The Global Classroom Partners Program is an initiative of Edmund Rice Education Beyond Borders and coordinated through Edmund Rice Education Australia (EREA) and Edmund Rice England. This program offers a learning space for young people from around the world, where they will critically explore some of the world’s most important issues and come up with a specific project to be applied in their community.

How does it work?

1. The first step is that schools request to become a Global Classroom Partner (GCP), here.
2. A group of students lead by a teacher, from each school, is paired with another GCP.
3. The two groups of GCPs, undertake a learning process, with two facilitated video conferences.
4. The two groups of GCPs elaborate a project, in collaboration, that can carry out during the next school year.
5. Upon completion, each participant receives a certificate.
6. Updates on each GCPs will be provided to EREBB and will be published, quarterly.

Expectations for Affiliated Schools:

• Undertake preparation lessons prior to video conference.
• Teachers meet prior to videoconference.
• Ensure all school and local authority child safety and protection requirements are undertaken and upheld.
• As this is a pilot program, schools can initially nominate only one group/class.
• Schools are flexible and sensitive to the realities of their partner schools.

Expectations from students is to actively participate in all the following activities:

• Lesson 1 – Engaging Globally: The Art of Good Dialogue
• Lesson 2 – Topic based
• Lesson 3 – Action in your local community
• Link with a partner school
• Two facilitated video conferences
• Follow up activities
• Linked to the OECD Global Competencies

Available Topics:

• View from my Window: Learning from, with and about each other while understanding and valuing the diversity and similarities of our experiences.
• Faith as a Force for Good: Sharing the different service, justice and outreach projects schools are involved with and how faith helps to sustain our commitment to these.
• Generation UN-SDG (Sustainable Development Goals): Learning about the UN Sustainable Development Goals and how we can all create a sustainably just world.
• Black Lives Matter Globally: Learning and sharing about the struggle for racial equality and the ways students can further reconciliation in their communities.
• Sport Moves the World: Sharing different experiences about how sport locally and globally brings people and communities together and helps to build a better world for all.
• Combined Project: Develop a joint topic and project of interest with your partner school.