Common Core’s Role in Building Global Competencies
By Edward Graham
As schools and districts across the country begin to implement the Common Core State Standards,experts say that a focus on global learning must be a key component in the continued advancement of America’s public schools.“The Common Core is potentially a launching pad for developing global competence, and by the same token, developing global competence can be the way in which we actually enable kids to get to the Common Core,” explains Anthony Jackson, Vice President for Education at the Asia Society.
Jackson made the comments at a panel discussion held at the NEA Foundation’s recent two-day convening of union-district leadership teams from across the country to discuss positive and meaningful school reforms. The panel discussion, which focused on the intersection of Common Core and global learning competencies, was moderated by Pedro Noguera, the Peter L. Agnew Professor of Education at New York University, and also featured Fernando Reimers, Director of Global Education and International Policy at Harvard University.
One of the major educational hurdles that the experts discussed was the growing inequality between affluent and low-income students. With the number of poor students having grown by 32% nationwide since 2001, it’s becoming increasingly important for educators to take a more holistic approach in educating students for the 21st century world.
“When you disaggregate our data, poverty and inequality continue to be our major challenges in this country,” said Pedro Noguera, who cited the recent Trends in International Mathematics and Science (TIMMS) Study as a clear example of how poorer children are being disenfranchised in their educations. “We’re not so bad educating affluent kids, whether they live in Maine or Arizona. It’s poor kids that we have trouble educating in most places.”
As economic and societal factors continue to play a large role in influencing public education, it’s crucial that students are provided the necessary tools to meet the growing bevy of challenges. And as technological