I was honored to be elected to the ASCD Board of Directors in 2014. As the only international member on the Board, I feel it is my responsibility to ensure that we, as a group, consider the global implications of our decisions for ASCD. So when I was asked to write about my reflections on global education, I knew that it was a good time to share a Canadian perspective.
When I think about the future of young men and women today, I am thrilled about the opportunities they have to expand their horizons through global experiences. Having raised three young men myself, I saw firsthand how careers, sports, interests, and even volunteerism can take young people all over the world. Two sons played hockey in Europe, one son lived for a year in Australia, a nephew volunteered in Nepal, and their friends took jobs overseas. Exploring our planet has become quite commonplace, whether we travel abroad or go online.
To succeed in these situations, our students need skills and attitudes that allow them to accept the diversity and cultures they encounter. A willingness to learn new languages, to be open to different ways of doing things, and to embrace unfamiliar worlds is essential. Preparation for these life skills has to begin early, when students are introduced to classmates from other cultures and religions.
Our newly elected Prime Minister Justin Trudeau believes in developing policies that support diversity and inclusion. This year alone, Canada has welcomed and resettled more than 25,000 Syrian refugee families into our communities, following a stringent screening process. Canada is historically a land of immigrants, with newcomers arriving to a land populated by the First Nations, and we have continued to accept immigrants from all over the world.
In Canada, unlike the United States, our ministries of education determine curriculum for each of the provinces and territories. Learning a second language has always been highly recommended, and in many provinces, it is a requirement for all students. Initially, most provinces and territories offered language instruction in our two official languages, French and English. However, with the multicultural expansion in Canada over the past 30 years, language instruction has expanded. In Alberta, it is not uncommon to see Cree language and culture instruction, as well as language immersion programs in Arabic, Mandarin, Spanish, French, Ukrainian, German, and Hebrew.
But learning other languages alone does not make a global learner. It is essential that our children learn skills to not only foster a strong sense of who they are and their cultural identity, but to also develop strong relationships with classmates from all cultures. Our students need to be effective collaborators who can demonstrate respect for the rights of others. Empathy and ethical considerations for society and the environment we live in occur naturally when we value diversity as beneficial to everyone.
Canadian provinces are revising curriculum to support the many skills students need to work successfully in a global community. The province of British Columbia implemented a new curriculum this September for all K–9 students. At the center of the redesign are core competencies in communication, thinking, and personal and social skills. The curriculum emphasizes collaboration and building consensus, critical and creative thinking, innovation, and reflection and metacognition. Other important aspects include encouraging diversity; appreciating other perspectives; advocating for the rights of others; and changing personal behavior to be inclusive in order to accommodate, accept, and care for others.