Kick the Can
Over-the-Back-Fence
Project
Update: 2:1 February 11. 2014
Kick
the Can
should inform our Over the Back Fence partners and other interested persons
about the latest programme developments. We want to keep it brief, but there is
News to Kick over the Back Fence among our community.
Over the next few weeks we are
busy opening up the 2014 programme.
1.
Welcome to OtBF 2014:
Lessons
will start from next week (Monday Feb 17). The Rosmini students and I are looking
forward to connecting with the classrooms and students up and down New Zealand
and internationally. There are twenty-seven classrooms ready to go next week
(19-NZ, 8-International) and there are another eight classrooms almost ready.
Lessons have been grouped within ten 35-40 minute time slots during the week.
Remember that unless there is prior arrangement, all lessons are between 5 and
10 minutes long.
2.
OTBF blogs – Check it out!
Check
out http://rosminiboys.blogspot.com/
we will post programme information including this and past issues of Kick
the Can
and other stories at this blog. We would like to have your stories and
photographs (no names, non- identifiable or with written permission to publish)
for posting at this site.
3.
Schools New to OtBF:
Welcome—Frimley (Hastings), St
Clair (Dunedin), Waitoki (Hibiscus Coast), Lawrence Area (Otago); Mitaroa,
Pukapuka, Manihiki, Rakahunga (Cook Islands). There are several other schools
in the wings.
4.
IMPORTANT NOTICES ABOUT THIS YEAR:
a.
The First lesson: The first lesson is an ‘icebreaker’. It will allow our
students to become familiar with making the connection and with the students
they are teaching. During that
first link we will deliver a short 4-minute introduction of the students, our
school and the local area. We ask your classroom to do the same back (4
min’s) -- students, school and local area. We suggest your
students make a simple PowerPoint with some pictures of your class, school and
something outside the school gate.
THIS POWERPOINT CAN BE SHARESCREENED. Please see item 10 below.
b.
Regular Lesson format: Regular lessons will use the following format
-- • Introduce the topic • Ask
questions to determine prior knowledge • Share new information and questions to
determine if the new information is understood • Some examples how the children
can use the new information (application) and • Questions.
c.
Teach Back: Some classrooms will teach a lesson back to us (after the
third lesson). If comfortable we also connect other primary schools here in New
Zealand and overseas to share that lesson to a wider audience. We will
check with the classroom teacher prior to agreeing to share.
d.
Supporting Materials: From time to time the students will share
additional information and links to support the lesson. This material or URL
links will be shared at least 24 hours prior. For example our lesson might
include a brief movie clip. Bandwidth might not permit that movie to be shown
with the broadcast. We will provide you with a link to allow prior and
simultaneous viewing by your students.
5.Schools
wanting to join OTBF 2014.
We
are running out of space. If you plan to join
OtBF for 2014 and have not done so please register as soon as possible as we
are almost at capacity. Please send your preferred times (from the list of
remaining times) to gwood@rosmini.school.nz.
* Note:
Many times within the 30 minutes slots of time are closed. Please use the
following code to see if the time is available for your class:
NZ=Available
for only a NZ classroom
IS=Available
for only an International classroom
Remaining Lesson times for 2014 (all
times NZ time—International schools check local time, please)
Monday 9:15(*IS), 9:25, 11:20, 11:30, 11:40,
12:10, 12:30, 12.40
Tuesdays
9:15(*IS), 9:25, 9:35 (NZ), 2:25, 2:35, 2:45
Wednesdays: 1:40 (IS), 1:50 (IS), 2:00 (IS)
Wednesdays: 1:40 (IS), 1:50 (IS), 2:00 (IS)
Thursdays
9:15, 9:25, 9:35;
Fridays
9:15(*IS), 9:25 (IS)
6. International school
schedules:
Non-New Zealand schools -- please send
us a copy of your 2014 school calendar as soon as possible. Having this
information in advance will help us develop a master calendar so we avoid
having our students without contact for extended periods of time.
7. If
you are unable to meet with us:
We
understand that from time to time your class might not be able to meet with us
on the scheduled day (camp, guest speakers, assemblies, swimming sports, etc.).
We would really appreciate your letting us know in advance so that we don’t end
up wondering where you are. We
will try and give as much forewarning (e-mail, phone call) as possible if we
have a connecting issue.
8.
Who are the Rosmini Students?
The
Rosmini students are assigned to work in a group of three. Each group is
assigned to a classroom to deliver approximately ten lessons. We are making
sure our Year 12 students all have the opportunity to participate with a
classroom. Some of the time slots will be serviced by Year 13 students (new to
the programme or wanting to continue on from last year). The Year 12 students
are encouraged to complete the NCEA Achievement Standard we have associated
with OtBF. The rest of the students are volunteers who appreciate this
opportunity to engage in a service-learning activity. We estimate around 200
Rosmini students will be involved in OtBF lessons this year.
