Your Name and Title:
Jennifer Williams, International Programs, Co-Director
School, Library, or Organization Name:
Country Day World School
Fran Siracusa, International Programs, Co-Director
Ted Gillette, Head of School
Country from Which You Will Present:
Language in Which You Will Present:
Target Audience (such as primary school teachers, high school administrators, students, etc.):
Middle School Teachers, Administrators, & Students
Short Session Description (one line):
The Connected Middle School Student: Fostering Global Collaborations through International Projects
Full Session Description (one paragraph minimum):
Middle school students of today are the global leaders of tomorrow! Middle School is perhaps the most important time in a student’s development to establish a strong foundation for being responsible global citizens and future global leaders. This period of adolescence from approximately age 11-14 is when many guiding values are formed. Learning to embrace important global values such as tolerance, peace, sustainability, collaboration, health, poverty and hunger at this age will likely result in their becoming proactive responsible adults who are committed to make a difference in the world. The uniqueness of this period of development is correlated to the bridging of elementary and secondary school along with the brain development that concurrently takes place.
This session will address specific pedagogical strategies that combine experiential and didactic components to achieve the maximum impact for each student. Further, we will highlight the importance of empowering middle school students to become international problem-solvers through leadership projects. By engaging in interactive global collaborations and constructing student learning communities, middle school students are able to transcend traditional classroom discourse and address issues of global significance in innovative and creative ways. Students are able to celebrate similarities and embrace differences through authentic and meaningful learning projects that encourage them to interact, network, and create. We will highlight examples of our international program designed to connect middle school students through technology projects and international travel. Session participants will leave with a concrete framework to implement a middle school student global leadership project.
Websites / URLs Associated with Your Session: