I have been a long-time admirer of the work of UBC’s former President and Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Martha Piper. And, in the past two weeks I have had two opportunities to hear her speak directly about the road ahead for education in British Columbia; first, in roundtable discussions focussing on the qualities of an Educated Citizen, with the Honourable George Abbott, B.C.’s Minister of Education, and this week as she keynoted the BC School Trustees Association 2011 Academy in Vancouver.
On both occasions, Dr. Piper referenced the work out of Singapore and the influence of Lee Kuan Yew on her thinking. She recalled his advice, and the three key points he shared:
1) the importance of multiple languages
2) the value of being scientifically literate and technologically savvy
3) the need to study cultures and religions
In the most recent session at the BCSTA Academy, Dr. Piper framed these key points in context to her five suggestions to foster creativity and global citizenship. She restated these suggestions, and not only “preparing students for the workforce”, as an essential role of our K-12 system:
1) A Commitment to Languages
There are a series of new languages required to be competitive. Should we have all students learn two, or three languages? How can we infuse literature from other countries and expose our students to foreign language films? The research is clear that the learning of languages will boost creativity.
2) Integrate Humanities and the Arts into Curriculum
We have become focussed on areas relatively easy to test. Areas that we have agreed are increasingly important to support creativity push beyond these traditional core areas. These areas will not be able to be evaluated on a bubble sheet, but will be used in the “test” of life and living.
3) Embed Global Citizenship
We need to make connections to the real world, so students in a science class understand how the science in the lab is changing the “real” world. These kind of connections need to be made at all levels, in all classes.
4) Embrace Community Service Learning
We need to build citizenship in students and within communities that is part of the school experience. As well, constructive projects that connect with and build community need to be a role for our schools.
5) Build Unique Environments
Each community is different, so programs should be flexible enough to tailor to community needs to best serve the students of each school and district.
Dr. Piper put a different frame on some of the personalized learning discussions, but with familiar themes around global citizenship. However, her stress on languages is not one I hear often. She spoke about our goals of creating tolerant, compassionate and respectful environments, making students feel welcome and secure as they pursue their passions.
We can all point to examples of teachers, programs and even schools embracing the ideals that Dr. Piper speaks about. The challenge is acknowledging and sharing the great practices around them: the schools who have found ways to add Mandarin to their school day, or integrate Social Studies, Music and Math in their inquiry projects, or have a scope and sequence for global citizenship, or encouraging all students to participate in meaningful community engagement, or have taken ministry curriculum and tailored these documents for their schools. There are excellent examples of these practices, but are largely pockets of innovation.
I have heard a number of speakers on their way forward, and found Dr. Piper’s views of incremental change and focussing on citizenship to resonate with many of my hopes for our system.
cultureofyes.ca 
Languages, Fine Arts integration and Service? Yes! Yes! And Yes! Now That is an education. Combined with technology as a means, we are heading in the right direction. I’m looking forward to meeting Ms Piper.
Yes, it is a pretty impressive vision. And it is one that many schools are playing with now. We have some elementary schools that have done a wonderful job of marrying these different areas. I also look to some of our vibrant secondary language programs that are making connections in the other areas.
In my interactions, I find that people are looking for more than just the broad strokes in the BCedplan. Dr. Piper seems to be providing that with these ideas. Thanks Chris for sharing it out
Yes, no doubt Ron. While the BC EdPlan is often described as a framework, people want some concrete examples of what this could look like in a class, school or school district.
Yes, the radical point is that of learning languages, and I agree completely. Through travel I realize increasingly that respect for a culture lies heavily in its understanding of the language, primarily through conversation. And how much beautiful poetry has been composed in languages other that English? ‘Global citizens’ NEED to read, write and converse with each other around the world. Technology is a powerful tool. How wonderful would it be for students in West Vancouver to learn from those in Singapore, Italy, Peru…? Anything’s possible!
Thanks Becky for the comment. I am interested in how we can use technology to promote the global connections you describe. I have seen some powerful examples of pen-pal like relationships between our students and students around the world supported by new technologies. It is a very exciting for education, and they options of what is possible seem to be increasing.
I have just completed a large research project on Global Citizenship Education and much of what you have referenced in regards to Global Citizenship Education is being widely discussed elsewhere. The following article by Harvard University’s Professor Fernando Reimers supports your and Dr. Piper’s beliefs. “While different societies and cultures are becoming increasingly interconnected through globalization, schools around the world are insufficiently preparing students to seize the opportunities created by globalization. Fernando Reimers – Professor of Education and Director of HGSE’s International Education Policy program – stresses the importance of teaching tolerance and global values, as well as developing foreign language skills and knowledge of world history, cultures and geography. Reimers discusses some ways in which global values can be incorporated into school curricula, and some of the obstacles to doing so. This article is based on his recent publication in the journal Prospects, published in several languages and distributed widely throughout the world.” http://www.uknow.gse.harvard.edu/teaching/TC5-1.html
Thanks Rhonda for the comment and sharing the article – it is a wonderful companion piece to what Piper was discussing. So my struggle is, what comes out? I don’t think we actually get much disagreement that the system that Piper and Reimers describe is one we want for our children, but as we add these components, we need to remove pieces as well. This is where I think we begin to struggle. Maybe it is because we continue to look at the system the same way and just replacing some parts with others, but the challenge is moving from this seemingly almost universal agreement on what we want and need to bring it to life in a system.
The definitions of global citizenship are varied and contestable which makes the teaching of global citizenship problematic for educational institutions mandated to teach it. Just how do you define global citizenship and whose definitions do you use? Why do you want to teach it and why is it important? Is it just a “trendy” term in education these days with little substance backing it up in the classroom, or are we really heading somewhere with this? If so, where?
Chris, Miami-Dade School District has created a model high school called iPrep with a technology focus…interesting. Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uX8DXWf4QiM
Martha Piper has been on the “global citizenship” band wagon for over a decade. Regretfully her conception of global citizenship is consistently expressed in neoliberal discourses that have more to do with marketization and consumerism. The larger question of why we develop global citizens is frequently left out of discussions. My experience is the discourse has more to do with the promotion of western values and exploitation of others in an attempt to transfer wealth and advantage to 1st world nations. Learn two or three languages, by all means, but for what end(s)?
[…] While the language may not be the same, Wilson’s list reminds me of a talk by UBC’s former President and Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Martha Piper, where she also highlighted global citizenship and community service learning, among other key areas (Dr. Martha Piper And the Way Forward blog post here). […]