Helping Immigrants Gain Citizenship and Financial Education
http://www.knightfoundation.org/
$1.85 million dollar grant to:
CET (Center for Employment Training)www.cetweb.org
Asian Law Alliance www.asianlawalliance.org/
Catholic Charities (San Jose?) www.catholiccharitiesscc.org/
Sacred Heart Community Services www.shcstheheart.org/nflash.html
Services, Immigrant Rights and Education Network(SIREN)www.siren-bayarea.org/
ida@oppourtunityfund.org
(408) 516-4699
SJ Mercury Article 'Ready to be an American'
Author Jessie Mangaliman
Saturday Feb 14, 2009
The Valley Section, Page 1B
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Asian Law Alliance
http://www.asianlawalliance.org
Legal Services for the Asian Community
In 1975, several of the founding members of the ALA began to investigate the possibility of starting a community law office similar to the Asian Law Caucus which had been founded in Oakland in 1972. Our main challenge was convincing people that there was a significant Asian/Pacific Islander community in need of legal services.
Legal Services for the Asian Community
In 1975, several of the founding members of the ALA began to investigate the possibility of starting a community law office similar to the Asian Law Caucus which had been founded in Oakland in 1972. Our main challenge was convincing people that there was a significant Asian/Pacific Islander community in need of legal services.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
A Final Reflective Synthesis
Next Steps in
Education for Global Citizenship
for Adult ESL Educators
A Final Reflective Synthesis
Presented to
Dr. William J. Reckmeyer & Dr. Jochen Fried
In Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for
ANTH 187, San Jose State University
San Jose, CA
by Lisa Braley
Completed 12/12/07. Posted 02/17/09.
“If you want to feel, learn how to act.”
A new take on a quote from Heinz, original quote noted by Dr. Reckmeyer.
General Thoughts About Taking This Class
For me, Global Citizenship is not only for those interested in the world, but it is also an improved space that new immigrants could be occupying. I believe that this class on Global Citizenship was exactly the right class for me to take in the final semester of the Masters in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) program.
Now that I have completed this Global Citizenship Class, the TESOL classes, and passed the comprehensive exams, I feel I am ready to put the act in action. Initially, this class prompted me to pursue answers to big questions in my mind about immigration. Though my education is not complete, I have also learned about responsible informed action, and the importance of taking ideas out into the public space. I have also gained confidence and improved my ability to communicate ideas.
Before taking this class, the idea of Global Citizenship had already started to take root in my mind. However, the ideas were broad and vague. I didn’t know what it was or how it could fit with what I do. Yet now I believe in this concept of Global Citizenship and that it is a match for what I do. It is really about learning and engaging those around us to commit to a new perspective.
Class Output
Being a part of an experimental class didn’t always feel comfortable. So the make-up of the class was an important part of its success. I learned about a diverse set of issues from involved, talented, remarkable people/students who are still eager to be so much more. The students’ willingness to share their opinions and creative ideas inspired me. I can see each of them leading in their chosen fields and directions. This class helps build, and build onto the qualities necessary for Global Citizenship.
The learning groups, even our Misc. Issues group, were important and established some sense of camaraderie in the class. I wish we could have spent a little more time in the groups, not too much more, but more than the few begrudging minutes given at the end of the class. We could’ve given our 1 or 5 minute speeches to our groups first. We could have had the opportunity to discuss the Salzburg dialogue questions with them first. But I got a lot out of our brief interactions.
The idea of interacting with the students in Salzburg was interesting, but I was skeptical about it at first. My life hasn’t been conducive to email chats since I started graduate school. But for me this activity was somewhat satisfying, even if there weren’t brilliant and cathartic exchanges. Quite simply, I liked seeing and hearing what people had to say even at that superficial level. Lots of ideas were given to improve the dialogues at the last class, but I don’t think they were a waste of time. I just forgot about them for a bit while I was preparing, doing, and recovering from my comprehensive exams.
Regarding the readings, they were good but quite general and not totally relevant to my topic. The guest talks on campus were very high level and theoretical. I wanted more practical ideas about what I should do as a student on this campus. I think students wanted this as well. The talks were good, but still removed and talking about complex ideas that students know they can’t fix easily. Just a simple talk on Global Citizenship would have been great. I also feel that our class could have had a time slot during that week and had more students attend. Students would have gotten a lot from the presentations in our class. The video, Mindwalk, was an important foundation for me to understand the big ideas.
The class bibliography info collection was a good idea but I felt we should have had to collect and put it online and have some sort of analysis next to that source. It should be a living document. Maybe each student should be responsible for adding 5 good sources to their topic heading. It lost steam at the end. I worry that the website address alone doesn’t indicate the bias.
The presentations were important to me and mine evolved from 30 slides to 7 slides. I first gave it to members of the Linguistics and Language Development (LLD) Department at LINGFEST, the first ever conference for the LLD department. Professors and students were present. They gave me 20-30 minutes. I had a positive response. But when asked if I had incorporated the ideas into my teaching yet, I had to be truthful and say not yet. Luckily I did most of my research and put together the 30 slides by 11/9/07. So I had already gotten most of it out of my system and was ready to cut it back for our final presentations. I was happy with my performance. But I am not sure yet how to tailor the message much shorter, or improve the focus.
Most people, including teachers, will first need to have an understanding of the very definition of Global Citizenship, concepts and examples, before I can present specific ideas for their education and classroom practice. Other teachers will want an even more developed lesson plan and still more practical advice on how to incorporate the ideas.
My final paper is somewhat less formal than I planned and my citations are not very precise compared to previous work I’ve done in other [graduate] classes. Even though I did a lot of research, I didn’t put the effort into the bibliography section because I chose to try to read and internalize what I was learning, rather than precisely document the idea sources. Also, at the first 1 minute presentation I was told I needed to bring my passion or personal stake into the report rather than just complete an intellectual exercise with academic lingo. So I did.
My learning path is shown in the chart I included in the Appendix on Key Terms and Concepts in Immigration. This is how I learn, by organizing and categorizing and putting information into some kind of chart. These acts activate my long term memory and I am able to access and remember what I’ve read much better. (Not posted here!)
This final paper is important because I must reflect on strengths and weaknesses and make a plan for going forward or to guide others. Again by preparing a document like this, the ideas solidify and the themes recur in my life long after the paper has been graded. The synthesis could be shorter I think for most students, or maybe it’s better make them do journal entries along the way. I wanted to do something like this so I feel I have a lot to say, but I think it might be difficult for others to come up with 5 or 6 pages here at the end, 3-4 seems more realistic.
I really feel strongly that the whole class needs a greater output at the end. There needs to be a website that can be a resource for future students. There needs to be more visibility and interaction with the student body. Also, different “visiting” professors (political science, sociology, economics, business) each semester could help increase the campus cross-fertilization necessary to push the ideas out for general consumption. Inviting a class from another university could also considerably up the ante.
The Theme of Education
The increase in immigration numbers may be a forcing function for changes in educational institutions overall. Not doing anything to better serve and integrate the increasing numbers seems like an insanity trap. But I must “lead out” and try to make a difference with the audience that I work with. Waiting for a total overhaul of the American education system to occur would be a mistake. I must do what I can for my students, now. Also I think most teachers and especially ESL teachers are actually very removed from immigration issues except as they relate to education. I still don’t feel educated enough on the matter.
I must remember that although Adult ESL is one of the few areas that has some consistency of message and assistance for integrating immigrants, this audience is self selecting. Only people who have the time, like school, and actively want to learn the language will attend. ESL and Adult Education are considered to be a limited aspect of the education system, but for how long? As well, due to the limited English level proficiency (LEP) of the students, Global Citizenship concepts probably won’t be that significant for students until they are at the intermediate to advanced levels of the language. The University level has a lot more need to change its current status of education and work toward curriculum internationalization.
In providing ideas for educators, I wanted to be very specific yet I wanted to give a lot of ideas so that maybe they would be able to find one or two small things to focus on or do to begin with. Hopefully there is enough direction for any teacher to be able to take one idea from my paper.
Future Ideas
Global citizens are evangelists because somehow it is embedded and inherent in the definition. We act and inform. So I hope to turn this into something more. I do have a blog spot but it is not really a place for action yet.
http://educationforglobalcitizenship.blogspot.com/.
Maybe it should be esleducationforglobalcitizenship? My general call to action will be for teachers to learn about Global Citizenship and try to begin incorporating the elements into their current practices. I also believe I will look for more opportunity to do public speaking and get feedback from the audiences. I think there will be future-oriented opportunities to speak to external audiences.
Potential new opportunities:
1. Community Action Committee (Fremont)
2. Adult School Teachers (Fremont)
3. Adult School Students (Fremont)
4. SJSU LLD/TESOL Dept. (Completed 11/09/07)
5. Conferences (CATESOL) Local and State level
In everything I’ve done the missing piece is the community itself. I need to know about the community. The community accepting immigrants must be willing to change, too. Successful integration can make a community stronger. Ideally communities should remember the ‘Welcome Wagon’ concept and send more official emissaries or information to newcomers. I really need to investigate even more the community resources available for arriving immigrants. And learn the processes for coming here and getting citizenship.
Research is needed. I also need to formally and informally survey my class. Survey other classes and share data. Some rough class survey ideas and sample questions ideas:
1. Ideas of Citizenship/Connectedness
• Do you think Americans are Global Citizens? Why or why not?
• In what way are you a Global Citizen?
• What does Global Citizenship mean?
• Do you think something you do in Fremont will have an affect in china or the other side of the world?
• Do they feel more or less connected to the world now that they have moved to the U.S.?
2. Financial connection
• Have you given gifts or contributed money to the economy of your home country?
• How much money do you spend or bring you your home country when you visit?
• Do you have investments in your home country?
3. Return migration of ideas
• What things would you do differently in your country?
• Returning to your country how would you be changed
• What have you learned here?
• What have you r learned that you would like to bring back to your country
• What do you know now that you wish you knew before?
A survey of EL CIVICs curriculum and ESL textbooks should be done to see how well these Global Citizenship ideas are being incorporated. Textbooks are beginning to include more of these ideas, but how much more is needed? More lessons should be developed with content and questions geared toward gaining more specific skills in developing Global Citizenship leadership skills. Also specific country examples are necessary. Workshops could be developed for teachers to gain these skills first.
