Students Lead the Way Gerhard Fischer, Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction ACTFL 2013

Assumptions and Facts WI world language enrollments at 53% at the high school level. Where are the other 47%? Language learning sequences typically two to four years. Exceptions apply. Motivation to learn other languages is systemically low. I call that the “Curse of the Empire.” Students don’t know much about the world. Why should they? Teachers, administrators, school board members, legislators: Are you proficient in another language? Why not?

A Brief History of Wisconsin New Berlin, Germantown, Fond du Lac, Eau Claire, Lake Mendota, Green Bay… Spanish, French, German, Hmong, Ojibwe…. Our heritage traces back to multiple cultures and numerous languages. But our schools became mostly monolingual. Today, learning other languages serves the main purpose of getting into college. How do we compare to the rest of the world?

Wisconsin Recommendations 1998: The WITCO Report 2005: International Education Recommendations 2012: Global Education Conference: No more recommendations! Two outcomes: Develop a policy to support global education and world language learning in the state. Work directly with students.

Policy Item Created The Wisconsin Global Education Achievement Certificate bestows the honor of “Wisconsin Global Scholar” on students who have completed a specified program by their high school graduation. Four years of a world language. Four credits for courses with global themes. Reflections on eight international books, films, etc. Engagement in global activities within schools. Service learning with global communities.

Wisconsin’s Global Scholars Global Scholars are globally competent students as defined by the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO): Global Competence is the capacity and disposition to understand and act on issues of global significance. In: Educating for Global Competence: Preparing Our Youth to Engage the World.Educating for Global Competence: Preparing Our Youth to Engage the World

First Globals First Globals tend to be much more open to diversity and a global world view than older Americans or young people their age decades ago: “They want a foreign policy as inclusive and embracive as they are. They expect impediments to trade to be removed so they can shop anywhere, and they want developing countries and their peoples protected from predatory multinational corporations and fiscal policies that hold the world’s poorest people ransom. For First Globals, the American Century is already over and the Whole Earth Century has begun.” (John Zogby 2008)John Zogby 2008

Wisconsin’s First Globals Wisconsin’s First Globals are in our schools right now. They are not identified as a group, but they have shared interests: “I learned about the new Wisconsin Global Education Achievement Certificate [and] jumped at the opportunity to pursue it. It is something that would give me an identity within the school, and it would not even require additional courses.” Madison West High School Student in an to her principal. The principal called her to his office and discussed the GEAC with her.

Global Youth Summits We have them in our schools. They are there. They may know who they are. We have go give them identity, purpose, and validation. First Global Youth Summit at UW-Madison in February 2013 Second (local) Global Summit at Oregon High School in December 2013December 2013 Third (state) Global Youth Summit at UW-Milwaukee in February 2014.February 2014

Planning Cooperation between DPI, Global Wisconsin Inc., and UW-Madison Plan: Gather 85 students on a Saturday to talk about their interest in global education. Plan: Nobody older than “25” gets to work with the students. Why? Plan: The day will be loosely structured with much time for interaction. Plan: No more than five students per school can attend.

Planning and Results Challenge: What to do with teacher chaperones? Response: Two separate strands for students and teachers. Results: Overwhelming. Beyond expectations. Students and teachers engaged 9 – 3. “Best day of my life EVER,” one student from Janesville was reported as saying. Really? What does that say about her life? Or, conversely, what does that say about our event?

Documentation Press Release Video Article

Feedback and Comments?

Information and Contact Contact: Gerhard Fischer, Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction