Implementing Global Citizenship Education in the Elementary Classroom

The present qualitative research study investigates the following research question: How are a sample of elementary school teachers creating opportunities to integrate global citizenship education throughout the curriculum? Data was collected through semi-structured interviews with three elementary educators working Toronto, Ontario who implement global citizenship education in their daily practice. Transcripts of the data were analyzed thoroughly resulting with four common themes: Teachers are implementing global citizenship education because of their belief in the benefits and positive outcomes that result from this type of learning, Teachers are using implementation strategies that align with the Ontario Curriculum while being mindful of age-appropriateness in the elementary setting, Educators have found support for the implementation of global citizenship education in the educational institution and the family community of the school, and Work in global citizenship education is challenged by inconsistencies in teacher training and expectations of learning goals. Implications for the education community and personal practice are discussed, and recommendations are made for further research in the global citizenship and elementary education field