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Read TestimonialsTeacher Elementary/Primary (ages 5-12)
American International School/Dhaka
Gulshan, Dhaka, , Bangladesh
Division Category: An Educator outside the U.S.A; Projects for ages 11 to 12
Candidate Personal Narrative
| NAME:
Karrie Dietz
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| HISTORY (10 points) | TOP | ||
| Teaching has been very rewarding for me. It is satisfying to see kids learn and develop a love for learning. My work is guided by developing meaningful opportunities for learning- and I have discovered Online Shared Learning projects can do just that. I started my career in education teaching in St. Paul, Minnesota. As a 5th and 6th grade math and science teacher for five years, I involved my classes in project-based learning activities. My graduate studies at Hamline University emphasized project-based learning, and I quickly realized the benefits of providing children meaningful experiences. However, in St. Paul it was convenient to use the local community for resources and support. I wasn't aware of the possibilities of collaborating with the global community online. 
Searching for an adventure that would incorporate education with our personal lives, my husband and I moved to Uzbekistan. Where in the world is Uzbekistan? It's finally found its "fame" on CNN, situated just north of Afghanistan. The developing nation offers many treasures. The rewards have been astounding. This is my fourth year teaching upper elementary classes at Tashkent International School (TIS). I taught fifth grade my first two years, and now I'm in my second year teaching sixth grade. TIS, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, teaches an American-based curriculum to 150 students in grades K-12. While teachers are primarily American, students come from about 20 countries. My current class has children from Uzbekistan, Germany, Israel, New Zealand, Bangladesh, South Korea, and Pakistan. Teaching in an area where basics such as electricity and running water are not always available, it is difficult to purchase teaching materials locally and shipping materials in can be difficult. While the classrooms do have teaching materials, our technology coordinator, Diana Thomas, made us aware of Internet resources and projects. I quickly became aware of their value and started using the Internet to teach and reinforce skills, as well as for research. I used and learned to create Webquests, and also began simple pen pal correspondences. During my first winter in Uzbekistan I discovered Global SchoolNet's CyberFair Competition. It was perfect. It provided an opportunity to use project-based learning while encouraging and supporting collaboration with others both locally and globally. It also encouraged my students and I to learn HTML together, which was the beginning of future TIS Website projects. The original CyberFair Project, Treasures of Uzbekistan, has led to four additional TIS CyberFair and Doors to Diplomacy projects. Treasures of Uzbekistan has also led to a current collaborative project involving TIS, a local Uzbek school, and a school in Italy (through Global Junior Challenge). The most recent evolution of Treasures of Uzbekistan is a video the sixth graders are creating to share with their pen pals. Participation in other online projects such as the Global Sun Times Temperature project, Postcard Geography, and Kids Share Hope and have led to meaningful pen pal exchanges not only during but also after the projects are complete. Our class has enjoyed collaborating with students in primary, elementary, and high school classes, both in traditional classes and special education classes. We've also enjoyed collaborating online with experts and other adults. Our technology coordinator continues to share links to Web sites related to my curriculum, and I also continue to find projects and resources through searches, list serves, other teachers and online courses. While I've been in Uzbekistan I've participated in Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development online courses, many of which are related to Internet-based education. | |||
| PROJECTS (10 points): | TOP | ||
Treasures of UzbekistanIn 2001 my 5th grade students explored the local specialties of Uzbekistan and created a Website, Treasures of Uzbekistan http://www.tashschool.org/treasuresofuzbekistan/index.html. They corresponded with students and adults around the world through GSN's CyberFair 2001 competition http://gsh.lightspan.com/cf/_cfm/ViewNarrative.cfm?narr=155. The site has had over 10,000 visitors, and we continue to receive feedback from visitors. A couple of our global "online" visitors have even visited our class. Treasures of Uzbekistan was a finalist in the Global Junior Challenge event in Rome, 2002 http://www.gjc.it/2002/en/index.asp. Three students and I visited Rome to share the project at the Global Junior Challenge exhibition, and we partnered with an Italian school. After presenting at a conference for Uzbek teachers, I connected with a teacher in a local Uzbek school who will also collaborate with us on the Italian project. Together, students and teachers at TIS, the local Uzbek school, and the school in Rome are learning about Uzbek culture. One of the highlights will be silk production in Uzbekistan. Watch the progress of Treasures of Uzbekistan in Italy athttp://213.206.33.2/elementary/grade6/Polo.html . The most recent development of Treasures of Uzbekistan is a Treasures of Uzbekistan video my students are creating to send to many of their pen pals http://213.206.33.2/elementary/grade6/Video.html. 
