The Global Classroom Project

The Story of SAV School, Nepal

wendian06 — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 13:38:43 +0000

THE STORY OF SAV SCHOOL

(cross-posted from http://bit.ly/14JB4Mw)

“When I was in class 7, I went to take my exams, and had to leave because my father did not pay the fee. He didn’t know. I was very sad, because I was always the top student, and this hurt very much…”, began Govinda, founder and principal of SAV school, Nepal. Thankfully, his uncle, who worked at the same school, was late that day, and saw Govinda standing outside, head down in understandable despair. He spoke to the powers that be and Govinda was permitted to take the exam, although that painful feeling never did go away.

Govinda, working right alongside his teachers.

That situation led to what is now the SAV School in Bageshwori, Nepal—a rural K-5 school, operated by Govinda and his wife, Sudha. Now in its 14^th year, the school has been in 3 different locations within the village, with fluctuating numbers of students from 13-137. Currently, it has around 80.

SAV School, Bageswhori, Nepal–an aerial view amid the terraced fields.

SAV School students, displaying cards they had created for my students back home.

In the beginning, he met up with some steely resistance and “you can’t do that, you’ll never make it” attitudes, but his personal experiences emboldened him to try anyway. He sought out space, a willing renter to let him a single room with no amenities, not even a window. He made it work. After a couple of years, he expanded into a larger school/ area, and then finally created the school you see here in Bageshwori. (insert pic)

There are 6 teachers working here, each fun-loving, but savvy and strict, too. They are curious, much like the kids, and dedicated. Three of them leave the village around 4:45am to go to teacher college in Bhaktapur, the nearest city, then take the 10 o’clock bus to get them back to the school by 11. After that, their teaching day begins.

Their earnings do not reflect their dedication, however, and are typically half of that paid to government-run schools. A mere fraction of what would be considered acceptable in many places in the world–$40-50/ month. There is a tremendous divide between private and public schools, each with the belief that the other provides inadequate instruction.

3 of the teachers, working hard to prepare materials.

The astounding teachers at SAV School. (who, by the way, laughed and smiled all the time, but were not crazy about having their pictures taken!)

The kids at SAV School typically attend school for nearly 300 days of the year, from around 10 am—4pm. Ask any Nepali, though, and he will tell you that there are 365 days in the year, and 366 festivals, many coinciding with days off of school, but there is no such thing as a summer break. Their Dasain celebration (in the fall), and the New Year (in April) are the longest stretches of time off, each about 2 weeks long. Neither lunch nor breakfast is served at the school, as students eat their morning meal of rice, curried veg and lentils (daal bhaat) at home, and a dinner of nearly the same later in the evening before bedtime. Students may bring a small snack to eat mid-day, and share water out of a communal pitcher, Nepali style—pouring water into their mouths and simultaneously swallowing, careful not to touch their lips to it. Lest you wonder, this is harder than you’d think—I epitomized incompetence!

Some kids arrived super early, around 8:15 some days, even though there were no teachers around. The students are eager to be at school, and the parents also consider it to be a place of safety and comfort. Despite its small size (smaller than a volleyball court), the school’s playground is a hub for the village children, and is one of the flattest areas around, thanks to the landowner who cleared that area of his field to rent to the school. Impressively, they all make due. With panache.

The playground slide and swingset frame, without any swings.

The playground swingset.

This is the entire playground. The slide and swingset are just off to the right of the picture. Kids line up here each morning to prepare for the day.

The kids were self-assured, some more outgoing than others, as you might see in any other school, but they all quickly warmed up to me, a complete stranger, in multiple senses of the word. Uniforms are the norm, from shoes to shirts and ties, and they begin each morning with a formation with exercises, laughter, and a song or recitation. Lined up by age group, any observer can see the universal increases in wiggling in the lower ranks!

