Astrid Felter has been teaching world languages - Spanish and French - at Niwot High School since 2009. She teaches mainly freshmen, sophomores, and juniors in classes of around 30 students. Astrid started the Literacy Buddies Pen Pals program in 2009 to help her Spanish students connect with and mentor bilingual elementary students in the St. Vrain Valley School District. Her inspiration for that program came from her four years’ previous elementary bilingual/dual language teaching experience in Texas; there she led a pilot dual language program and a Newcomer’s Academy for Spanish heritage language students. Astrid also led the Niwot High School Digital Learning Collaborative as they researched and practiced in a two-year technology exploration and capstone project. She is also a Building Technology Contact between Niwot High School and St. Vrain Valley District Technology Services, acting as a liaison and problem-solver for a wide range of technology issues. Astrid has participated in two National Endowment for the Humanities summer seminars and workshops for teachers: one for Latino Identity in New York City and one for Gullah Voices: Traditions and Transformations in Georgia and South Carolina. Astrid also attained School Principal certification in Texas and Colorado. Through her participation in TGC, Astrid developed her professional skills and strategies in global education to better prepare her students and fulfill the mission of her school. She also gained insight and knowledge from the international field experience, which helped her design instruction and give back to her teaching community.

In her Global Education Guide, Astrid Felter provides teachers with global education resources to help their students become global citizens. She includes global, national, and local community resources that teachers can use to enhance their students’ global competence. She also provides standards with a global perspective along with sample lessons and informal assessments. An example of one her ideas is setting up an ePals conference call, so students can learn about international students’ culture and perspectives. Astrid traveled to Morocco for her International Field Experience and provides a collection of resources that can be found on her travel blog.