Caring Hands in UzbekistanIn 2002, I collaborated with teachers in grades 4-12 to create another Website, Caring Hands in Uzbekistan http://www.tashschool.org/doors/index.html. Students learned about local businesses and organizations and again corresponded with students and adults around the world through GSN's CyberFair 2002 competition http://www.globalschoolhouse.org/cf/_cfm/ViewNarrative.cfm?narr=212. Uzbek Instruments In 2003, half of my sixth grade class collaborated with a local music school to create Uzbek Instruments: Sounds From the Land of Uzbekistan http://www.tashschool.org/music/UzbekInstruments.html, and corresponded with others around the world through GSN's CyberFair 2003 competition http://www.gsh.org/CF/_cfm/ViewNarrative.cfm?narr=352. Game Days The other half of my class created Game Days: Promoting Health and Friendships Across Borders http://www.tashschool.org/health/GameDays.html. They corresponded with many students and government organizations through GSN's Doors to Diplomacy 2003 competition http://www.gsh.org//DOORS/_cfm/ViewNarrative.cfm?narr=372 
Companion FlagIn 2003, Scott Wyatt, founder of Companion Flag, learned about our class through our Treasures of Uzbekistan Website. He visited TIS from Seattle, Washington, to present our school a companion flag and deliver letters from pen pals in Seattle http://www.companionflag.org/updates/20031021_tis.htm. My husband and I will continue share his vision and connect students around the world with visits to other international schools as Companion Flag Ambassadors http://www.companionflag.org/ambassadors/index.htm. Pen Pals My students have participated in Postcard Geography since 2001 http://pcg.cyberbee.com/. Each year they write postcards to 200-300 schools, telling about Uzbekistan's geography, sharing the Treasures of Uzbekistan Website address, and telling about themselves. After the initial postcards, they continue correspondence with some schools. Many friendships have resulted from this project, including Shelly Cherry's 4th grade class in Oklahoma, Sandra, Ginalski's 4th grade class in Rhode Island, Pamela O'Risky's 6th grade class in Indiana, Becky Bartosz's 7th grade class in Illinois, Judy Bartosz's 7th and 8th grade classes in Poland, and Brenda Headley's 3rd grade class in Ohio, to name a few. A long-lasting friendship has been with Cinda Munchen and her 4th grade class in Kentucky. The correspondence with Cinda's classes began after Sept. 11. My students participated in Kids Share Hope http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2001/10/20011025-2.html, and sent the poem they created to some of their postcard geography buddies, including Cinda's class. While Cinda and I have never "met", my students have enjoyed corresponding with Cinda students for three years. Cinda had the idea for her students to create a video of Kentucky for our students, inspiring my students to create a video of Uzbekistan for her class. Kids Share Hope also led to correspondence with students in China, along with letter and package exchanges with David Diamond's 3rd grade class in New York. My students have also connected with students around the world through global research projects, such as the Global Sun Temperature Project (2001-2003) http://www.k12science.org/curriculum/tempproj3/en/. Participating in online learning activities for expeditions, such as Ann Bancroft and Liv Arnesen's Expedition in 2001 http://www.globalschoolnet.org/expeditions/bancroft/index.html has also provided opportunities for collaboration. Our class is currently participating in Wave Vidmar's north pole expedition http://www.globalschoolnet.org/expeditions/northpole/index.html My classes also corresponded with classes in the Gilbert school district in Arizona after I visited their schools in 2002, and our class has also been corresponding frequentlywith Marsha Goren's classes in Israel http://www.angelfire.com/rock3/dream0/ after meeting at the Global Junior Challenge event in Rome in 2003. Other projects that have led to collaboration include: Monster Exchange, 2003 http://www.tashschool.org/elementary/grade6/MonsterExchange.html Friends and Flags, 2002-2003 Participated in exchanges with 6th graders in Jerusalem and Virginia; see video/audio contribution to chain poem http://www.friendsandflags.org/poemresults.htm United Nations Poster Contest, 2003 Class shared ideas for ICT with other students; finalist for Asia http://www.tashschool.org/elementary/grade6/ICTPoster.html World Kids Cook Out!, 2002 Participated in Lynn Manning Ross's cookbook project http://213.206.33.2/elementary/grade6/CookOut.html 21st Century Kids, 2000-2002 Corresponded with high school special education students in San Francisco http://www.21stcenturykids.net/ | |||