The kids were preparing to take exams during my stay, and I was able to work with the teachers to show them abbreviated strategies/ best practices of American schools. For instruction and formative assessment, that is—not standardized testing! What struck me most was their incredibly devoted attention to detail, making sure that posters and signs were made with absolute precision—and although part of me wanted to say “It looks great! Enough already! On to the next one!”, I sat back and observed with a growing sense of admiration. This attention to detail was reflected in the students’ recitations of information, too—they knew certain things in depth because they were accustomed to spending time on strengthening the basics. A refreshing change of pace for me, an American teacher accustomed to feeling like I’m skimming across the surface of our curriculum in the name of “content exposure”.

Preparing for an exam.

Finding evidence in the text!

Their exams were all written out in long hand, on notebook paper, in English. They took exams in Math, Social Studies, English, Nepali, Computers (even though there is only one computer and logistics associated with load-shedding—a couple hours of electricity each day, these kids knew far more about the history of computers than I do!), Art, and Health/ Science. Each exam lasted for 2 hours. The exams are quarterly, they are written by the teachers collaboratively, and don’t need to be sent anywhere. Results of the exam rank students by averages—from who is first to who is dead last. They are then posted for all to see. If a student does not do well, primary blame lands on the students themselves, for not having prepared sufficiently. In the event of a student not passing on to the next grade, it is a financial hardship for the family to have to pay an extra year of fees (about $12-15/ student)—for uniforms, teacher salaries, school upkeep, supplies and exam fees, hence a shame on the student.

An example of a Nepali report card, from another school in Kathmandu.

: An example of a written response to an exam.

Beset by infrastructural issues that would cause most principals to throw up their hands in hopelessness, Govinda has been proactive in seeking better ways to educate the children in his charge. Most notably, he has utilized the power of social media—blogging, email, skype, facebook—to connect with educators worldwide. He exchanges ideas with other educators virtually and face to face, and has been eager to skype with my students several times. Imagine the world he has opened for his students with globally interconnected projects, exchanges, and visitors!z

Govinda, pointing out the ditch needed in the classrooms to offset flooding during the rainy season.

Govinda, principal and school handy-man, fixing the roof after a windy night.

There is an underlying thread of what some would call risk-taking and others would call passionate perseverance, with Govinda. From the start, when he believed so strongly in the need for a local school, up to now (and continuing), with his self-taught computer connections to break the world down into more digestible pieces. He and his wife split a salary to save on costs, and he has worked diligently to procure funding for his position, as well as some other smaller school fees. He has received hard-won donations from all corners of the world for salaries, and many are keen to his dreams. Ultimately, yes, he would love to build a brand new school, but his voice and understanding of reality and practicality dominate. He knows that transforming the physical aspects of a school do not equate to transforming learning, hence his staff’s current focus on learning how to address the whole child, another break from Nepali school norms.

“300.00”, he replied when I asked him what the cost of a “needs list” would be…(for basic school supplies)

“And a dream list?”, I asked, just trying to get a handle on comparison, costs, etc.

$500.00”, he said, “to transform the school. Plus, maybe an iPad.” Thanks to donations from home, much of that money was provided, plus an iPad, but what I saw begged further attention, such as the need for sturdy walls that won’t crumble or floors that won’t flood when it rains. An overhang to prevent rain from blowing in through the windows during rainy season… Things that desperately impact learning, as well as decisions by parents as to whether or not to keep their students at the school.

Govinda is a resourceful man, optimistic, and relentlessly pursuing a better world for his students. Where others would be quick to give up or give in, he has dug in for measured resistance. He has experienced enough success through his many efforts to know that life is accessible in very different ways for his kids. And his successes are all the more savory given the challenges he has faced, and still does face. SAV School may not be in the big city, but it is a school worth learning with, learning from, and watching.

Thank you to Govinda and his wife Sudha, Didi, and SAV School teachers, for providing me with a generous window into their world, including the road and paths that have led to where they are now, and their dreams for the future. I have tried to capture the essence of it all to inspire and educate others, because I feel deeply that they are trying to bring immeasurable value and experiences to their students.

For those of you interested in donating to SAV School, please check out Open World Cause for information and ways to help.

