Register for an All-Day Professional Development on Infusing Character Education into Global Education

Join the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction for the inaugural Institute on Global Perspectives: Infusing Character Education into Global Learning on April 9, 2025, at the Friday Institute in Raleigh, NC! This engaging, all-day professional development event is designed to provide educators with the tools and strategies to effectively integrate global perspectives and character education into their classrooms.

By attending, you will discover how infusing global and character education:

• Prepares students to become ethical, empathetic, and culturally aware global leaders.
• Cultivates compassion, responsibility, and understanding within a global context, thus helping students appreciate diverse perspectives.
• Fosters inclusive classroom environments where respect and collaboration thrive across cultural and social boundaries.
• Broadens perspectives and empowers students to engage with global issues that encourage innovative and thoughtful decision-making and problem-solving.
• Empowers educators to enhance their teaching practices and inspire their students with ready-to-use resources and strategies
• Aligns to the North Carolina Standard Course of Study, the NC Professional Teaching Standards, and the NC Portrait of a Graduate.

The Institute on Global Perspectives: Infusing Character Education into Global Learning will feature engaging workshops, expert speakers, and collaborative opportunities that deepen your understanding of how global learning and character development intersect to create impactful educational experiences. We look forward to seeing you on April 9, 2025!

NC Global Education: Save the Date and Call for Proposals

Proposals Due February 7, 2025

The Institute on Global Perspectives: Infusing Character Education into Global Learning will feature engaging workshops, expert speakers, and collaborative opportunities that deepen your understanding of how global learning and character development intersect to create impactful educational experiences.

Don't miss this opportunity to enhance your teaching, empower your students, and inspire a generation of compassionate, globally competent leaders. Join us and be part of this transformative journey, where together, we can create lasting change and foster the skills necessary for success in an interconnected world!

When: April 9, 2025

Where: The Friday Institute: 1890 Main Campus Dr, Raleigh, NC 27606

Consider submitting a proposal to present by February 7, 2025. For more information, follow us on X/Twitter, subscribe to our newsletter listserv, and email us at ncglobaleducation@dpi.nc.gov.

Access the Flyer: Call for Proposals

Save the Date: Summer 2025 NCDPI Conference

NCDPI's Office of Academic Standards is combining two conferences into one event during the Summer of 2025 that will be offered in two locations, as noted below. Please read the details about each conference, and know that the goal is for participants to be able to sign up for sessions from both. 

• June 24-26 in Western NC
• July 22-24 in Eastern NC
• June 27 and July 25 are Virtual Days 

Standards Academy

The annual Standards Academy will feature Social Studies, Math, English Language Arts (ELA), English Language Development (ELD), World Language, Science, Arts Education, Healthy Schools, and Student Success Standards sessions focused on the implementation of the NC Standard Course of Study (SCoS). Details about how students can earn the GLE will be included in several of these sessions, and they are summarized in the GLE Policy Requirement infographic at go.ncdpi.gov/NCSoBLGLEinfographic.

Global Language Endorsement Resources to Reference

To support local PSUs in sharing information with stakeholders about the Global Languages Endorsement (GLE), NC's Seal of Biliteracy, the NCDPI GLE Team has published the following resources, each updated to reflect recent changes to policy language:

• GLE Webpage or at go.ncdpi.gov/NCSoBLGLE
• GLE FAQs Document or at go.ncdpi.gov/GLEquestions
• GLE Brochure (as PDF for digital and print)* or at go.ncdpi.gov/NCSoBLGLEbrochure
• GLE Policy Infographic (as PDF for digital and print)* or at go.ncdpi.gov/NCSoBLGLEinfographic
• GLE Communications Toolkit or at go.ncdpi.gov/NCSoBLGLEtoolkit
• GLE Approved External Exams Lists:
  • English or at go.ncdpi.gov/GLEexamsEnglish
  • World Languages or at go.ncdpi.gov/GLEexamsWL

Consider bookmarking and/or downloading these resources for use in supporting students and their families in exploring and earning the GLE, NC's Seal of Biliteracy.

*Indicates resources available in various formats (PDF, PNG, JPG) for use in presentation materials. Please see the GLE Webpage for detail

New & Improved! - The Global Educator Digital Badge (GEDB) process is here!

The new NCDPI Global Educator Digital Badge (GEDB) process gives NC educators a streamlined path to recognition for global education work. The updated GEDB process simplifies earning the badge while aligning it with 6 Professional Teaching Standards.

The Global Educator Digital Badge (GEDB) provides an opportunity for educators to focus their teaching and professional learning on global context and understanding of how to integrate global education throughout curricula. It also provides the opportunity for educators to demonstrate how they build global competency in students.

The State Board of Education approved North Carolina Global Educator Digital Badge (GEDB) is available for the following educator categories:

• Teacher 
• Teacher Leadership Specialist 
• Library Media Coordinator 
• Instructional Technology Facilitator 
• School Counselor 
• Career Development Coordinator 
• School Social Worker, School Psychologist 
• Speech-Language Pathologist 
• Instructional Central Office Staff 
• Principal/Assistant Principal
• Superintendent 

To learn more, please the access following resources about earning the GEDB:

• Watch the InfoTrailer about the new GEDB!
• GEDB Guide with an overview and the step-by-step process
• GEDB Guide for Pre-Service Educators
• GEDB flyer to share in PDF format or as a PNG visual
• GEDB Canvas Site

NCCAT Session: Unlocking Advanced Differentiation with the NC Literacy Instruction Standards

Differentiating advanced learning with Literacy Instruction Standards (LIS) allows teachers to create a more personalized learning experience for their students. Participants will dive into the art of differentiation and understand how the Literacy Instruction Standards can support a learner-centered classroom that helps students reach their full potential. Our work will include understanding advanced learning pedagogical approaches, differentiation, identifying LIS resources, and creating meaningful classroom activities. This program is designed for teachers in grades 4-12.

