Forget March 7th and that thing called the iPad3…whatever that is…
The real landmark date and time is March 1st 2012, 2:20pm AEDST!
The first presentation of the Student Conference Series, a project that allows students to share their amazing work that they are doing with other students around the world!
If you would like to know more about this innovative project please visit the website at:
http://studentconferenceseries.global2.vic.edu.au
We all hope your students can be a part of this!
This is an update to the Global Hello Project, blogged originally at Planet Smith:
“Collaboration is the key to a truly successful Professional Learning Community. This in turn supports student learning in ways that are not possible when working alone. An example of really great collaboration has been simmering slowly for the last year, and has recently heated up into an exciting and meaningful project. This endeavor is called The Global Hello Project.
I need to start by explaining a little bit about a teacher that I find the time to work with often. And when I say find the time, I really mean that I seek out this person, (even though there are always a million things going on) and make time to collaborate because of his great mind. Every so often in your life, you come across people who not only think like you, but challenge your thinking in ways to help you become a better person. My colleague and friend David (@grnngold) is easy to work with, has a positive attitude, and has innovative ideas all while keeping a focus on his students. As teachers I believe we all need to find the people who bring out the best in us, who keep us positive and allow us to achieve some of those lofty goals that are floating around in our heads.
We started the Global Hello Project last year when our class made a video about their school day. We shared it on a wiki page and encouraged others to do the same. Many schools (34 as of today) from all around the world have joined this project. In our current social studies curriculum we have requirements to teach map skills and global awareness. Global citizens need to be sensitive to other cultures, as well as how to find their way around the world. We figured there are two options to teach this skill:
1. Hand out a generic worksheet with fake maps and meaningless questions.
or
2. Map the Global Hello locations!
This is where things got exciting. David imagined a map taller than our students (I put away my pathetic 11 x 17 map)! Together we worked and tweaked and figured out how to get our students excited about using the map. Yesterday our two classes joined together and got a crash course on continents, countries, states and cities. We broke out to the computer lab, using Google maps to find the locations of the schools. The students then put a sticker of the school they picked on the map. On the spot, we were able to correct misconceptions (Alabama is NOT a country!). The students were engaged, working and were EXCITED. In one hour we were able to map everything and even collect data about the temperature of the city they picked. They logged their data on an index card, giving us instant feedback about their level of geographical knowledge. At the end of the lesson we noticed how the temperatures in different regions got warmer as we got closer to the equator. On the way out, students were asking each other what their favorite country was, and which school page they liked the most.
When your biggest problem as a teacher is that you have to tell your students to stop running back and forth from the map to the computer, you’re in a good spot.
When great minds truly do come together, students can and will achieve their potential.”
What a fun day we had Skyping with a 3rd grade class in suburban Chicago. My students read their reader’s theater excerpt from Dr. Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech and the other class shared some of their writing. Afterwards, the students asked each other questions. We learned that a Chicago Dog has a bunch of stuff most second graders don’t like and that deep dish pizza sounds really good. My students shared their favorite sports teams and their ancestral heritage. During the call we also discovered that both classes have blogs so we made a plan to read and comment on each others’ blogs! My students really enjoyed the experience and asked if we could do it again!
Direct Link: February Archive Thankyou to @iEARNUSA and @murcha for moderating the lively discussions! Due to unforeseen circumstances, the February 14 chat did not run as planned. We look forward to seeing you for our March chats!
Well, it’s time to announce the topic for the next #globalclassroom chats!
Our February topic comes to use courtesy of @iEARNUSA, and promises to be our most visually engaging chat yet.
How do teachers use visual aids to share and celebrate their global connections and collaborations on their classroom walls, and within their school communities?
How do YOU celebrate your global connections with your students and local communities? Do you use flags? Photos? Toys? Skype?
It’s time to get the camera out, and take a few snaps around your classrooms!
This promises to be an interesting discussion! We hope you can join us!
February 2012 marks our second Asia / Australia chat – which runs on a Sunday afternoon / evening in Asia & Australia; and in the morning in Europe. If you’re online in Europe at that time, you’re more than welcome to join us!
Thankyou!
The #globalclassroom chats are moderated by teachers around the world.
If you’d like to moderate a chat, or suggest a topic, please tweet @mgraffin, or leave your details here. We sincerely appreciate your support!
There has been massive interest in the Student conference Series to date so now it’s time for the exciting part! The Call for Presentations. In the first Student Conference Series Newsletter there was information about how your students can nominate for the Student Conference Series. Below, I have included the link for those of you who didn’t receive the email on Friday. If you need me to add you to our mailing list send me an email or a DM on Twitter!
Click Here to read the first newsletter
Student Conference Series Call for Presentations are due 17th of February for the first Presentations in early March.