Filed under: Global Classroom Tagged: global classroom, global connections, global education, global learning, Govinda, Nepal, Open World Cause, SAV School, Skype in education, teaching

The Travelling Scrapbook Project

Michael Graffin — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 12:31:46 +0000

Cross-posted from my personal blog – mgraffin.edublogs.org. Originally published May 2013.

A little over a year ago, I woke up in the middle of the night with an idea … What if we could create a physical artefact of global collaboration? What if we could create something to demonstrate the power of global connections with our schools, communities, and the world?

And thus, the travelling scrapbook project was born.

Since March 2012, I’ve coordinated the extraordinary journeys of three #globalclassroom scrapbooks around the world.

As of May 2013, the scrapbooks have been hosted by 16 teachers, in 10 countries; and travelled in excess of 122 400 km (76 055 miles) – which is equivalent to circumnavigating the globe THREE times!

Our participant students and teachers around the world have embraced the opportunity to share a little of their lives, cultures, schools, and countries with the wider global community; and their contributions to our travelling scrapbooks are a true testament to the power of global collaboration.

One journey is coming to an end

Scrapbook #2 came home last week.

It bears the stains and wear and tear that you’d expect from a document which has travelled well over 47 563 km (29 554 miles) over the past year. It’s been to Brasil, Guatemala, … was lost in Honduras, … Texas, and New York City (USA). It’s been shared with children around the world, and its journey is coming to an end.

It’s hard to describe what its like to hold this document in your hands … It’s the embodiment of a dream … made reality through the efforts of teachers and students who’ve I’ve yet to meet face to face. The stories, the photos, the sketches … make this a unique, and very special physical artefact of global collaboration.

Sadly #2 is in no condition to continue on its’ global travels through the mail system, but there is one last trip in store … It will travel (in my suitcase) to the iEARN 2013 conference in Doha, Qatar … in just over two weeks time, where I’ll be presenting on the Travelling Scrapbook Project, and launching a new spin-off iEARN scrapbook project.

But, the journey continues

The Global Classroom Travelling Scrapbooks have become a unique, special part of the #globalclassroom community, and the remaining scrapbooks will continue on their travels for some years to come.

I’m planning the introduction of at least two new books in the coming months, so I’m looking forward to seeing this project evolve and develop over time.

I’d love to have scrapbooks touring Europe and the Middle East, … and I’m now starting to wonder if we can get the scrapbooks to travel more than half a million kilometres?

It might take a few years, but let’s see …

Filed under: Global Classroom, Michael Graffin Tagged: @mgraffin, artefact, community, global collaboration, global connections, iEARN, learning, project, scrapbooks, students, teachers

Flat Classroom @ ISTE 2013

Michael Graffin — Sun, 02 Jun 2013 01:43:22 +0000

If you’re interested in global education, and you’re attending the ISTE conference in San Antonio, Texas … you’d be mad to pass up the opportunity to attend a session run by our friends at Flat Classroom. Thanks to @julielindsay for passing on the details.

1) Learning Station: ‘Flat Classroom Projects: Transforming Learning Through Global Collaboration’

Time: Sunday 7:00-8:30pm

Description: Join global learners of all grade levels in authentic, real-world projects using emerging technologies. When you go flat, you never go back!

More info: This presentation will share images, videos and documentation to do with Flat Classroom projects with a view to encouraging others to join the global collaborative projects. Current Flat Classroom global educators will be available to talk to teachers about their experiences.

2) Birds of a Feather Session

Monday 5:30-6:45pm

3) Spotlight Session: ”Do you co-create at the Elementary Level? Flat Classrooms Do!”

Tuesday 10:30-11:30

Filed under: Julie Lindsay Tagged: #flatclass, 2013, ISTE, professional development

Writing a book with my students!

Ann S. Michaelsen — Fri, 31 May 2013 09:03:42 +0000

Background

After eight years of teaching in a technology driven high school and after attending workshops, seminars and conferences worldwide, I thought it was bout time I challenged both my astudents and myself.

