Capstone Reflection: Words For Change

Last week, I presented my Global Scholars capstone project, where I conducted a two-class workshop with Ms. Jaffe's four seventh-grade classes on internationally focused opinion writing.

My project aimed to help middle schoolers develop and express informed opinions about global issues. In the first session, I taught the fundamentals of opinion writing, such as media literacy, covering essential elements like thesis statements, supporting evidence, and addressing counterarguments. I also introduced a range of international topics that might spark their interest and provided resources they could use for research. During the second session, we revised their drafts together, focusing on strengthening their arguments and polishing their writing for publication.

What surprised me most was their topic choices. Despite my preconceived notions that they would choose topics such as international sports or climate change, many of them elected to focus on very mature topics such as child labor and human trafficking. While I welcomed each of their topics, I was struck by just how aware these seventh graders were of what is happening in the world today. It was a unique window into the things that are really concerning to younger groups right now and the issues they want to prioritize. Their passion for these serious global issues demonstrated a level of empathy I hadn’t anticipated from students in this age group. 

As far as writing, the results were impressive - each student produced an opinion piece that was/will be published in The Outspoken, an independent student opinion newspaper. Seeing their work in print gave them visible pride, and several mentioned they now pay more attention to international news.

This workshop taught me that middle schoolers think globally when given the right framework. Their unique perspectives often made connections between issues I hadn't considered. I'm grateful to Ms. Jaffe for welcoming me into her classroom and impressed by these seventh graders' willingness to engage thoughtfully with our global community. This experience has reinforced my belief that engaging young people in international discourse isn’t just valuable for their development but rather it’s essential for nurturing the next groups of globally minded, empathetic citizens our world increasingly needs.