How can schools and learning environments for children and youth go global today?
In the lecture we got to hear about different ways to take globalisation and internationalization in the class room. I.g. of E-twinning (EU-based, part of Comenius) and of esp.net.eu/image.
We also learned, that Comenius can be funded easily. You, as a teacher, may apply for a project, or suggest a new one.
How can we get pupils to participate and why is it important?
We were thought to ask, ask and ask! To be open-minded, to have positive attitude, to keep the ideas small, so there can be more room for a project to expand and leave room for new questions. I found this simple advice very good. Many times, i.g. in school practise we teacher students are put in such understanding that we should create something really awesome and new and iteresting for our teaching. In many cases simple works the best! Keep it simple, the project can be any, as the examples where teddybears got each nation's dress, or metro-news paper was looked through from different cities.
There has to be this question, "why"? What is our goal, why I want my students to be global and international? Is it to learn of different cultures, or maybe to learn of our own culture, and tell of it to the others? Children are curious!
I found it interesting our teacher let us understand that having penpalls was little old-fashioned. We didn't get answer why it would be better to use internet-based portals?
We had penpalls from Greece, and went to Greece for one week when we were on 6th grade (12-year-olds) in primary school. We told them of our culture, and they answered us with their culture information and their own hobbies and interests. I admit it was a low-paced ex-changing of letters, but I myself like also the idea of getting and sending real letters.
I think as educators, we should also tell the pupils how our own environment are filled with global stuff. Clothes, food, furniture, vehicles and so many other things in the close environment are made all over the world. The children should be told how different it would be in our home countries if there wasn't trading between different countries!
