Priyanka Lakhwani has been teaching Cambridge Global Perspectives™ at The Galaxy School – Wadi in India for the last four years, initially leading Cambridge IGCSE classes and more recently adding Cambridge International AS & A Level courses.
‘I think the most important thing that lured me to teach Cambridge Global Perspectives was the kind of freedom that it gives me as an educator. I am actually not really bound by a particular syllabus, not really bound by the restrictions that educators usually have in terms of what they can do with the students. It helped me to stretch myself in terms of what I could offer to them.
‘That said, we do have a lot of resources at our disposal from Cambridge International, including past papers, candidate responses, and exam guidance. We're also really happy with the way we get responses on the Cambridge Global Perspectives discussion forum on the School Support Hub.
‘The second most important thing for me is that Global Perspectives is more about skill building, and not content building. I think that is very important in today's day and age, because it actually helps students transfer their skills in different areas.
‘Once students are in university or when they go beyond that into work, they will find that society now functions around team building and collaboration. If the students are already used to all of that before they get into the real world, it makes them much more adaptable. ‘Another benefit of Global Perspectives, which really helps at university or beyond that level, is the kind of acceptance that students develop. Global Perspectives makes them more sensitive and more tolerant towards others’ opinions.
‘I think as a subject it can make a person more self-aware and a bit less critical about the people around them.
Challenging stereotypes
‘For example, my students worked on a project about male stereotyping, which was a very different topic and one which we don't usually talk about. We get into the rut of females being criticised in their lives or in schools, but this group of mine were working on how males are also stereotyped in their daily lives and at workplaces.
‘They did a speech in assembly in our school and they actually approached a lot of people through social media. They had a page on Instagram, and so I think they were able to reach a lot of people.
‘That really interested me because of the kinds of attitudes that were coming up.
‘Topics like these are very bold, give an edge to their projects, and are challenging for students because they involve changing some kind of mindset.
‘I think after four years teaching Global Perspectives I'm a changed person. I actually would want to put it like that. If I rate myself personally, there have been a lot of positive changes.
‘However much a cliché it sounds, I think when we talk about students they are definitely the future, and it really gives me immense pleasure to know what they are thinking about sensitive issues.
‘I think teaching Global Perspectives has led me to sharpen my skills. It has made me more tolerant, more accepting, more accommodating, not only in class but on a personal front as well.’
Priyanka Lakhwani teaches at The Galaxy School - Wadi, in Gujarat, India. The school follows the Cambridge Pathway at primary and secondary levels, including Cambridge Global Perspectives, and students take Cambridge IGCSE and Cambridge International AS & A Level examinations.