| COLLABORATION (10 points): | TOP | ||
Game Days is an example of a project that promoted collaboration. The Doors to Diplomacy competition encouraged my students to learn how countries work together to promote peace, and to create a Website to share their findings. A description of the project shows the collaboration involved: Using a constructivist approach to teaching, the children played a large role in developing the project and felt ownership and pride. Our class began by brainstorming topics and students discussed our project with their families. (I also emailed parents explaining our objective and asking for ideas.) One of the parents suggested Game Days, a project sponsored by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Since Game Days involve soccer and volleyball, my sports-loving students were immediately interested. Students began by writing an invitation to Mr. Tamberg, USAID's Health Advisor for Central Asia, inviting him to visit our class. They prepared questions for his visit and practiced their interviewing and note taking skills. DuringMr. Tamberg's visit we learned background information about USAID, which funds the Sports and Health Education Program (SHEP). SHEP is the program that sponsors Game Days. Mr. Tamberg also provided some printed information that students and their families translated from Russian to English. 
Students then decided it would be helpful to visit the SHEP office and meet with the directors. They rehearsed a telephone call and arranged a visit. The SHEP directors were excited to hear about the 6th grade project, because they did not have a Website and were hoping to expand their program. Our class visited their office, obtained detailed information about Game Days, took photographs, and borrowed some photos to scan. 
Students returned to school with information to organize. They organized their information in five main categories: About Game Days, A Game Day Story, We Make it Happen, Photo Gallery, and Additional Links. They also included pages for a Project Narrative, Contributors and Sources, and Contact Us. They continued obtaining information by exploring the Internet, writing e-mail messages to government agencies, conducting additional interviews, and they began learning HTML to create their Website. Students emailed the Game Days link to pen pals and family, sharing their project and asking for suggestions. Their result was a professional Website showing how Central Asia villages are coming together across borders. They describe how people meet on Game Days to watch kids participate in sports and to share community health education with their neighbors. Students concluded their project by writing thank you notes to all the contributors, and emailing the link of their final Website to pen pals, friends, families, and organizations involved with Game Days. Students completed GSN's peer reviews for other classes, and received peer reviews for Game Days. The peer reviews initiated email correspondence among the participants. We concluded the project by presenting our work at a school-wide assembly and by celebrating their success with a class party. The 6th graders continue to receive positive feedback from USAID, SHEP, and other government agencies. Their Website is linked to the USAID site and is used by SHEP for promotions for funding. Game Days have grown significantly, expanding to new regions and benefiting hundreds more village kids. This project integrated subjects, including social studies (reference, map, thinking, and interpersonal skills), language arts (writing, study, and research skills), Russian (translating), health (healthy lifestyles), and computers (scanning, designing, and Website skills). There were many opportunities for enrichment, such as having students who excel in math convert numbers to hexadecimals to designate colors. Throughout the project students kept a journal documenting their progress and reflections, and at the end students reflected further on their work to identify their personal strengths, interests, and areas of improvement. Perhaps most importantly, students learned about collaboration: working together, working toward a common goal, and their ability to change the world in a positive way. Game Days: Promoting Health and Friendships Across Borders, can be viewed at http://www.tashschool.org/health/GameDays.html | |||
