The importance of having a global perspective in high school is endless. Schools centered around social justice and education need to show students that the world doesn’t revolve around the cities they live in, or even the US, but it encompasses the whole world. The students need to learn that they can actually help make a difference in educational opportunities for people across the world through one brilliant idea, determination, and compassion. The word “upstander” is ingrained in Notre Dame (my all-girls Catholic high school) through the curriculum, and it is for a good reason. The word describes someone who isn’t afraid to travel across the world to a place that may seem strange at first, in order to help break the injustices and spread opportunities. By traveling and thinking in terms of the big picture, the curriculum will be put to use, and students will be offered insight into the “real world.”
Secondly, the global education allows students to realize that the world is connected through many ways including technology, environmental issues, and even education. For me personally, during my freshman year through all my classes involving the humanities, I started thinking of the world and the people around me as a human family. This global perspective made me feel more compassionate to the suffering or needs of people not just locally but in other countries.
Lastly, through a global perspective, schools could prepare students for problems or even job opportunities in the real world. This means that students aren’t just going to be dealing with other Americans in the future. The US is a melting pot in the best way possible- with lots of different culture, character, and travelers. Students need to be aware that having a global perspective is a valuable trait in the job market and as a citizen of the world.
In conclusion, college prep schools should offer a global perspective because it would allow students to have more awareness, a way to turn their critical thinking into critical actions, and gain compassion as well as life skills in the 21st century.
