The Business of Turning Students Into Global Citizens Daniel Lumsden
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n a globally interconnected world, education in global citizenship is essential. It’s the belief that we are all active and like-minded members of a dynamic, diverse network, both locally and across the globe. It is vital that students learn how their actions within their own communities can be far reaching, and that, in a globally connected world, we all have a social responsibility to act for the greater good of society. In the business courses that I teach, a priority in the classroom curriculum is to create opportunities for students to boost their awareness of events that are happening around the world with the intent that they gain a broader understanding of the world around them and value their role in contributing to it. This will help them as they transition out of high school and into post-secondary school and the workforce. In these business courses, students can explore outside of the classroom and beyond the textbooks. They are introduced to multiple sectors in business each year through an interactive speaker series, learning from experts in fields such as accounting, business/corporate law, investment banking and marketing. I strive to bring in diverse speakers, so students can learn from multiple perspectives – viewpoints and experiences that I can’t bring into the classroom and can’t be found in their books. These opportunities help to contextualize what they are learning and make it relatable and relevant to the outside world. Both personally and professionally, I appreciate informal education settings and the learning that comes from getting out in the world, interacting with the people and the environment around me. At my school, I introduced a business March break trip that takes students abroad to countries such as England, Italy, Spain and Hungary. These trips are about gaining a better understanding of other cultures and ways of living through sightseeing tours, coupled with presentations at local universities and their business departments and meeting with executive leaders from local and international businesses. These are just a couple of examples that show how education can play a critical role in building and broadening a student’s understanding of their world, and there are more opportunities to tap. Accounting teaches key technical skills that students need to know such as accounts payable
18 Ontario School Library Association
