Transcriber: Alan Watson Reviewer: Ms Buffard's students
Steven: Connection.
When I say the word “connection”, what do you think of?
Rachel: Do you instinctually reach for your cell phone
to check your wireless signal?
S: Do you possibly think of a romantic connection?
R: No.
(Laughter)
R: Intellectual compatibility?
S: Possibly.
What we’re really talking about is a classroom connection.
R: If you conducted a Google search,
on initiatives to get students connected you would discover millions of hits.
S: And this puts education in a conundrum right now.
We’ve created this mantra.
Get students connected. Get them connected.
R: And we are.
We are connecting them to the endless possibilities
associated with technology.
S: But we’ve forgotten to ask one very important question:
what's next?
R: We believe what’s next is in three important parts.
First, what we planned.
S: What actually happened and our call to arms!
R: Our call to action.
S: Here’s what we planned.
R: Let’s jump back first to the elusive year of 2013.
S: This is a very big year.
R: The word “selfie” was added to the dictionary.
S: The pope twittered for the very first time.
R: More importantly for us
was the Albuquerque Public School Digital Learning Conference,
where educators from across the districts
gathered over educational technology.
S: Now I attended this conference
because I was looking for like-minded peers.
R: And I – let’s be honest
I was ready to quit and I needed inspiration.
S: But this is the place where our two minds came together.
R: Now let’s explore what we initially intended.
S: We wanted to use technologies more than just a class supplement.
We wanted to use it in very powerful ways, such as collaboration.
R: We knew the logistics would be extremely difficult
given the fact that our schools are located 11 miles apart,
and we serve vastly different school populations.
S: So in order to address this vast difference,
we created what we liked to call “Virtual Team Teaching”.
R: Now most of you will probably be on the edge of your seat
thinking, what on Earth is Virtual Team Teaching?
S: Allow us to show you.
Boy: this is Arabic: (Arabic)
(Kids speaking in French)
S: Now this simple language lesson was taught peer to peer.
But I need you to keep something in mind: this is two different grade levels,
two different classrooms, two different schools.
R: One connection.
S: Let’s look at our blueprint.
R: We wanted to use technology in a way
that we allow our students to communicate on a regular basis.
We took fourth graders, fifth graders, curriculum, standards, technology.
We mixed them all together to create a virtual collaborative environment.
S: Now let’s look at what really happened.
R: We hoped the students would make
a connection to the technology and the content.
S: And they absolutely did. Yes! Yes!
(Laughter)
S: But we didn’t expect the connection they made to each other.
R: They made connections to differences.
Different experiences, different backgrounds, different cultures.
S: They began to question everything. They began to question -
R: - each other.
S: They began to question
R: themselves.
S: They began to work
in the elusive art of reflection and self-reflection.
R: Take for example my curious Alexis who is paired
with a very diverse group of students from Mr. Lamb class.
Before any formal instruction began,
Alexis said, “Wow! Marlette, where is she from?”
Alexis began questioning.
S: And this brings us to why we chose a digital platform.
R: Mystery.
S: The mystery of technological tools allowed for a clean slate academically
and most importantly socially.
R: Students do not know that Walt was pulled out to Mr. Barker’s class
because he can’t read.
S: They do not know that Victor goes to Gifted
because all the kids think he’s the smartest one in the room.
R: Or that Calan was pulled into the principal's office
six times this month due to behavior.
The students are free from any past label.
S: And this is where virtual becomes personal.
By connecting our children on a local level,
we’ve now set the stage for them to reach out globally.
They now understand the technology for learning.
Their being is beyond the classroom.
It’s beyond the school.
It’s beyond the city limits.
R: Which is what brings us to our call to action.
S: Arms!
R: A call to action.
S: How can you do this too?
R: First, identify the technology you have at your disposal.
S: And keep it simple.
Focus on apps or programmes that centre around
collaboration and communication.
We recommend Touch Cast.
And we recommend Zoom.
R: Then, let you students take the lead.
S: But above all, have an open mind.
This will change the way your students see you.
This will change the way you see your students.
And this will definitely change the way you teach.
Look at us, two ordinary teachers.
R: I no longer want to leave education.
I want to change it.
S: I now have a partner
to go on this crazy journey to change education.
R: Turn to the person next to you and make your connection.
(Applause)