Introductions

Please introduce yourself, let us know a little bit about you, and where you are from.

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Marsha Goren on July 17, 2010 at 9:48am

Hi Robert,
How nice to meet you and I invite you and your kids to join us and would love to make new friends.
The peace project is so important and we can all make a change in the way kids think with a bit of compassion.
No words to express how much this project has influenced so many educators and kids!
Loved hearing from you and keep in touch,
Marsha

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Permalink Reply by Darlene B. Koenig on July 19, 2010 at 2:00pm

Marsha, I'm writing a story this week for Teaching Tolerance magazine (a publication of the Southern Poverty Law Center) on ways that teachers use social-networking tools to promote tolerance and social justice. Do students in the Global Dreamers program use tools such as Facebook, Twitter, or their own blogs? If so, I'd love to interview you for the story. You can reach me at koenigeducation@verizon.net.

Thanks in advance!

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Permalink Reply by Marsha Goren on July 19, 2010 at 11:42pm

Hi Darlene,
I will contact you through your email and tell you about my work. Janet and I have been working together for many years and believe in the power of the Internet in promoting tolerance.
I actually have used your site for teaching and there were even a few article that included my work in Globaldreamers and Holocaust teaching .
Thanks !
Marsha

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Permalink Reply by Marsha Goren on July 20, 2010 at 12:07am

Hello Aleksandra,
Our work together is so special and having you in Globaldreamers is a wonderful experience for my students and I. The sharing of our lives and cultures through so many walks of life is indeed something we will all cherish now and always.
I too look forward to working with you again this year.

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Permalink Reply by Rositsa Mineva on July 17, 2010 at 1:23am

Hi, everyone!
I'm Rose from Bulgaria, an English language teacher, teaching to young learners. I am keen on using technology in my work and working on Glogster Edu with kids. I'm a Glogster Edu ambassador.I'm looking forward to collaborate with other teachers using it in their work, eager to learn and share new ideas.

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Permalink Reply by Marsha Goren on July 17, 2010 at 9:17am

Hi Rose,
How nice to read about an English teacher from Bulgaria, I teach English as a second language in Israel. Since we are both ambassadors for our countries would love to get to know and invite you to join our activties.
We can share many ideas .
Marsha

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Permalink Reply by Rositsa Mineva on July 19, 2010 at 11:04pm

Hi, Marsha!
Happy to meet you here. :)
The Peace project on Global Dreamers' site is great! I would like to take part with my kids there.Can we?
Keep in touch:)
Rose

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Permalink Reply by Marsha Goren on July 19, 2010 at 11:44pm

Hi Rose,
ABSOLUTELY, we would love to have you on Globaldreamers with your kids and make friends with you.
I am so excited to read this email.
We go back to school on Septemeber 1st and you can contact me through my email so I can send you some things about us. It is gorenmm@gmail.com or gorenmm@zahav.net.il
I look forward to hearing from you again.
Marsha
:-)

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Permalink Reply by Robert Kennedy on July 17, 2010 at 9:23am

Hi Everyone. Bobby Kennedy from Denver, Colorado. I have worked at Buffalo Trail Elementary with 2nd and 3rd graders for four years. Before that I lived in New York and Boulder, Colorado. I am loving exploring all of the new possibilities for using technology in the classroom. Students and families are really jumping on board.

I am very passionate about teaching kids respect for the environment, and to give them a focus on altruism and community service. We would love to connect with other teachers with ideas for how to promote these ideas in the classroom. Glad to be here!

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Permalink Reply by Janet Barnstable on July 17, 2010 at 10:14am

I'm Janet Barnstable. I've worked with Marsha in Global Dreamers for many years and my students (Middle School) and I have had very positive experiences. We've also worked together on Global Virtual Classroom, which, now that I've retired from teaching, fills my life. I've just become the program director.

Between these two programs there is something for everyone. Global Dreamers lets you pick and choose your level of involvement, without pressure or time constraints. (Well, hardly any.) Global Virtual Classroom can vary from the less intense Clubhouse program to the very intense Contest which runs annually from the end of Sept to the end of March.

Best of all, whether it's Global Dreamers or Global Virtual Classroom, this is all aimed at connecting kids and classrooms around the world to promote global understanding -- and on the side increases kid's AND teacher's tech skills.

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Permalink Reply by Darlene B. Koenig on July 19, 2010 at 1:55pm

Janet, do your students also use social-networking tools (such as Facebook, Twitter, or blogs) as a part of these cross-cultural programs?

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Permalink Reply by Janet Barnstable on July 19, 2010 at 2:00pm

Darlene,
We've used Facebook with one of our GVC teams, but that could only be accessed by the students from home. The REAL problem with collaboration is that many districts (including the one I just retired from) BLOCK these networks... instead of allowing teachers to teach, they just restrict.

With GVC (that I now direct) we've been using Nicenet for student 'chat rooms'. Needless to say, if you know Nicenet, it's nice, but not enough for good interaction.

We do also use Skype where time differences allow.