We believe that as educators, it is our responsibility for students to acquire a global mindset if they are to become pro-active world citizens of tomorrow.
At Mont21 school, Global Awareness is part of our mission statement of being a forward thinking learning community for the 21st Century.
Fundamentally it involves students learning and interacting with different nations and cultures and obtaining a deeper understanding of different religions, politics, economics, justice and the natural environment and how these all interconnect to see how it is possible to achieve a more peaceful and harmonious world.
Whilst this is ordinarily covered in mainstream education through literature, acquiring another language and through history, geography and religious studies, this only goes a little way in achieving a complete understanding and appreciation of the many challanges that we face in today's world. It also does not foster those skills that students need to acquire to solve global issues that must always respect other cultures and promote diversity.
In a progressive learning community where there is less emphasis on content memorising and instead adopts real-life applications of what has been learnt through open multi-aged discussion, multidisciplinary sessions, project based learning and STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics), students are given the opportunity to deep dive into researching any given world related problem and through the use of 21st Century skills of critical thinking, collaboration, creativeness and resilience, to provide possible solutions.
This is further enhanced through the Model United Nations where students play the role of delegates from different countries and attempt to solve real world issues with the policies and perspectives of an assigned country. For example, a student may be assigned Brazil and will have to solve the topic of deforestation using the legal and cultural perspectives of that country. The school also organises cultural exchanges and celebrates international events.
Whilst there are numerous pressing problems around the world including population growth, poverty, the COVID pandemic and climate change, the current humanitarian crises in the Ukraine is of particular relevance and one which all schools should be discussing and sharing with their students.
In today's world where everyone is interconnected through the internet and social media platforms, it is no longer morally indefensible not to inform students on what is happening around the world if they are to learn how to foster their own unbiased opinions so that they can find solutions as change makers of the future.
To learn more about Mont21 school, visit www.mont21school.org
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