I wanted to see if it was possible to find a project that could engage every student in my 11th grade class of English learners and see if we all could work together as a team. Most of all, I wanted to see if they could produce an end product that would be authentic and involve collaboration with educators and students globally.

My thoughts on engagement

Every educator wants to experience the moment of “flow” when all the goals are set and understood and work is moving along easily and naturally. When we read about engaging students in the classroom using technology and social media, authors often leave us with the impression that this work will flow gentle as a stream. When talking about motivation and learning in school, grit is most often left out of the conversation. Yet, according to Daniel Pink, the best predictor of success is grit, defined as perseverance and passion for long term goals.

Our published book proves that when you find the right project — one that really involves all the students — they can find the grit and do what it takes to reach the final objective.

And here’s an interesting fact: The most popular topic to write about in this book turned out to be motivation. It is ironic that motivation and innovation are topics we discuss on almost every level in education, from policy makers and educational experts to school leaders and teachers. We are simply missing the most important link here — we do not spend enough time discussing this with our students. My students’ reflections in this book show us that we should spend a lot more time discussing important topics like motivation, learning, pedagogy and technology with them. In this book, we provide many great examples and discussion topics to get us started.

I am very happy to say that we have managed to write a book that we think will be helpful for teachers all over the world. It explains how to set up your classroom to get you started. It shows how teachers and students can set up blogs, make a Twitter account, use Skype in education and connect with others. I think more teachers should try to open up their classrooms to all the possibility we have with the use of technology!

Our publication of the 200-plus page collaborative book Connected Learners: A Step-by-Step Guide to Creating a Global Classroom.As our press release says, this interactive eBook is

a unique compendium of stories, advice and how-to articles designed to help high school teachers and their students around the globe shift from classrooms that are isolated and teacher-centered to digitally rich environments where learning is student-driven and constantly connected to the global internet.

There are many books on the topic “learning in the 21st century,” and I think I have read most of them. The authors are educators and educational experts I know and admire. Many write about what students want and how students learn. What occurred to me was that there are no books about this topic written by students.

Let’s listen to the students! Want to buy the book? Click on the picture of the book. We are saving up for a field trip and would love to visit one of the schools we have been collaborating with! Text previously posted at Powerful Learning Practice . See full text here:

Filed under: Ann S. Michaelsen, Global Classroom Tagged: @annmic, global collaboration, global connections, publishing, skype, students, writing

Upcoming Global Classroom PD opportunities

Michael Graffin — Fri, 31 May 2013 05:39:25 +0000

June / July 2013 is set to be a very busy month, with #globalclassroom Lead Teachers presenting at several major international conferences – in the United States and Qatar.

The Global Education Summit (ISTE 2013)

We have no less than four GCP Lead teachers presenting at ISTE, with several presenting at the Global Education Summit prior to the main conference. We are hoping to organise an informal meet-up of #globalclassroom teachers at the Summit, and maybe even a group pic on the day … if someone brings their camera!

Sadly I won’t be attending ISTE for some years yet, but I’d like to build our presence at the Summit & ISTE over the years to come.

Session Details

Global Education Summit (June 23; San Antonio, Texas)

Anne Mirtschin, Louise Morgan, and Lisa Parisi are running focus sessions – exploring Global Connections, Getting Started with Global Projects, and The Global Classroom Project. It’s hard to be in three places at once, so I’m afraid you’re going to have to choose!

ISTE 2013

We don’t have a dedicated Global Classroom Project presentation at ISTE this year; hopefully we can work with some of our Lead Teachers to organise something for 2014.

We do; however, have two amazingly dedicated, inspiring educators presenting at ISTE 2013, and I hope you manage to catch at least one of their sessions.

