Needham High School Global Competence Program Needham Public

Needham High School Global Competence Program ©Needham Public Schools A collaborative initiative of the Needham Education Foundation and Needham High School

Why Global Competence? Students will participate in an increasingly interdependent world requiring: • Understanding of people, places and environments from many perspectives • Skills in communicating, interacting and building relationships with people of another culture

2006 NHS Global Competence Study Committee Conclusions A. Think globally B. Communicate effectively C. Contribute responsibly

Think Globally • Be a geographically informed person • Understand the interdependence of the world • Participate in international experiences • Think about issues from a global perspective • Evaluate information critically from various sources

Communicate Effectively • Converse proficiently in a foreign language • Communicate through a variety of media

Contribute Responsibly • Build relationships with people from other cultures with respect and flexibility • Seek knowledge to shape one’s own values • Analyze one’s own motivation in relation to others, reflect and adjust • Help others embrace multiple perspectives

By learning more about their world, students learn more about themselves. • Personal growth • Overcoming uneasiness • Facing challenges • Opportunity to use skills

History and Links • East Asian Study Committee • District goal - Promote Active Citizenship • NHS curriculum and graduation requirements • NHS learning expectations • School sponsored exchanges and trips • B. C. Global Proficiency Model

Introducing the Needham High School Global Competence Program (GCP)! • Achievable by all • Encompassing what students are already doing • Student-directed

The GCP Requirements • Foreign travel • Foreign language proficiency • Global service • Global Focus Project • GCP Résumé • Reflective essay Students who successfully complete the above will be awarded a Certificate of Global Competence, and will be recognized at Class Day.

GCP International Travel Requirement • Challenging student to step outside comfort zone and connect directly to the culture/people • Student financial commitment encouraged • Student involvement in planning encouraged

Foreign Language Proficiency • World language through Level 4 • Passing grade of C or above each year

Global Service • 1 Community Classroom credit (30 hours) • Exposes student to another world culture • Ideally enables student to employ foreign language skills

Global Focus Project Select an aspect of a foreign country or region’s culture, political system, history, geography or economy to explore Study this interest area by engaging in 3 extracurricular activities (books, movies, cultural events, foreign cooking, lectures etc. ) • Write a 2 -3 page essay on the topic, synthesizing what was learned through the extra-curricular activities

GCP Résumé A summary of the student’s GCP related activities

GCP Reflective Essay • 250 -500 words • Using the Common College Application essay topics • Reflecting upon student’s travel and/or other GCP experiences

GCP Travel and Global Service Partnerships created to assist students in finding eligible travel and global service options.

GCP Review Committee and Portfolio Committee Review Committee • Travel/global service programs that aren’t preapproved • Exceptions to language requirement Portfolio Committee • Reviews completed portfolios 3 x/year to determine if student has qualified for a Certificate of Global Competence

Travel is Accessible to ALL! • Plan up to 2 years in advance • Fundraise • Work: NBA/GCP Partners • Rotary Exchanges • Ask the GCP Travel Partners about scholarship opportunities • Apply for the Friends of the GCP scholarship or the PTC’s GCP scholarship • Visit “A GCP Travel Experience is within Everyone’s Reach” on the GCP website

GCP Website • Link to the GCP website from the NHS homepage: www. nhs. needham. k 12. ma. us • All necessary forms, information sheets and approved travel program and global service lists can be downloaded from the site.

GCP Checklist

GCP Travel Experience Form

GCP Global Service Form

GCP Academic Alternative Proposal Form

Needham High School Global Competence Program GCP Global Focus Project Form Student Name: _____________________________ Student Email: _____________________________ Country/Region of Focus: _________________________ Activity #1: Activity: ________________________________ Date completed: _____________ Activity #2: Activity: ________________________________ Date completed: _____________ Activity #3: Activity: ________________________________ Date completed: _____________ Essay Topic: ______________________________ In a double-spaced, 3 -4 page essay, discuss what motivated you to pursue your area of focus, describe the ways in which the project's activities have widened your cultural understanding, and predict how you may apply what you have learned to your future endeavors. Attach the essay to this form. http: //nhs. needham. k 12. ma. us/info/global-comp. htm GCP Focus Project Form 3/29//08

GCP Résumé Form

A Sample Student’s Path to GCP Certification

What are our challenges? • Cost of student travel • Overcoming perception of the program as an added pressure • Incorporating teachers into the experience

THANK YOU! NEF for providing the grant to fund development of the GCP The GCP Steering Committee, comprised of NHS faculty, administrators and students, NPS administrators and community members