Global Issues Running head: GLOBAL ISSUES LESSON PLAN REFLECTION

Global Issues Lesson Plan Reflection Sairima Dass TESOL/507 October 28, 2013 Ms. Cindy Bauman

Global Issues Global Issues Lesson Plan Reflection Global Education is the education that teaches and prepares the students to develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes that are needed to participate effectively and in making decisions to work together for solving the global problems to make this world a more just and humane society (Brown and Kysilka, 2009). I try to connect my lesson to the English Language Learners in my class by asking them to share their experiences (educational or other) with the class. Also, by inviting people from the community who are from Nepal can come and share information regarding the global

issue of poverty being discussed in class. My lesson plan would be effective in preparing a culturally responsive community by making my students aware of the global issue of poverty and how it influences other parts of peoples lives. This global issue of poverty applies to the students in my class because it makes students aware not only of the people, places, and the environment, but also helps them make them real-life connections to people in their community or in their own lives faced with the issue of poverty. There might be some students in the classroom that might not be as poor as the boy Himal in the story we read in our lesson but after reading his story they would gain a whole different perspective of poverty. The biggest challenge in teaching this global issue of poverty is if I am teaching this in a school where majority of the students come from wealthy homes and might not have any idea of what it means to live in poverty. It might be hard for the students to empathize in this kind of situation if they have always lived in luxury. The effective strategies that I will be using to teach this lesson would be classdiscussions, small-group discussions, using a video to show about the life about Himal

Global Issues so that students have a more clear understanding of the global issue of poverty being studied. Using websites from UNICEF would also help students to get a better understanding on different global issues and how to come up with different solutions to

these issues. Students would be making real-life connections through role-playing in class while discussing about programs addressing poverty in their community. This lesson plan can be incorporated into the classroom while teaching about global connections and people, place, and the environment which is a part of the National Council for Teaching Social Studies Standards. Students can learn about the importance of interconnectedness and interdependence because we live in a global world. This issue of poverty can be looked differently around the world in terms of how to handle or come up with different solutions or programs to fight poverty in countries like Nepal. The issue of poverty itself is not controversial like there might be other global issues out there. Sometimes I think the way the aid is provided can become more of an issue, because if it is not carried out the right way it can cause more harm than help. Specific concepts that I can teach with this global issue are firstly, to help them become problem solvers to tackle these issues addressed whether in their community or in the world. Secondly, to learn to develop empathy towards others who are dealing with challenges on a daily basis. Thirdly, to learn to work in groups and that it is okay to have different perspectives than others and still respect them. The most beneficial and meaningful aspects of this lesson are that the students learn about a boy from another not so popular small country, and that even though this boy whose name is Himal is living in poverty and is lacking proper food, nutrition,

Global Issues education, and a normal home life, he is still hopeful and wants to learn. I want the students to see that there is always hope even amidst the darkest and the hardest of struggles in ones life. There might be students in my class struggling with other challenges that might be able to gain a positive perspective on their own life after seeing Himals life in the other part of the world. I am hoping students will become not only culturally responsive through this lesson but also gain an optimistic perspective on their own life and feel how blessed they are to be able to go to school in the United States.

Reference

Global Issues

Brown, S. C., & Kysilka, M. L. (2009). What every teacher should know about multicultural and global education. Boston, MA: Pearson.