Hello! Lesa Haney, Austin TX. Several kids in my class stopped to greet a fellow student who is in a wheelchair. They have taken the time to get to know her. #3rdchat
We'd love to hear who's joined tonight. Please introduce yourself and share: what was the kindest thing you saw a student or colleague do today?#3rdchat
Hi #3rdchat , so excited to chat with you tonight! Today I saw a kiddo help another student up who had fallen on the sidewalk and dumped all their things. The look on relief on the kiddo who had fallen was priceless! <3
We'd love to hear who's joined tonight. Please introduce yourself and share: what was the kindest thing you saw a student or colleague do today?#3rdchat
Hi from NYC! Excited to join #3rdchat tonight. Always inspired by my colleagues who are working to foster kindness & curiosity in students around the world.
We'd love to hear who's joined tonight. Please introduce yourself and share: what was the kindest thing you saw a student or colleague do today?#3rdchat
Hi #3rdchat Today a colleague via a student returned my water bottle to me that I had left in their classroom accidentally yesterday when I was visiting them. Very nice!
Hi, I’m Chelsea from NYC, also working at @EmpaticoOrg. Excited to join #3rdchat . Today I really appreciated that my colleague picked up lunch for us when I had to run to a last-minute meeting!
We'd love to hear who's joined tonight. Please introduce yourself and share: what was the kindest thing you saw a student or colleague do today?#3rdchat
A2: I love when you make a connection has a "light bulb" moment for you students- when they realize how different (or even how ALIKE) we all are regardless of our location or beliefs! #3rdchat
A2: My fav collaboration projects are ones that have grown from student inquiry. Students trying to learn more about animals resulted in a collaborative project with a zoo. #3rdchat
A2: I love when you make a connection has a "light bulb" moment for you students- when they realize how different (or even how ALIKE) we all are regardless of our location or beliefs! #3rdchat
A2: I would like my students to communicate for an audience from a different perspective. Talking to students from different cultures, climates, and countries would be an amazing experience. #3rdchat
A2: One of my favorite collaborations is a Mystery Skype that turned into penpals @MissBrooten, and now we are going to do some Flipgrids together. #3rdchat
#3rdchat A2 in the last week our 6th and 7th Grade Ss have visited with a class in Ulyanovsk, Russia and Toronto, Ontario. Earlier this month our 8th Grade went to Sweden. Great way to learn map skills and culture.
A2: Although it wasn’t in my own classroom, I witnessed 3rd graders from Arkansas and NYC working together on @EmpaticoOrg's activity about weather! They had so much fun, and were always very excited to meet kids from across the country who were so different from them! #3rdchat
#3rdchat A2 Last Monday, our HS Current Events Class has a debate/dialogue with a class from Monterrey, Mexico. Issues such as gun control and immigration were discussed. Opinions shared.
I have thoughts for a holiday writing collaborationist there’s a class of 16ish our there that would like to join us... glad to see this was the topic of tonight’s chat! #3rdchat
A3: The biggest challenge I have ever is technology. Sometimes it just does not work out and you have to move onto plan B... after that- any challenge you face doesn't matter as much because connecting globally is THAT powerful! #3rdchat
A3: Time (isn't it always?) and also my class is a bit challenging so I haven't been sure if they're ready for something like a Skype but things are turning around, so maybe soon! #3rdchat
#3rdchat A3 Agree with most here: Time Zones. Also being able to match up class times and grades. Our administration has been good about allowing us to pull Ss at times need to participate.
@lesahaney Yes, @EmpaticoOrg is designed to help with timezones and scheduling - our hope is to make dealing with those much easier for teachers #3rdchat
@Ron_Martiello and everyone, how do you make the time for global connections? how do you build it into your curriculum and day? that challenge is REAL. #3rdchat
A4: We always go over behavior expectations before any call. If it is a culture completely different from ours we may talk about their customs beforehand also. A big one for us is always having just ONE speaker at a time- so it's not super overwhelming! #3rdchat
#3rdchat primary source connections got started in our 1980s class. We have been able to connect with history makers to speak in our classes. Here are a few.
A4: Modeling respectful communication skills like active listening, how to take turns speaking, etc. Encouraging Ss to take partner class's perspective by challenging Ss' assumptions about others & to approach differences w/ curiosity & kindness. #3rdchat
A4: Our 4 big school rules are Be Safe, Be Kind, Be Responsible, Be Respectful so I would remind them of those rules and also set clear behavior expectations before starting. #3rdchat
When I really reflect on it, the problem is me. I try to hold too much of the control. I have to remind myself that the objective is to empower the kids. Working on it and growing each time. #3rdchat
#3rdchat A4 check out @librarycongress website https://t.co/G1bUqg7rr8. Go to primary source analysis section. Collection of questions to assist students with oral histories and other media.
