Mission Statement
As global educators, the co-founders of Know My World always understood that educating a child went far beyond their academic abilities. We established this organization in 2010 with a mission to support the cultivation of social, emotional, and cultural competencies in classrooms around the world. We believe that every child, when guided, and provided the right opportunities, is able to tap into their full potential and create meaningful contributions to the world.
What Do We Do?
Know My World provides high-quality, research-based professional development training both in person and online. Our training sessions and modules focus on developing a personal understanding of social, emotional, and cultural competencies. Our educational coaches support teachers in applying these skills to their own lives. This is followed by additional training on best practices for incorporating these concepts with students and within the curriculum.
We then provide opportunities for educators to apply this knowledge by supporting them in the facilitation of a student-centered virtual cross-cultural exchange programs. These exchanges provide unique opportunities for students to expand their cultural awareness beyond their own community. Through the use of digital journaling, Design Thinking, and project-based learning, our classroom-to-classroom exchanges allow students to engage with global peers through authentic connection, meaningful dialogue, and collaborative efforts.
Our training and programs are deliberately designed to support educators and students in cultivating a deeper understanding of themselves, recognizing who they are within their communities, and feeling inspired and empowered to create impactful change.
Our Story
In the spring of 2010, the Co-Founders of this organization, Genevieve Murphy and Lisa Petro, were living in Aomori, Japan. They met there as teachers working to teach English through the JET Programme. While there, they were involved with a grassroots organization called Everest of Apples, which supported a local school and provided scholarships to students in Nepal. That year they decided to visit the school to meet the teachers, witness its progress, and present teacher training workshops to the faculty.
Upon arrival to Nepal, they found themselves experiencing many new facets of life and culture. Their journey began in Kathmandu and continued in the southern region. The family who founded and ran the school opened their homes to them. Throughout the short duration of their time in the village, they got to know members of the community quite well. Their friends and colleagues treated them as their family, and despite the harsh climate, they felt comforted by these amazing people.
Not long into their time there, there were political challenges that led to a nationwide strike. They were instructed to return to Kathmandu immediately, where they spent the remainder of their time in a guesthouse owned by a local family. This time in the guesthouse provided unique opportunities to connect with other travelers and community members as they spent their time discussing cultures, sharing life stories, and contemplating the meaning of life over pots of warm milk tea. What was lacking in travel experiences was made up for exponentially in new friendships. The lessons they received from the hospitality and warmth of the Nepali people are things one cannot find in a textbook.
On their return from Nepal, they sat on a subway train in Tokyo, marveling at their experience. Between the incredible cultural learning opportunities they had through the JET Programme and these memorable experiences in Nepal, it became clear to both of them that authentic learning happened through relationships; relationships with ourselves, others, and the world around us. They wanted to bring that experience to every individual, classroom, and community that they possibly could. They scribbled the idea on a loose napkin and Know My World was born. This desire still exists throughout the mission and work of Know My World today.
OVERVIEW
Know My World is an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to positively enhancing student success through the cultivation of Social, Emotional, Cultural, and Academic Competencies. In order for students to be successful in the 21st Century, their skillset needs to extend beyond traditional forms of academics and incorporate deeper understandings of intrapersonal and interpersonal skills. The pivotal focus of Know My World is to help support teachers in cultivating classroom communities that foster social skills, emotional awareness, cultural understanding, and academic success through digital journaling and project-based learning.
Our Student Virtual Cross-Cultural Exchange Experiences incorporate:
- Cultural Awareness and Sensitivity
- Conscious Communication
- Positive Relationship Building
- Critical Thinking
- Problem Solving
- Global Citizenship
Our Professional Development Training Programs Includes:
- Research-Based Content
- Resource Training
- Integrating Social, Emotional, and Cultural Competencies Into Your Curriculum
- Classroom Application Through Best Practices
- Coaching Support
- Facilitated Cross-Cultural Virtual Exchange
- Project Based Learning Using Design Thinking
- Certificate of Completion
PARTICIPATE IN OUR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TRAINING AND DIGITAL EXCHANGE:
Our Cohort Training will begin in fall of 2021. Interested educators are asked to complete the online application form during our August or January registration periods. Accepted applicants will receive a letter of acceptance and will be introduced to their cohort and coaching facilitator. They will then work with their coach throughout their training experience. At the end of the program, teachers will receive a certificate of completion, and the student’s exchange content will be featured on our website and in our quarterly newsletters. Additional details will be posted soon.