Climate change. Population growth. Poverty. Environmental degradation. Conflict. Global health crises. Are they really intractable global problems? How can we as parents and teachers play our role in bringing about a change – a change in attitude, actions and mindsets? The answer: using the transformative power of widespread, systemic education to improve lives and communities, both locally and globally, we can create awareness in children and adults about important global issues facing the world today.

Today’s world demands a global outlook in every subject and every classroom. As educators, our task is to help give students the skills, tools, and perspectives to become fulfilled human beings, responsible global citizens, and effective stewards of a sustainable future. A focus on global issues and sustainability isn’t about adding another commitment to an already overloaded curriculum. It is about advancing educational objectives by making all subjects more engaging, relevant and solutions-centered.

Many of the global issues can be well articulated and addressed in a classroom through designing narrative-styled lessons, using visual aids, incorporating flash cards, etc. to actively engage the students in the learning process.

One way to equip children with adequate knowledge in their lives is to teach them ethical values. One wonders how teachers can develop an appreciation in children about global issues by emphasizing upon universal ethics. We will use an example to elaborate the methodology. If a teacher emphasizes upon the principle of unity and harmony, the children will not only learn to share resources among their friends at school but will also apply the concept in their daily lives, thus, reducing the inefficient use of resources practically. The child will be able to appreciate the value of partnership and collaboration, thus playing his/her role in developing a harmonious and peaceful society.

By emphasizing upon unity, the school will do away with the ills of unhealthy competition that is so advocated in schools far and wide. The children will become familiar with the benefits of working in a team and will learn to collaborate and complement each other while, developing their own personalities as strong individuals. This approach will lead to a healthy society – a society that will have little discrimination, and contempt for fellow beings, a society that will revolve around collectivism and partnership.

Moreover, by carrying out various activities in the classroom promoting friendships and partnerships and by talking about various cultures, cross cultural interactions can be encouraged. For instance, if teacher in her lesson respects the different cultures, religions and regions and highlights the importance of interactions between different individuals regardless of their differences, a teacher will instill in her students a sense of kindness and understanding for their fellow beings, thus paving way for a racism-free society and world.

Likewise, the importance of keeping our environment clean can also be underscored and the children can become aware of the importance of making individual contributions. Practical demonstration and application of lessons by the teachers themselves is also one of the most important ways to educate children about moral values.

Teachers can have a lifelong impact on the lives of children and they can mould their thinking, however they want to. If the teachers resort to teaching ethics and moral values in class, the world can certainly become a better place.

The obstacle to teaching good ethical values in classroom is not the unwillingness of teachers but rather the lack of an effective teaching methodology for teachers to follow. Also, teachers of every subject can impart value-based education to children and it doesn’t have to be the teacher of social studies or religious studies who is given the respective task. Even a mathematics teacher can educate children about social values. It is interesting to note that David C. Smith and Terrance R. Carson (1998) stated:

“Of all the subjects in the school curriculum, mathematics is the one that is most often thought of as being “value-free”. Even in the sense that the subject of mathematics is a coherent body of abstract knowledge, however, that assertion is only partly true. The very study of “pure mathematics” in some cultures links it to religious or cultural values. In some Islamic countries, for example, abstract mathematics is viewed as a manifestation of symbols or signs of God. (Wilson, 1986:101)”

In the general study of mathematics as a school subject certain values may be inherent both in the content used and in the methodology employed. One of the obvious values implicit in mathematics is the value of truthfulness as opposed to falsehood. In mathematical tasks involving fundamental operations or the solution of equations, for example, the only right answer is the one that is correct, and it is usually highly valued by instructors. Wrong answers are generally devalued: only occasionally do we find them genuinely valued by teachers for remedial purposes.

What is the purpose of education? Is it confined merely to economic empowerment and getting a good job? Or is the purpose holistic development of children that allow them to live a quality life? The answer to this question will determine what we raise our future generations to be.

As Encyclopedia of Value and Moral Education also informs:
‘A peasant earns his bread honestly. He has ordinary knowledge of the world. He knows fairly well how he should behave towards his parents, his wife, his children and his fellow villagers. He understands and observes the rules of morality. But he cannot write his own name. What do you propose to do by giving him knowledge of letters? Will you add an inch to his happiness? Do you wish to make him discontented with his cottage or his lot? And even if you want to do that, he will not need such an education.’ [Edited by S.R. Sharma (1998), Vol.4 Pg.61-2]

When we talk about the future generation, we mostly talk about their responsibilities but it’s time to question whether we as parents and teachers are playing our part effectively? We need to realize the importance of bringing up the children in a manner that is not only beneficial for their own self but also contributes to the development of a better society.

About the Writer:
Ms. Malaik Sultana is working in ITREB, Pakistan as National Youth Educator since January 2007. A Masters in Islamic Studies from University of Karachi, Ms. Sultana has  extensive teaching experience to her credit.

References:
Smith D.C, and Carson T.R, (1998). Education for a Peaceful Future. Kagan and Woo Limited, Toronto: Canada.

S.R. Sharma (edit), (1998). Encyclopedia of Values and Moral Education Vol.4. Cosmo Publications, New Delhi: India

Conference Paper by Marianne Larsen on Global Citizenship Education in the Classroom: A collaborative Canadian Study. Vol. 2009, Issue.1.