WNC in the World is a collaboration of organizations working to promote global education for students, teachers and schools in Western North Carolina. The collaboration includes:
- Western Regional Education Service Allicance
- Center for Diversity Education
- UNC Asheville - Study Abroad and Education Department
- Folkmoot
- Asheville City Schools
- Buncombe County Schools
- McDowell County Schools
- Henderson County Schools
- Center for International Education
- World View
The priorities for the 2009 - 2010 school year include:
- Promoting international study and travel for teachers and administrators (See below)
- Offering staff development opportunities in global education.
The next meeting is scheduled for Friday, March 5, 10:00 am - 12:00 am, UNC Asheville Intercultural Center, 114 Hghsmith Student Union.
Western North Carolina in the World
OPPORTUNITIES FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDY FOR TEACHERS
Center for International Understanding: The Center provides programs to North Carolinians who are interested in increasing the global competencies of their classrooms and communities. Through the North Carolina in the World Project, the Center coordinates travel and technology programs that improve K-12 schools’ ability to prepare students for the global age. Through its Latino Initiative, the Center helps North Carolinians to better understand the changing demographics of our state, particularly as they relate to Latino immigration to North Carolina. CLICK HERE
East-West Center: The Center offers travel summer seminars to expose educators to firsthand experience in Asia and the Pacific and to new scholarship on the region as well as summer institutes and workshops to engage educators in an exploration of best practices in curriculum resources and hands-on opportunities that facilitate studies of Asia and the Pacific through its summer institutes and workshops. CLICK HERE
Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad: The US Dept. of Education provides grants for short-term (4-6 weeks) for curriculum development, group research or study, or advanced intensive language programs. Projects must relate to modern foreign languages or area studies and may be proposed by teachers or faculty. CLICK HERE
Fulbright-Hays Seminars Abroad: The US Dept. of Education administers this program which provides opportunities for educators and administrators with responsibility for curriculum development in fields related to humanities, languages, and area studies to visit non-western European destinations for four to six weeks. The number of seminars and destinations vary each year. Last year ten seminars were offered. Applications are available in August of each year for a fall application deadline. The program is geared toward educators with little experience in the host country. CLICK HERE
Fulbright Teacher Exchange: The US Dept. of Education administers this program which provides funding for teachers to spend a semester or year teaching abroad. CLICK HERE
NC Museum of Natural Science Educators of Excellence Institute: The Institute sponsors global ecological treks for NC teachers each year. For more information contact Mike Dunn, 919-733-7450 ext 620. CLICK HERE or email Mike.dunn@ncmail.net
NC Zoo: The zoo’s international teacher exchange, UNITE, brings outstanding North Carolina and Ugandan educators together to share and develop curriculum which explores cultural, economic, social and environmental connections between N.C. and Uganda. CLICK HERE
World View: World View each year sponsors a global study program for administrators and teachers. For more information, contact Neil Bolick, nebolick@email.unc.edu. CLICK HERE
Can’t take an international trip right now?
Folkmoot – Each July, Folkmoot in Waynesville, NC hosts dance teams and musicians from around the world with multiple opportunites to create global networks. To learn more visit www.folkmootusa.org.
Heifer Learning Centers and Global Villages - Heifer’s Learning Centers are “living classrooms”—extraordinary firsthand encounters with global issues, sustainable agriculture and Heifer’s work in communities around the world in five locations in the US. For more information visit www.heifereducation.org
The Many Faces of Asheville and Houses of Worship Field Trip to Atlanta – Most summers the Center for Diversity Education conducts day long trips to visit houses of worship in Asheville, NC and Atlanta, Georgia. Both are unique opportunities to catch a glimpse of the global impact on our local communities. For more information visit www.diversityed.org, call 828-232-5024 or email dmiles@unca.edu
