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iEARN PROJECT SPOTLIGHT
 This month, iEARN Project "A Vision" announced the completion of their 2006 anthology, a collection of
creative writings from students age 13 and up. Lead project
facilitators include Luisa Larcena and her co-student faciliators from Makati
Science High School in the City of Makati, Philippines. The
project is offered in three languages: English, French and Arabic with
other facilitators located in Pakistan and Lebanon. Submissions
to this year's anthology come from 16 different countries: Armenia,
Australia, Belarus, Egypt, Ghana, India, Iran, Lebanon, Malaysia,
Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Syria, Tanzania, Tunisia and the
United States.
Larcena shares: "I
am truly honored to share with you this literary anthology that
reflects the studentsí vision of the world through artworks, poetical
sketches, prose and poetry. This project serves as a gateway for the
young writers in various parts of the world to bare their hearts, their
souls, and their dreams. Furthermore, it paves the way for a broader
scope of communication and literacy skills by encouraging interaction
with other student- participants from the other parts of the world."
Visit the complete anthology HERE.
International Teen
Scrapbook: This school year, the College of Staten Island High School
for International Studies [CSIHSIS] designed an iEARN Project,
International Teen Scrapbook, for ages 14-18. The project
examines teen culture and includes essays and photographs reflecting
the lives and concerns of teens around the world. This March, CSIHSIS
received their first contribution to the project from iEARN Syria
school, Adelay Bayham High School in Damascus, Syria. Students
shared their top three concerns that face teens in their area: smoking,
divorce and drugs. Aimee Horowitz, CSIHSIS' Principal shared, "[we
were] quite surprised about the topics of concern for the Syrian
students... I did not think divorce and drug use were big
problems there. Our students are currently completing their pages
for [the] scrapbook. They are doing surverys about the types of
music teens like, taking photos of teen fashion, writing bios of
themselves, etc... " After CSIHSIS completes their scrapbook, students will share their work with Syria.
To learn more about the project click HERE. |
- A Vision 2006: 16 countries join to produce a unique anthology of creative writings
- International Teen Scrapbook: CSI High School for International Studies collaborate with Syria
- Art Miles: Mural project receives The Earth Foundation Award 2006
(2) Announcements
- 2006 International Conference: Netherlands July 4-8
- Spanish Teachers: Active iEARN Spanish Forum welcomes new participants
- My Hero and Solar Oven Project Collaborate
- Alternative Education Resource Organization: Conference June 29th - July 2nd
- Taking It Global: Offers iEARN members 1-year free access to their network.
- New Mexico: iEARN Teachers conduct workshop
- The Journal: iEARN named as one of 25 tools for best project based learning
(4) Grants and other Resources
- Grants/Resources
- iEARN US New Archive
Send us your iEARN success stories in project collaboration or workshops. See submission guidelines HERE or email crobinson@us.iearn.org
2006 Internatinal Conference
Netherlands July 3-7
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 The Art Miles Mural Project was recently honored with the 2006 Earth
Foundation Award. Since 1997, organizations, schools, after school programs, teachers
and students have been painting murals that will
be grommeted and seamed together.  In
late March, students
including Nuria Peguero of iEARN-USA, presented Earth Day founder John
McConnell with a gift. At the ceremony the Permanent Mission
Representative (UN Ambassador) from Japan rang the Peace Bell, for the
Vernal Equinox at the UN in New York City. Murals were on display
for public viewing. Earlier in the month, murals were on display
at the American Cultural Center in Egypt. Picture right is a
young girl's excitement at the colorful murals above her.
 Project facilitator, Joanne Tawfilis wrote to iEARN Spotlight, "..Art
Miles and iEARN launched an Egyptian National Exhibition at the
American Cultural Center in Alexandria and it was a huge success! The
iEARN murals from Suriname and Japan were included that were brought to
Senegal [at the 2005 IEARN International Conference] and carried onward
to Egypt... Art Miles and iEARN continue to collaborate and work
closely together with [the] launching of Art Miles on a country and
regional basis and joined by many other Art Miles volunteer teams from
around the world... In addition, many iEARNer students are becoming
Peace Paint Ambassadors in preparation for the many events leading up
to the Exhibition of the Century where more than 12 miles of murals
will be exhibited in Egypt! You will be hearing more from them
about their efforts soon."
