Why Wage War? Global Education in the Middle School Classroom

Abstract

As the 21st Century unfolds, there is increasing need for globally knowledgeable citizens, and social studies is a natural domain for global education to take place. Unfortunately, multiple studies show a lack of global education in U.S. schools, despite student and teacher interest. The aim of this study was to uncover specific qualities of a social studies classroom with a global education focus, in the hopes of providing guidance for others interested in globally educating. A qualitative methodology and interpretative framework were utilized in a case study of a sixth grade middle school classroom, which used the American Red Cross Exploring Humanitarian Law Curriculum. Methods of data collection included classroom observations, semi-structured interviews with the teacher participant, and analysis of curricular documents and unnamed student work. The findings suggested that the qualities of this globally focused classroom included (1) a community of learning that was dialogical and thus, transformative, for both students and the teacher, (2) a specific and deliberate focus on the moral development of the students as they learned to connect the global to the local, and (3) sustained attention to care as an ethical guide for global citizenship. In light of the findings, educators are encouraged to deeply explore the moral dimensions inherent in global education. Furthermore, global educators are encouraged to reveal the structural dimensions of global issues in their curricula in order to contest inequality and resist hegemony. Finally, it is suggested that even in the current accountability era, there are opportunities for teachers to creatively practice in the “cracks” of curriculum in ways that make room for global education.