Final Note
The very process of applying for the opportunity to come to the United States creates an emotional investment on the part of the immigrant. But once they arrive and try to establish themselves, they may find the battle is only halfway won. The students in my classes have so much to contribute to society. There are ways to help them go further inside their new community.
I think Education for Global Citizenship holds promise for educators looking to better provide that community link for their students. I feel more connected than ever, and I feel my mission is more important than ever. I believe that I make a difference at my job every day, especially by working toward Global Citizenship myself.
Finally, I feel that by changing from a job in marketing to a career calling in TESOL was worth it, and I have the tools I need to teach and have a personal stake in the outcome through my actions. I hope the lessons we share in my class do travel the globe. In my work this semester I have accomplished what I wanted. I wanted to understand Education for Global Citizenship and learn how I can include attitudes, concepts and ideas into my everyday practical teaching. I wanted to help prepare my students to acclimate to their new scenario and meet the challenges of globalizing forces in the 21st century. I can now move forward with a new purpose. Having closed one door, maybe I am ready to build a new direction for myself
Education for Global Citizenship
for Adult ESL Educators
A Final Reflective Synthesis
Presented to
Dr. William J. Reckmeyer & Dr. Jochen Fried
In Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for
ANTH 187, San Jose State University
San Jose, CA
by Lisa Braley
Completed 12/12/07. Posted 02/17/09.
“If you want to feel, learn how to act.”
A new take on a quote from Heinz, original quote noted by Dr. Reckmeyer.
General Thoughts About Taking This Class
For me, Global Citizenship is not only for those interested in the world, but it is also an improved space that new immigrants could be occupying. I believe that this class on Global Citizenship was exactly the right class for me to take in the final semester of the Masters in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) program.
Now that I have completed this Global Citizenship Class, the TESOL classes, and passed the comprehensive exams, I feel I am ready to put the act in action. Initially, this class prompted me to pursue answers to big questions in my mind about immigration. Though my education is not complete, I have also learned about responsible informed action, and the importance of taking ideas out into the public space. I have also gained confidence and improved my ability to communicate ideas.
Before taking this class, the idea of Global Citizenship had already started to take root in my mind. However, the ideas were broad and vague. I didn’t know what it was or how it could fit with what I do. Yet now I believe in this concept of Global Citizenship and that it is a match for what I do. It is really about learning and engaging those around us to commit to a new perspective.
Class Output
Being a part of an experimental class didn’t always feel comfortable. So the make-up of the class was an important part of its success. I learned about a diverse set of issues from involved, talented, remarkable people/students who are still eager to be so much more. The students’ willingness to share their opinions and creative ideas inspired me. I can see each of them leading in their chosen fields and directions. This class helps build, and build onto the qualities necessary for Global Citizenship.
The learning groups, even our Misc. Issues group, were important and established some sense of camaraderie in the class. I wish we could have spent a little more time in the groups, not too much more, but more than the few begrudging minutes given at the end of the class. We could’ve given our 1 or 5 minute speeches to our groups first. We could have had the opportunity to discuss the Salzburg dialogue questions with them first. But I got a lot out of our brief interactions.
The idea of interacting with the students in Salzburg was interesting, but I was skeptical about it at first. My life hasn’t been conducive to email chats since I started graduate school. But for me this activity was somewhat satisfying, even if there weren’t brilliant and cathartic exchanges. Quite simply, I liked seeing and hearing what people had to say even at that superficial level. Lots of ideas were given to improve the dialogues at the last class, but I don’t think they were a waste of time. I just forgot about them for a bit while I was preparing, doing, and recovering from my comprehensive exams.
Regarding the readings, they were good but quite general and not totally relevant to my topic. The guest talks on campus were very high level and theoretical. I wanted more practical ideas about what I should do as a student on this campus. I think students wanted this as well. The talks were good, but still removed and talking about complex ideas that students know they can’t fix easily. Just a simple talk on Global Citizenship would have been great. I also feel that our class could have had a time slot during that week and had more students attend. Students would have gotten a lot from the presentations in our class. The video, Mindwalk, was an important foundation for me to understand the big ideas.
The class bibliography info collection was a good idea but I felt we should have had to collect and put it online and have some sort of analysis next to that source. It should be a living document. Maybe each student should be responsible for adding 5 good sources to their topic heading. It lost steam at the end. I worry that the website address alone doesn’t indicate the bias.
The presentations were important to me and mine evolved from 30 slides to 7 slides. I first gave it to members of the Linguistics and Language Development (LLD) Department at LINGFEST, the first ever conference for the LLD department. Professors and students were present. They gave me 20-30 minutes. I had a positive response. But when asked if I had incorporated the ideas into my teaching yet, I had to be truthful and say not yet. Luckily I did most of my research and put together the 30 slides by 11/9/07. So I had already gotten most of it out of my system and was ready to cut it back for our final presentations. I was happy with my performance. But I am not sure yet how to tailor the message much shorter, or improve the focus.
Most people, including teachers, will first need to have an understanding of the very definition of Global Citizenship, concepts and examples, before I can present specific ideas for their education and classroom practice. Other teachers will want an even more developed lesson plan and still more practical advice on how to incorporate the ideas.
My final paper is somewhat less formal than I planned and my citations are not very precise compared to previous work I’ve done in other [graduate] classes. Even though I did a lot of research, I didn’t put the effort into the bibliography section because I chose to try to read and internalize what I was learning, rather than precisely document the idea sources. Also, at the first 1 minute presentation I was told I needed to bring my passion or personal stake into the report rather than just complete an intellectual exercise with academic lingo. So I did.
My learning path is shown in the chart I included in the Appendix on Key Terms and Concepts in Immigration. This is how I learn, by organizing and categorizing and putting information into some kind of chart. These acts activate my long term memory and I am able to access and remember what I’ve read much better. (Not posted here!)
This final paper is important because I must reflect on strengths and weaknesses and make a plan for going forward or to guide others. Again by preparing a document like this, the ideas solidify and the themes recur in my life long after the paper has been graded. The synthesis could be shorter I think for most students, or maybe it’s better make them do journal entries along the way. I wanted to do something like this so I feel I have a lot to say, but I think it might be difficult for others to come up with 5 or 6 pages here at the end, 3-4 seems more realistic.
I really feel strongly that the whole class needs a greater output at the end. There needs to be a website that can be a resource for future students. There needs to be more visibility and interaction with the student body. Also, different “visiting” professors (political science, sociology, economics, business) each semester could help increase the campus cross-fertilization necessary to push the ideas out for general consumption. Inviting a class from another university could also considerably up the ante.
The Theme of Education
The increase in immigration numbers may be a forcing function for changes in educational institutions overall. Not doing anything to better serve and integrate the increasing numbers seems like an insanity trap. But I must “lead out” and try to make a difference with the audience that I work with. Waiting for a total overhaul of the American education system to occur would be a mistake. I must do what I can for my students, now. Also I think most teachers and especially ESL teachers are actually very removed from immigration issues except as they relate to education. I still don’t feel educated enough on the matter.
I must remember that although Adult ESL is one of the few areas that has some consistency of message and assistance for integrating immigrants, this audience is self selecting. Only people who have the time, like school, and actively want to learn the language will attend. ESL and Adult Education are considered to be a limited aspect of the education system, but for how long? As well, due to the limited English level proficiency (LEP) of the students, Global Citizenship concepts probably won’t be that significant for students until they are at the intermediate to advanced levels of the language. The University level has a lot more need to change its current status of education and work toward curriculum internationalization.
In providing ideas for educators, I wanted to be very specific yet I wanted to give a lot of ideas so that maybe they would be able to find one or two small things to focus on or do to begin with. Hopefully there is enough direction for any teacher to be able to take one idea from my paper.
Future Ideas
Global citizens are evangelists because somehow it is embedded and inherent in the definition. We act and inform. So I hope to turn this into something more. I do have a blog spot but it is not really a place for action yet.
http://educationforglobalcitizenship.blogspot.com/.
Maybe it should be esleducationforglobalcitizenship? My general call to action will be for teachers to learn about Global Citizenship and try to begin incorporating the elements into their current practices. I also believe I will look for more opportunity to do public speaking and get feedback from the audiences. I think there will be future-oriented opportunities to speak to external audiences.
Potential new opportunities:
1. Community Action Committee (Fremont)
2. Adult School Teachers (Fremont)
3. Adult School Students (Fremont)
4. SJSU LLD/TESOL Dept. (Completed 11/09/07)
5. Conferences (CATESOL) Local and State level
In everything I’ve done the missing piece is the community itself. I need to know about the community. The community accepting immigrants must be willing to change, too. Successful integration can make a community stronger. Ideally communities should remember the ‘Welcome Wagon’ concept and send more official emissaries or information to newcomers. I really need to investigate even more the community resources available for arriving immigrants. And learn the processes for coming here and getting citizenship.
Research is needed. I also need to formally and informally survey my class. Survey other classes and share data. Some rough class survey ideas and sample questions ideas:
1. Ideas of Citizenship/Connectedness
• Do you think Americans are Global Citizens? Why or why not?
• In what way are you a Global Citizen?
• What does Global Citizenship mean?
• Do you think something you do in Fremont will have an affect in china or the other side of the world?
• Do they feel more or less connected to the world now that they have moved to the U.S.?
2. Financial connection
• Have you given gifts or contributed money to the economy of your home country?
• How much money do you spend or bring you your home country when you visit?
• Do you have investments in your home country?
3. Return migration of ideas
• What things would you do differently in your country?
• Returning to your country how would you be changed
• What have you learned here?
• What have you r learned that you would like to bring back to your country
• What do you know now that you wish you knew before?
A survey of EL CIVICs curriculum and ESL textbooks should be done to see how well these Global Citizenship ideas are being incorporated. Textbooks are beginning to include more of these ideas, but how much more is needed? More lessons should be developed with content and questions geared toward gaining more specific skills in developing Global Citizenship leadership skills. Also specific country examples are necessary. Workshops could be developed for teachers to gain these skills first.
Final Note
The very process of applying for the opportunity to come to the United States creates an emotional investment on the part of the immigrant. But once they arrive and try to establish themselves, they may find the battle is only halfway won. The students in my classes have so much to contribute to society. There are ways to help them go further inside their new community.
I think Education for Global Citizenship holds promise for educators looking to better provide that community link for their students. I feel more connected than ever, and I feel my mission is more important than ever. I believe that I make a difference at my job every day, especially by working toward Global Citizenship myself.
