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August 5, 2020

Embed Compassion into Your Curriculum

In our world today, it’s critical that students become globally minded with the capacity to understand one another and to live with compassion. Growing up in the U.S., but with regular visits to family in India, I often wondered how other humans lived around the world. While I had some global learning sprinkled in my schooling, it wasn’t nearly enough to satisfy my curiosity and desire for deeper understanding.

While working with youth, I saw that curiosity was a common trait across students and most adults.  Students everywhere wanted to be part of creating a more inclusive, beautiful, and interconnected world. I quickly learned there simply weren’t enough resources, ideas, tools, and engaging ways to learn.

Enter BetterWorldEd.org, which we built to help students and teachers dig into their global curiosities, build awareness, engage curiosity, and cultivate compassion. We create Learning Journeys, which are unique stories delivered through videos and lessons about people around the globe. Our goal is to help you(th) love learning about self, others, and our world.

Julian Cortes, Washington’s ASCD Outstanding Educator of the Year, has been using these resources to do just that. Through exploring Ecuador and the life of an amazing banana grower, Julian is able to help students immerse in the world around them, while also practicing important math and literacy skills. 

Watch A Global SEL Lesson In Action (I Am Norma) from Better World Ed.

Julian’s perspective: “I’ve been seeing tremendous change in my students. By teaching empathy, kindness, tolerance, acceptance, and other SEL concepts explicitly, I have seen my students become more aware of the world around them. I have seen students go out of their way to help others, and that has been inspirational.”

Extensive research suggests that when students have deep exposure to new cultures and perspectives, they not only become more empathetic and compassionate, but they do better in school, too.

Our Standards Alignment report shows numerous ways educators bring global learning into their classroom, and we’re continually seeking additional ways these stories can align with various standards.

As an education community, it’s essential that we unite and design opportunities for students to become globally aware, curious, and compassionate. We would love to learn how you’re making use of the resources on Better World Ed in your classroom and your community.

Let’s help youth love learning about self, others, and our world!

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