Global Education
Global Education forms the foundation of my teaching philosophy, weaving seamlessly through every subject I teach. In preparing our students to become tomorrow's leaders, I create innovative pathways for them to engage with and understand our interconnected world. This journey begins with cultivating respect and open-mindedness – essential qualities for meaningful cross-cultural dialogue and understanding.
Through carefully designed international experiences and cultural exchange initiatives, students gain more than just global awareness. They develop a deeper appreciation for their own cultural identity by viewing it through new lenses and perspectives.
Our Citizen Diplomacy projects serve as bridges, enabling students to build authentic relationships with peers across borders while developing crucial intercultural competencies.
My approach to Global Education:
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Integrates international perspectives across all subject areas
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Develops cultural empathy through direct peer-to-peer connections
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Encourages critical reflection on both global and local identities
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Builds practical skills in cross-cultural communication
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Prepares students for leadership in our interconnected world
These experiences transform students from passive observers into active participants in global dialogue, equipping them with the mindset and skills essential for success in our increasingly connected world.
Bringing the World Together through the Arts.
Airing on WUFT
Below are some highlights of Global Education and Outreach Initiatives:
1/4/25. Global Connections: My Grade 10 Art Students Engage in Meaningful Cultural Exchange.
East Elgin Secondary School students demonstrated exemplary citizen diplomacy on Tuesday morning when Mr. Ponzio's Grade 10 Art class participated in a virtual exchange with English language students from Chuangke Xiancai Senior High School in Maoming City, China (near Hong Kong).
Gathering in our library, both classes delivered presentations about their respective countries, communities, and schools. The exchange highlighted our commonalities, as well as fascinating contrasts: Maoming's impressive population of over 6 million compared to Aylmer's 8,000 residents, and their school's capacity for 7,000 students vastly exceeding our own.
Our students represented Canada with distinction, emphasizing our region's vital agricultural contributions that help feed both our country and the world. They articulated aspects of our economy, celebrated Canada's cultural mosaic, and showcased our passion for sports. They also highlighted our school's commitment to project-based education in science, vocational technology, and the arts.
The cultural exchange extended beyond presentations into interactive activities. Our students taught their Chinese peers the traditional Canadian game of Crokinole, while the Maoming students introduced our class to the ancient practice of Tai Chi.
We're immensely proud of how our students conducted themselves with dignity, respect, and genuine curiosity about their international peers. These cross-cultural interactions serve to humanize people from different backgrounds, replacing stereotypes with authentic connections. As our students develop into tomorrow's leaders, experiences like these can foster international understanding and contribute to a more peaceful global community.
Art Exchange: Japan
China Exchange with East Elgin Secondary School,
Ontario, Canada
In 2021 we are proud to announce the formation of a brand new global art exchange relationship with Kawara High school in Kawakara, Japan, lead by English teacher Yoshitaka Hamada http://yoshitakahamada.com. We were excited to receive a chain made of 1000 origami cranes, and essays about Anne Frank that they were kind enough to share. We shipped silk scrolls to our friends in Japan, painted with well-wishing messages. In this time of Covid, it is important that we continue to look out at the world and find productive and enriching relationships. We look forward to the growth of our relationship into 2022.
Nov. 4, 2021: Arts Conservatory students met Martin McKeller who explained the meaning and techniques of maintaining a Japanese rock garden and discussed the "Gardens for Peace" initiative and it's symbolism. https://najga.org/gardensforpeace2021/ The students then raked symbols into the garden at the Harn Museum as a message of peace to our friends in Kawara Japan.
Proud to be part of TCAB 2021-22
I am honored to be 1 of 18 teachers selected from the United States to participate in the 2021-22,
Teachers Collaborating Across Borders program.
This program is organized by the University of Arizona's Center for Middle Eastern Studies in cooperation with Duke University and the University of North Carolina's Mid Consortium for Middle East and Islamic Studies! I also look forward to making many new friends and finding ways to be productive with my colleagues from around the globe.
Sister Schools: Changzhou, China
Since 2007, our school has enjoyed a very close, and unusually productive relationship with Changzhou #2 School in China. I was happy to help Headmaster Richard Gehman found this relationship and excited to help negotiate homestays for our students during biannual visits to each other's schools. Unfortunately, Covid has interfered with our program, but we remain, fast friends, today.
While our relationship has enriched the lives of countless student and faculty members, an unexpected accomplishment came about as a result of our relationship. In short, I accidentally found a Qing Dynasty scroll that depicted Changzhou and reintroduced the image to our friends. This made national news in China and a new History museum was constructed that prominently features the scroll's image. Watch the video to hear more about this story.
Sister Cities: Jacmel, Haiti
Our city of Gainesville enjoys nine different official Sister City relationships and I have tried to maintain active involvement in many of them including with Jacmel, Haiti. We have developed a strong relationship with the Fosaj Art school of Jacmel and, before Covid, enjoyed annual visits by their delegation where we would celebrate by making art and music together. The Haitians bring music, dancing, painting, and a beautiful spirit to share when they come to visit! We look forward to sharing ours with them again. More information about
We love making art and music with our friends from Jacmel!
Sister Cities: Israel / Palestine
Gainesville has maintained a unique 3-way Sister City relationship between Kfar Saba, Israel, Qalqilya, Palestine, and Gainesville, Florida since 1998 and our school has been intimately involved with this important Sister City relationship for many years.
I had the opportunity to serve on a delegation from my city and we hosted delegations from theirs. We use art and music to celebrate each other and our friendship. A documentary film is in the works about our project. Please watch these videos to understand the richness and complexity of our long-standing relationship.
More information can be found at https://gnvsistercities.org/
People to People: Actively Building Constituants for Peace
Build a Deaf School.org: Students Help Raise Awareness for the Deaf in Palestine
When we discovered there was no high school education for the Deaf, (population 43,000 in the West Bank), our students decided to help. They created BuildaDeafSchool.org and raised nearly $8,000. This helped bring attention to the dilemma in Qalqilya and eventually all the money was raised to fund the construction of the school finally built in 2022!
We are very excited to see the "Big Heart Secondary school" complete and happy that Deaf students in the West Bank can finally get the education they deserve.
To celebrate the opening of the new school a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held on Dec 11, 2022. Our friends have worked so hard to see this day and we could not be more excited for the students and teachers who. will call "Big Heart" School for the Deaf home. Congratulations to everyone in Qalqilya! We are very proud of you.
IREX Program:
Central Asia
Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan & Kyrgyzstan- 2002-2011
For many years I involved my students with the US State Department-sponsored IREX program for a series of online art exchanges. These projects proved enriching and productive.
Sister Schools:
Andros Island, The Bahamas
Founded by my colleague Gary Bone, our Sister School relationship with Central Andros High School endured from 2004 thru 2011.
What started with a mural painted at a school with structural challenges, our communities came together in a mutually beneficial relationship. Our school helped build a computer lab and basketball court, their woodcarvers, musicians, basketweavers, and a scholar in Bahamian folk tales and tradition visited and shared at our school.
One of our students was moved to collect running shoes for her peers
on Andros when she saw them racing on the track with no shoes.
She started the non-profit, ReRunSneakers.org, to help and the charity that still exists to this day.
Citizen Diplomacy: Art is the Universal Language
When the day arrived where our school had two simultaneous visits from international delegations on the same day (one from China and one from Haiti), I knew we were doing something right.
Global Education opens the eyes of all involved and makes us see how we really all are very much the same.
Keynote Speaker, Sister Cities International Conference, 2013
In this video, I explain my reasons for pursuing Global Education while I paint Blues legend Willie Green live on PBS TV.