Finally, I feel that by changing from a job in marketing to a career calling in TESOL was worth it, and I have the tools I need to teach and have a personal stake in the outcome through my actions. I hope the lessons we share in my class do travel the globe. In my work this semester I have accomplished what I wanted. I wanted to understand Education for Global Citizenship and learn how I can include attitudes, concepts and ideas into my everyday practical teaching. I wanted to help prepare my students to acclimate to their new scenario and meet the challenges of globalizing forces in the 21st century. I can now move forward with a new purpose. Having closed one door, maybe I am ready to build a new direction for myself
Bibliography and Resources
Adams, MJ. & Carfagna, A. (2006). Coming of Age in a Globalized World. Kumarian Press, Inc.
Clark, W. A. V. (2002). A comparative perspective on large-scale migration and social exclusion in U.S. entry point cities. In M. Cross. & R. Moore (Eds.), Globalization and the new city: migrants, minorities and urban transformations in comparative perspective (pp. 133-150). Great Britain, Palgrave.
Harklau, L., Losey, K. M. & Siegal, M. (Eds.). (1999) Generation 1.5* meets college composition: Issues in the Teaching of Writing to US Educated Learners of ESL. Mahwah, New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
http://globalmarshallplan.org/index_eng.html
http://portal.unesco.org/shs/en/ev.php-URL_ID=8731&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html
http://www.ci.fremont.ca.us/default.htm
http://www.earth-policy.org/Books/PB2/index.htm
http://www.gcim.org/en/a_mandate.html
http://www.migrationpolicy.org/
http://www.oxfam.org.uk/ education/teachersupport/cpd/controversial/
http://www.oxfam.org.uk/education/gc/
http://www.peacecorps.gov/wws/
Kloosterman, R. (Ed). (2000). Immigrant entrepreneurship and the institutional context: A theoretical exploration. In Rath, J. (Ed), Immigrant businesses: The economic, political and social environment, (pp. 90-106). Great Britain: MacMillan Press K.T.D.
Light, I., Kim, R., & Hum, C. (2002). Globalization effects on employment in Southern California, 1970—1990. In M. Cross & R. Moore (Eds.), Globalization and the new city: migrants, minorities and urban transformations in comparative perspective (pp. 151-167). Great Britain: Palgrave.
Putnam, R. D. (1995). Bowling Alone: America's Declining Social Capital
Rath, J. (Ed). (2000). Immigrant Businesses: The Economic, Political and Social Environment. Great Britain: MacMillan Press KTD.
Reitz, J. G. (2002). Terms of entry: social institutions and immigrant earnings in American, Canadian and Australian cities. In M. Cross. & R. Moore (Eds.), Globalization and the new city: migrants, minorities and urban transformations in comparative perspective (pp. 50-79). Great Britain: Palgrave.
Securing the Future: U.S. Immigrant Integration Policy, A Reader. Migration Policy Institute. Edited by Michael Fix
Stalker, P. The No-nonsense guide to international migration
Taylor, Howard E. (1997). Practical Suggestions for Teaching Global Education. ERIC Digest. Retrieved on 12/13/07 from http://www.ericdigests.org/1997-1/global.html
Tumlin, K. C. & Zimmermann, W. (2003). Immigrants and TANF: A Look at Immigrant Welfare Recipients in Three Cities. Retrieve on 12/13/07 from http://urbaninstitute.org
And many more.
Over 100 web sites were reviewed in pursuit of ideas and learning.
Clark, W. A. V. (2002). A comparative perspective on large-scale migration and social exclusion in U.S. entry point cities. In M. Cross. & R. Moore (Eds.), Globalization and the new city: migrants, minorities and urban transformations in comparative perspective (pp. 133-150). Great Britain, Palgrave.
Harklau, L., Losey, K. M. & Siegal, M. (Eds.). (1999) Generation 1.5* meets college composition: Issues in the Teaching of Writing to US Educated Learners of ESL. Mahwah, New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
http://globalmarshallplan.org/index_eng.html
http://portal.unesco.org/shs/en/ev.php-URL_ID=8731&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html
http://www.ci.fremont.ca.us/default.htm
http://www.earth-policy.org/Books/PB2/index.htm
http://www.gcim.org/en/a_mandate.html
http://www.migrationpolicy.org/
http://www.oxfam.org.uk/ education/teachersupport/cpd/controversial/
http://www.oxfam.org.uk/education/gc/
http://www.peacecorps.gov/wws/
Kloosterman, R. (Ed). (2000). Immigrant entrepreneurship and the institutional context: A theoretical exploration. In Rath, J. (Ed), Immigrant businesses: The economic, political and social environment, (pp. 90-106). Great Britain: MacMillan Press K.T.D.
Light, I., Kim, R., & Hum, C. (2002). Globalization effects on employment in Southern California, 1970—1990. In M. Cross & R. Moore (Eds.), Globalization and the new city: migrants, minorities and urban transformations in comparative perspective (pp. 151-167). Great Britain: Palgrave.
Putnam, R. D. (1995). Bowling Alone: America's Declining Social Capital
Rath, J. (Ed). (2000). Immigrant Businesses: The Economic, Political and Social Environment. Great Britain: MacMillan Press KTD.
Reitz, J. G. (2002). Terms of entry: social institutions and immigrant earnings in American, Canadian and Australian cities. In M. Cross. & R. Moore (Eds.), Globalization and the new city: migrants, minorities and urban transformations in comparative perspective (pp. 50-79). Great Britain: Palgrave.
Securing the Future: U.S. Immigrant Integration Policy, A Reader. Migration Policy Institute. Edited by Michael Fix
Stalker, P. The No-nonsense guide to international migration
Taylor, Howard E. (1997). Practical Suggestions for Teaching Global Education. ERIC Digest. Retrieved on 12/13/07 from http://www.ericdigests.org/1997-1/global.html
Tumlin, K. C. & Zimmermann, W. (2003). Immigrants and TANF: A Look at Immigrant Welfare Recipients in Three Cities. Retrieve on 12/13/07 from http://urbaninstitute.org
And many more.
Over 100 web sites were reviewed in pursuit of ideas and learning.
Part VII: Topics and Model Lesson
“Immigrants are a living bridge
between nations and cultures
and to other global citizens
around the world.”
E.H. Braley.
Ultimately my dream is that immigrants are mined and appreciated for what they bring to our country and that they are valued. But whether their stay in the US is permanent or temporary, their education should prepare them to meet the needs of the new global work world. Learning should show how they are connected to other ideas and communities (Local, glocal and/or global) and visibly show how they can affect positive change in the world. Finally I offer a simple lesson format that could be adapted to any one of the topics below or a new me.
Consider Important Topics
Topics should have a local and global angle or impact.
• Immigration Issues
1. Immigrants Rights
2. Protests
a. Walks and sit ins
b. Letter writing campaigns
3. Hate Crimes
• The environment
1. city recycling
2. light bulbs
3. oil recycling (www.thefamilycar.org)
4. weatherproofing your home
5. composting
• Community Leadership
1. How to start a community garden
• Volunteerism
1. not for profit companies
2. schools
3. religious organizations
4. music/the arts
Other Examples: Newspaper article examples for discussion
• (Made in China). The human cost of doing business. Their lungs shut down, they lose fingers, limbs, all so Americans are guaranteed an unfettered flow of cut-rate merchandise. (Mercury News, Sunday business. 10/28/2007)
• Aging is no fun and it’s harder for immigrants. Fremont volunteers showing them how to access the system. (S.F. Chronicle, 9/20/2007)
• Bank apologizes after denying account to Moroccan woman, citing terror risk. (Mercury News, 10/29/07)
• Bloggers in Burma tell world what’s happening. (S.F. Chronicle, World, 9/28/2007)
• Hair and mushrooms create a recipe for cleaning up oily beaches. (SF Chronicle, November 14, 2007)
• Hmong revive their written language on the Internet. (SF Chronicle 5/14/2006)
• Indian American is elected GOP governor of Louisiana. (S.F. Chronicle, Section A, Politics 10/21/07)
• Scattered Hmong revive their written language on the Internet. (SF Chronicle 5/14/2006)
• Treacherous Catch. Choosing between the health of Stockton’s Cambodian families and the survival of their subsistence culture. (San Francisco Chronicle Magazine, 10/26/07)
• Two Afghan Women Reach Across World to Help Kids. Cal State East Bay Students heed calling to found 2 schools in troubled homeland. (S.F. Chronicle, Datebook, 10/20/2007)
• Women join police force in Ar-Ramadi, Iraq for 1st time. (Mercury News, Section A, 10/28/07)
----------------------------------------
Model Lesson for a Current Event
Level: High Intermediate ESL to University level
Newspaper article title: “Tourists boycotting Burma.”
1. Show the interconnectedness of the world, blogs, online communities
a. How communities merge to help other communities, beyond borders
2. Discuss a variety of viewpoints
a. Read blogs about local concerns
3. Ask students to discuss what the options are for the Burmese citizens and what choices they have.
a. Investigate how this boycott could affect people inside and outside of Burma/Myanmar.
b. How does it affect the triple bottom line of the globe?
c. Could it affect you personally? What choices would you make?
4. New questions to integrate:
a. What did you learn from this subject that could work in other countries? Would something like this in your home country? Why or why not?
b. What other points of view are there? Can you see how different solutions to this situation could harm people inside and outside the country?
c. What solutions are sustainable? How does it effect the environment, economy, population over time? What are the trade-offs?
d. Can any of the negative behaviors be changed? What could someone (or you) personally do to change the outcome?
e. What ideas are connected to this idea?
f. What related ideas would you like to bring from your country to this country? Or from this country to your home country?
5. Write an individual or class letter [of support for] or to non-violent protester Aung San Suu Kyi. Discuss other human rights activists in other countries or for other issues. Discuss mild and extreme forms of protest.
between nations and cultures
and to other global citizens
around the world.”
E.H. Braley.
Ultimately my dream is that immigrants are mined and appreciated for what they bring to our country and that they are valued. But whether their stay in the US is permanent or temporary, their education should prepare them to meet the needs of the new global work world. Learning should show how they are connected to other ideas and communities (Local, glocal and/or global) and visibly show how they can affect positive change in the world. Finally I offer a simple lesson format that could be adapted to any one of the topics below or a new me.
Consider Important Topics
Topics should have a local and global angle or impact.
