This time last year, The Global Classroom didn’t exist. What a year it has been! Established amidst a global pandemic, this project that began as an interactive teaching resource has grown into the largest digital classroom in the world. 

Now that we’ve entered 2021, The Global Classroom is ready to take the new year by storm and will continue to provide unique classroom resources for teachers across more than 180 countries. 

Before we wipe 2020 from our memories, let’s reflect on the incredible success that The Global Classroom enjoyed last year.

The “New Normal” under the COVID-19 lockdown

On Tuesday 5th May 2020, The Global Classroom held its debut event. This first classroom focused on COVID-19’s impact on the mental and physical wellbeing of children. Doubling as a classroom resource for teachers, and a discussion forum for children across the globe, this event reached 150,000 students across 193 countries. 

During the inaugural class, students from all four corners of the world had the opportunity to pose questions to our inspirational panel of guest speakers. This event featured the Director of WHO and the Executive Director of UNICEF, in addition to representatives from the 2022 FIFA World Cup Association and the Smithsonian Institution. 

One Global Planet

On World Environment Day 2020, The Global Classroom held our second event. This time, the focus was our planet and how we can protect it for future generations. Having seen inspirational young leaders like Greta Thunberg using her voice, this classroom provided an opportunity for children across the globe to voice their concerns about the future of their planet. As a result, The Global Classroom has become an excellent interactive teaching resource for stimulating topical discussion.. 

Once again, One Global Planet included an incredible line up of role models. Featuring prominently was Jason Mraz, the double Grammy award-winning musician who is probably best known for his international hit, “I’m Yours”. Whilst Jason’s music is loved around the world, he’s showing his love and passion for our planet as a sustainable farmer. He even took the time to give 45 of our global students a songwriting lesson for what was an unforgettable experience. 

One Global Mind

The Global Classroom was on a roll and launched its third event in July 2020. This time, our virtual classroom was dealing with some intense themes. The COVID-19 pandemic has triggered a global wave of mental illness as a result of increased anxiety and isolation. 

One Global Mind provided a safe space for students to discuss what was on their minds and reminded them that connecting with nature and the outside world is incredibly beneficial for their mental health. 

Once again, our global students had the opportunity to share these discussions with world-leading experts. From Heather Small to Bear Grylls, students from around the world learnt how critical it was to prioritise their wellbeing in this chaotic world. 

One Global Body

Following on from One Global Mind, The Global Classroom’s live stream in September 2020 focused on general health and wellbeing, to teach children about the significance of leading a healthy lifestyle. 

One of the inspirational guest speakers featured in One Global Body was Ben Lesser, who is a survivor of the Holocaust. This provides an incredible interactive teaching resource for any lesson plan exploring the history of the Holocaust. 

Ben Lasser, and the rest of our panel, emphasised how critical it was for our children to take care of their physical health. and shared their top tips for keeping active. This classroom provides a versatile classroom resource for teachers to use across a variety of subjects. 

Global Generations

2020’s final event from The Global Classroom was Global Generations. This fascinating classroom celebrated generational differences to provoke change and compassion. 

Like every classroom before it, this interactive teaching resource hosted a plethora of impressive guests. These included Michael Woodside from The Walt Disney Company and Captain Sir Tom Moore who became a national hero during the initial 2020 lockdown. 

Streamed on National Children’s Day, this event highlighted the potential that every generation holds, stimulating discussion regarding the importance of sharing experiences between generations to allow for growth and understanding in our global communities. 

What a year…

It’s safe to say The Global Classroom experienced great success in 2020 and provided countless interactive resources for teachers. To continue this success, Global Inspiration (our January classroom), started 2021 with a bang! Featuring Denise Lewis OBE and two incredible National Geographic Young Explorers – Baylee Ritter and Kehkashan Basu, this classroom provided a hopeful beginning to 2021 for our Global students. 

These classroom resources for teachers are still available to stream for free from The Global Classroom website, where you will also find updates about our upcoming events. Our next classroom will take place in Spring – so watch this space!