. Tabor, Mr. Campbell, and Mr. Huminski, I don’t think I’d be here.
I would like to thank all of the teachers that helped me, and also my family for always supporting me. Finally, I accomplished my goal.
Citations commonly spoke of grads future plans.
With strengths and interests in English and information technology classes, Thomas has appreciated Mr. Burr’s expertise and sense of humour. This summer he will work full-time in a sales and customer service job and hopes to pursue an apprenticeship in refrigeration. In the future, Thomas will also consider university education with the idea of becoming a police officer.
Bryan is a French Immersion student. Bryan plans to become a paramedic in the near future and will be attending the highly recognized paramedic program at the Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology. The highlight of Bryan’s year was attending Red River College, working to obtain his Emergency Medical Responder certificate while at the same time completing his Grade 12 diploma.
Other citations appreciated students’ unique personalities and perspectives, their own take on the world.
This quotation holds significant meaning to Kevin: The reasonable man adapts himself to the world. The unreasonable man persists, trying to adapt the world to him. Therefore, all progress depends on the unreasonable man. Kevin has appreciated his friendships and plans to learn and experience more of life while attending the University of Manitoba.
Mikey is going to be a starving artist. He likes to write and make films. He’s already got the character for it; a constant 5 o’clock shadow, secretive personality, and his thinking is beyond the rest of us. Spielberg move over.
Kayla is a French Immersion student. Kayla wants to thank Steph Chan for running down the up escalators with her, Mr. Meirs for letting her use his fountain pen, and Ms. Preteau for her insight on naturally modified foods. Look dad… one foot!!! Kayla is the recipient of The University of Winnipeg Entrance Scholarship.
Length of time it takes to get through Kindergarten to Grade 12 in dog years? 84 years…Thank God I am not a dog. Graduating with honours. Entrance Scholarship to University of Manitoba, Seven Oaks Education Foundation Plaque for Academic Achievement and Citizenship, Seven Oaks Optimists Club Scholarship, Manitoba Youth Leadership Scholarship.
“I’m sick of following my dreams. I’m just going to ask them where they’re going and hook up with them later.” Graduating with honours.
We both hate and love change at the same time, but what we really want is for things to stay the same, but get better. Courtney has been accepted into the University of Brandon and plans to pursue a career in music. Graduating with honours. Special Performance Scholarship Brandon University, Mae Mendoza Memorial Scholarship.
Many reflected on the highlight of their high school years. As you might expect, friends, athletic achievement, and arts involvement were frequently mentioned. Striking, however, was the highlighting of “real world” experiences.
Hilary has had volunteer opportunities with Darcy’s Arc, the Manitoba Brain Injury Association, and Kildonan Park’s public works week. With interests in singing as well as writing songs and poetry, Hilary is grateful to teachers for their influence and her positive learning experiences.
An experienced traveller, Dorota is eager to plan a back-packing adventure through Europe, revisiting Greece and Italy. She has volunteer experience at Seven Oaks Hospital and the Earth Movie Premier at the MTS Centre. She has especially enjoyed her experience with the graduation fashion show. An honour roll student, Dorota has received an entrance scholarship and plans to study politics and law at the University of Winnipeg.
Sindhu has enjoyed being involved in the graduation committee and volunteering at the Health Sciences Centre. She also appreciated being part of an internship project at the University of Manitoba and plans to work towards a Bachelor of Science Degree at the University of Manitoba. An honour roll student during her high school years, Sindhu is considering a career in medicine.
Each of our three high schools organizes its graduation ceremony and writes its grad citations its own way. At one, the students write them, and the teacher advisor simply edits. At another, the teacher advisor writes the citation based on knowledge of the student developed through a four-year advising relationship. And sometimes the citation is co-written. None of this would work without our teacher advisor program, which ensures that every one of our students is known personally by a caring adult and that this is not left to chance. It is intentional. In the words of Maples Collegiate Principal Kirk Baldwin:
“All students deserve at least one adult who is hopelessly caring about them and their success.”
To return to Covey’s point about beginning with the end in mind, these grad citations are a worthy end to keep in mind. After four years of high school and 13 years of public school, our students deserve this acknowledgement. We should be able to celebrate their achievements, speak with optimism of their future, appreciate them as unique individuals, and allow them to thank their families and their teachers. We should be able to say that all of our graduating students are learners and that they have all achieved something of worth and meaning. Isn’t that what we set out to do?
EN BREF – Dans la Division scolaire Seven Oaks du Manitoba, tous les 3 000 élèves du secondaire ont un enseignant tuteur qui passe une heure par semaine avec eux pendant leurs quatre années d’études secondaires : il les connaît individuellement, connaît leur famille et joue un rôle de guide pour l’école et la vie. Ces tuteurs aident les élèves à faire leur première inscription aux cours en première année du secondaire et ils leur remettent leur diplôme lors de la remise des diplômes, généralement avec une solide poignée de main et une étreinte bien sentie. Afin que cette cérémonie témoigne mieux des aspirations de la division pour tous ses élèves, elle a été revue pour se concentrer sur les élèves individuellement, y compris une mention portant sur chacun et chacune. Pour ne pas prolonger la cérémonie, il y a peu de récompenses et de discours. Les élèves sont salués d’une façon qui reconnaît leurs expériences uniques et leurs contributions au cours de leurs années d’école publique.
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