• Immigration Issues
1. Immigrants Rights
2. Protests
a. Walks and sit ins
b. Letter writing campaigns
3. Hate Crimes
• The environment
1. city recycling
2. light bulbs
3. oil recycling (www.thefamilycar.org)
4. weatherproofing your home
5. composting
• Community Leadership
1. How to start a community garden
• Volunteerism
1. not for profit companies
2. schools
3. religious organizations
4. music/the arts
Other Examples: Newspaper article examples for discussion
• (Made in China). The human cost of doing business. Their lungs shut down, they lose fingers, limbs, all so Americans are guaranteed an unfettered flow of cut-rate merchandise. (Mercury News, Sunday business. 10/28/2007)
• Aging is no fun and it’s harder for immigrants. Fremont volunteers showing them how to access the system. (S.F. Chronicle, 9/20/2007)
• Bank apologizes after denying account to Moroccan woman, citing terror risk. (Mercury News, 10/29/07)
• Bloggers in Burma tell world what’s happening. (S.F. Chronicle, World, 9/28/2007)
• Hair and mushrooms create a recipe for cleaning up oily beaches. (SF Chronicle, November 14, 2007)
• Hmong revive their written language on the Internet. (SF Chronicle 5/14/2006)
• Indian American is elected GOP governor of Louisiana. (S.F. Chronicle, Section A, Politics 10/21/07)
• Scattered Hmong revive their written language on the Internet. (SF Chronicle 5/14/2006)
• Treacherous Catch. Choosing between the health of Stockton’s Cambodian families and the survival of their subsistence culture. (San Francisco Chronicle Magazine, 10/26/07)
• Two Afghan Women Reach Across World to Help Kids. Cal State East Bay Students heed calling to found 2 schools in troubled homeland. (S.F. Chronicle, Datebook, 10/20/2007)
• Women join police force in Ar-Ramadi, Iraq for 1st time. (Mercury News, Section A, 10/28/07)
----------------------------------------
Model Lesson for a Current Event
Level: High Intermediate ESL to University level
Newspaper article title: “Tourists boycotting Burma.”
1. Show the interconnectedness of the world, blogs, online communities
a. How communities merge to help other communities, beyond borders
2. Discuss a variety of viewpoints
a. Read blogs about local concerns
3. Ask students to discuss what the options are for the Burmese citizens and what choices they have.
a. Investigate how this boycott could affect people inside and outside of Burma/Myanmar.
b. How does it affect the triple bottom line of the globe?
c. Could it affect you personally? What choices would you make?
4. New questions to integrate:
a. What did you learn from this subject that could work in other countries? Would something like this in your home country? Why or why not?
b. What other points of view are there? Can you see how different solutions to this situation could harm people inside and outside the country?
c. What solutions are sustainable? How does it effect the environment, economy, population over time? What are the trade-offs?
d. Can any of the negative behaviors be changed? What could someone (or you) personally do to change the outcome?
e. What ideas are connected to this idea?
f. What related ideas would you like to bring from your country to this country? Or from this country to your home country?
5. Write an individual or class letter [of support for] or to non-violent protester Aung San Suu Kyi. Discuss other human rights activists in other countries or for other issues. Discuss mild and extreme forms of protest.
Part VI: Add a Component of Personal Responsibility, Action and/or Communication
“Most peoples preferred learning method
is not reading. The term paper is dead.
Long live the blog!”
Ideas stolen from
lectures by
Dr. Jochen Fried.
(Combination mine.)
Different cultures and individuals have different learning strategies. Your students may learn better by doing, acting, communicating, or demonstrating. At the university level, while a term paper might be necessary for improving writing skills, other actions that add a component of personal responsibility could be a more meaningful companion project. Here are some ways to engage your students in action and reaction.
Phase III: Challenge students to go out in the community and act
Service Learning - provide assistance or service in the community
• Promote Community volunteerism (National Volunteer Day, School Volunteer Day)
• Help non-profits or religious places (feeding the poor, clothing drives)
• Schedule emergency training (the Red Cross, and fire department offer free of charge in some cases)
• Environment (sustainable gardening, e-waste, recycling)
• Volunteer at schools, festivals, parks
• Volunteer with League of Women Voter’s drive to call and remind people to vote
Field Trip Reports
• Sustainable gardening at a school site
• Recycling center
• Visit an ethnic art exhibit/museum
• Non-profit agency
• Take a tour of city hall
Interviews (Create a list of questions from students before you go, or they come to your class)
• Talk to someone who is practicing Global Citizenship
• Non profit agency workers
• Local officials
• A history story teller
Demonstration
• Composting
• Oil Recycling
Communicate findings to a wider audience
• Make a speech to the class
• Present findings outside of class
• Blog on the Internet
• Create a video on the Internet
• Write a letter
• Compile a list of resources and make available on the web (make a list of local and global ethnic/non ethnic NGO resources) for other students
Engage the Community
• Have a community fair at the adult school.
• Have representative from EED/job placement come regularly to your school and Report on new jobs
• Have a recruiting event at your school for hard to fill positions
• Organize a charity event or drive
is not reading. The term paper is dead.
Long live the blog!”
Ideas stolen from
lectures by
Dr. Jochen Fried.
(Combination mine.)
Different cultures and individuals have different learning strategies. Your students may learn better by doing, acting, communicating, or demonstrating. At the university level, while a term paper might be necessary for improving writing skills, other actions that add a component of personal responsibility could be a more meaningful companion project. Here are some ways to engage your students in action and reaction.
Phase III: Challenge students to go out in the community and act
Service Learning - provide assistance or service in the community
• Promote Community volunteerism (National Volunteer Day, School Volunteer Day)
• Help non-profits or religious places (feeding the poor, clothing drives)
• Schedule emergency training (the Red Cross, and fire department offer free of charge in some cases)
• Environment (sustainable gardening, e-waste, recycling)
• Volunteer at schools, festivals, parks
• Volunteer with League of Women Voter’s drive to call and remind people to vote
Field Trip Reports
• Sustainable gardening at a school site
• Recycling center
• Visit an ethnic art exhibit/museum
• Non-profit agency
• Take a tour of city hall
Interviews (Create a list of questions from students before you go, or they come to your class)
• Talk to someone who is practicing Global Citizenship
• Non profit agency workers
• Local officials
• A history story teller
Demonstration
• Composting
• Oil Recycling
Communicate findings to a wider audience
• Make a speech to the class
• Present findings outside of class
• Blog on the Internet
• Create a video on the Internet
• Write a letter
• Compile a list of resources and make available on the web (make a list of local and global ethnic/non ethnic NGO resources) for other students
Engage the Community
• Have a community fair at the adult school.
• Have representative from EED/job placement come regularly to your school and Report on new jobs
• Have a recruiting event at your school for hard to fill positions
• Organize a charity event or drive
Phase II: Suggestions for Classroom Activities
1.Find ways to encourage students’ interests on issues that are personally meaningful to them
2.Include classroom activities that create a framework for learning global citizenry skills
3.Identify skills that require students to grow to be global citizens, name them and their applications.
4.Ask them to define their own cultural identity and share that with other students
5.Find a way to ask students to share pertinent non-western perspectives to intercultural communication activities, incorporate “culturally responsive teaching”
6.Help students understand general workplace language, skills and dynamics as foundation skills that will assist them anywhere on the globe.
7.Introduce key vocabulary (sustainability, waste, excess, green, recyclable, trade-offs, long term, short term, consumption, consumer, social responsibility, fair trade)
8.Ask them to make an environmental pledge (I will put all plastic bottles in a recycle bin, not a garbage can)
9.Ask them to make a list of services we get for free from the environment
10.Learn how to be a wise consumer, spend with a conscious
11.Encourage some kind of action as a new production of knowledge
12.Study the city or school’s recycling policies
13.Help make the classroom more efficient for recycling and energy
14.Have the class design an informative display/bulletin board about their learning on recycling
15.Encourage welcome groups for new students
16.Promote activities that encourage student leadership
(Living and working only within their own ethnic community or not integrating means that they don’t take a leadership role in the community. It could take one or more generations to understand roles and civic responsibilities. Ethnic community groups don’t know how develop leaders that can take a role both inside the group and outside to the larger community. Hence a diverse city needs to understand global citizenship leadership qualities and build consensus with other minority ethnic groups in the community to get their issues heard and understood rather than continue to be marginalized.)
17.Discuss choices people/government/and communities make about the environment, the tradeoffs and connections
18.Elicit information from the class and write about something from a totally different point of view than people are used to
19.Have a group of students try to point to places on a map with a pencil. Each person has a string attached to the pencil. Do it with a rubber band. Do it blindfolded. Do it with your hands tied behind your back. This really shows how we must try to act in concert. (Idea from Dr. Reckmeyere.)
2.Include classroom activities that create a framework for learning global citizenry skills
3.Identify skills that require students to grow to be global citizens, name them and their applications.
4.Ask them to define their own cultural identity and share that with other students
5.Find a way to ask students to share pertinent non-western perspectives to intercultural communication activities, incorporate “culturally responsive teaching”
6.Help students understand general workplace language, skills and dynamics as foundation skills that will assist them anywhere on the globe.
7.Introduce key vocabulary (sustainability, waste, excess, green, recyclable, trade-offs, long term, short term, consumption, consumer, social responsibility, fair trade)
8.Ask them to make an environmental pledge (I will put all plastic bottles in a recycle bin, not a garbage can)
9.Ask them to make a list of services we get for free from the environment
10.Learn how to be a wise consumer, spend with a conscious
11.Encourage some kind of action as a new production of knowledge
12.Study the city or school’s recycling policies
13.Help make the classroom more efficient for recycling and energy
14.Have the class design an informative display/bulletin board about their learning on recycling
15.Encourage welcome groups for new students
16.Promote activities that encourage student leadership
(Living and working only within their own ethnic community or not integrating means that they don’t take a leadership role in the community. It could take one or more generations to understand roles and civic responsibilities. Ethnic community groups don’t know how develop leaders that can take a role both inside the group and outside to the larger community. Hence a diverse city needs to understand global citizenship leadership qualities and build consensus with other minority ethnic groups in the community to get their issues heard and understood rather than continue to be marginalized.)
17.Discuss choices people/government/and communities make about the environment, the tradeoffs and connections
18.Elicit information from the class and write about something from a totally different point of view than people are used to
19.Have a group of students try to point to places on a map with a pencil. Each person has a string attached to the pencil. Do it with a rubber band. Do it blindfolded. Do it with your hands tied behind your back. This really shows how we must try to act in concert. (Idea from Dr. Reckmeyere.)
Part V: Preparing to Teach for Global Citizenship
Teachers must be able to cross borders in classrooms, and provide essential links in the community that eroded with time or have been forgotten because of incremental complexities in our institutions. To transform ESL students (and the receiving community?) into global citizens, teachers must actively work to have a better understanding of their own, and their students’ culture, and that of a new global culture.
The following is a list of items for ESL teachers and all teachers to consider while preparing to Teach for Global Citizenship:
Phase I: Teachers, please take inventory of your own Global Citizenship education:
1.Explore different facets, define and learn to appreciate your own ideas of your culture (Ziegahn, 2000, p.323). Be prepared to define and express to students in your classroom setting your philosophies of culture, education and global citizenry.
2.Know with a balanced view the positives and negatives of immigration policies (as an ESL teacher you cannot remain uninformed in this important societal issue).
3.Educate yourself on at least one global environmental issues, determine how you can be personally engaged. Learn how this global issues is interconnected with other issues
4.Become skilled at introducing, and facilitating discussions on controversial topics comfortably and safely
5.Build up materials and resources using current topics on local issues that have global implications.
6.Ask your students about their interests (toward global change)
7.Raise awareness with peers and administrators (encourage a whole school approach)
8.Gather contacts and resources to promote inter-agency/inter-departmental/inter-industry communication (don’t be shy of working across disciplines, linking horizontally and vertically)
9.Educate yourself on non-profit agencies that connect your students to resources
a.World Education Services - connection to World Wide education accreditation services (www.wes.org/)
b.Upwardly Global - helps professionals get work in their field of study (www.UpwardlyGlobal.org)
10.Slowly try out and integrate a new set of questions into your regular curriculum. (see sample lesson).
11.Study and discover newer/less traditional aspects of societal networking (e-communities, citizen’s groups, non-profit organizations and grant opportunities, micro lending organizations, social entrepreneurship, social justice, green communities)
12.Be a transformationlist on your campus or community
After you’ve taken inventory and started to explore Global Citizenship ideas, you’re ready to start in the classroom. Be receptive and expect some discomfort. If you don’t know something, don’t worry you can learn it with your students. Or just be honest and say you don’t know. Your students will teach you many things. Sometimes teachers will be “equal with the students” but they will use their “greater knowledge of the nature of communication to help [students] interpret what is happening in the specialist course or training” (Dudley-Evans & St. John, 1998, p. 150).
Teaching basic concepts of Global Citizenship increases the possibility that these messages will go global yet stay local. Here are some suggestions for the kinds of thinking, learning and teaching an instructor must consider in his or her mission to internationalize their content and instill a global citizenry ideal in their students. But anything that enhances their experience, offers opportunity, removes barriers, or encourages leadership should be considered.
The following is a list of items for ESL teachers and all teachers to consider while preparing to Teach for Global Citizenship:
Phase I: Teachers, please take inventory of your own Global Citizenship education:
1.Explore different facets, define and learn to appreciate your own ideas of your culture (Ziegahn, 2000, p.323). Be prepared to define and express to students in your classroom setting your philosophies of culture, education and global citizenry.
2.Know with a balanced view the positives and negatives of immigration policies (as an ESL teacher you cannot remain uninformed in this important societal issue).
3.Educate yourself on at least one global environmental issues, determine how you can be personally engaged. Learn how this global issues is interconnected with other issues
4.Become skilled at introducing, and facilitating discussions on controversial topics comfortably and safely
5.Build up materials and resources using current topics on local issues that have global implications.
6.Ask your students about their interests (toward global change)
7.Raise awareness with peers and administrators (encourage a whole school approach)
8.Gather contacts and resources to promote inter-agency/inter-departmental/inter-industry communication (don’t be shy of working across disciplines, linking horizontally and vertically)
9.Educate yourself on non-profit agencies that connect your students to resources
a.World Education Services - connection to World Wide education accreditation services (www.wes.org/)
b.Upwardly Global - helps professionals get work in their field of study (www.UpwardlyGlobal.org)
10.Slowly try out and integrate a new set of questions into your regular curriculum. (see sample lesson).
11.Study and discover newer/less traditional aspects of societal networking (e-communities, citizen’s groups, non-profit organizations and grant opportunities, micro lending organizations, social entrepreneurship, social justice, green communities)
12.Be a transformationlist on your campus or community
After you’ve taken inventory and started to explore Global Citizenship ideas, you’re ready to start in the classroom. Be receptive and expect some discomfort. If you don’t know something, don’t worry you can learn it with your students. Or just be honest and say you don’t know. Your students will teach you many things. Sometimes teachers will be “equal with the students” but they will use their “greater knowledge of the nature of communication to help [students] interpret what is happening in the specialist course or training” (Dudley-Evans & St. John, 1998, p. 150).
Teaching basic concepts of Global Citizenship increases the possibility that these messages will go global yet stay local. Here are some suggestions for the kinds of thinking, learning and teaching an instructor must consider in his or her mission to internationalize their content and instill a global citizenry ideal in their students. But anything that enhances their experience, offers opportunity, removes barriers, or encourages leadership should be considered.
Monday, February 16, 2009
Striving for Global Citizenship: the Essentials
1.An awareness that earth is our common ground, and doesn’t belong to any one entity
2.Nations, people, environment, and issues are interconnected, interdependent
3.There are multiple viewpoints to an issue and we try to understand or represent different sides
4.We have a multiplicity of identities we accept and that are not easily separable
5.Make informed choices that are separate from a government entity or affiliation
6.Consider access to information to be an essential right and also furnish information to others
7.Can access our networks no matter where we are
8.Support renewable, sustainable resources
9.Feel a personal responsibility, accountability to think, act and do for good of the present collective and future generations, especially toward our environment
And………..For teachers, please add…
10.Educate our students (youths or adults, children or seniors) for global citizenship
These essentials....
•Don’t erase, discount or invalidate what you’ve learned for your teaching career
•Do add a dimension of personal responsibility for you to encourage in your students
•Do start today with simple subjects
Question:
Why teach about Global Citizenship to Adult Immigrants?
Answer:
Teaching Global Citizenship values and concerns increases an immigrant’s understanding of their new home, validates and supports home country connections, and helps them define their place in a globalizing world. Expanding delivery of these messages to the adult immigrant community could help lessen challenges related to cultural isolationism. The long-term positive implications are there.
2.Nations, people, environment, and issues are interconnected, interdependent
3.There are multiple viewpoints to an issue and we try to understand or represent different sides
4.We have a multiplicity of identities we accept and that are not easily separable
5.Make informed choices that are separate from a government entity or affiliation
6.Consider access to information to be an essential right and also furnish information to others
7.Can access our networks no matter where we are
8.Support renewable, sustainable resources
9.Feel a personal responsibility, accountability to think, act and do for good of the present collective and future generations, especially toward our environment
And………..For teachers, please add…
10.Educate our students (youths or adults, children or seniors) for global citizenship
These essentials....
•Don’t erase, discount or invalidate what you’ve learned for your teaching career
•Do add a dimension of personal responsibility for you to encourage in your students
•Do start today with simple subjects
Question:
Why teach about Global Citizenship to Adult Immigrants?
Answer:
Teaching Global Citizenship values and concerns increases an immigrant’s understanding of their new home, validates and supports home country connections, and helps them define their place in a globalizing world. Expanding delivery of these messages to the adult immigrant community could help lessen challenges related to cultural isolationism. The long-term positive implications are there.
How Can Global Citizenship Concepts Help Adult ESL Students?
Global Citizenship concepts… are a portal to integration and mutual understanding between nations and peoples. They are not THE answer, but they are a very large doorway.
Global Citizenship concepts...
•are a platform for citizenship ideals in increasingly globalized conditions
•honor the strengths that immigrants bring with them
•allow for a multiplicity of identity and languages
•acknowledge our world interconnection and interdependence
•encourage critical thinking for sustainability
•mean discussing controversial issues from multiple viewpoints
•are about caring for the triple bottom line of the planet (Environment, Economy and Social aspects)
•promote individual action
The ideals of Education for Global Citizenship and how you enact them in your classroom may travel the globe. One student said this to me recently:
“My ideas about America have completely changed since I have been in your class. My friends ask me what I am doing while I am in America and I talk a lot about what happens in our class. They don’t believe me, but they are very interested.”
This just shows to me how one positive message can travel the globe and maybe make a difference. This student is an older gentleman from Iraq and he wants to return to his country to help put it back together. Maybe one day he will return. I can’t afford to lose a chance like this to open a dialogue about global responsibilities. ESL Educators can’t afford to ignore the connections that immigrants bring with them and the interconnections in our world when presenting different concepts to them. As educators we have a tremendous influence on our students and their ideas about community, responsibility, interconnectedness and globalization.
Global Citizenship concepts...
•are a platform for citizenship ideals in increasingly globalized conditions
•honor the strengths that immigrants bring with them
•allow for a multiplicity of identity and languages
•acknowledge our world interconnection and interdependence
•encourage critical thinking for sustainability
•mean discussing controversial issues from multiple viewpoints
•are about caring for the triple bottom line of the planet (Environment, Economy and Social aspects)
•promote individual action
The ideals of Education for Global Citizenship and how you enact them in your classroom may travel the globe. One student said this to me recently:
“My ideas about America have completely changed since I have been in your class. My friends ask me what I am doing while I am in America and I talk a lot about what happens in our class. They don’t believe me, but they are very interested.”
This just shows to me how one positive message can travel the globe and maybe make a difference. This student is an older gentleman from Iraq and he wants to return to his country to help put it back together. Maybe one day he will return. I can’t afford to lose a chance like this to open a dialogue about global responsibilities. ESL Educators can’t afford to ignore the connections that immigrants bring with them and the interconnections in our world when presenting different concepts to them. As educators we have a tremendous influence on our students and their ideas about community, responsibility, interconnectedness and globalization.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
What Global Citizenship isn’t.
What Global Citizenship isn’t.
