Global Dimension Blog

Has your school received its Global Wallplanner yet? We sent them out to all UK schools in a shared mailing last week. Here's a preview: 

Based on this website's own Global Calendar it highlights 'world' days, weeks and other events throughout the year to support global teaching and learning. If you haven't received a copy, or you'd like another, let us know by email. Hurry, while stocks last!

The Box is a unique year-long project for BBC News telling the story of international trade and globalisation by tracking a standard shipping container around the world. The container has been painted bright red with a BBC logo and has been fitted with a GPS transmitter so its progress can be followed on a map on the BBC website as it criss-crosses the globe. BBC correspondents will report on progress, as it arrives in ports in different continents and gets loaded and unloaded with different goods (it's currently transporting whisky from Scotland to Shanghai). The hope is that by the end of the year the website will show a unique snapshot of world trade and how it affects the lives of millions of people.

All the reports, including videos and pictures will be posted on The Box section of the BBC News website - a great learning resource for exploring issues of globalisation, trade and interdependence.

Last weekend (20-21 September) was London's 'open house' weekend (promoting architecture to members of the public) and I took the opportunity to visit Westminster Academy, a newly built school on the Harrow Road, right next to the heavy traffic of the 'Westway', in a very ethnically mixed area of the city. The school won a 2008 RIBA award, and whilst I was interested to see its design, I was also lured in by its focus on International Business, Enterprise and ...Global Citizenship!

I was given a tour by two very enthusiastic Year 8 students and I was really impressed by how the school's welcoming global ethos shone through. Okay so not all school leaders get the opportunity of working with architects right from the beginning to shape a school's environment, but I'm sure some of the things this school has done can be replicated in other schools (and probably is!). Things I liked best were:

- The school's motto was posted up on all the noticeboards: HEART - Honesty, Effort, Aspiration, Respect, Trust. 

- Everywhere you looked you could see quotes from a philosopher or campaigner about the importance of education.

- The wall of the school café was decorated with lettering listing lots of different dishes and foods from around the world.

How do you feature the global dimension in your school? Post a comment and let me know.

Well, blogging is a new thing for the Global Dimension Website, and a new thing for me too. 

What I aim to do with this blog is alert you to resources and events that can help you bring a global perspective to lessons. We also plan to have input from guest bloggers, such as teachers like yourselves, so if you'd like to contribute just let me know by email... or post in a comment (the comments are being moderated at present so won't go live straight away).

Meanwhile, I'll get on with working out how everything works around here.