A global citizen is someone who is aware of and understands the wider world – and their place in it. They are a citizen of the world. They take an active role in their community and work with others to make our planet peaceful, sustainable and fair.
The ultimate aim of education is to make every student a global citizen. The knowledge they gain through education, the skills they develop should be put to use to make the earth a better place, to be humane and empathetic to all the creations on earth, to positively impact and make a difference in the world.
Global citizenship education – A framework for learning
Whatever the curriculum followed, if a school, through its practices, helps its students understand the world around them, inspires them to be active stewards of mother earth and of the community, and instils in them the firm belief that I can and I will make my mark on the society in a positive way, that is true education.
Start early
Research says that the human brain grows the fastest from birth up to 7 years. What is taught in kindergarten and lower primary, lays the foundation for the future leaders and global citizens. Bringing an awareness about the environment, developing their socio-emotional skills are as important as enhancing their numeracy and literacy skills. A kindergarten curriculum that takes into account the best practices of early childhood education philosophies and approaches, that instils a love and respect for nature and all God’s creations builds that strong base that is much needed. The amount of learning that happens at this phase of life is phenomenal and prodigious. It is the responsibility of the educators to see that what is learnt is right, proper and the need of the hour.
Managing Director
SAMASHTI GROUP OF SCHOOLS
Sense of community
In today’s rat race, the sense of community seems to have become a casualty. It is the duty of the educational institutions to help the children understand the importance of community, of peaceful co-existence. Value education plays a vital role. Simple but effective practices like bucket filling, kindness tree, help a lot. Providing opportunities for bonding between peers, between seniors and juniors, between teacher and student, creating a sense of belonging and pride in a group/class/school, assigning collaborative projects with clear social objectives are some ways by which community feeling can be inculcated.
Exploring the connections and multiple perspectives
An interdisciplinary approach – that which helps the child perceive the connections between disciplines leads to in-depth learning and life-long retention. While exploring any issue, intellectual objectivity should go hand in hand with engaging and accepting different perspectives. Activity based learning, RAFT writing, addressing the class/school with short educational talks on current topics, debates, role play are time-tested methods to widen the view and deepen the understanding.
Making the students future ready
Upskilling on the various literacies beyond the textbooks- be it media, digital, financial, legal, entrepreneurial is the way ahead. Providing an awareness of the varied fields and professions, developing technological skills, helping them reach the benchmarks in all areas. These give the confidence to the students to take their learning to the real world, the confidence to challenge ignorance and intolerance, the confidence that they have the power to act and influence the world around them.
A learning environment which nurtures and provides the opportunities to develop the knowledge, skills and values children need to engage with the world is well on its way to building global citizenship.
