Our Wildwood, Summer 2018, Volume 43

WHAT IS IT? Two years ago, Wildwood embarked on a partnership with the Council of International Schools to be recognized and accredited for our commitment to the development of global citizens. We anticipate successful completion of the accreditation process in October 2018, becoming one of only two California schools with this distinction. During this process, a committee of 23 faculty and administrators wrote a Wildwood- specific definition of global citizenship: Global citizenship is an awareness of and respect for international issues and intercultural perspectives that can both unify and differentiate the experience of people of varied cultural backgrounds. Global citizens are actively engaged and reflective members of the world community, committed to being in relationship and learning with others across differences. This definition was informed by what we already do expertly at Wildwood. Our Life Skills, including curiosity, problem-solving, and initiative, along with our Habits of Mind and Heart, such as connection, common good, and ethical behavior, are the core values that define us. Together, Life Skills and Habits of Mind and Heart form the toolkit of a global citizen. Wildwood’s multicultural program prepares all students to articulate and engage in conversations about the multiple dimensions of personal identity here in the U.S. Building on the success of that work, we have

In 2015, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) announced 17 Sustainable Development Goals that will pave the way for a better future for all people. The fourth of these universal goals is to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.” UNESCO has led in defining global citizenship education and is a model for teaching us how to learn and live together. Embracing the idea that we can teach one another to be more inclusive thinkers, responders, and collaborators is in line with Wildwood’s mission to cultivate “reflective scholars, bold innovators, and compassionate leaders equipped with the skills, ethics, and inspiration to transform their world.” As Fernando Reimers, director of the Global Education Innovation Initiative at Harvard, says, “Global citizens will mitigate global risk.”

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