1. An Introduction to Global Scholars
1 min: Intro self – role, background

2. Agenda Program Scope and Model Program Outcomes
School Responsibilities
Support for Educators
Next Steps
1 min: review agenda
Note: There is time dedicated at the end of this session for questions but please feel free to raise them as they come up.

3. 2017-18 Enrollment 13,554 students 564 educators 610 classes
310 schools
63 cities
29 countries
1 min: “Global Scholars is a peer-to-peer learning program for students ages 10 to 13 years old. Our goal is to develop students’ cultural understanding, knowledge of the world and global competency skills through direct communication with international peers in a digital classroom. As you can see, our network represents a wide array of cities, with roughly 13,500 students participating in 63 cities throughout the world. Classes that participate with us are partnered with 8-10 others from diverse locations and share their learning, cultures and ideas in the e-classroom.”

4. 4 min:
“Let’s take a closer look at this digital exchange.”

5. 2018-19 Curriculum: World of Water
Dates
Unit 1: Introduction to Global Scholars
September – October
Unit 2: Water Every Day
November – December
Unit 3: Water in Our Cities
January – February
Unit 4: Water Connects Us
February – March
Unit 5: Community Action Project
April - June
Previous Topics::
Feeding Our Cities
3 min:
“Global Scholars provides a year-long curriculum at no cost. The topic of the curriculum changes each year and addresses an issue of global concern. I’m excited to announce that next year’s topic will focus on water, a topic that has immediate relevance for students in Miami. Students will explore the importance of water to the unique culture, commerce, and daily life of their city and other cities around the world. By reading and responding to posts in the digital classroom, students will learn about others’ perspectives and experiences around the world on issues including water pollution, the impact of climate change, and the challenge of providing equal access to clean, safe drinking water.
There are always 5 units in the curriculum: one introductory unit, 3 content units and a culminating unit in which students use their learning throughout the year to complete a community action project to benefit their community. Unit 5 guides teachers step-by-step through the process of creating this project.
Global Scholars provides digital student workbooks for each unit and an accompanying educators’ guide as well as supporting materials in the Teachers’ Lounge. Throughout, there are opportunities to customize the lessons based on your class’s area of focus. For example, in this year’s course, students interviewed a food worker to learn more about the food supply chain. You may have students approach this interview as a primary source. Alternatively, you may spend more time on digital posts improve your students’ ability to support claims with evidence and reasoning. Finally, encouraging digital discussion with students in the countries or regions that your students are studying may increase their motivation to study history.”
Digital Cities Connect!

6. Student Learning Outcomes
Global Learning
Appreciation for Diversity
Cultural Understanding
Global Knowledge
Global Engagement
General Learning
Digital Literacy
Language Communication
Self-Efficacy
Academic Engagement
Critical Thinking
3 min:
“The curriculum and digital classroom exchange develop students’ mindsets and skills in two main categories: global learning and general learning.
[review types of skills for each category]
These outcomes may overlap with your school and district goals for students. Teachers also report that participating students demonstrate improvements in the interpersonal skills required for project-based learning, interdisciplinary thinking and thinking about their learning in context.
If available, open floor for participating teacher to add perspective/talk about classroom experience.

7. School Responsibilities
Provide:
Weekly access to computers or tablets with internet connection (1 for every 2 students)
Educator(s) assigned to:
Lead program activities
Participate in PD sessions (5 per year)
Plan for and adapt activities as needed
2 hours per week for program activities
Completion of pre- and post-program surveys for students and teachers
1 min
Global Cities provides a curriculum complete with student workbooks and an educator guide, year-long professional development and ongoing support for teachers, access to the e-classroom and opportunities to connect with an international network of educators at no cost.
The program requires 2 hours per week for program activities, at least 1 internet-connected computer for every 2 students per class, and an enthusiastic educator (like yourself) who is willing to lead the program, participate in the PD sessions and modify the learning activities as needed for your students. Participating students and teachers are asked to provide feedback in pre- and post-program surveys to ensure we are able to continue to meet the needs of our schools.

8. Professional Development
Support for Educators
Professional Development
Live, virtual sessions (5 per year)
Content and pedagogy focus
Exchange ideas with teachers around the world
Teachers’ Lounge
Curriculum materials
Curated library of online resources on curriculum content and pedagogy
Discussion boards connecting international network of educators
Ongoing Support
Ongoing coaching and feedback from education team via , phone, and videoconference
2 min – TIME WILLING
We recognize that Global Scholars’ Curriculum topics and learning approaches may be new to teachers. We provide ongoing support for educators via virtual PD sessions to prepare you to deliver the content and pedagogy for each unit and exchange ideas with teachers around the world. Sessions are conducted live through videoconference, giving you an opportunity to collaborate with educators throughout the world in real time. There are many sessions for each round of PD to fit your scheduling needs.
We also provide access to a Teachers’ Lounge, which functions a lot like the e-classroom for students and includes access to additional online resources. Finally, you will be able to contact the Education Program Managers here at Global Scholars for ongoing guidance and feedback via , phone, Skype or videoconference.

9. Next Steps
Provide your contact information on the sign up sheet
Look out for an to schedule a formal information session
1 min

10. Educator and Student Perspectives
“ We saw Global Scholars as a great opportunity to build bridges. It's bridges with other countries and other classrooms. It's bridges across teachers who work together. On the one hand the technology allows us to provide a space where this can happen, but also there's this subject matter that can be discussed and that brings real life concerns to the classrooms; that’s another bridge - the classroom and the real world. “
- Dr. Cristina Banfi, Director of Foreign Languages, City of Buenos Aires
“From a principal’s perspective, the real world application and the authentic audience have become contagious across the school. Programs like Global Scholars create that sense that learning is not just for the sake of learning but it's also so you can apply what you've learned and you can impact other people positively.”
- Linda Rosenbury, Principal, Brooklyn Urban Garden School, New York City
On a closing note, some of the most compelling reasons for bringing Global Scholars to your schools come from the teachers and administrators who are already involved in the program.
Review testimonials from admins, thank them for their time and open floor for questions.