1. The boundaries don’t show on a map
2. You don’t have to get on a plane or cross borders
3. Passports are not available
4. There’s no president or governing body
5. You don’t need to vote for it in the next election
6. It’s not about bi- or tri-lingualism
7. It’s beyond multi-culturalism or intercultural communication
8. It’s not about being a radical activist
9. It’s not EL Civics (English Language Civics education-funded by state/federal government)
10. It’s not a citizenship class
However, elements of each of these may be inherent in Global Citizenship
1. The boundaries don’t show on a map
2. You don’t have to get on a plane or cross borders
3. Passports are not available
4. There’s no president or governing body
5. You don’t need to vote for it in the next election
6. It’s not about bi- or tri-lingualism
7. It’s beyond multi-culturalism or intercultural communication
8. It’s not about being a radical activist
9. It’s not EL Civics (English Language Civics education-funded by state/federal government)
10. It’s not a citizenship class
However, elements of each of these may be inherent in Global Citizenship
Part III: Immigrant Strengths
I picture a world where
“…migrants will no longer be
disadvantaged minorities.
Cultural hybridity will
become an asset rather
than a burden.”
Baubock (2001)
Yet, immigrant citizens are so much more than the concerns I have mentioned. The immigrants in my class are in transition, between worlds and learning worldliness. Some of them are only recently joining this culture. They may have been in the U.S. for more than a year but don’t yet know what they want to do, don’t qualify for residency tuition, or aren’t satisfied with their language skills. Some are retired; yet want to stay current with business and political issues.
A great number of this immigrant population arrives in the U.S. as (1) adults in their life prime with graduate school and/or prestigious careers behind them. Maybe they need more English to be able to work in their chosen or new field. Or (2) they are high school graduates wanting to transition to the community colleges, universities and move into the skilled workforce. For many, their current English does not qualify them to get a GED, or to enter any college. But, it is this population, often bi- or trilingual, along with second generation immigrants, who are uniquely equipped to meet a profile of a global citizen.
This population with their many strengths are well-suited to global citizenry:
1.They are predisposed to action. They have already taken action to get to America and make improvements in their lives.
2.They know the future is uncertain. Many of them have ambiguous futures in their new homes. The future is dependent on their becoming proficient in the English language and cutting through a brand new bureaucracy. While it is often a difficult journey, it also prepares them for dealing more realistically with changing outside forces.
3.They have multinational identities and loyalties.
4.They are often educated, at least ¼ have at least one University degrees.
5.They are adaptable. “Migrants and their descendants are, however, far from being passive – they adapt to changing conditions, creating new opportunities and openings and using well-trodden paths for social mobility.” (Cross and Waldinger, 2002, p.21) Many are or become entrepreneurs maneuvering though a new bureaucracy that actually works without bribery.
6.They often have influence far beyond the borders of this country. They network collectively. There are migrant networks and communities worldwide. “Immigrant communities develop through the mobilization of informal recruiting chains and networks and these may assist immigrants in responding to the new circumstances.” (Cross and Waldinger, 2002, p. 22) They help their families and co-ethnics. They connect to their home countries (the Internet, phones), sometimes daily. They are mobile (jet setters, return migration, visits/visitors, ‘astronauts’). They send or invest money in home countries (worldwide 300 billion yearly in remittances).
7.They are in a position to be global change agents: they want to do more. They want to be productive. They come here with dreams of being able to contribute, to help themselves, their family, their people, their home country. They do not expect handouts. They are ready to give locally, nationally and to the world.
There are also other many other qualities of tenacity in this population, as well as the phenomenal drive that brought them to a new country in the first place.
Question:
What more do immigrants need to be Global Citizens?
Answer:
By teaching Education for Global Citizenship concepts, you encourage individual responsibility, teach tools for them to be positive change agents, and influence a fostering of their global connections. This is what they need to be more engaged in any community, but especially our global community.
“…migrants will no longer be
disadvantaged minorities.
Cultural hybridity will
become an asset rather
than a burden.”
Baubock (2001)
Yet, immigrant citizens are so much more than the concerns I have mentioned. The immigrants in my class are in transition, between worlds and learning worldliness. Some of them are only recently joining this culture. They may have been in the U.S. for more than a year but don’t yet know what they want to do, don’t qualify for residency tuition, or aren’t satisfied with their language skills. Some are retired; yet want to stay current with business and political issues.
A great number of this immigrant population arrives in the U.S. as (1) adults in their life prime with graduate school and/or prestigious careers behind them. Maybe they need more English to be able to work in their chosen or new field. Or (2) they are high school graduates wanting to transition to the community colleges, universities and move into the skilled workforce. For many, their current English does not qualify them to get a GED, or to enter any college. But, it is this population, often bi- or trilingual, along with second generation immigrants, who are uniquely equipped to meet a profile of a global citizen.
This population with their many strengths are well-suited to global citizenry:
1.They are predisposed to action. They have already taken action to get to America and make improvements in their lives.
2.They know the future is uncertain. Many of them have ambiguous futures in their new homes. The future is dependent on their becoming proficient in the English language and cutting through a brand new bureaucracy. While it is often a difficult journey, it also prepares them for dealing more realistically with changing outside forces.
3.They have multinational identities and loyalties.
4.They are often educated, at least ¼ have at least one University degrees.
5.They are adaptable. “Migrants and their descendants are, however, far from being passive – they adapt to changing conditions, creating new opportunities and openings and using well-trodden paths for social mobility.” (Cross and Waldinger, 2002, p.21) Many are or become entrepreneurs maneuvering though a new bureaucracy that actually works without bribery.
6.They often have influence far beyond the borders of this country. They network collectively. There are migrant networks and communities worldwide. “Immigrant communities develop through the mobilization of informal recruiting chains and networks and these may assist immigrants in responding to the new circumstances.” (Cross and Waldinger, 2002, p. 22) They help their families and co-ethnics. They connect to their home countries (the Internet, phones), sometimes daily. They are mobile (jet setters, return migration, visits/visitors, ‘astronauts’). They send or invest money in home countries (worldwide 300 billion yearly in remittances).
7.They are in a position to be global change agents: they want to do more. They want to be productive. They come here with dreams of being able to contribute, to help themselves, their family, their people, their home country. They do not expect handouts. They are ready to give locally, nationally and to the world.
There are also other many other qualities of tenacity in this population, as well as the phenomenal drive that brought them to a new country in the first place.
Question:
What more do immigrants need to be Global Citizens?
Answer:
By teaching Education for Global Citizenship concepts, you encourage individual responsibility, teach tools for them to be positive change agents, and influence a fostering of their global connections. This is what they need to be more engaged in any community, but especially our global community.
Part II: Observations from Fremont, CA
“We need to change the way we see the world
to allow us to feel responsibility.”
An edited quote derived from MINDWALK,
a film by Bernt Capra, based on the book
The Turning Point by Fritjof Capra. (1991)
Fremont, CA is the 4th largest city in the immediate S.F. Bay Area and it is the 16th largest city in California. What I want you to know is that Fremont over-represents California in terms of an immigrant population. With a total population of about 200,000, more that 37% of the population is foreign-born. It’s a diverse city which I was aware of before I applied to teach there. I chose Fremont because I am attracted to diversity like a magnet, a moth to a flame, a deer in the headlights or whatever metaphor you choose. It has not disappointed me even though I should disclose here that I do not live in Fremont. I live in San Jose. But I travel the world in my classroom.
Please visit this website http://www.ci.fremont.ca.us/Business/Demographics/EthnicBreakdown.htm. This chart with 2006 data reminds me how misleading pie charts like these can be and why immigrant groups don’t have a lot of clout. It doesn’t clarify the term ‘White’ or ‘Asian.’ ‘White’ can also cover Afghans, Hispanics, Iranians, and those from Arab nations. The term Asian can cover Korea, Thailand, India and Pakistan as well as China and Taiwan. There is no explanation for the ‘Other’ category and mixed cultures are not included. But read the other way, strictly as 32% are white/48% Asian, it does show that, politically speaking, there is likely to be an imbalance, but not the same as it was in 2000 (41.37% white/36.76% Asian.)
I started teaching ESL more than 7 years ago and I have collected some personal (anecdotal) and paradoxical concerns for my students and immigrant populations in general. However, you can certainly argue these 'concerns' real or imagined are applicable to native born citizens as well.
1. Immigrants are free to live under the radar. This is both good and bad. Perhaps in their previous country they were a target of persecution, but now in a new country they haven’t registered to vote or voted. Living under the radar means there is limited personal investment in community. Garbage thrown on the street is seen as the city’s problem, not a personal problem that I, a citizen, can help solve. They also lack political clout until their minority reaches sufficient number to gain a sliver on a pie chart. And then they find there are many slivers of other minorities and this doesn’t add up to anything on a ballot. The city government doesn’t reflect the population. The immigrant population passively accepts their lack of influence.
2.Immigrants don’t have time to learn the language. Some immigrants come to the US with some English language skills. Some learn quickly. But the reality is that immigrants often live and work in their co-ethnic community, because that is the community that hires them and has jobs ready for them when they arrive. The community and city don’t always help match new arrivals with entry-level jobs. Also many entry-level jobs have variable schedules so students are unable to go to school. Many are forced to give up school because of work hours. Consequently, they learn their language skills “on the job.” They learn enough to get by but they don’t learn the language enough to be proficient for furthering their education. Also by living and working in co-ethnic communities, they may not get connected to employment trends and training in growth industries. Employers use H1B Visas to secure engineers or nurses and continue draining the brain power from outside countries. If an immigrant arrives here and starts working as an underclass, there is almost no way out of the cycle until one or more generations later.
3.Immigrants acquire the same bad habits I have. On the positive side of immigration, newcomers are thought to bring a strong sense of family and a heritage of caring for elder family members. However, this isn’t always true. Youths learn new values from classmates around them. In the pursuit of more than sustenance living, sometimes family ties and generational responsibilities are pushed aside and forgotten. Some that come are so focused on getting educated and making money that they don’t stop to breathe between degrees. As well, rampant consumerism and lack of attention to our environment and resources pervade the behavior of new arrivals. Immigrants can’t necessarily follow models of good behavior when they don’t have one to start with.
4.Immigrants don’t give back to the community. The community has many resources, but immigrants don’t always have connections to them or understand how to use them. If they come to school, they have more opportunities to learn about the resources, but still they can be shy of demanding more. Cities don’t always know how to help and connect immigrants to resources. Why isn’t there a job match or a willingness to connect the dots for new immigrants? And if the community is perceived as only giving a little to the newcomer, how can we expect an immigrant to feel connected to the community and then share and volunteer their services? There is no mandated policy of coordinating connections like this so if a person wanted to volunteer, they wouldn’t know where to start. And our classroom culture, where they have friends of all ethnicities and share and help each other, doesn’t necessarily go much further than the parking lot. Cross-ethnic support is not automatically extended beyond that campus border and into the greater community.
