ABSTRACT
Interconnectedness occurs on several levels: individual and collective, local and global, present as well as historical. At the root of all interconnectedness is relationships. Human beings are born out of relationships and live their lives in relationship to others. Interconnectedness, however, is not confined to trade in goods and services, but is related to the worldwide movement of peoples through economic and development initiatives, immigration, asylum seeking, war, and displacement. Most schools have students from many different backgrounds in their classes and it is essential that we develop positive relationships with each of them. There is one other form of interdependence that must be taught in schools as we move forward. Interdependence goes beyond interconnectedness and beyond the individual, because it forces us to acknowledge that our very welfare and survival depend on what occurs elsewhere.
