[TIPS] Want more global viewpoints?

Michael Burke, a CFF coach in PA, sent me an email this afternoon saying that he had been listening to the BBC radio news ( http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/) and had been impressed and enlightened as to what others are thinking and saying about the US after yesterday’s election. So, I’ve been listening to it off and on all day, too. VERY interesting, indeed.

Social Studies teachers, are you providing a link to these world radio stations? Like: http://www.wrn.org/listeners/stations/index.php?CurrentLetter=1/, maybe? What if you were to play a bit of the news and then make the link available to them. Assign it for a discussion forum. Provide a question such as, “What are other countries asking of Barack Obama as he prepares to take office?” The BBC news is just one station that provides an entirely different viewpoint, with different people being interviewed. They don’t have a political interest, necessarily, in this election, so their perspective is from the context of how affairs in the US impact their daily lives. This just HAS to make for good discussions, don’t you think?

What fun!! Now, join epals or Taking it Global and find a school in another country to partner with as your class tries to make sense of the impact of this election. It can turn into something that they won’t ever forget.