In this episode, my guest Brooke Wiens discusses the topic "Cultural Adaptability in a Multicultural World (Third Culture Kids – TCKs)." Ms. Wiens holds the title of Emergent Bilingual Teacher in the most diverse elementary schools in the state of Missouri – North Kansas City Schools. She is a traveler, learner, coffee drinker, global thinker, a Third Culture Kid (TCK), and a board member of Interaction International, a ministry focused on providing resources for TCKs.

Third culture kids (TCK) is a term coined by US sociologist Ruth Hill Useem in the 1950s for children who spent a significant part of their developmental years in places that are not their parents’ homeland. Globalization has increased the number of TCKs to over 220 million globally.

Ms. Wiens grew up in West Africa, returning to the US with her family every 4 years. She went through the process of re-entry into the US at the end of her high school years and took this experience with her into her work with the ministry Interaction International and her work as a teacher. Ms. Wiens emphasizes the need to help kids from other cultures feel safe. She sees in her role as a teacher that she is able to connect with families and help kids feel a sense of belonging.