C.M. Rubin’s Global Education Report
Of the 57 million children worldwide estimated to still be missing out on school, more than 40% are thought to be disabled. All youth have the right to learn together regardless of any disabilities or differences they may have. While progress has been made on achieving this global goal over the last 25 years, there is still more work to be done. Professor Mel Ainscow is Emeritus Professor of Education, University of Manchester, and was a keynote at UNESCO’s recent International Forum on Inclusion and Equity in Education. The event commemorated the 25th anniversary of the World Conference on Special Needs Education that led to the UNESCO Salamanca Statement and Framework for Action on Special Needs Education, arguably the most significant international document that has ever appeared in the field of special education. Mel joined us in The Global Search for Education this month to reflect on what has happened over that 25-year period and what lessons can be learned from his experiences in different parts of the world.
Based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the Emerging Leaders Program (ELP) is a workforce development and college readiness program for high schools that have a high population of low-income families. Leah O’Reilly, Director of the year-round program states students from these communities lack knowledge of their options after high school, such as the college application process or the job opportunities available, primarily because school staff in their communities are overloaded. Additionally, the resources to help low-income students on an individual basis do not exist. The Global Search for Education welcomed Leah O’Reilly to learn more about ELP’s important work.
Sedentary teaching and listening can not only lose students’ interest easily, but also deter students’ creativity, homogenizing learners with individualities into one mold. How do we create new models of learning that can engage all students? As an example, how might theater and dance enhance science? STEAM (STEM+Art) education incorporates the arts into the curriculum, enabling students to “move around” both physically and academically, and actualize their individual potentials. Timothy Weinstein is a STEAM teacher at Turner Intermediate School (Wilkinsburg Borough School District, Pennsylvania), who focuses on integrating arts into the STEAM Classroom. Timothy’s story began a few summers ago when he took part in an arts integration workshop. During the program, a theater workshop focused on teaching kids the value of empathy; he realized that he could expand the strategy to other subjects, even the STEM subjects. Today, Weinstein’s innovative program uses “6 Habits of the Mind” as a framework to support the curriculum. The Global Search for Education welcomed Timothy Weinstein to learn more about about his unique and interdisciplinary approach to learning.
Technology has allowed education to become a global tool more than ever before. The backbone of education, teachers, are at the forefront, combining great teaching, tech and pedagogy to create innovative learning opportunities for students. The Top Global Teachers published byThe Global Search for Education are some of the pioneers leading the way with new learning programs and instruction whose influence spans across every continent. This month, our Top Global Teachers shared their educational tips for mindful, successful, and sustainable learning on video.
Thank you to our over 800 global contributors, teachers, entrepreneurs,researchers, business leaders, students and thought leaders from every domain for sharing your perspectives on the future of learning with The Global Search for Education each month.
C. M. Rubin (Cathy) is the Founder of CMRubinWorld, an online publishing company focused on the future of global learning and the co-founder of Planet Classroom. She is the author of three best-selling books and two widely read online series. Rubin received 3 Upton Sinclair Awards for “The Global Search for Education.” The series, which advocates for youth, was launched in 2010 and brings together distinguished thought leaders from around the world to explore the key education issues faced by nations.
Follow C. M. Rubin on Twitter: www.twitter.com/@cmrubinworld
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