GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP
What does it mean to be a global citizen?
“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”
--Nelson Mandela
--Nelson Mandela
Global citizenship is about reflecting, accepting, and understanding cultures other than our own. It is taking the time to appreciate the similarities and the differences between us and other people, as well as what you can offer the world. I believe in making steps to meet new people and truly learning from them. Help them to learn about your culture, too! Over my lifetime, I hope to increase my awareness of other cultures and appreciate them, as well as share this knowledge with my future students.
Building knowledge with language is a portion of global competency. For the past eight years, I have worked to expand my language proficiency and cultural understanding of Spanish. I have learned about Hispanic linguistics, history and cultures. As an education major, I have gotten to share this knowledge with students in various contexts. I have a deep respect for people who choose to learn another language and enjoy helping people make those lingual as well as cultural connections during the language learning process. This year, I began learning a third language, American Sign Language, and have gotten to remember how much of a challenge it is to learn a new language! In class, we have discussed Deaf culture and learned about Deaf history in the United States. My end goal with learning some ASL is to use signs in my classroom with language learners so that they connect a visual with a word.
Immersing yourself in another culture is another way to become more globally competent. During the summer of 2016, I traveled to Madrid, Spain, where I lived with a Spanish family and was their au pair. Throughout the summer, I discovered a new culture and how leaving my comfort zone would make me a more independent, confident version of myself. In my explorations around Madrid, I became comfortable taking my time to experience the city fully, and this is my desire when experiencing any new place. As an au pair, I was not only a language tutor but a cultural bridge for my Spanish family, which interested me in finding more opportunities to connect with other Spanish speaking countries. While abroad, I became aware of what defined my home and my Midwestern culture.
Going abroad isn’t the only way to meet a new culture—you can easily connect with cultures in your area! For two semesters, I was an English as a Second Language tutor for three students from Colombia, Nepal and South Korea. In that time, I learned about conventions of writing/speaking in other countries/languages, as well as the struggles that each student had in learning English or living in the United States. I will reflect on these experiences as I become an ESL teacher. I look forward to using pedagogical theories learned in my schooling and translating them into the classroom, encouraging my students to find their voices in their nonnative language.
Building knowledge with language is a portion of global competency. For the past eight years, I have worked to expand my language proficiency and cultural understanding of Spanish. I have learned about Hispanic linguistics, history and cultures. As an education major, I have gotten to share this knowledge with students in various contexts. I have a deep respect for people who choose to learn another language and enjoy helping people make those lingual as well as cultural connections during the language learning process. This year, I began learning a third language, American Sign Language, and have gotten to remember how much of a challenge it is to learn a new language! In class, we have discussed Deaf culture and learned about Deaf history in the United States. My end goal with learning some ASL is to use signs in my classroom with language learners so that they connect a visual with a word.
Immersing yourself in another culture is another way to become more globally competent. During the summer of 2016, I traveled to Madrid, Spain, where I lived with a Spanish family and was their au pair. Throughout the summer, I discovered a new culture and how leaving my comfort zone would make me a more independent, confident version of myself. In my explorations around Madrid, I became comfortable taking my time to experience the city fully, and this is my desire when experiencing any new place. As an au pair, I was not only a language tutor but a cultural bridge for my Spanish family, which interested me in finding more opportunities to connect with other Spanish speaking countries. While abroad, I became aware of what defined my home and my Midwestern culture.
Going abroad isn’t the only way to meet a new culture—you can easily connect with cultures in your area! For two semesters, I was an English as a Second Language tutor for three students from Colombia, Nepal and South Korea. In that time, I learned about conventions of writing/speaking in other countries/languages, as well as the struggles that each student had in learning English or living in the United States. I will reflect on these experiences as I become an ESL teacher. I look forward to using pedagogical theories learned in my schooling and translating them into the classroom, encouraging my students to find their voices in their nonnative language.