Voice: September 2017

Vasiliki Dardeshi sees giving her students a global perspective as part of her responsibility as an educator.

The high school social studies teacher in the Central Bucks School District, Bucks County, is getting a chance to broaden her own perspective as one of 48 public school educators across the country selected to be a 2018 NEA Foundation Global Learning Fellow.

She and the 47 other recipients were selected from among more than 400 applicants. They will spend a year building global competency skills to better understand and act on issues of global significance.

“As a 21st century educator, I have a personal and societal obligation to provide my students with the necessary tools to augment their skills so that they are globally engaged, prepared, and competent,’’ Dardeshi said. “This fellowship will help me promote global competence for my students and district.’’

The Global Learning Fellowship program gives educators the opportunity to help close the global achievement gap by acquiring the necessary skills to integrate global competence into their daily classroom instruction, advance pedagogy in their school districts, and prepare students to thrive in the global age.

Dardeshi will receive support from NEA Foundation staff, partners, and field experts in online coursework, webinars, and collegiate study, including a two-day professional development workshop. She also will participate in a nine-day international field study next summer.

“We believe that educators are the key to giving students the skills to thrive in an interconnected world,’’ said Harriet Sanford, president and CEO of the NEA Foundation. “We created the fellowship to provide professional development in teaching global competencies and to support educators as they integrate these skills into classroom instruction.’’

For more information, visit neafoundation.org.