Introductions

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

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Permalink Reply by Thomas Stanley on June 21, 2013 at 10:00am

Would you be interested in doing a global project?

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Permalink Reply by Adam Carter on June 22, 2013 at 10:20am

Hello Thomas.

Yes, but it depends on what sort of project you are considering.

Please pass along your ideas/details and we can see if we can drum something up.

-Adam

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Permalink Reply by Litisha Pyles on June 22, 2013 at 11:30am

Yes, but details are needed prior to making commitment.

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Permalink Reply by Adam Carter on June 23, 2013 at 1:41am

Hello Thomas. I have thought about your idea and think it is a good one. I would be willing to help put something together.

Here is my proposal: we invite all teachers to participate in a new Classroom 2.0 organized Social Action Project. Each year (or every semester, allowing 2x year), we choose one topic, meaning a hot-button social issue, and we create an Action Plan for schools to:

Create a “unit” based around a pressing social issue. Provide background on the issue so the students have an emotional connection to the theme. One of the shortcomings of some of these projects is when the students are “doing for the sake of doing,” instead of actually thinking about the issue and seeing the importance of their activity.
Plan a course of action. Don’t just say “We are going to do volunteer work,” as this will make it sound like a chore and the students will not understand why they are doing it.
Make it as hands-on and fun as possible.
Have kids reflect on what they have done.

I will create an Action Plan for this coming school year based on our first issue, which will be malnutrition. This is an easy topic for children to understand as it appeals to their most basic need in the world and every kid can understand and empathize with people that don’t have enough food to eat. Furthermore, I will partner up with non-profits in Guatemala that are effectively addressing this issue, saving the lives of malnourished babies. I already have a school there (the American School of Antigua) that will be carrying out ASAC’s Social Action Strategy Plan so they will be able to deliver financial donations schools are able to raise. My non-profit Cause & Affect also works there year-round so my assistant (my mother) will also be able to work directly with the non-profits there to help deliver funds, etc. I can draft an Action Plan wherein every grade can play a role. Ideally, the plan is centered around a final presentation or assembly in which each grade will give a presentation based on their level. The school in Guatemala can also provide a video showing where the money went that can be shown as part of the assembly or just to the classes that have assisted. This will be on YouTube and can be viewed anywhere.

We can use as much technology as possible, using resources such as tigED and other resources. We can also interact with other schools to see how they are addressing the issue, raising money etc. The school in Guatemala can also give updates from the field. I will pass this proposal along to Steve Hargadon as well - maybe he will be interested in making it a reality.

What are your thoughts?

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Permalink Reply by Thomas Stanley on June 24, 2013 at 9:50am

Let me study this over the next couple of days with my partner. Right now it looks great :-)

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Permalink Reply by Thomas Stanley on June 24, 2013 at 5:34pm

Reply by Adam Carter yesterday
Hello Thomas. I have thought about your idea and think it is a good one. I would be willing to help put something together.
Here is my proposal: we invite all teachers to participate in a new Classroom 2.0 organized Social Action Project. Each year (or every semester, allowing 2x year), we choose one topic, meaning a hot-button social issue, and we create an Action Plan for schools to:

Create a “unit” based around a pressing social issue. Provide background on the issue so the students have an emotional connection to the theme. One of the shortcomings of some of these projects is when the students are “doing for the sake of doing,” instead of actually thinking about the issue and seeing the importance of their activity.

I agree they should end with a real world activity- presentation day

Plan a course of action. - they will propose a solution of some kind to other kids or experts

Don’t just say “We are going to do volunteer work,” as this will make it sound like a chore and the students will not understand why they are doing it.

Make it as hands-on and fun as possible.

Have kids reflect on what they have done.
I will create an Action Plan for this coming school year based on our first issue, which will be malnutrition. We will develop an essential or driving question and a specific call to action from an organization or the principal, etc

This is an easy topic for children to understand as it appeals to their most basic need in the world and every kid can understand and empathize with people that don’t have enough food to eat.
Furthermore, I will partner up with non-profits in Guatemala that are effectively addressing this issue, saving the lives of malnourished babies. I already have a school there (the American School of Antigua) that will be carrying out ASAC’s Social Action Strategy Plan so they will be able to deliver financial donations schools are able to raise.
Perfect a letter from them asking for the kids help to adopt a village

My non-profit Cause & Affect also works there year-round so my assistant (my mother) will also be able to work directly with the non-profits there to help deliver funds, etc. I can draft an Action Plan wherein every grade can play a role.

Ideally, the plan is centered around a final presentation or assembly in which each grade will give a presentation based on their level.
Excellent
The school in Guatemala can also provide a video showing where the money went that can be shown as part of the assembly or just to the classes that have assisted. This will be on YouTube and can be viewed anywhere.

I suggest we start with set resources and tech tools --- kids can add some as we go

We can use as much technology as possible, using resources such as tigED and other resources. We can also interact with other schools to see how they are addressing the issue, raising money etc.

The school in Guatemala can also give updates from the field.
That would be great we will have the kids blog - writing and video -- the videos etc can go up on a wiki as part of the research

I will pass this proposal along to Steve Hargadon as well - maybe he will be interested in making it a reality.
What are your thoughts?

I will send you a lesson format that I have used before

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Permalink Reply by Daniel Bassill on June 26, 2013 at 10:02am

I encourage you to review the work being done by Mikva Challenge, the HIVE Learning Network and the Why News Matters projects in Chicago. Then review ideas suggested in this blog article and this PDF essay.

Youth could not only become advocates for social issues, they can lead on-going campaigns that draw attention to issues in their own neighborhoods, or in high poverty neighborhoods. And they could draw needed resources (talent, dollars, technology, volunteers) into neighborhoods based on the needs that exist. If educators begin coaching this process as kids come into middle school kids can become technology competent, skills at communicating, advertising and network building, and can leave formal schooling with a set of skills and knowledge that most of our adult leaders don't yet have.

As you and others pursue this idea, I encourage you to create MOOCs like the ETMOOC held in Jan-March 2013, to share your ideas and projects with each other and to encourage other schools to join you.

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Permalink Reply by Thomas Stanley on June 27, 2013 at 9:57am

I will ...for the last 10-15 years I have done these projects in the online and blended learning world. They are an exciting way to get kids involved in their work.