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Viewpoint

A new teacher is walking into her Grade 4 classroom for the first time.
She was educated in Nepal and has an excitement for teaching in her eyes. She describes herself as
a born teacher. Globalization of education just walked in the door.
Her students will thrive under her careful and competent watch.

School Leader’s Global Mindset

“I was walking through our courtyard right before the
dismissal bell.
I heard at least four different languages spoken in the
groupings of students.
But what really made me proud as a principal was one
friend group of older students.
One student was covered in tattoos with just enough
clothes to stay within dress code. She was in a deep conversation with her longtime friend in a
hajib. There were others in the group with the same extremes. These friends are global students
with a global mindset.”

Those who would lead a school with a global School leaders often experience a pressure
mindset must listen to the teachers, students, and to be quiet and follow what the overall district’s
parents. An aware school leader jumps at any guidelines command. Student demographics are
opportunity to expand the world of the people not easily generalized. Schools reflect a unique
impacted by her or his school. For example, course community of needs. An innovative school
offerings can capitalize on a school’s diverse leader explores what works; listens to teachers,
cultures. Every state has a course catalogue with students, and parents; and makes changes to meet
golden global nuggets waiting to be adopted and their unique needs. A global competence, which
taught by qualified teachers. Leaders with a global includes the set of characteristics, knowledge, and
mindset add courses in religion, philosophy, skills needed to live and work in a diverse, global
global issues, and so forth to the master schedule. society helps educators balance social-emotional
Intercultural clubs can revive a campus with a and academic learning goals. School leaders
celebration of music, food, language, and customs. are critical in designing and scaling relevant
Why is this still considered risk-taking? global learning experiences for both students and
Globalization is not the generalizing of teachers (Tichnor-Wagner, 2019).
education. Savvy school leaders skillfully adapt
their staffing, scheduling, teaching, and learning Conclusion
goals to their unique student population each year. Clearly, the global perspective of education
Resources are present; they simply need to be is in the mindset of most students, teachers,
tweaked in the right direction. Ask the students; and leaders present in schools. The changes are
they will tell you what they need. Watch the welcome, with a need to learn new technology
students blossom in their culturally diverse and and adapt current ideas. As citizens in a changing
global learning environment. Research on student world, educators have organically adapted to
voice is grounded in the belief that students have this transforming educational environment. The
substantial knowledge about their learning needs benefits of technology have opened doors for
and that institutions must use and promote this learning. As classroom diversity increases and
knowledge by positioning students as active, technology improves communication systems,
critical, and positive contributors to all aspects of there will be a welcome shift in pedagogy that
student life (Landorf, 2019). focuses on the learning of individuals. This global
perspective enhances the education community.

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