Author and Global Education Adviser, Homa Sabet Tavangar, works with schools and education organizations in the U.S. and internationally to develop content and professional learning that helps build global mindsets, global citizenship, and cultural and racial competency. Through her work, the often siloed priorities of diversity, inclusion, equity, social-emotional learning, student engagement, service learning, digital citizenship and “global” learning are integrated into a cohesive framework.

Work with schools and educators can take various forms including:

• Keynotes or workshops for teacher conferences, staff, students, parents
• Coaching global education or diversity professionals, coaching instructional teams, or coaching students in leadership positions or preparing for college or career
• Organizational, strategy and content development

Homa shares what she’s learned over 25 years of professional experience in business and global strategy development, cross-cultural competence and empathy-building, marketing, fundraising, organization and communication advising for non-profits, research and training on innovation in education, and infusing global experiences and perspectives in classrooms, workplaces, children’s media, and at home. Together with a rigorous research agenda, her personal story – born in Iran, having lived on four continents, and throughout the U.S., with a heritage in four world religions – adds substance, empathy and a fresh perspective to a process of building global awareness and mindset, so needed today.

Homa has keynoted or presented at such events as the Learning and the Brain Conference, UPenn Global Education Forum, Asia Society, TEDxNYED (as a speaker, then asked back to host), South by Southwest Interactive and EDU, Partnership for 21st Century Skills, various Fortune 50 and corporate events, museums, universities, and schools globally.

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Sample School Talks / Workshops / Professional Development Sessions
(choose one or mix topics for a combination of themes)

Connecting Global Education and Diversity Goals for Real Inclusion + Innovation:

Fostering real inclusion goes way beyond a mission toward tolerance, checking off a diversity requirement, or another burden on to-do lists. It calls for deep (and difficult) inquiry, empathy, authenticity and a broader view of what inclusion means. This session touches on some of the neuroscience behind bringing out the genius of various temperaments, and how this can guide creativity and innovation. We will explore best-practices used by world-class organizations and their practical applications, storytelling to include all voices, anti-bias techniques, how to use social media for social good, and creating/strengthening global classroom connections, and personal passions. Start connecting the dots between global education and diversity priorities to enhance outcomes and engagement; take away practical implementation ideas. Learn simple steps that can help create real transformation.

Navigating the 7C’s: Adding Cultural Competence, Courage and Compassion (Empathy) to the 4 C’s of 21st Century Learning:

At the turn of the millennium, educational leaders identified the “4 C’s”: creativity, critical thinking, communication and collaboration as essential learning skills for the 21^st Century. While these remain vital for helping us break out of an antiquated education model, we have learned that even these are not enough for preparing students for current demands. We need a more human-centered education – so that today’s students can thrive under extremely challenging conditions. The “new C’s” include the development of cultural competence; the demonstration of courage and putting compassion at the heart of purpose-driven learning. In this best-practice, current, multi-media, hands-on day, participants will be challenged and inspired with tools to begin to:

• Recognize bias and diverse perspectives for engaging in challenging conversations.
• Practice courage to engage in challenging conversations, including conversations with staff, through role-playing and story-telling.
• Learn tools of deep listening, mindfulness and cultural competence – and apply these in various scenarios.
• Understand and make a case for putting the “7 C’s” at the forefront of their school’s culture and learning.
• Connect relevant research targeted to companies like Google for building a global and innovative mindset for K-12 students.
• Explore how empathy and other characteristics of social-emotional learning tie in to 21^st Century learning and building racial and global competence.

How to Build a Global Mindset and Apply It for Relevant Learning:

Research shows that a global mindset implies inquiry, creativity, adaptability, empathy, a sense of self, code-switching, and key subject knowledge. Jobs of the future are largely unknown, which makes the development of this mindset critical. Explore simple steps and practical tools to build global competence and learn to apply these to teaching any topic. Whether you’re looking to transform your school culture or simply to inspire staff, this session has lasting impact.

From Global Competency to Global Citizenship – Strategies to Achieve Both:

• How do you define global citizenship so that anyone, even if they’ve never left the country, can embrace this idea, and how does this fit into rigorous, compassionate 21st-Century learning?
• What does a globally competent classroom or lesson look like?
• Exercises for plugging this framework into any topic or theme you might teach.
• Ideas for bringing the world into any classroom, from math to language arts, science, tech or social studies.

From 21st Century Girls/Boys/Students to 21st Century Global Leaders:

Explore new skill sets and mindsets to transition from the question of ‘What do you want to be when you grow up?’ to ‘What problem do you want to solve now?’ (Note: This theme works particularly well for student presentations at co-ed or single-sex schools, and for parent events.) This will also introduce the Sustainable Development Goals and help guide how to use these important global goals for relevant learning and meaningful engagement.

This is Not Diversity Training: Building Your Brain, Team and Toolbox to Go Beyond Tolerance, Toward Thriving:

So many well-intentioned people may shy away from or avoid honest conversations around diversity. Learn how to safely engage in courageous conversations and welcome all voices. Begin to tip your toe into practicing meaningful conversations, recognizing implicit bias, and getting to know what really matters to the people around you.

Global Education Opportunities Right in Your Zip Code:

Tips, motivation and inspiration that help any educator or other professional to adopt effective global learning, global mindset-building and collaboration strategies to advance their goals, using easy-to-access resources, available right in your own community.

Schools Not Factories: How Student-Driven, Global Collaboration Can Transform Teaching and Learning:

• Learn from outstanding examples of student-driven learning used in diverse schools globally.
• Help students’ discover their passions and interests (and maybe hone your own!)
• Try the SOLE (Self-Organized Learning Environment) among your peers, and learn how to take this to your classroom to inspire curiosity, creativity, effective collaboration and technology use.
• Learn about various technology tools and apps that can deepen student engagement.

Cultural Appreciation or Cultural Appropriation: Teach Like You Know the Difference

• Don’t avoid discussing real differences between cultures. Learn how to have compassionate conversations marked by deep listening.
• Recognize the difference between cultural appreciation and appropriation, and help others see this, without blaming, offending, or avoiding.
• Learn from multiple case studies by real, well-meaning educators.
• Build a resource library, classroom activities, and authentic connections that celebrate cultural diversity.

Growing Up Global: An Essential 21st Century Skill (Or: Raising Children to Thrive in a Globalized, Rapidly Changing World):

This topic works well for parent as well as educator audiences, connecting global citizenship, character-building, and 21st-Century learning.

Everything I Needed to Know About Global Education I Learned in Kindergarten:

• Learn the simple lessons that help us remember to be global citizens, and embark on a life-long journey toward global citizenship.
• Connect some of the lessons targeted to kindergarten or MBA students to gain insights on building a global perspective, creating an inclusive environment, and building an entrepreneurial mindset.
• Explore how empathy (here’s my piece on Empathy for Edutopia, which remains the site’s most-shared article) and other characteristics of social-emotional learning tie in to educational excellence and building global competence.
• Start with what you love: apply your own passions to building your global mindset.

De-Mystifying Global Education Tools for Elementary (Middle or High School) Learners: Drawing from material contained in my book, The Global Education Toolkit, some of the tools to be explored include:

• Organizing effective school-wide special events and involving the wider community in their success.
• Integrating global perspectives and materials into all academic subject areas, particularly in Common Core and other standards.
• Using technology tools, including social media, to advance learning.
• Service-learning near or far: making a difference that sticks, at any age.

Have questions? Email homatav@growingupglobal.net for more details or for booking information.

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