How the GCC can empower Global Citizenship in the Classroom
Jamie working with students in one of her English classes at SFS.
At Seoul Foreign School (SFS), Jamie Bacigalupo, a 9th and 12th grade English teacher, is applying idea after idea from the Inspire Citizens’ Global Citizenship Certificate (GCC) course to curriculum and strategic planning.
Jamie's journey with Inspire Citizens began during her teaching tenure in Shekou, China. A conference at SFS featuring Inspire Citizens’ founders Aaron Moniz and Steve Sostak sparked her interest, and she attended the conference with a team of students. The conference was about student media and global citizenship and featured an approach called “Into the Gu” (Gu means neighbourhood in Korean) that involved interviews, photography and more.
"The vibe, the philosophy, the energy – it was palpable," Jamie recalls.
Having been aware of Inspire Citizens' work across continents, Jamie knew that her own teaching philosophies aligned with Inspire Citizen themes: "I've always wanted to take the GCC course and, this year, it lined up for me to do so," she says. Her connection with Inspire Citizens’ facilitator Scott Jamieson further solidified her decision to enroll.
One particular GCC module, focused on the importance of connecting with nature, resonated deeply with Jamie, an avid outdoor enthusiast. While engaged in this module, she introduced ideas to members of the Grade 9 English team who are enthusiastic about incorporating time in nature to support the poetry unit. Her 12th grade students also spent time on nature trails behind the school, a practice inspired by the course.
“We were exploring a book called Drag Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead and you can apply an eco feminist lens to this text,” explains Jamie. “We did some readings outside and this has prepped me to think about the next time I will teach that book and how to make those connections to nature even more solid.”
The GCC happiness module also had a profound impact on Jamie, particularly in her role as Head of Grade 12. It provided much-needed direction for pastoral and academic care. "I shared what I was learning in this module with the head teachers from grade 9, 10 and 11, and it became a guidepost for us, especially in gathering meaningful data and influencing our leadership strategies in relation to student wellness and happiness," Jamie shares.
Jamie is also keen on integrating social justice standards more frequently. She plans to align unit objectives with social justice goals, maintaining their prominence in the curriculum. "It's about keeping these critical conversations front and center in our students' learning," she emphasizes.
The GCC contains a protest music module, and Jamie is inspired to use the ideas from that module with IB Lang/Lit students next year as a way to feature those social justice standards. "It ties in beautifully with our existing units on podcasts and spoken word poetry," Jamie points out. She envisions students analyzing and creating protest songs, deepening their understanding of global issues.
What excites Jamie the most is the extensive influence of the GCC on her own practice and for her teaching teams at SFS.
"It's about creating a community committed to conservation, social justice, and meaningful change," she concludes. Her journey with the GCC and Inspire Citizens is not just reshaping her own classroom practice but also fostering a new consciousness for students at SFS.
Below: Some posts Jamie has created for modules in the GCC.