Lisa Parisi is apparently about to have an amazingly busy conference, presenting -

Poster Session: Natural Disasters and Us – a presentation of our award winning project (with Donna Roman, another GCP Lead Teacher!)
Lecture Session: Knocking Down Walls: Making Connections with Web 2.0 tools – a session about how to use tools to connect with other classes
Spotlight Session: Gaming Showcase Presentation – joining with MangaHigh to share how my class uses games to learn
Ignite Session: Keeping It Global – Sharing how to cover curriculum while globalizing classroom

iEARN 2013 (Doha, Qatar)

The iEARN Conference marks a huge step on my own personal global journey … I never imagined that two years after co-founding the Global Classroom Project, I’d find myself presenting AND running my first Global Classroom Workshop at an international conference … in Qatar of all places. I’m looking forward to meeting a few Twitter colleagues (@iEARNUSA and @cerniglia for starters), and learning more about iEARN.

I’ll be presenting on Making Connections through the Travelling Scrapbook Project, Connecting Globally via Twitter & the #globalclassroom Chats (Workshop) & contributing to a Panel Discussion on social media connections.

If you have any questions, or are presenting yourself, please drop us a line at globalclassroomorganisers AT gmail.com or @gcporganisers.

Filed under: Global Classroom, Michael Graffin, Presentations Tagged: conferences, global education, iEARN 2013, ISTE 2013, presentations, professional development

Connecting Globally from a Remote School – Travelling Rhino Project

dukelyer — Fri, 24 May 2013 21:39:15 +0000

For the past fortnight we have been hosts of Lesedi, one of five travelling Rhinos sent round the world by Karen Stadler, who I have neer met, but connected with through email and twitter. Hawea Flat is a small rural school in the South Island of New Zealand and the closest Rhino to us is in a Zoo 5 hours drive away. We knew what a Rhino was and we knew who a poacher was, however we had no comprehension of how the two fitted together and what the devastating consequence of their connection was.

When Lesedi arrived in the mail we had to begin at the beginning. We read books, watched YouTube clips and researched on line. Quickly made connections to the horrific truth and the selfish reasons behind the problem. I have never seen a group of children become enraged so quickly over an issue.

So I simply asked “What can we do about it? We are to far away!” and showed them the distance between South Africa and Hawea Flat on Google Earth.

That is where the kids took over. They showed me that the skills that we have learned in class – ways to solve a problem and find a solution – were important and that when needed the kids could call upon them. In groups they thought of raising money, but then realized that money was not the problem, people were the problem and that not enough people knew about the issue (Kids came up with this – not me).

So, again I said “Ok, it is a people problem. We cant fix that!”

Then the class was off again…

“We can make a petition.”
“Put it on a Google Form.”
“Tweet it on our class Twitter and Mr Dyers Twitter.”
“Email it to all the parents.”
“Get them to like it on face book.”
“We can tell the parents at assembly too!”

…and like that the project made an impact on my class and our community. We blogged, tweeted and emailed. Posters and placards were made. Then, we received emails from the local paper asking for interviews. The class and myself have been stopped in the street and told that what we are doing is awesome.

If you have not added you name to this petition then click here to get to the form.

Through my classes participation in Karen’s Travelling Rhino Project we have learned firstly about the plight of the Rhino and raised the awareness of it to our community, but secondly that through projects such as this classrooms no longer need to have walls.

The Global Classroom is a reality and achievable for any educator and all you need is a concept or cause and a PLN to connect you with the world. You can collaborate on a blog, email, Skype, trade letters or tweet with another class, as the technology we have at our classrooms removes the barriers of distance, borders, language and timezone. This project only lasted two weeks, but it changed the way that I look at education and changed the way my class looks at the world.

Filed under: Classroom Stories, Global Classroom, Guest Projects, Luke Dyer Tagged: Connecting globally, global connections, global projects, Taking Action, Travelling Rhino

Tips for Success: Global Collaborations in the Classroom

ptpipaige — Mon, 20 May 2013 12:30:39 +0000

This guest post comes to us courtesy of Paige Badgett (@PTPIPaige), Director of the School & Classroom Program, at People to People International (PTPI).