ANNOUNCEMENTS
 The 2006 iEARN International Conference
will be held and hosted by iEARN Netherlands, July 3-7. We
encourage all teachers to register early and confirm transportation
arrangements and hotel accommodations. Please visit the official
conference site HERE
to register and explore conference options. Last year's
conference in Dakar, Senegal was a grand success and this 2006
Netherlands will surely give iEARN teachers memories to cherish.
Wendy Nelson Kauffman, teacher at Metropolitan Learning Center in Bloomfield, CT wrote this about her experience last year, "...accompanied
by three of my students...all of us agreed that we were forever changed
by the experience... During the annual iEARN Conference we made friends
around the world who were committed to breaking down cultural barriers
and ending social injustice..."
iEARN hopes to
see many of you join us in the Netherlands for another great
conference!!! This year, we are also offering a partial
scholarship to youths interested in presenting at the 2006 Youth Summit
scheduled at them same time. Please click HERE for more details or call (212) 870-2963 for additional questions.
 Some of you may have attended the or read about the ISSA conference back (click HERE
to read about the ISSA Conference this past Febuary). ISSA is a
tremendous supporter of iEARN resources, including our online
professional development. Actually, ISSA also offers professional
development opportunities of their own. According to their
website, "The Center for Teaching International Relations offers
graduate level, content-rich continuing education courses for K-12
educators. Course topics include world history, comparative politics,
cultural and physical geography, foreign languages, and economics. All
online courses will count toward graduate credit from the University of
Denver." This, along with iEARN Professional Development Courses, educators now have a breadth of
resources to help understand project based learning, explore innovative
teaching skills, and more. Click HERE fore more information.
Spanish Teachers: iEARN USA has a great forum for Spanish teachers to use in classrooms, check it out: Click HERE to start connecting.
 iEARN Projects MY HERO and Solar Cooking Project Collaborate:
My HERO asks members of iEARN to help with a short film My HERO is making on
Rowena Gerber and The Solar Cooking/Oven Project. My HERO hopes
to include in this film--- footage of the solar ovens at work in
Senegal, South Africa, Haiti and other parts of the globe - even the
USA. With the help of the iEARN community My HERO will be able to
add these images that demonstrate the global impact of the Solar Oven
Project. Copies of photos and stories can be sent via email to: myhero@myheroproject.org
Mini-DV
videotape & DVD footage must be mailed to: The MY HERO Project 1278
Glenneyre #286, Laguna Beach, CA 92651. Visit project
description pages: MY HERO and Solar Cooking Project.
 Alternative
Education Resource Organization [AERO] is hosting a conference from
June 29th - July 2nd in Troy, New York. This year's conference
theme is: "Educational Alternatives: Finding our Commonalities and
Celebrating our Differences." For more information click HERE.
 TakingITGlobal announces the launch of TIGed:
a new set of online tools designed to help educators bring global
issues into the classroom. TIGed is an online classroom that teachers
create and moderate, where students can interact, collaborate, and
share their work in a secure space while harnessing the power of
TakingITGlobalís online community and global youth perspectives.
Teachers have access to a database of lesson ideas and resources
submitted and reviewed by other educators from around the world. TIGed
also features curriculum resources developed in partnership with other
educational organizations, and serves as a discussion space where
global educators can share their challenges and successes.
Please visit www.tiged.org for more information and details on how to sign up. iEARN Teachers who wish to join may use the promotional code IEARN2006 to receive one year of free access to TIGed.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
March 21, 2006: The New Mexico Public Education Department
awarded a Core Curriculum grant to several schools. Global
awareness is increasingly the number one theme in schools and a 21st
century skill educators wish to include in core curricula. iEARN
is fulfilling this global awareness movement and trained 45 teachers
throughout New Mexico in grades K-6. Teachers attended a full day
introductory workshop facilitated by Betsy Frederick and Celia Einhorn,
long-time supporters and teachers of iEARN-USA. Participants
enjoyed welcome greetings on the iEARN Teachers' Lounge, the iEARN MultiMedia CD and then they created a tentative planning guide for projects they may join in the next year!
 March 2006: The Journal,
a magazine "dedicated to informing and educating K-12 senior-level
district and school administrators, technologists, and tech-savvy
educators within districts, schools, and classrooms to improve and
advance the learning process through the use of technology" has named
iEARN as one of 25 best practices for project based learning (http://www.thejournal.com/the/marketing/aboutus/). Click HERE to read the article, "25 Tools, Technologies and Best Practices".
NON-IEARN GRANTS AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES
Click HERE for grants, awards and other great opportunities for teachers and students.
For iEARN USA News Archives click HERE.
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