Imagine, during the course of the day, your child learns about the water cycle and works collectively to create a solution to give more people access to drinkable water. Your child then uses mathematical skills to find how much drinkable water is available in the world and puts together a presentation alongside their classmates to educate others about their potential solution to this global issue. In this context, reading, math, and science lessons create a lens centered on diverse, cross-cultural perspectives, interconnectedness, and exploration that fosters greater confidence, thoughtfulness, and empathy. That is what global education is all about.
Global education facilitates experiences that allow students to better understand their connections to the broader world and communicate using interdisciplinary knowledge to investigate and act on issues that matter to them. Global education is the core and mission that Ivy Camps USA was built to support. Since 2010, Ivy Camps USA has been fostering a learning environment of compassion, curiosity, fearless experimentation, and fun and has expanded worldwide into over 30 countries. Our unique model centers on the importance of global education through online after-school classes for kids.
Most curriculum offered in schools follow a standard system and prepares students for post-secondary education. While standardizing helps support some level of equity, this type of system often lacks a holistic, global learning model that contributes to academic success and overall well-being and personal development. Some areas of concentration for global education include:
Studies have proven that students who learn through authentic tasks and real-world experiences are more likely to engage with others and the subjects they're learning. This, in turn, leads to higher attendance and achievement.
Authentic engagement can include activities such as taking a virtual trip around the world and interacting with peers from Brazil, Ghana, Canada, and the Netherlands to discover commonalities and differences between people and cultures, or exploring real-life STEAM challenges as it relates our current world of biomimicry, natural disasters, assistive technology, and adventures into the sea.
Global education fosters self-awareness, identity, culture, and beliefs and how those connect on a larger, worldwide scale. This approach leads to appreciating diversity, respecting others, relationship-building, empathy, and effective communication and collaboration.
Social-emotional learning examples include practicing another language by holding a Zoom call with peers in France or teaching public speaking skills by hosting a global debate on current events, pulled directly from the latest headlines.
Subject exploration and empowerment
When we offer opportunities for subject exploration, we allow children to choose topics that interest and are important to them to unpack why these issues exist and examine solutions. Empowering students to be the catalysts of changes they wish to see, we open the door for them to discover how to make the world a better place.
Activities such as the interconnectedness and importance of water, creating a business, learning how to work with others, and expressing their voice and point of view through video production are great examples of how students can align what they're passionate about and apply it to real-world opportunities.
Ivy Camps USA fully believes that a rich, global education is the best way to start life right. Therefore, we offer online after-school classes for kids modeled after a traditional summer camp experience to create a unique educational environment. We believe that children learn best through hands-on, critical thinking activities, and our goal is to provide just that. At our camp, whether in person or online, our kids don't just sit in a classroom- they play, have fun, and ask questions. They learn to enjoy education and to explore the world around them. Every child deserves an outstanding, well-rounded, global education, and that's what Ivy Camps USA provides.