Education is going global

When Parkwood Elementary School Principal Jane Dennis was invited to the World View conference at Jacksonville High School, she had no doubt she would attend.

"It's in most of our schools' plans to get out there and be globally competitive," she said.

More than 900 educators from Onslow and surrounding counties gathered at JHS Wednesday to learn about just that. Through seminars, they learned about globalization and global education strategies.

During the all-day conference, educators meet in sessions including the impact of globalization on the world and the U.S., 21st century skills in the elementary standards-based classroom and globalizing any high school.

Speakers from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington in the World/Center for International Understanding, Coastal Carolina Community College and area schools shared tips and advice with the educators about tying their classrooms to the rest of the world, through integrated academies, technology and partnerships with schools in other countries.

Debbie Powell, an associate professor at UNCW, said 21st century schools need to have high standards, high achievement and lifelong learning.

"We can't give up our high standards and we all know in North Carolina you're required to teach all those standards," she told educators in the auditorium.

The conference was the perfect way to start the 2008-09 school year, Jacksonville High School Principal Susie Barrett said.

"Global issues are at the forefront of education and as educators we all share in the responsibility of increasing the awareness of our students in those issues that affect them, their community and the world around them," she said.

The sessions, Dennis said, were especially beneficial in a diverse community like Onslow County.

"Being in such a transient community, it's a melting pot. You have to be global, you have to know these cultures," Dennis said.

Meadow View Elementary School Principal Vickie Brown felt that attending the conference would bring her and her staff together as their school prepares to open for the first time.

"I feel like I should model for my teachers and be a participant as well," she said.

By their 10:30 a.m. session, Dennis and Brown were certain the workshop would be worthwhile.

The duo had learned about expected global growth and the wrong assumptions Americans sometimes make, they said, like everyone speaks English and assumptions about different cultures.

"We just need to be aware of that so we can give quality instruction to all students," Brown said.

While Cathe Lannon, a fourth-grade teacher at Bell Fork Elementary School, and Wendi Dougherty, a third-grade teacher at Bell Fork Elementary School, attended the workshop because it was mandatory, they said they would recommend it to others who are not made to go.

"As teachers we sometimes get into our own little groove and you need to be aware of what other schools do and what other countries do," Lannon said.

While Lannon did not entirely agree with one speaker's presentation about transforming teaching entirely for the 21st century, she did feel the conference was "eye opening."

"(I) still think there's some value to the old school style of education. I think we need to be careful when we talk about technology," she said, explaining that rather than replacing every aspect of education with technology, she felt it should be integrated.

An example Lannon gave was children playing tennis. While technology can replace the outside game with a Nintendo Wii, there is a value to being outside, she said.

"It's their world and its very technology based, and we definitely need to be aware and able to keep up with it," Lannon said.

Contact Jacksonville/Onslow County reporter Amanda Hickey at ahickey@freedomenc.com or 910-219-8461. Visit www.jdnews.com to comment on this report.