International Educators
Facing the Future curriculum resources are used by educators in more than 130 countries around the world, including teachers at international schools (where English is the main language of instruction), teachers in International Baccalaureate (IB) programs, and local teachers in countries outside the United States.
Ways We Support Educators outside the United States
How Our Resources Are Being Used in Different Countries
Australia
Facing the Future curriculum resources have also made their way "Down Under." A teacher at a school in Melbourne comments, "I have used the activities and resources in my Geography teaching and the ideas have been useful for action based learning as well. Although our curriculum approach may be different the issues you present are universal and can be easily adapted to our needs."
Canada
Facing the Future resources are in use in many Canadian classrooms. One teacher in Ontario employs Facing the Future curriculum resources for a globalization unit in her grade 12 Canadian and World Issues class. Students use Facing the Future readings as a starting point to do further research on the cultural and economic impacts of globalization and the linkages to human rights issues. Canadian teachers find that Facing the Future materials help them to cover their provincial learning objectives
China
In July 2005 Facing the Future’s ecological footprint activity was taught by Seattle teens to Chinese youth during their travel program to China.
Egypt
Facing the Future has presented a series of sustainability education workshops to faculty and administrators at Cairo American College, a K-12 international school in Egypt.
About 120 kilometers (75 miles) south of Cairo, at Kan Yama Kan Village, a youth education program run by the Mediterranean Center for Sustainable Development Programs, is teaching Egyptian and expatriate youth how to be better global citizens. The program uses Facing the Future hands-on activities to engage students in learning about the environment, climate change, leadership, teambuilding, human rights, good governance, and democratic participation. Designed to demonstrate the same principles that are taught within its walls, Kan Yama Kan Village acts as a living laboratory for sustainability, showcasing passive solar construction, native plant gardens, energy conservation, natural biodiversity, and minimal waste production in its day-to-day operations.
Mongolia
One Facing the Future educator is leading a team of middle and high school teachers in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. In partnership with the Mongolian State University of Education, the team is pilot teaching a unit on sustainable development and global issues using Facing the Future lessons such as "Is it Sustainable?”, “Watch Where You Step!”, and “Livin' the Good Life?” Students explore how they can contribute to sustainable community development and participate in service learning projects such as publishing a newspaper to raise awareness.
Saudi Arabia
Facing the Future has worked with a teacher at Dhahran Ahliyya Schools in Saudi Arabia to develop a high school global issues elective course. The teacher is using both the advanced and intermediate Facing the Future student textbooks as a way of differentiating instruction since not all students are equally fluent in English. This is the first time in history the school has been allowed to teach a class (and not a "club") without a government textbook!