Question:
How do I help foster in my students a stronger connection to the greater community? And vice-versa?
Answer:
I must become a Global Citizen and model Global Citizenship ideals. As a teacher, I must cross imaginary borders in the community, in my own mind, and encourage others to do the same. I must strive to understand and make connections with the community for my students whenever possible.
to allow us to feel responsibility.”
An edited quote derived from MINDWALK,
a film by Bernt Capra, based on the book
The Turning Point by Fritjof Capra. (1991)
Fremont, CA is the 4th largest city in the immediate S.F. Bay Area and it is the 16th largest city in California. What I want you to know is that Fremont over-represents California in terms of an immigrant population. With a total population of about 200,000, more that 37% of the population is foreign-born. It’s a diverse city which I was aware of before I applied to teach there. I chose Fremont because I am attracted to diversity like a magnet, a moth to a flame, a deer in the headlights or whatever metaphor you choose. It has not disappointed me even though I should disclose here that I do not live in Fremont. I live in San Jose. But I travel the world in my classroom.
Please visit this website http://www.ci.fremont.ca.us/Business/Demographics/EthnicBreakdown.htm. This chart with 2006 data reminds me how misleading pie charts like these can be and why immigrant groups don’t have a lot of clout. It doesn’t clarify the term ‘White’ or ‘Asian.’ ‘White’ can also cover Afghans, Hispanics, Iranians, and those from Arab nations. The term Asian can cover Korea, Thailand, India and Pakistan as well as China and Taiwan. There is no explanation for the ‘Other’ category and mixed cultures are not included. But read the other way, strictly as 32% are white/48% Asian, it does show that, politically speaking, there is likely to be an imbalance, but not the same as it was in 2000 (41.37% white/36.76% Asian.)
I started teaching ESL more than 7 years ago and I have collected some personal (anecdotal) and paradoxical concerns for my students and immigrant populations in general. However, you can certainly argue these 'concerns' real or imagined are applicable to native born citizens as well.
1. Immigrants are free to live under the radar. This is both good and bad. Perhaps in their previous country they were a target of persecution, but now in a new country they haven’t registered to vote or voted. Living under the radar means there is limited personal investment in community. Garbage thrown on the street is seen as the city’s problem, not a personal problem that I, a citizen, can help solve. They also lack political clout until their minority reaches sufficient number to gain a sliver on a pie chart. And then they find there are many slivers of other minorities and this doesn’t add up to anything on a ballot. The city government doesn’t reflect the population. The immigrant population passively accepts their lack of influence.
2.Immigrants don’t have time to learn the language. Some immigrants come to the US with some English language skills. Some learn quickly. But the reality is that immigrants often live and work in their co-ethnic community, because that is the community that hires them and has jobs ready for them when they arrive. The community and city don’t always help match new arrivals with entry-level jobs. Also many entry-level jobs have variable schedules so students are unable to go to school. Many are forced to give up school because of work hours. Consequently, they learn their language skills “on the job.” They learn enough to get by but they don’t learn the language enough to be proficient for furthering their education. Also by living and working in co-ethnic communities, they may not get connected to employment trends and training in growth industries. Employers use H1B Visas to secure engineers or nurses and continue draining the brain power from outside countries. If an immigrant arrives here and starts working as an underclass, there is almost no way out of the cycle until one or more generations later.
3.Immigrants acquire the same bad habits I have. On the positive side of immigration, newcomers are thought to bring a strong sense of family and a heritage of caring for elder family members. However, this isn’t always true. Youths learn new values from classmates around them. In the pursuit of more than sustenance living, sometimes family ties and generational responsibilities are pushed aside and forgotten. Some that come are so focused on getting educated and making money that they don’t stop to breathe between degrees. As well, rampant consumerism and lack of attention to our environment and resources pervade the behavior of new arrivals. Immigrants can’t necessarily follow models of good behavior when they don’t have one to start with.
4.Immigrants don’t give back to the community. The community has many resources, but immigrants don’t always have connections to them or understand how to use them. If they come to school, they have more opportunities to learn about the resources, but still they can be shy of demanding more. Cities don’t always know how to help and connect immigrants to resources. Why isn’t there a job match or a willingness to connect the dots for new immigrants? And if the community is perceived as only giving a little to the newcomer, how can we expect an immigrant to feel connected to the community and then share and volunteer their services? There is no mandated policy of coordinating connections like this so if a person wanted to volunteer, they wouldn’t know where to start. And our classroom culture, where they have friends of all ethnicities and share and help each other, doesn’t necessarily go much further than the parking lot. Cross-ethnic support is not automatically extended beyond that campus border and into the greater community.
Question:
How do I help foster in my students a stronger connection to the greater community? And vice-versa?
Answer:
I must become a Global Citizen and model Global Citizenship ideals. As a teacher, I must cross imaginary borders in the community, in my own mind, and encourage others to do the same. I must strive to understand and make connections with the community for my students whenever possible.
Monday, February 9, 2009
About the Author
Lisa Braley received her B.A. degree in Advertising from San Jose State University (SJSU) in 1990. After ten years in marketing, living in Hong Kong for 3 of those, she traveled for 8 months to Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Turkey and India in 2000.
Upon her return, Lisa began learning about teaching ESL and has taught beginning to advanced English learners at Fremont Adult School (http://www.fremont.k12.ca.us/16822094163447560/site/default.asp) in Fremont, CA since Sept. 2002. She completed her requirements for an MA TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) from SJSU in December of 2007. In 2008, she also started working with English By The Hour as an Accent Reduction Specialist doing 1:1 private coaching.
Lisa has always enjoyed reading, writing, traveling, and learning about culture and languages. She has formally studied Spanish, French, German, and most recently, two years of the Persian language. Informally, she has studied many more.
She is passionate about helping her ESL students and Accent Reduction clients (www.englishbythehour.com)improve their lives, as well as their English, but also believes that immigrants have something valuable to share and give back to their new communities, as well as their home country society.
Upon her return, Lisa began learning about teaching ESL and has taught beginning to advanced English learners at Fremont Adult School (http://www.fremont.k12.ca.us/16822094163447560/site/default.asp) in Fremont, CA since Sept. 2002. She completed her requirements for an MA TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) from SJSU in December of 2007. In 2008, she also started working with English By The Hour as an Accent Reduction Specialist doing 1:1 private coaching.
Lisa has always enjoyed reading, writing, traveling, and learning about culture and languages. She has formally studied Spanish, French, German, and most recently, two years of the Persian language. Informally, she has studied many more.
She is passionate about helping her ESL students and Accent Reduction clients (www.englishbythehour.com)improve their lives, as well as their English, but also believes that immigrants have something valuable to share and give back to their new communities, as well as their home country society.
ABC's of Unintended Consequences
For Immigrants and Communities
There are Unintended Consequences
of the U.S. Policies on Immigration
• Abuse
• Alienation
• Bullying
• Community conflict
• Crime
• Cultural Conflict
• Deportation
• Detention
• Discrimination
• Disenfranchisement
• Disengaged
• Disparity
• Displacement
• Drugs
• Ecological/Environmental problems
• Eroding social capital
• Exclusion
• Exclusionist elements
• Exploitation
• Externalized indirect costs
• Facilitated return
• Family violence
• Fundamentalism
• Gangs
• Graffiti
• Hate crimes
• Insults
• Insular thinking
• J-1 Spouses
• K-12 Test scores
• Linguistic isolation
• Limited English Proficient (LEP)
• Marginal living
• No civic engagement
• Ostracized
• Prejudice
• Profiling
• Public charge
• Quiet rage
• Racial violence
• Racism
• Repatriation
• Sexism
• Smuggling
• Subsistence existence
• Terrorist activity
• Trafficking
• Underemployed
• Under the radar
• Underclass
• Violence
• Welfare
• Women uneducated
• Xenophobia
• Youth disenfranchisement
• Zealotry
There are Unintended Consequences
of the U.S. Policies on Immigration
• Abuse
• Alienation
• Bullying
• Community conflict
• Crime
• Cultural Conflict
• Deportation
• Detention
• Discrimination
• Disenfranchisement
• Disengaged
• Disparity
• Displacement
• Drugs
• Ecological/Environmental problems
• Eroding social capital
• Exclusion
• Exclusionist elements
• Exploitation
• Externalized indirect costs
• Facilitated return
• Family violence
• Fundamentalism
• Gangs
• Graffiti
• Hate crimes
• Insults
• Insular thinking
• J-1 Spouses
• K-12 Test scores
• Linguistic isolation
• Limited English Proficient (LEP)
• Marginal living
• No civic engagement
• Ostracized
• Prejudice
• Profiling
• Public charge
• Quiet rage
• Racial violence
• Racism
• Repatriation
• Sexism
• Smuggling
• Subsistence existence
• Terrorist activity
• Trafficking
• Underemployed
• Under the radar
• Underclass
• Violence
• Welfare
• Women uneducated
• Xenophobia
• Youth disenfranchisement
• Zealotry
Part 1: The Beginning - Some Ideas for Global Citizenship
“A global citizen is adaptable,
open to new ideas,
able to be productive
in a variety of environments,
understands major events,
thinks globally on a daily basis,
and can converse
in foreign languages.
(Gundling, 2003, p.335).”
As an educator, you may be asking what does this “Global Citizenship” thing have to do with you? Or you may instinctively know – this means you! You know you are a Global Citizen. Then again, maybe you’re not exactly sure...?. Still at some level you must know “Global Citizenship” is important for your own education and our field of teaching and preparing students to live in a world that is becoming increasingly interconnected. Hopefully, after reading this you will start to see connections with your special teaching situation whether it’s here and now on this campus or in your home country teaching EFL.
This topic resonates across all education, K-12, universities, tech training, etc. here and around the world. However, in this paper I practically try to concentrate on my particular audience which is Adult ESL Students in Fremont, California. While my class might not be representative of all ESL classrooms, the ideas generated for this report can be changed to meet the needs of many other ESL situations.
Part of my becoming a Global Citizen is that I must communicate and be an advocate for new perspectives in ESL Education. So I am compelled to share my findings on the aforementioned topic with you. My goal here is to present my understanding of the concepts of Global Citizenship and apply it to the world of teaching English as a Second Language to Adult Immigrants in the U.S. And to show how I think this could benefit immigrants and society.
