Global Teachers: Multiculturally Skilled

Teaching profession is very demanding specifically if learners are diverse. Global teachers must
therefore be nurturing, patient, and understanding of cultural diversities. Teacher of multicultural
classes deliver teaching and learning in the familiar contexts of their learners and attend to their
multiple ways of thinking.

INTRODUCTION

The world is becoming smaller and accessible that educators’ perspectives and mindsets are
now towards global citizenship, international cooperation and cross-cultural understanding. Globally,
there has been an increasing interest for cross-cultural education program for both teachers and
learners. Readiness to this phenomenon requires retooling of teachers to become globally ready. A
global teacher therefore needs to possess skills, competencies and attitudes in caring and in teaching
diverse and multicultural learners.

TEACHING IN MULTICULTURAL CLASSES

Teachers are often faced with diverse learners. The growing diversity affects school climate and
earners’ educational performance. In the United States, noted growth of African-American, Hispanic,
Asian and American Indian population has changed the racial and ethnic composition of learners in
various schools.

The Philippines, considered to be the third largest English speaking nation provides multicultural
learning atmosphere following America, British, German, Chinese, French and Japanese educational
tracks. Philippines’ popularity for foreign students is attributed to English as the mode of instruction in
all levels of education.

The challenge of globalization goes with the challenge of teacher education program on
multicultural education. Teachers’ readiness for multicultural education goes with their knowledge,
preparation, and understanding of the culture, linguistics, economy and ethnic diverse issues. Moreover,
there is a great demand for teachers teaching multicultural classes to recognize identity, encourage
respect and promote mutual understanding across different cultures and traditions.

To Be or Not to Be Multicultural!

Think about the following questions as your guide in understanding the skills needed of a teacher
teaching multicultural classes:

1. Who is a multicultural literate teacher?

2. What global literacy can help a multicultural teacher?

3. How can 21st century teaching and learning skills help a teacher teaching multicultural classes?
 Study the framework of the Partnership of 21st Skills (P21) below and see how the incorporation of
the 21st century skills helps a global teacher in teaching multicultural classes.

According to P211, learning skills include:

1. Information and communication skills which include:

a. media literacy
b. information literacy
c. ICT Literacy
2. Thinking and problem solving skills (Learning and Innovation Skills) which include:
a. critical thinking
b. creativity
c. intellectual curiosity

Considering problem as a form of thinking and intellectual exercise is a learning skill in the 21st
century. The learners process learning through higher order thinking skills. The learners are exposed to
various idea creation techniques in order to resolve a problem. Openness and responsiveness to new
and diverse perspective address intellectual curiosity.

3. Interpersonal and self-directional skills (Life and Career Skills) which include:
 a. flexibility and adaptability
b. initiative and self-direction
c. social and cross-cultural skills
d. productivity and accountability
e. leadership and responsibility

According to P21, self-direction means monitoring one’s own understanding and learning needs;
locating appropriate resources and transferring learning from one domain to another. Social
responsibility, on the other hand is acting responsibility to promote the interest of the larger community
and demonstrating ethical behavior in personal, workplace and community contexts.

What are the roles of teachers teaching multicultural classes?

1. Multicultural teacher uses multicultural approach in curriculum delivery. He/She expands the
curriculum in acknowledge of the experiences of the diverse groups not only the point of view of
the dominant group. The teacher promotes pluralism by reforming the education program like
altering the curricula to suit the needs of the learners. Teachers takes the responsibility in
helping the learners construct knowledge through the individual belief, cultural and ethnic
heritage or life experiences of the learners most especially the minority group.

2. The multicultural teacher promotes good human relationship. The teacher discourages
prejudice by developing positive and caring attitude to people of different races and ethnicities.
The use of collaborative or cooperative learning creates opportunities for the learners to
interact and work with a team. Social skills of both the dominant and minority groups are
enhanced. Teachers’ multicultural attitude has a very positive effect on their students.

3. Multicultural teacher promotes social reform and cultural change. He/She advocates social
equalities by modifying teaching styles and approaches with the intent of facilitating academic
achievement for all students. He/She leverages social and cultural differences and works for
creating new ideas and being open-minded to different ideas and values of his/her learners.
 Global Teachers: Active Participants in various Exchange Programs

Global teachers are ready for interconnectedness and international collaboration. Intercultural
exchanges among teachers hone their skills and competencies and bring them to becoming culturally-
sensitive global teachers.

INTRODUCTION

In global economy, the gauge for educational success is no longer improvement by national
standards alone, but performance of school systems internationally.

Majority will agree that the quality of an educational system is relative to the quality of its
teachers which is also relative to how the teachers are trained for successful career pathways.

