Back home after three days in Washington D.C. The  Global Education Symposium was dynamic, exhausting, affirming, exhilarating and inspiring!

I was able to meet the other teachers who will be traveling to Colombia this summer. I was given the opportunity to consider a research question that I would like to focus on during my time there. My group shared a fantastic discussion about big themes like success, community, values and power. They clearly, thoughtful, smart and fun. They are going to be wonderful travel partners.

I was able to see the results of globalized lesson plans in the form of student work samples from the classrooms of other cohort members. Seeing all of these ideas and theories put into PRACTICE  was one of many highlights of this experience. The work samples helped bring the ideas of global education down to a real and tangible level.

Excellent speakers addressed topics like cultural awareness, the need for global citizens and practical ways to apply this to our teaching. I was able to collect resources from National Geographic, The Peace Corps, IEarn and a host of others that I can share immediately with my teaching peers.

I was so grateful that Jayne Heffron, my principal  was also able to be there. She immediately grasped the urgency and importance of this work. It was an invaluable chance to talk through ideas and possibilities for our school and district.

For all of the learning of these past days, I feel like I have left with even more questions than when I started.  They are big questions–How can I take all of the learning of these past few days beyond my classroom to my greater school community?  What research question will have the greatest impact both on my experience in Colombia and my work in my own school district? It will take a while for all of my thoughts to settle.  Meanwhile, I think that the quote above says it all!

Question for kids: What do you think it means to be “lost in a good direction?” 

 (Use the comments section to share your answer!)