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Project Inspiration:

I signed my students up to teach others via EdChange Global Classrooms. Initially, they were very hesitant. I would even say they were mad at me. How dare I do this to them. I dangled a carrot of getting out of class. Still, it was a fight to make them feel confident that they really had something to contribute. They were signed up to teach creation via Buncee and CoSpaces. Things they were already experts in. They just needed the confidence. And, I really needed them to stop hating me.

Reluctantly, they found themselves teaching 4th graders. First couple of questions they looked at me. I simply said answer them. (Very reassuringly but definitely with that mommy look of you better do it now, or else.) I wound up writing "you know the answer" on a large paper and flashed it every time they looked at me. Twenty minutes in, they were golden. Well, they were golden before, but now they had confidence.

Afterward, they were aglow. For. Weeks. They were truly astonished that they made those students' day. Double bonus, all students benefited. My kiddos had the opportunity to leverage technology in a meaningful way. Also, they thought it was cool they could now put a global conference on their resume.

Same stages of reluctance happened with my son. Since I am the Mom, he had even less of a choice. He was teaching adults how to create interactive 360 videos. He has always been shy. While the whole class was singing at assemblies, he was the kiddo that did not. I still chose to embrace him. Again, I reassured him. I made a bigger deal that he has accomplished something many haven't and think is impossible. He definitely had something to share.

This experience made it clear to me that children are amazing. Why shouldn't they be doing the sharing? True collaboration is not limited by time, space, language, or age. Collaboration is valuable if it is one to one, one to a group, a group to a group, any possible combination is powerful.

Students should have the opportunity to build their own PLN and learn what they want in a way that benefits them. This is how Spark Forward was born.

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