Reaching Global Competence

The ability to communicate with respect and cultural understanding in more than one language is an essential element of global competence. Citizens in this century need the knowledge, attitude, and skills required to function within and beyond cultural communities and borders. Helping students in today’s language classrooms to understand other languages, cultures, and worldviews is in my opinion, one of the most valuable preparations we can give to create global citizens that are thoughtful about the problems facing the world with the skills that facilitate finding solutions to those problems. Sixth through eighth grade students at Harbor Day School have the opportunity to travel with their classmates to various countries during winter breaks. Past trips have included: Rome, Spain, Costa Rica, and France. Their preparation for these trips and their participation have opened up the eyes of the students who attend them and many cite that experience as a catalyst for not only wanting to continue learning a second language, but also for learning about other cultures. Students look forward to exploring other countries from memorable experiences they have during these educational trips abroad.

Reaching global competence involves investigating the world with empathy and knowledge of other people's perspectives. We help our students feel empathy for other cultures when they participate in pen pal exchanges with students from other countries; participate in the cultural celebrations of other countries; take part in projects such as the one they complete during World Language Week; research the struggles and accomplishments of famous people from other backgrounds and also when they participate in International Day. We must have the ability to withhold judgment examining one’s own perspectives as similar to or different from the perspectives of people with whom we are interacting. Acting respectfully according to what is appropriate in the culture and the situation where everyone is not of the same culture or language background, including gestures, expressions, and behaviors is a must.

Reaching global competence is vital to successful interactions among diverse groups of people locally, nationally, and internationally. This diversity continues to grow as people move from city to city and country to country. The need to communicate with someone of a different language or culture may arise at any time; knowing more than one language prepares one to know how, when, and why to say what to whom. Issues related to the environment, health, and innovation require collaboration across borders; creative solutions are more likely to occur when knowledge and unique perspectives and insights are shared. Global competence – the ability to interact and communicate with people from other cultures – opens doors to new relationships, knowledge, and experiences.

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Senora Cambra has been teaching Spanish at Harbor Day School since 2006.