#3rdchat Here is one of the great connections we made for our class. Mike Eruzione. Wonderful to hear his story. Textbooks don’t do justice!
https://t.co/9jMOLVu7SN
There are often so many steps to setting up a successful global collaboration! @EmpaticoOrg is working to streamline the process w/ all-in-one connection, scheduling, & interaction tool (& converts time zones for you!) #3rdchat
A4: We teach digital etiquette daily within the class. We stress that once you put it out there you can’t take it back. The more students collaborate digitally, the better they become at communicating and connecting. #3rdchat
Heather fm AL jumping in late A2: So many, but best experience wt global collaboration has been Skyping with @beccaeberts to talk about her work as a real scientist in Canada that involved tracking fish with radio transmitters and ice fishing #3rdchat
@emapatico I would love to hear more about your vision and mission. Why did you start this project? What are the core beliefs that drive your organization. #3rdchat
A5: We also do a "practice" run (especially with like a @MysterySkype ) so they know what kinds of questions to expect. I try to give them some background knowledge before we talk too if it's a new concept or new information. #3rdchat
A5: Determine conversation structure in advance w/ partner teacher based on class size & available technology. Find ways for all Ss to participate even if they don't have a speaking role. Have student speakers practice speaking slowly & clearly. #3rdchat
#3rdchat A5 Pre-meetings with the other T involved. Also, always do a test run the day before to make sure network is operating. Our 2nd/3rd Grade Ss are off to Tel Aviv, Israel December 12th. We will be sharing our cultures with each other that day.
A5: Increase student confidence with preparation and practice, establish a supportive class env't, & help foster interpersonal connections among students by emphasizing commonalities and building trust. Read more about @EmpaticoOrg’s research at: https://t.co/CeX79s6NFO#3rdchat
#3rdchat I know that not all of my Ss will make I️t beyond the State of Indiana. I have made I️t my goal to bring connections to all grades to expose all Ss to our nation and world.
We wanted to make sure as many students as possible get to experience what it's like to connect with others in different communities / countries and walk away with a greater understanding of each other. #3rdchat#thankfulforextracharacters
We know too few students around the world get the opportunity to meet someone from a different community, let alone a different country, and we wanted to make this experience more accessible (and make it SUPER EASY for teachers to bring it to their classrooms!) #3rdchat
A5 be prepared, build student confidence by practicing, be sure everything is working so there are no disappointments, and go with the flow - it never goes exactly as planned. #3rdchat
A6: Go for it!!! It might seem scary and daunting at first but it is SO SO worth it! Once you do your first one you will be hooked. They aren't always perfect, but that's the beauty of a connection. You always learn and take away from the connection. #3rdchat
In today's world, this is so vital. We all need more opportunities for this. I can see this theme connected through your lesson ideas. Thank you for your thoughtful attention to that #3rdchat
#3rdchat A6 Don’t be afraid. Find someone who is doing I️t for the first time as well. Once Ss have participated, they are wanting to participate again. Confidence grows with each visit.
Great question! Ensure all Ss have a role in your partnership with another classroom, even if it's not a speaking role. Ss can take notes, lead reflection time, contribute to class research, and so much more! #3rdchat
A6: dive in, take a leap, put yourself out there on Twitter and see where it takes you, have fun! It’s an exciting time in education, open the door and explore #3rdchat
I'll add: We chose to start with 8-10-year-olds because they are best suited to develop empathy. Their brains are beginning to help them understand their identities in relation to others, and their biases have yet to become deeply rooted. #3rdChat
It's not as scary as it might seem! There are so many great tools out there to support your first collaboration -- Embrace the opportunity to engage w/ others around the world w/ humility & empathy. #3rdchat
At Empatico we've heard this from so many educators around the U.S. (and the world). We've built our tool in large part because of educators like yourself who make it their mission to expand Ss worldview. Keep doing what you're doing, Todd! #3rdchat
A6: Go for it!!! It might seem scary and daunting at first but it is SO SO worth it! Once you do your first one you will be hooked. They aren't always perfect, but that's the beauty of a connection. You always learn and take away from the connection. #3rdchat
We believe, like all of you, that we can intercept students at this moment, and give them opportunities to meaningfully interact with one another, we can expand their horizons and create a lifetime of curiosity, kindness, and empathy. #3rdchat
I usually have them partner up and discuses with each other what we would talk about. Sometimes we brainstorm another way to connect- usually through a type of technology that can be viewed at any point padlet, seesaw, flipgrid... #3rdchat
A7: @Flipgrid has really been a EASY way for us to connect with other classrooms at our own time and pace.. we have learned a lot about other people and classrooms! #3rdchat
Tonight’s chat has me thinking about using @Flipgrid for asynchronous communication and collaboration. My students love expressing their ideas on video. #3rdchat
A7: So excited for 3rd and 4th grade classrooms to begin connecting w/ each other using @EmpaticoOrg, which began matching classes within the U.S. & around the world last week! #3rdchat
We believe, like all of you, that we can intercept students at this moment, and give them opportunities to meaningfully interact with one another, we can expand their horizons and create a lifetime of curiosity, kindness, and empathy. #3rdchat
A7: I like the ease of @zoom_us to connect in person, would like to work on some writing activities, make more connections with @Flipgrid ... oh the ideas... #3rdchat
What an awesome chat tonight! Thank you so much @EmpaticoOrg for hosting tonight! #3rdchat and #4thchat if you have not signed up with their awesome program yet message me I would be happy to help out. It is SO SO easy to make a connection! I can't wait for my class to start!
Thank you for moderating tonight @EmpaticoOrg I will admit when we first started I thought of you as a "cool tool" now I see an opportunity to make a profound difference. Thank you for your important work. #3rdchat
#3rdchat Thanks for letting me share tonight. I might have thrown somethings on there that are at a higher level than 3rd Grade. I am very passionate about giving our Ss the best opportunity to explore the world.