North Carolina Museum of Art: Art and Global Learning Online Course

January 28–April 8

This self-paced online course will run from January 28 through April 8. It utilizes works of art from the North Carolina Museum of Art's collection as a means to explore global issues and foster cross-cultural understanding. The goal of the course is to help you—and eventually your students—examine global topics through three thematic lenses using inquiry-driven, art-based practices. The themes include: Art and Identity; Boundaries, Borders, and Walls; and Art, Environment, and Human Impact. The course will assist you in making connections to your subject areas, identifying your own global practices, and providing strategies to help students investigate the world, recognize different perspectives, communicate ideas, and take action. Educators who complete the course will receive a 1 CEU art or digital learning pending approval from the local school system.

Ackland Art Museum K-12 Resources

Check out these resources and professional development sessions from the Ackland Art Museum that help K-12 teachers at all grade levels and in all subject areas integrate art into their teaching.

Area Studies Centers at UNC

Did you know there are six dedicated Area Studies Centers at UNC? Each of them provides free classroom resources that will enhance and assist in your teaching of the world. Each of them provides free resources, funding and programs for K-12 teachers who wish to research, study, teach and complete service pertaining to global topics. They also frequently host events aimed at raising public awareness of current developments, culture and more in world regions. Some of their offerings include:

• Culture Kits
• Educational Tours to other Countries
• Tour Grants
• Educational Outreach

Check out classroom resources and professional development opportunities for the Area Studies Centers!

Remembering and Learning about the Holocaust 

The United Nations General Assembly designated January 27—the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau—as International Holocaust Remembrance Day, a time to remember the six million Jewish victims of the Holocaust and the millions of other victims of Nazi persecution.

The US Holocaust Memorial Museum’s Stay Connected Live virtual series will mark the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz with a special episode featuring three survivors. The episode airs live on Monday, January 27, at noon ET, and will be available to watch on-demand afterward on the Museum’s YouTube page.

Looking for ways to implement both Character Education and the Gizella Abramson Holocaust Education Act in Social Studies and ELA classrooms? 

Learning about the Holocaust allows students to build character and develop skills like empathy and social awareness. In an effort to foster these skills, NCDPI partnered with the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum to create standards-based resources for implementation in secondary grades. These resources are based on using the texts Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank and Night by Elie Wiesel. The goal of the resources is for teachers to be able to embed both character education and Holocaust education seamlessly into the core curriculum. 

Contact Thomas.Daugherty@dpi.nc.gov and Kelly.Schultz@dpi.nc.gov to set up a professional learning experience or to learn more about these resources and how they can be used in your classrooms.

2024-2025 World History Webinar Series!

This World History webinar series is designed for those teaching grades 6 and 7 grade social studies and high school World history. Each session is from 4:00 pm- 5:30 pm. Attendees of the live webinar will receive 1.5 CEU Hours.

• Webinar 1: (COMPLETED) - AI in the Classroom 
  
  
• Webinar 2: January 28,  Ancient Civilizations Explore the rich history of the Maya and Inca civilizations as you learn to create your own Maya codex. Receive instructions and guides for replicating this activity in your classroom. A must for all teaching World history.  
  
  
• Webinar 3: February 11, Art as a Teaching Tool Utilize the North Carolina Museum of Art's resources to incorporate historical works of art into various world history topics. 
  
  
• Webinar 4: March 25,  Herero-Nama Genocide Examine the devastating impact of the Herero-Nama genocide, the first genocide of the 20th century. 
  
  
• Webinar 5: April 1, Modern Russia Explore the modern history of Russia and its influence on global events through its interactions with neighboring countries. 

Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants

February 20, 2025; 4:00 - 5:30 PM ET via Zoom

Join educators for a virtual talk by Robin Wall Kimmerer followed by live Q&A with the author to discuss her bestselling book, Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants. This talk will explore the dominant themes of Braiding Sweetgrass which include cultivation of a reciprocal relationship with the living world and a look at the stories and experiences that shaped the author. Listeners are invited to consider what we might learn if we understood plants as our teachers, from both a scientific and an Indigenous perspective.

There is no fee, but registration required. A Zoom link will be sent to registered participants before the program.

ICYMI: International Education Week 2024

Global Education remains a priority in North Carolina. At its core, global education is about enabling young people to participate in shaping a better, shared future for the world. Each November,  International Education Week (IEW) provides an opportunity for students and educators to celebrate the benefits of education and exchange worldwide. It promotes programs and opportunities that are preparing students for a global environment. 

In 2019, the State Board of Education first recognized the third week of November as International Education Week in North Carolina. Each year since then, there have been opportunities across the state that offer the chance to:

• Expand awareness of and interest in global issues and global learning
• Collaborate with and learn from international student or educator groups and organizations
• Gain a new cultural understanding
• Share how North Carolina students and educators are globally competent and aware