Building Community

Chinese International School Girls Soccer Team

Growing up in a school that offered abundant opportunities is what inspired me to become a teacher, and now it is my chance to give back.  I am committed to being a contributing member of the school community, providing opportunities for identity celebration and development in a safe, welcoming, inclusive and cohesive environment.  Through fostering a strong classroom and school community, students gain long term benefits in learning, performance and social well being (Watkins, 2006).  This is their chance to find their strengths, and it is our job as teachers to help guide them through this process.  As students learn more about themselves and their connections to others, they will be more aware of how their actions are connected to global citizenship and how their agency can lead them to become lifelong learners (Norris, 2003; Linsin, 2009; Watkins, 2006).

Global Citizenship

Class trip to China

I believe in the mission statement of the International Baccalaureate in that I will aim “to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect” (International Baccalaureate Organization, 2007).  In my classroom, we will celebrate and learn from the cultures that make up our community and the world around us.  Through conceptual learning using globally relevant big ideas, students will be able to apply their knowledge to any location, deepening their understanding of the world and fostering respect and an appreciation for other world views.