MEET GEA | Global Ed Allies

A Letter to GEA Allies

At GEA we have witnessed the many benefits and joy of travel firsthand through our own experience and leading hundreds of teachers on programs throughout the years. These benefits are well-researched and go beyond mere leisure or escapism. Travel has been shown to enrich our lives emotionally, socially, and academically. It enhances motivation for learning, broadening perspectives, and increasing cultural tolerance and global awareness. The experience promotes self-discovery and self-confidence, improving how we understand ourselves as part of a larger society. Travel impacts instructional flexibility, easing one’s ability to tailor learning for diverse students and teaching contexts, and finally, equips individuals with the critical skills and perspectives needed in our interconnected world. Travel offers the additional advantage of expanding our imagination, enabling us to envision new possibilities.

We believe our pursuit of happy classrooms also benefits from these experiences; in our travels we savor the opportunity to observe and learn from various educators and classrooms around the world that excel in “happy” in many meaningful ways.

These experiences have forged a fire that still fuels us today and begs us to embark on many investigative learning quests, both at home and far away. It is the same fire that fuels all of us at GEA, as we aim to create meaningful, fun and investigative journeys for you.

Thank you for journeying with us!

AINO PURO

our story

Over the past nine years, we have organized numerous professional development excursions to the US, Northern Europe, East Africa, the Caribbean, Southeast Asia, and the South Pacific. A significant number of our 600+ past participants are returning alumni from previous programs. We have worked with 60+ different schools, non-profit organizations, universities, national centers of testing, and ministries of education. Our teachers have built a strong community of practice, exchanging ideas and doing collaborative projects in their classrooms.

GEA’S "FOUR HOPES FOR OUR SCHOOLS"

Maximize human potential

Cultivate the vision and skills needed for a more sustainable future

Hone the skills and attitudes needed for future generations to lead a more meaningful, fulfilling and prosperous existence

Nurture the shared stories that highlight our common human experience, and celebrate and recognize the differences that make our world community richer

our mission

Global Education Allies is committed to exploring and promoting happy learning environments worldwide, learning from spaces that nurture ideas of belonging, empowerment, tranquility, and verve, and facilitating collaborative insights into 21st-century questions, with the goal of enhancing both educational settings and personal fulfillment.

Our Focus

Global Education Allies curates immersive experiences at diverse locations, transcending traditional classroom boundaries, and creates spaces for educators, students, and/or community leaders to travel the world and lead meaningful conversations on a global level.

GEA believes travel and learning should be fun, meaningful and investigative. Our investigative trips often take us to locations that excel in the following ways: They empower students and teachers, execute strategies for well-being, value student voice, encourage skills for a sustainable future, value diverse knowledge systems, nurture compassionate classrooms, celebrate the arts, facilitate culturally competent teaching, incorporate the outdoors, and support overall innovative and engaging teaching practices.

our guiding principles

We do this through our guiding principles:

Build a RECIPROCAL exchange of ideas and best practices at the locations we visit.

Value the RELATIONSHIPS we build at every school and community we connect with.

Create an environment of REFLECTION on our investigative journeys.

Foster mutual RESPECT and enhance that respect through a rich library of resources and optional study materials for before and after our programs.

Act in RESPONSIVE ways within the cultures we visit and implement and demonstrate culturally competent techniques throughout our journey.

Foster an environment for REJUVENATION, encouraging connections with fellow students and educators, providing space to connect with the natural environment and encouraging practices that promote well-being.