21 Jul All Student Pass to Global Citizenship
Being born to parents from Guatemala and Honduras, I had the great fortune of being exposed to
cultures and people that have offered a global perspective on how I could impact communities beyond
the United States. During my first teaching experience I remember telling my students that I wanted
them to become global citizens. I will never forget Andre saying to me, “How are we going to travel
from here to see the rest of the world?” It was an eye opening experience for me because I realized that
many children who live in disadvantaged communities may not fully understand that being a global
citizen is not just about traveling. Instead the focus is exploring various cultures, ethnicities, and the
dynamics of social justice that will help develop tolerance and understanding along with building
relationships with others.
Here are my five important skills, behavior, and attitudes a student needs to become a productive global
citizen:
1. Develop Tolerance and Empathy! In a world that has been ignited by recent acts of hate,
students need to develop tolerance of the differences that exist amongst various cultures,
ethnicities, race, and genders. Learning from others and empathizing with their personal
experiences allows students to gain a perspective that fosters a dialogue to deepen their
understanding.
2. Learn Another Language! There is an advantage when you learn a language to communicate with
others. It creates opportunities to develop relationships, understand cultures, gain access to
various resources, and opportunities for future employment around the world.
3. Build your Network! It’s no longer just about what you know, but who you know. As educators
we have to teach students the importance of cultivating relationships by meeting new people
and going into new spaces that will provide them access to opportunities and resources they
could never imagine.
4. Develop Compassion through Service Learning! There are so many critical issues
impacting our world, many of which can be solved by the ingenuity and generosity of humanity.
When students take an active role in leading change by creating viable solutions that will have a
positive impact on another community, it helps cultivate them into becoming productive
citizens. Whether it’s starting a fundraising campaign for families to get fresh water in their
villages, donating clothes to children in orphanages or books to kids who lack libraries in their
schools, even creating petitions to bring awareness to a problem, the opportunities are limitless.
We are all accountable for making the difference in this world, therefore, it is very important to
learn the importance of helping others in your community because it is an act of humanity that
will have a positive impact.
5. Stay in the Know! It is essential to develop an awareness of what is happening not only locally,
but around the world on a daily or weekly basis. What happens beyond their immediate
community can have positive implications that cause the development of true self-awareness
regarding their place in the global community.