I watched Kim Cofino's conference back in December but luckily took a lot of notes, so I am able to summarize my thoughts here today! Her video really opened my eyes to the varied ways people deliver and receive an education, depending on where they live and what kind of school they attend. I'd never given much thought to international schools, simply because I have never really been exposed to them. I knew they existed, of course, but that was about it.
It seems that the children she interviewd have a fairly broad persepective of the world and know a fair amount about cultures different from their own. I think that is great. The children I teach don't have much opportunity to mingle with people from different countries, and this video showed me some of what they might be missing- the authentic experiences which deepen understanding, the ability to embrace new experiences, and the flexibility to adopt new communication styles when needed. It also illustrated just how important learning about cultures is, especially if you are not able to immerse yourself in one.
I enjoyed her use of Southeast Asia as a metaphor for 21st Century Learning. I thought it was a clever method that made the qualities more memorable- it certainly seemed to make sense. It made me wonder- are public schools and educators in Southeast Asia using 21st century methods in their classrooms? Since they seem to have such a handle on the way they work?
I was introduced to a new concept- 3rd culture kids. I'd never heard that term and am glad to know what it means.
More than ever, I feel a longing to travel and experience new cultures. I struggle with a feeling of confinement and limitation that comes from seeing the innovative ways other educators are getting out and about in the world. It makes me want to go beyond my small -town -America borders and challenge myself to do things differently in a new place. Why am I not teaching in Thailand???
Well, there are lots of reasons. Not the least being that I enjoy what I am doing here. And I am learning through this course that you don't necessarily have to be in a place to get some experience of it- that is what online tools are for!
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I enjoyed reading your blog and how enthusiastic you were about connecting globally. I too found her use of metaphors an interesting weave throughout the presesntation. On a personal note, my brother moved to Austria many years ago to play semi-professional basketball. He traveled all over Europe and eventually married an Austrian woman. They have four children and we were able to see them every summer. My parents retired to Martha's Vineyard and the family would summer there. Austrian culture is very different from ours and I kept thinking about what the kids said in the video about learning other cultures. The girls have become more "americanized" having spent time here and visit as much as they can on their own. Needless to say, my parents enjoy seeing them each time. My mother even learned German so she could understand the younger ones who didn't know when to make the transition that when someone is speaking English, answer back in English, not German. :)
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