I often wonder why we focus so much on the local (provincial) landscape regarding educational issues in Ontario. Our pre-service (B.Ed.) and graduate programs don't seem to take nearly as global of perspective on education-related issues as often occurs in places such as Australia, Singapore, and Southeast Asia. Ontario has a strong school system but we do a dis-service to our teachers, principals, and system administrators when we don't adequately consider how our local educational realities are situated within the broader world. In the end, our students lose. They perpetuate a system which thinks of itself as the centre of the universe.
Instead, imagine the power of a school system which provided an opportunity to learn multiple world languages, coordinated service and learning experiences to diverse areas of the world (including diverse parts of Ontario), raised awareness of glocal social justices issues, and intentionally incorporated literature, arts, and social study lessons which had an "inter-cultural" focus. Sounds something like the International Baccalaureate (IB) program but, I would argue, could be accomplished minus the high cost or sporadic availability of IB. We live in an ideal province to provide this kind of powerful learning experience - solid school systems, diverse populations, and a commitment to equity and diversity.
We should be able to provide this kind of glocal education in every school; we just need the vision and commitment to do so.
About Me
- Steve Sider
- I have been an elementary and secondary school teacher and administrator. Currently, I am a faculty member in the Faculty of Education at Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. My M.Ed. and Ph.D. had a focus on the educational and linguistic experiences of children who moved from other countries to Canada.
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