Before, global economy had been shared only by a few countries, but in the 21st century where
knowledge is the highest value commodity of every country, it is a necessity for a country to have quality
education in order to be competitive in the global society.

A number of ministers of education and educational leaders of teachers’ organizations and

institutions come together to share common goal of putting premium to quality teaching profession.
Sharing of the best policies and practices organizing international conferences and entering into
exchange programs are some of the initiatives. These initiatives are undertaken with the belief that
these international engagements provide enormous learnings and values.

Think About IT

a. Why think of career exchanges?

b. How can teacher exchange programs improve teachers’ knowledge, skills and competencies?

TEACHER EXCHANGE PROGRAMS

With the world’s new way of connectivity via technology, individuals, institutions, organizations,
educators and administrators can easily access to exchange programs that suit their need in any part of
the globe of their choice.

Teachers’ exchange programs have gained interest and have increased in number and
participants side by side with global awareness, internalization of education and globalization of the
economy. Other than the great opportunity to work abroad, Teacher Exchange Programs have the
following benefits:

a. acquisition of life changing personal and professional experience

b. career enhancing opportunities to gain new perspectives.
c. exposure to new teaching methodologies: curricula and teaching expertise
d. better understanding of cultural and language from professional colleagues
e. opportunity to develop international friendship and professional relations
Here are some Teacher Exchange Programs:

Fullbright Teacher Exchange Program

This is the flagship international exchange program sponsored by the US government which is
designed to increase mutual understanding of the people of the United States and people of other
countries. It was established by an act of Congress in 1946 which aims to provide opportunities for
teachers to participate in directs exchange of position with colleagues from other countries for a
semester or academic year. It also provides participants chosen for their academic merit and leadership
potentials opportunities to conduct research, exchange ideas and contribute to problem solving of
shared international concerns.
Fullbright Teacher Exchange Program is named after Senator William Fullbright and is
sponsored by the US Department of States’ Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. The Program
hopes that by living and working in the cultures of their host countries, the exchange teachers gain
understanding of the similarities and differences in national culture and international education system.
Some of the participating countries are Czech Republic, France, Hungary, India, Mexico, Switzerland, and
United Kingdom.

US-China Teacher Exchange Program (TEP)

This program is funded by the Freeman Foundation and administered by the National
Committees on the United States – China Relations (NCUSCR) and in China, by the China Education
Association for International Exchange (CEAIE). The US – China Teachers Exchange Program has three
target goals:
1. to enrich teacher and student understanding of the other country and culture
2. to introduce or to strengthen Chinese studies in us schools
3. to help improve English language instruction in participating Chinese middle schools

Before Chinese teachers go for the exchange program, they are given orientation and preparation
for the new teaching experience in the United States. Part of the challenges of the program is English
proficiency and profound understanding of the culture, tradition and situations of the United States.
Exposure to American teaching methods is the highlight of the program.

Japan Exchange and Teaching Program (JET)

The Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) program started in 1987 when 848 university graduates
from English speaking countries were invited by the Japanese government. The purpose of the program
is to improve foreign language education and to promote international exchange. Team teaching is the
main feature of the program. The collaboration is between a Japanese Teacher of English (JTE) and an
Assistant Language Teacher (ALT) teaching in an English class engaging in communication activities. The
presence of the JTE and ALT intensify the English proficiency level of the Japanese students.

Alberta’s International Education Exchange Program for Teachers

The program supports full year an short term exchange programs when participants spend a
year (August – July) teaching in United Kingdom or a calendar year of January to December teaching in
Australia. Participants have also opportunities to teach in Canada, Switzerland, Germany, and Denmark.
Just like other exchange program, professional, cultural and logistics preparations are deemed
necessary. Having global perspectives, gaining international learnings and connecting with another part
of the world are the target objectives of Alberta Schools in bringing in international educators.
 Global Teachers: Technology and Digital Innovative

Globalization and rapid increase in technology have put greater demands on education and on
the teachers. There is a great demand for global teachers to be ICT literate, and to use technology and
digital networks to enhance their teaching-learning process.

INTRODUCTION
Being a teacher in the 21st century is very challenging. Being faced with learners who are digital
natives spending most of their waking hours in technological gadgets, in social networks and in digital
games, the teachers, therefore must reinvent themselves to make learning for students interesting and
stimulating.
The rapid and constant pace of change in technology is a challenge not only in business but also
in education. Exposure and access of learners to rich multimedia content, to the internet, to mobile
devices, and to social networking is a reality that must be embraced and must be taken as opportunities
by teachers to improve teaching-learning process.