The benefits of exposing your students to their counterparts in another country are endless. Each year, teachers participating in PTPI’s School & Classroom Program are matched with a partner teacher in another country and then receive a Program Manual with tips for success, global collaboration best practices, and project ideas. We are happy to share our Tips for Success with this great forum of educators today!

• Communicate. Stay in touch with your partner teacher. This is the key to success. Be honest and clear about your intentions and expectations.

• Contact your partner teacher in a timely manner. When beginning a partnership, introduce yourself to your partner teacher as soon as possible.

• If you do not receive a response to an email message, resend your message. The reason is often that the message was not received. Often spam filters get in the way. Try again.

• Share school and holiday schedules. As a holiday nears, provide your departure and return dates. Learn the difference between your time zone and that of your partner.

• Guarantee positive representation of you and your country. Remember that you and your students represent your country. Students should neatly compose letters and projects using their best spelling, grammar, and punctuation.

• Ensure language is cross-cultural. Consider what needs explanation or description for an audience from another culture. Slang and colloquial language needs to be used carefully and meanings should be explained as needed.

• Learn about international mail and customs policies for your partner’s country. International mail requires different postage than domestic mail. Your post office can help you with postage rates for airmail, the preferred method to send letters and parcels.

• Ask questions. If you are unsure how to proceed on any matter, ask. Be honest with your partner teacher when you are confused about any communication discrepancies.

• Be a responsible partner. If for any reason you can no longer collaborate, please inform your partner so a new classroom can be assigned. When a partnership is ended without explanation, students tend to take this personally, questioning whether their partner disliked them. Most importantly, if you plan to continue working together, stay in touch with your partner teacher during the summer or winter breaks to assure them of your continued interest.

• Record your partnership. Take pictures of your students writing letters, opening letters, and working on projects with their partner.

Join our growing community of educators from 127 countries by registering for the School & Classroom Program today! People to People International connects people of all countries and cultures because we believe that understanding one another is the best way to create peace.

For more information about this program or to register for the 2013-2014 school year, please contact me at classroom@ptpi.org or follow me on Twitter! Check out past posts from Paige here and here!

Filed under: Global Classroom, Guest Projects, Paige Badgett Tagged: #flatclass, #globalclassroom, #globaled, education, Global Classroom Project, global community, global connections, global project, Paige Badgett, Peace through Understanding, penpals, PTPI, teachers

Science, ICT, and the Global Classroom

Michael Graffin — Mon, 20 May 2013 02:03:18 +0000

Cross-posted from my personal blog at mgraffin.edublogs.org

Last weekend, I presented the Dinner Keynote at the Science Teachers’ of Western Australia conference, exploring the topic: Science, ICT, and the Global Classroom: Exploring the Possibilities.

Science, ICT, & the Global Classroom (#CONSTAWA33 Dinner Keynote) from Michael

Our Challenge: Engaging Students in Science

As a primary school teacher & global education specialist, being asked to present to secondary science teachers was an interesting experience

The central theme of the presentation focussed on the use of technology to enable teachers and students Engage, Connect, Communicate, and Collaborate in secondary Science – via connections with external organisations, experts, and science educators around Australia, and around the world.

Building Bridges with REAL Science

My most memorable science teachers were those who were passionate about their subject, and who went out of their way to CONNECT their students to REAL science. As was posited to me on the night, these connections should, and indeed MUST begin, in the primary school classroom, but I was interested in exploring the possibilities at the secondary level.

You DON”T have to be an Expert (when you’re part of a community)

I was also very keen to point out that teachers don’t have to be ICT experts to engage & connect their students in Science. The keys to success lie in keeping an open mind, and and being willing to learn and collaborate with colleagues and experts beyond your classroom walls through engaging in online communities, such as the Scootle Community and Twitter.

I finished up by sharing a crowd-sourced Google Doc, containing links and ideas for Secondary Science teachers interested in exploring the possibilities of ICT and global connections in their teaching. You can access (and contribute) to that document via the short link: http://bit.ly/CONSTAWA2013.

