In today`s lesson we had a lively discussion what we are defining globalization and how to integrate it into our teaching.
Defining globalization and separate it from internationalization was a hard step for me and the other students. We were collecting key words for both terms and discussed them. So we found out that Globalization and Internationalization aren`t easy to separate from each other. For children in primary school it isn`t that important, but for us, as a teacher, we have to know the small differences between these two terms for handling projects the right way.
As we discussed open-minded features with Marcus the week before, we found out, that it is important to be familiar with our own culture before judging and discussing foreign cultural features. Becoming open-minded is a process which just can start if there is any possibility for kids to discover unfamiliar cultures, behavior or traditions. In most cases pupils are very interested in foreign or unknown things. This typical childish characteristic we have to use for our teaching in every subject. If children start to ask “Why is it that way?” or “Why do they have no chairs and desks inside their classroom in Eritrea?”, they are looking for an explanation and don`t recognize that they are learning while asking and discussing. In all of our work with cultures or global themes we have to teach our kids to tolerate unfamiliar things as a part of another culture or tradition. So they are able to be a part of a multicultural world at all.
How I mentioned above a basic for becoming open-minded is to know the own culture very well. But getting to know new cultures, discovering the other people´s way of living, eating or using technology we are able to become an international competent person. So in school we should arrange a big offer for children to get to know not only their own culture but also unfamiliar cultural things. To create these offers as interesting and informative as possible we should integrate new media as well. Children will be grateful if they can use their portable notebooks to contact pupils all over the world as pen pals. There are lots of ideas and portals founded in the last years to support teachers to globalize their teaching. Especially younger children need more instruction and suggestion to imagine how other people are living and eating and how to handle multiculture in our country. Therefore you can use pictures, videos, texts, role playing and many other materials to make foreign things visual for kids. For using the computer as a teaching medium some internet portals are specialized for an international work (e.g. eTwinning, where you can directly contact teachers with the same interests or subject or getting inspired by their projects). An old project is called “The image of the Other”, here you can find materials which are helpful to create a picture of yourself and to get a picture of other people. Some ideas can be also used especially for preschool or kindergarten, like the “Teddy-Bear”-project (Teddy can travel around the world or can take part on a weekend activity typical for your own country and so on). With children you can also prepare theme days on which they can cook national or international dishes, wearing special clothes. Also video and photo projects are interesting for kids.
The most important thing to my mind is to become a teacher which is interested in national and international activities for his whole life on. If the teacher is excited to learn something about cultural and global things he can motivate his pupils much better.