HOW DOES TECHNOLOGY WORK FOR THE K TO 12 AND 21ST CENTURY TEACHERS?
K to 12 and 21st century teachers are demanded to be multi-skilled, multi-literate and multi-
specialist among other things. The skills of K to 12 and 21st century teachers go beyond teaching content
areas but also in facilitating and organizing group and activities. Use of technology like networking
encourages collaboration and engagement. Facebook can be an avenue for group collaboration.
Providing students ethical guidelines in the use of the social networking site can build among them
collaborative learning communities. Multi-literacy means teachers’ know-how in using various
technologies in teaching. With students’ vast exposures to technology use, teachers should strive to
learn the use of technology in the classroom. Technology can enhance students’ potential even more if
they are provided opportunities to experience explicit, interactive, and engaging technology aided
instruction. K to 12 and 21st century teachers find ways to engage students on a technology level,
stimulating them and enhancing their levels of learning by using computers and digital media. Education
is a lifelong process and when resources are available 24/7, just a mouse link away, discovering new
knowledge and self-updating is easy. Teachers cannot be just a specialist of his/her major subject since
there are free and readily accessible educational tools on the web. There are websites with resources on
a variety of subjects which can be used for effective teaching and learning. There are online tutorials and
video sites (teachertube, videojug, youtube) mind mapping software, online dictionaries, references,
thesaurus, PowerPoint libraries online and music and arts lessons which can help teachers to be
specialist of other content areas.

The Technology and Digitized Teachers

Gone are the days when teacher stood in front of the students holding a chalk to write on the
board, with manila papers posted on one side of the blackboard with the students passively listening to
lectures. Today, the classroom is an interactive world where the teach rans the students engage in
technology aided instruction.

What are some of the latest and greatest inventions in computers and digital media which can
be of great help to an innovative teacher?

1. Projectors
 Projectors are used to enable students to see larger version of the teachers’ documents presented
through PowerPoint presentation. Moreover, this tool can also project teachers’ use of educational
website. Projected document can easily facilitate students’ note taking.

2. Interactive White Boards

SMART BOARDS and MIMEO BOARDS are interactive white boards which can be used by teachers
and students in manipulating text, objects and in visiting websites for content review. Other multimedia
resources and websites compatible with multimedia white boards are also available for teachers’ use.
SMART BOARDS can also come in package of activities and programs that are very helpful for teachers.

3. Websites and Blogs

Teachers can now create their own websites and blogs to post lectures, assignments, additional
content or even communication to parents.

Different websites offer multiple representations of knowledge (video, audio, text, image, data).
Online resources accessed through internet can complement and supplement teachers subject matter.

4. Audio and Video

Video technology now includes VHS tapes and DVDs with digital video via server or web-based
options such as streamed video from YouTube.

Songs are also downloadable in the internet.

Teachers who need visuals and audio support for instruction can easily access through technology.

The video phone service Skype can be used by teachers in allowing learners to connect with other
learners in other parts of the country or the world.

5. Computers, Tablets and Mobile Devices

Access to websites and other educational programs can be done through computers, tablet and
mobile phones. Teachers used their computers and tablet to make PowerPoint presentation, to do
Microsoft Word and to store important data and images in their file.

6. Social Networks

Social networking tools like Facebook, Email, and Twitter have academic benefits if used for the
purposes of assignments and class projects.

The world is becoming paperless and environment conscious thus assignments, written
compositions and researches can be submitted through Email.

Free Internet Tools for Education

Teachers can use various and variety of internet tools to design for and effective and engaging
teachers-students’ interaction.

Below are some free tools that teachers can used for instructional design:
 1. Firefox

2. Google Reader

3. Gmail

4. Skype

5. I Google

6. YouTube

7. Wordpress

8. eXe

9. Moodle

10. Twitter

How can a teacher benefit from technology aided instructions?

1. Teacher can save time and money because of the easy access to course materials – Teachers can
make use of course materials on websites very quickly at any time or location convenient for
them.

2. Students are motivated by computer based, screens and digital materials and technology aided
instruction.

3. Teachers can use technology as an avenue for extended learning. Assignments can be given
online and students can use various online resources. Teachers can even give research using the
internet, email and social media for communication.

4. Technology can also cater to personalized and differentiated instruction. Preparation of learning
plan may vary because teachers can utilize various and variety of coursewares and computer
programs that are available. Preparation of technology aided instruction can be adapted to the
different learning levels and styles of the target learners. Technology makes it possible to pace
lessons according to the levels and intelligences of learners.

5. Technology allows teachers creativity in organizing and presenting lessons. Ingenuity of the
teacher is challenged in making multimedia presentations.