The Global Competency Fellowship is a year-long professional development program designed to build the capacity of educators in preparing students for an increasingly interconnected world. This fellowship combines sustained professional learning, curriculum development, and a culminating international field study experience in Germany. 

Participants will engage in collaborative inquiry, redesign curriculum with a global lens, and apply their learning through direct engagement with international educators, as well as immersion in cultural and historical experiences. Upon completion of all course requirements and travel experience, participants will receive 3 increment credits from Sandwich Public Schools (participants from other districts welcome!).

Coursework around developing Global Competency dispositions is an essential component of the learning opportunity. Class will be held from October- March, on the second Tuesday of each month from 5-8pm.

Participants will explore the pedagogy around Global Competence using resources from ASCD, and NEA as well as the text, Becoming a Globally Competent Teacher by Ariel Tichnor-Wagnor et al. In addition, we will look at the different structures of international educational systems, their pros and cons, and comparison to US and district-level systems; with a focus on Germany. 

Boston to Billund, Denmark

Settle in. Connect. Begin the journey.

• Arrive in Billund and drive south to Niebüll, Germany (Wadden Sea region)

• Explore one of Europe’s most unique coastal ecosystems

• Group dinner + program kickoff

Focus: Place, environment, and global connections
Think about: How does geography shape culture and daily life?

See teaching and learning through a new lens.

• Visit a partner school in Schleswig-Holstein

• Learn about the German educational system

• Observe classes (matched to your subject/grade when possible)

• Share a short activity about American culture

• Exchange ideas in a roundtable discussion with German educators

Focus: Instruction, student independence, and global perspectives
Takeaway: Real strategies you can bring back to your classroom

Explore how global systems shape societies.

• Travel south to Berlin

• Stop in Lübeck, a historic trading hub

• Learn about the Hanseatic League and global trade networks

• Optional museum experiences in Berlin at the DDR or Deutsches Museums

Focus: Trade, history, and interconnected economies

Engage with powerful history and its impact today.

• Visit Sachsenhausen concentration camp

• Guided tour of Berlin’s historical and political sites

• Explore how Germany teaches difficult history

Focus: Civic responsibility, multiple perspectives
Reflect: What is our role as educators in teaching complex history?

Experience culture through place and creativity.

• Travel through the Harz region and the natural beauty of the country

• Engage with historic myths and legends that have transcended time. 

• Step back in time and explore historic Quedlinburg (UNESCO World Heritage site)

• Discover how governmental and religious leaders controlled the region in concert

• Engage in a hands-on cultural/art experience

• Enjoy local shops, cafés, and daily life

Focus: Cultural identity, storytelling, and the arts

Connect education to real-world pathways.

• Visit Hamburg Center for Teacher Education and learn how German teachers are prepared for teaching in the field. 

• Explore one of the world’s largest and busiest ports. See first-hand the modern shipping industry and how our word is connected by industry.

Focus: Workforce connections, career pathways, global economy

Auf Wiedersehen 

• Final reflection + key takeaways

• Identify what you’ll bring back to your classroom

• Departure from Hamburg

Focus: Turning experience into impact