MY DC/MY INDIA

What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Washington, D.C.? Is it the Capitol, the White House, and the seat of power? Those of us that live in Washington, D.C. know there is a lot to D.C. culture that doesn’t involve the U.S. government, however we are all somehow tied to it. As part of my blog, I want to focus on the theme of neighborhood and community. By interviewing young people in Washington, D.C., I hope to give a better understanding of how D.C. kids feel about their neighborhood and their city. Here you can watch some videos of young people in D.C. talking about their community. This is why I have named my blog, “Knowing Ourselves, Understanding Others.” In order to “understand others,” I hope to talk to and interview young people in India (mostly Kolkata/Calcutta) about their community and neighborhoods. I hope this will reveal life beyond assumptions and stereotypes and help us get to know each other better.

Question: How does your neighborhood or community impact who you are or who you become?

 

 

Does Global Competence and Understanding Really Matter?

Why should students and staff members at Eastern Senior High School know more about the world? Does “global competence,” the capacity to understand issues of international importance, really matter?

Oh! Are you reading this blog and you don’t know much about Eastern? Eastern Senior High School is a D.C. public school high school on Capitol Hill. Eastern, the “Pride of Capitol Hill,” has been around since 1890, but “relaunched” the school in 2011 with an International Baccalaureate program. I have worked at Eastern as a Social Studies’ teacher since the relaunch.

I gave surveys to both students and teachers at Eastern to get their viewpoints on the importance of global competence. Here are some of their responses.

EASTERN STUDENTS

Question: Explain whether you think it’s important to know and understand people and cultures different from your own.

“Yes, it’s important because it helps to understand other people and their ways of the world, which helps you communicate with them.”

“Yes, it’s important, because it can be a fun experience.”

“If you know someone’s culture, you can better understand them.”

“We share the world and we all should respect each others’ culture and nationality.”

“Knowing someone’s culture can help prevent you from saying something rude and insulting about their culture.”

EASTERN TEACHERS

“Understanding other people and cultures builds interest, empathy, and compassion for others.”

“We live in a global society and economy. Being able to succeed in the world requires exposure to people from many different backgrounds and an understanding of different beliefs and worldviews.

Question: Does discrimination and racism exist in society because people don’t know and understand each other?

Why is Ms. Stalnaker traveling to India?!

Ms. Stalnaker is going to India! 

Why am I traveling to India? I am part of a program called Teachers for Global Classrooms (TGC), which is run by the International Research and Exchange Board (IREX) and sponsored by the U.S. Department of State. The program is educating teachers in the U.S. and abroad on global competencies with the goal of better preparing students for the global world in which we live. As part of the program, we took an eight-week online course in global education, attended a conference in Washington, DC with other TGC teachers, and will experience schools and classrooms in another country. As part of my trip to India, I will communicate with my school and wider community, via a blog, about my travel experiences. The majority of my stay in India will be in Kolkata (Calcutta) at Shri Shikshayatan School, an all girls private school (see a picture of girls from the school above). Check out their website here! http://www.shrishikshayatanschool.com/

As part of my blog, I will post questions for the Eastern community and beyond. My first question is:

In order to better understand the world beyond our city, is it important to travel to other countries?