9.
Technical Issues:
Connectivity
may still be an issue for some schools, so we will be patient and work through
that issue until we find the solution.
To help us,
Skype in the Classroom have allocated SKYPE premium account service subscriptions to the
programme to the quality of the connections and to reduce the number of missed
video/share screen or end-point connections. The Premium Service will also
enable you to have multiple end-points on your call and allow you to share
screen with others. If you have not received your Premium Service token from
Geoff, please contact him as soon as possible.
MAKING BETTER BROADCASTS:
a. Turn off your video
camera when you don’t need it.
b. Reduce the number of
files open on your desktop
c. Use a computer that
has the least amount of information cached on it.
d. Choose times during times of low use (u-tube viewing using lots of bandwidth)
e.
Where possible try not to have students silhouetted in front of windows.
f.
Reduce all background noise as much as possible.
g. If
showing an object/picture to the camera, keep the object stationary for at
least 5
seconds, or else it becomes a blur.
10. Other
OtBF Activities taking Place in 2014
• Health
without Borders: Our OtBF
partner, Coppell High School in Dallas , Texas is making great strides with
their programme. They have a MOOC (see http://www.redjumper.net /blog/2014/02/book-creator-student-designed-curriculum-itunes-u/ for Health
without Borders https://education.skype.com/projects/5329-health-without-borders and a component
where Ms. Dienhammer’s students meet by Skype with classrooms. More to
come…
• OtBF
in India—we are talking about it. Watch this space.
• OtBF
in the Cook Islands. OtBF—CI pioneer Kristina has been very busy in her new
role as the Principal of the new Te Kura Uira.
We have even warmed up a new twist—weekly 30 minute OtBF life skills lesson
with our Rosmini students. TKU Principal, Kristina Crouch, will share more information about
that project in a future edition of KtCOtBF.
• OtBF
is Connected to the British Council Schools On-Line http://schoolsonline.britishcouncil.org/
• FINZ:
Our OtBF partner schools in India and Finland are also joined by OtBF students
in
Ohura Valley (Taranaki) and Ware
(Massachusetts) on the FINLAND-INDIA-NEW ZEALND Environmental Health Project
that gets underway at the end of this month and runs through to April 14/15.
There are 12 project groups within this study. Each group is made up of
distribution of students (100+/-) from the participating classrooms.
• Advanced
Notice (wiki based projects):
+
Health
Eating (Year 8’s—12-13 years) Starting July 21 to Sept 22
+
Transportation Safety Inquiry (Year 7’s—11-12 years old)—Starting July 21 to
Sept 22
School
interested in participating should contact Geoff.
11. THANK
YOU to
the following educators who have helped make the Over-the-Back-Fence project
work and grow: Robert D, Rex W & Catherine E (our pioneers who respectively
bounced the initial idea); Meidy I., Erika B., Diana L., Anthony S., Leslie W.,
Jessica B., Theresa C., Ramona E., Phil OC (all who have been very patient with
me and sustained our collaboration); Rick W., Tracey S., Jess B., Jarad C.,
Kath J., Anne K., Tim F., Rebecca S., Rex W., Renee H., Melinda B., Elaine D.,
Stewart S., Rochelle J., Robert M., Kristina C., Emanuel K., Dasha S., Wallis
E., Nicola T., Pauline S., Pirjo L., Jodie D., Andre B., Farzan Q., Derek W.,
Eddie R., Ian T., Lawrence B., Andrew C., Tyronne, Julie F., Bindu S.,
Christina R., Nathan T, Anna F., John S., Sue V., Mojito J., Javed Y., Simione
T., Siu P., Zofia P., Skype in the Classroom and about
350 Year 12 students at Rosmini College who have all contributed to help get
the moss out from under this project. We welcome to the OtBF family Gillian
M., Chelsea B., Leah D., Simone C., Issika S., Natalie V.,
Adam R., Clair B., Rebecca.,
Verity, Dale, Caroline, Alice S., Kylie R., Jose S., Breanna V., and of course
a special thanks to Rachel Roberts and the VLN-Primary Network and Board who
continues to provide support and guidance on this journey. On behalf of the
Rosmini College OtBF students --
THANK YOU!!
Geoff. Wood, Over the Back Fence
Project, Rosmini College, Takapuna, New Zealand
gwood@rosmini.school.nz Skype: Overthebackfence Overthebackfence1 Overthebackfence2
February
12, 2014, Volume 2, Issue 1
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