Post Conference Reflections

I was rather pleased with the reception I received at the CONSTAWA Conference. It was rather challenging to walk into an unfamiliar conference audience, but the feedback was very positive.

I’ve learnt a great deal through the experience … not just about how much work and preparation goes into these kind of presentations, but how I can personally integrate ICT and global connections into my own Science teaching in the future. The connections I’ve made … the lessons I’ve learned … will help me a great deal when I eventually find my own space and own classroom – one day.

Thank you to the long list of teachers, scientists, and experts who helped make this presentation possible. I am indebted to you – for your support … and inspiring example of what is possible when you ‘explore the possibilities’ of Science, ICT, and the Global Classroom.

Filed under: Global Classroom, Michael Graffin, Presentations Tagged: collaboration, communication, connections, engagement, experts, global audiences, global community, ICT, professional learning, professional networking, secondary science

Early Childhood Reflections (May #globalclassroom Archives)

Michael Graffin — Tue, 14 May 2013 09:05:51 +0000

Skype Connections in Grade 3/4 via @RobynThiessen

Totally agree with @robynthiessen “Once you go flat, you never go back!!”Power of authentic audience and purpose #globalclassroom

— Tasha Cowdy (@tashacowdy) May 12, 2013

Children love to learn from other kids. That is where I have seen the power of being connected. #globalclassroom

— Matt Gomez (@mattBgomez) May 11, 2013

Learning from my chats w/ #globalclassroom #edchat #ntchat #ptchat &more. Can’t begin 2tell u how you’ve impacted me as a person & educator

— Faige Meller (@dubioseducator) May 12, 2013

The May #globalclassroom chats were some of the liveliest and productive we’ve had in some time. With contributions from leading early childhood educators around the world, it is hard to sum up the true impact of these chats …

I highly recommend exploring the archives for great links, resources, and ideas for integrarating global perspectives into the early years.

Connecting & Collaborating in Early Childhood (May #globalclassroom Chat)

Michael Graffin — Sun, 05 May 2013 22:41:26 +0000

To celebrate the publication of our first Global Classroom Project feature article, in the K-3 Class Ideas magazine here in Australia, this month’s #globalclassroom chat is dedicated to exploring the possibilities for global connections and collaboration in Early Childhood (K-3). (You can read the article here.)

Guiding Questions

We are lucky enough to have some amazing early childhood educators in the #globalclassroom community, and its time to give their stories and experiences centre stage. If you know of an early childhood educator, please let them know about these chats! We’d always enjoy meeting new faces!

What online communities and projects do early childhood teachers find useful for connecting and collaborating globally?
How do we ensure that our students have the skills and understanding necessary to participate in a global collaboration project?
What strategies and tools can we use to support very young children’s participation in global projects?
Can you share your stories and advice for K-3 teachers interested in exploring the possibilities of global connections?
What options are there for K-3 classrooms without reliable Internet connections to get involved in global projects?

Chat Schedule & Times

Chat 1 ~ Saturday, May 11th, 10:00 – 11:00 UTC

11:00 London, 12:00 (noon) Cape Town, 15:30 New Delhi, 18:00 Perth, 20:00 Sydney, 22:00 Auckland
Click here to find out when this is in YOUR timezone.

Chat 2 ~ Saturday, May 11th, 18:00 – 19:00 UTC

11:00 Los Angeles, 14:00 New York, 19:00 London, 20:00 Cape Town, 06:00 SUNDAY – Auckland
Click here to find out when this is in YOUR timezone.

Chat 3 ~ Sunday, May 12th, 01:00 – 02:00 UTC (Saturday in N & S America!)

Saturday night – 18:00 Los Angeles, 21:00 New York
Sunday – 06:30 New Dehli, 09:00 Perth, 11:00 Sydney, 13:00 Auckland
Click here to find out when this is in YOUR timezone.

Filed under: Global Classroom, Twitter Chats Tagged: #globalclassroom, early childhood, global projects, K-3, stories, twitter chat