Preparing for the future

There was a very important editorial on the need for global education in Friday's Pioneer Press. Author Dana Curran Mortenson:

The global reach of the two biggest stories of the year to date — the H1N1 flu virus and the economic crisis — has highlighted in a powerful way that many of our most pressing issues transcend national borders. From the economy to the environment, terrorism to health care, 21st-century challenges require leaders who are globally aware and informed.

Regrettably, most American students are not adequately prepared for this reality.

Mortenson goes on to write that we need to stretch students' world view and enhance their technological skills in all areas of curriculum. Why? She goes on:

In today's global economy, businesses are looking for graduates with advanced global and technical skills at younger ages. Students without access to advanced programs that help them build these skills are at a significant disadvantage in the competitive global marketplace.

Mortenson captures, as well as anyone, why we are thrilled about the additions and changes made to NBAPS curriculum for next year. World Language not only increases students global awareness at a younger age, it sets them up to be more receptive to it through their entire education.

Spreading technology through the curriculum will give students access to more tech tools more often, and make them more adaptable to new technologies as they come on line (which is just about every day nowadays).

If our end result is graduates with a better understanding of global issues, prepared for, and comfortable with, technology as a tool, we are preparing them to succeed in a global marketplace.

I will end this post with Mortenson's conclusion:

Parents and communities must also understand the importance of global education and support programs that provide students with more opportunities to explore global issues. Global education is no longer a luxury; it is a necessity, and we must work to ensure that our students feel connected to the world at large and are prepared to tackle the global challenges of the 21st century.