ERIC Number: EJ1173581
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2018-May
Pages: 12
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1082-3301
EISSN: N/A
Becoming Globally Competent Citizens: A Learning Journey of Two Classrooms in an Interconnected World
Salmon, Angela K.; Gangotena, Maria Victoria; Melliou, Kiriaki
Early Childhood Education Journal, v46 n3 p301-312 May 2018
Globally competent people are aware of world issues, take perspective, are engaged and know how to communicate to different people. This article portraits a story of two kindergarten classrooms, one in the United States and the other in Greece, both working with culturally diverse children and, in the case of the American classroom, English Language learners. The teachers shared philosophical foundations reflected in their practice and discourse in the classroom as they took a learning journey through Harvard Project Zero's Out of Eden Learn project. Out of Eden Learn serves as a platform to engage children from both settings in exploring their own neighborhoods, investigating contemporary global issues, and reflecting on how they as individuals fit into a broader geographical and historical context. Through meaningful hands-on experiences, the children in these two classrooms gained deep understandings of themselves and their surroundings, made personal connections and developed empathy as they heard stories of children around the world. In their learning journey, the two teachers used thinking routines to help the children slow down and observe the world around them. The experience not only helped the teachers comply with curriculum standards, but also allowed them to keep alive the children's capacity to be curious and promote parental involvement. The children developed a sense of self-understanding and self-identity as a point of reference to develop perspective and understanding of other cultures.
Descriptors: Kindergarten, Foreign Countries, Teaching Methods, Student Attitudes, Empathy, Student Experience, Young Children, Experiential Learning, English Language Learners, Global Approach, Citizenship Education, Cultural Awareness, World Affairs, Cross Cultural Studies, Preschool Teachers
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Kindergarten
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: United States; Greece
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A