I also hope you will also begin to see how the concepts apply to you as a lifelong learner and as an educator. I believe incorporating Education for Global Citizenship concepts into your present circumstances can help remove barriers and explicitly recognize what immigrants, international students and even generation 1.5* students can bring to our educational institutions and communities. (*Generation 1.5 students are those that graduate from high school and enter college while still in the process of learning English.)
Why do educators need to know about Global Citizenship?
1. Educators need to respond to the needs of a new student-body in a globalizing world.
The speed and impact of globalizing forces is driving the need for a new lens on the world. In some sense, borders are becoming irrelevant. In another sense, borders are becoming more critical. Approximately one in eight people living in the United States are foreign born, that’s 37.5 million people nationwide. This is the highest level in 80 years. Well, interestingly, California’s entire population is 36 million. With one of the highest percentages of immigrants, more than 26% of Californians are foreign born. And some sources say that 43% speak a foreign language in California homes. (SF Chronicle, Sept 07)
2. The burden of immigrant integration is falling on education system and workplaces: English language is seen as the key. (The caveat here is that there is limited funding, support and resources for this catch-all!)
The U.S. has only “a patchwork system of immigrant integration services,” i.e. little or no formal immigrant integration policy. Such a casual policy has many risks: So is it an immigrant problem or a failure of government leadership? The government has consistently increased immigrant allowances (now 800,000 yearly), yet they don’t back up their entry allowances with positive immigration messages and support. New immigrants are not automatically eligible for Federal support, some functions related to new immigrants are “operationalized at the local level,” and there is increased spending in education (NCLB, Adult ESL, EL Civics). Programs and resources are not necessarily comprehensive, nor are they applied or available consistently. They are but small band-aids to address problems growing yearly in both depth and breadth.
3. Without some kind of integration outreach, there are unintended consequences that affect everyone.
A societal mismatch occurs. Immigrants are allowed legal (or illegal) entry but society doesn’t treat them well. In fact, we seem to be a nation of immigrants who don’t value immigrants. There’s a lot of blame on immigrants for economic and social problems. But the reality is our immigrant population is often underutilized, underserved, and undervalued. The following is just a list of risk possibilities, not necessarily the current reality. Is there something more you could add here?
Although, the USA has been “relatively successful” at integration in the past, it doesn’t mean we will be in the future. If an immigrant doesn’t become connected to the community, they will become a burden. If they are still thought of as separate and other, they will continue to think of themselves as separate and other. Recall what has been happening in the Clichy Subois area of Paris, France. If we leave integration to chance that could be us in the future. If we hope to one day avoid silos of immigrant communities connected by disenfranchisement, isolationism, and home grown terrorism, we need to do a better job of showing a constructive way forward for immigrants to exist and thrive in a new environment. We need to help them productively extend their existing skills locally, and provide them with important knowledge tools so they can affect sustainable change long term, either here or long distance, in their home countries.
Question:
Why do educators need to know about Global Citizenship?
Answer:
Education for Global Citizenship is one way to reach out to immigrants, value them, help activate ideas of civic engagement, to mitigate unintended consequences, and ensure a positive future outcome.
open to new ideas,
able to be productive
in a variety of environments,
understands major events,
thinks globally on a daily basis,
and can converse
in foreign languages.
(Gundling, 2003, p.335).”
As an educator, you may be asking what does this “Global Citizenship” thing have to do with you? Or you may instinctively know – this means you! You know you are a Global Citizen. Then again, maybe you’re not exactly sure...?. Still at some level you must know “Global Citizenship” is important for your own education and our field of teaching and preparing students to live in a world that is becoming increasingly interconnected. Hopefully, after reading this you will start to see connections with your special teaching situation whether it’s here and now on this campus or in your home country teaching EFL.
This topic resonates across all education, K-12, universities, tech training, etc. here and around the world. However, in this paper I practically try to concentrate on my particular audience which is Adult ESL Students in Fremont, California. While my class might not be representative of all ESL classrooms, the ideas generated for this report can be changed to meet the needs of many other ESL situations.
Part of my becoming a Global Citizen is that I must communicate and be an advocate for new perspectives in ESL Education. So I am compelled to share my findings on the aforementioned topic with you. My goal here is to present my understanding of the concepts of Global Citizenship and apply it to the world of teaching English as a Second Language to Adult Immigrants in the U.S. And to show how I think this could benefit immigrants and society.
I also hope you will also begin to see how the concepts apply to you as a lifelong learner and as an educator. I believe incorporating Education for Global Citizenship concepts into your present circumstances can help remove barriers and explicitly recognize what immigrants, international students and even generation 1.5* students can bring to our educational institutions and communities. (*Generation 1.5 students are those that graduate from high school and enter college while still in the process of learning English.)
Why do educators need to know about Global Citizenship?
1. Educators need to respond to the needs of a new student-body in a globalizing world.
The speed and impact of globalizing forces is driving the need for a new lens on the world. In some sense, borders are becoming irrelevant. In another sense, borders are becoming more critical. Approximately one in eight people living in the United States are foreign born, that’s 37.5 million people nationwide. This is the highest level in 80 years. Well, interestingly, California’s entire population is 36 million. With one of the highest percentages of immigrants, more than 26% of Californians are foreign born. And some sources say that 43% speak a foreign language in California homes. (SF Chronicle, Sept 07)
2. The burden of immigrant integration is falling on education system and workplaces: English language is seen as the key. (The caveat here is that there is limited funding, support and resources for this catch-all!)
The U.S. has only “a patchwork system of immigrant integration services,” i.e. little or no formal immigrant integration policy. Such a casual policy has many risks: So is it an immigrant problem or a failure of government leadership? The government has consistently increased immigrant allowances (now 800,000 yearly), yet they don’t back up their entry allowances with positive immigration messages and support. New immigrants are not automatically eligible for Federal support, some functions related to new immigrants are “operationalized at the local level,” and there is increased spending in education (NCLB, Adult ESL, EL Civics). Programs and resources are not necessarily comprehensive, nor are they applied or available consistently. They are but small band-aids to address problems growing yearly in both depth and breadth.
3. Without some kind of integration outreach, there are unintended consequences that affect everyone.
A societal mismatch occurs. Immigrants are allowed legal (or illegal) entry but society doesn’t treat them well. In fact, we seem to be a nation of immigrants who don’t value immigrants. There’s a lot of blame on immigrants for economic and social problems. But the reality is our immigrant population is often underutilized, underserved, and undervalued. The following is just a list of risk possibilities, not necessarily the current reality. Is there something more you could add here?
Although, the USA has been “relatively successful” at integration in the past, it doesn’t mean we will be in the future. If an immigrant doesn’t become connected to the community, they will become a burden. If they are still thought of as separate and other, they will continue to think of themselves as separate and other. Recall what has been happening in the Clichy Subois area of Paris, France. If we leave integration to chance that could be us in the future. If we hope to one day avoid silos of immigrant communities connected by disenfranchisement, isolationism, and home grown terrorism, we need to do a better job of showing a constructive way forward for immigrants to exist and thrive in a new environment. We need to help them productively extend their existing skills locally, and provide them with important knowledge tools so they can affect sustainable change long term, either here or long distance, in their home countries.
Question:
Why do educators need to know about Global Citizenship?
Answer:
Education for Global Citizenship is one way to reach out to immigrants, value them, help activate ideas of civic engagement, to mitigate unintended consequences, and ensure a positive future outcome.
Some Ideas on EGC: Credits/Abstract
Some Ideas on Education for Global Citizenship
for Adult ESL Educators
by Lisa Braley
M.A. TESOL, SJSU (completed 12/07)
For ANTH 187 – Global Citizenship
Suggested Audience:
ESL Teachers, Teachers, people working with Immigrants
Interconnected Topics:
ESL, Global Citizenship, Immigration, Citizenship, Immigrant Rights, Diversity, Social Policy, Leadership and Training, Social Consciousness, Political/Cultural Identity, the Internet and civic engagement, Poverty, Education, Ethnic Community Groups, Terrorism, Welfare (TANF), Government Resources, and more.
Abstract Draft
Immigrants’ connections back to home countries may be more important than we think. Whether immigration gives people a safer existence or greater opportunities, those who teach to English-learners should try to prepare them for a new future. However, ESL students will never forget their home countries. Just as these hereditary links, maintained so devotedly, are one kind of substantiation of our interconnected globe, simple classroom exchanges may also have further implications. What if what happens in an ESL classroom could also offer prospects toward educating and creating a new global citizenry with a capacity for change agency in their present community or home nations?
If today’s English lesson may one day travel forward to a student’s home country associations, what should Adult ESL Teachers be teaching, and adding to their daily lessons? This paper explores the idea that when teaching English to Adult students in ESL classes, educators could also be shaping global citizens. This paper discusses the possibility that immigrant ESL education may have more long term effects and be more far reaching than is currently imagined today. It also looks at what student needs might be and what areas, topics, and lessons could be included. (182 words)
for Adult ESL Educators
by Lisa Braley
M.A. TESOL, SJSU (completed 12/07)
For ANTH 187 – Global Citizenship
Suggested Audience:
ESL Teachers, Teachers, people working with Immigrants
Interconnected Topics:
ESL, Global Citizenship, Immigration, Citizenship, Immigrant Rights, Diversity, Social Policy, Leadership and Training, Social Consciousness, Political/Cultural Identity, the Internet and civic engagement, Poverty, Education, Ethnic Community Groups, Terrorism, Welfare (TANF), Government Resources, and more.
Abstract Draft
Immigrants’ connections back to home countries may be more important than we think. Whether immigration gives people a safer existence or greater opportunities, those who teach to English-learners should try to prepare them for a new future. However, ESL students will never forget their home countries. Just as these hereditary links, maintained so devotedly, are one kind of substantiation of our interconnected globe, simple classroom exchanges may also have further implications. What if what happens in an ESL classroom could also offer prospects toward educating and creating a new global citizenry with a capacity for change agency in their present community or home nations?
If today’s English lesson may one day travel forward to a student’s home country associations, what should Adult ESL Teachers be teaching, and adding to their daily lessons? This paper explores the idea that when teaching English to Adult students in ESL classes, educators could also be shaping global citizens. This paper discusses the possibility that immigrant ESL education may have more long term effects and be more far reaching than is currently imagined today. It also looks at what student needs might be and what areas, topics, and lessons could be included. (182 words)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)