Post on 18-Dec-2015
Needham High School Global Competence Program
©Needham Public Schools
A collaborative initiative of the Needham Education Foundation and
Needham High School
History and Links
•East Asian Study Committee•District goal - Promote Active Citizenship
•School sponsored exchanges and trips
Why Global Competence?
Students will participate in an increasinglyinterdependent world requiring:
• Understanding of people, places and environments from many perspectives
• Skills in communicating, interacting and building relationships with people of another culture
2006 NHS Global Competence Study Committee Conclusions
A. Think globallyB. Communicate effectivelyC. Contribute responsibly
Think Globally
•Be a geographically informed person
•Understand the interdependence of the world
•Participate in international experiences
•Think about issues from a global perspective
•Evaluate information critically from various sources
Communicate Effectively
•Converse proficiently in a foreign language
•Communicate through a variety of media
Contribute Responsibly
• Build relationships with people from other cultures with respect and flexibility
• Seek knowledge to shape one’s own values
• Analyze one’s own motivation in relation to others, reflect and adjust
• Help others embrace multiple perspectives
By learning more about their world, students learn more about themselves.
• Personal growth
• Overcoming uneasiness
• Facing challenges
• Opportunity to use skills
Introducing the Needham High School Global Competence Program (GCP)!
• Achievable by all
• Encompassingwhat studentsare already doing
• Student-directed
The GCP Requirements
• Foreign travel• Foreign language
proficiency• Global service
• Global Focus Project
• GCP Résumé • Reflective essay
Students who successfully complete the above will be awarded a Certificate of Global
Competence, and graduate with distinction.
GCP International Travel Requirement
• Challenging student to step outside comfort zone and connect directly to the culture/people
• Student financial commitment encouraged
• Student involvementin planning encouraged
Foreign Language Proficiency
• World language through Level 4
• Passing grade of C or above each year
Global Service
• 1 Community Classroom credit (30 hours)
• Exposes student to another world culture
• Ideally enables student to employ foreign language skills
Global Focus Project Select an aspect of a foreign
country or region’s culture, political system, history, geography or economy to explore
Study this interest area by engaging in 3 extra-curricular activities (books, movies, cultural events, foreign cooking, lectures etc.)
• Write a 2-3 page essay on the topic, synthesizing what was learned through the extra-curricular activities
GCP Résumé
A summary of the student’s GCP related activities
GCP Reflective Essay
•250-500 words
•Reflecting upon student’s travel and/or global service experience(s)
GCP Website
•Link to the GCP website from the NHS homepage: www.nhs.needham.k12.ma.us
•All necessary forms, information sheets and approved travel program and global service lists can be downloaded from the site.