| LEARNING REQUIREMENTS (10 points): | TOP | ||
| My projects teach skills in multiple disciplines. The mapping of outcomes change from year to year because of a variety of factors: To me teaching is like putting together a puzzle. I try to see "the big picture" of learning and teach outcomes in multiple disciplines in meaningful ways. I involve students in the development of projects to ensure the learning is meaningful. Although projects change year to year, there is some consistency. For example, for the past four years each Website project has taught the same core research , technology, and cultural awareness outcomes. Additional outcomes are also taught each year, depending on the Website's focus. For example, the Uzbek Instruments Website project teaches outcomes in music. At Tashkent International School we create unit plans to map outcomes and document our work for future teachers. I've created a unit plan to use as a base for CyberFair Website projects at http://213.206.33.2/elementary/grade6/CFUnitPlan.html. The unit plan includes general and specific outcomes (U.S. national standards), instructions for the teacher, resources, differentiated instruction, assessments and extension activities. | |||
| ASSESSMENT (10 points): | TOP | ||
| The projects are assessed by: whether or not the students meet the outcomes, whether or not students enjoy the projects, and whether or not the projects are meaningful. 1. I assess whether or not students meet the outcomes by evaluating their journal reflections, informal observations, and rubrics (completed by both myself and the students). I use rubrics to assess both the learning activities during the project, and also the final product. Sample rubrics: Letter Writing Rubric http://213.206.33.2/elementary/grade6/LetterRub.html Collaborative Work Skills Rubric http://213.206.33.2/elementary/grade6/CollRub.html Research Rubric http://213.206.33.2/elementary/grade6/ResearchRub.html 2. I assess whether or not my students enjoy the projects by informal observation (are they excited to do the project?) , and by reading their journal responses. The value and enjoyment other classes experience is assessed informally. For example, during pen pal projects, e-mails with the teacher and the quality of responses determines the direction of the project. 3. Outside feedback helps determine whether or not the projects are meaningful. Meaningful Website projects will not only get positive feedback, but will also make a difference and benefit society in some way. For example, our Game Days Website was used to obtain funding for the program, allowing it to expand and benefit more children. | |||
| AFFECTIVE AND OTHER OUTCOMES (10 points): | TOP | ||
| Journal responses to "What have you learned by having pen pals?" "I have learned that to have friendship you don't need to be in the same school or neighborhood. Kids from all different countries are similar to me in a lot of different ways. They like the same sports as I do. They like the same games as I do. It's a lot of fun to send letters because I can give my pen pals presents. After I send my letter I can't wait to get a letter back!"Student's journal response to "How can you relate to Mr. Bolsta?" after corresponding through e-mail with Phil Bolsta, an American poet: "Mr. Bolsta had a pet lizard when he was little. He was just like a regular kid like us but he really liked writing. He wrote a poem about his lizard dying. It was really good. It expressed the way we feel when we are sad. It made us also sad. We live across the world be still ours and his feelings are the same."Poem written for Kids Share Hope and mailed to Postcard Geography participants: We AreResponse from David Diamond's 3rd grade class in New York: WE ARE KIDS TOO!Response from friends in China: We are intelligent students living in Dalian. | |||
| PROFESSIONAL IMPACT (10 points): | TOP | ||
| Collaborating with other teachers, parents , and local and global community members and organizations is rewarding. It makes learning more meaningful for students and it provides extra support in the learning process. For example, by teaching the writing process and letter writing skills through letter writing, students write and mail letters through both e-mail and traditional mail. They correspond with authors, government officials and other students around the world. Their letters are meaningful because they usually ask for information or express a view, and the students' efforts are rewarded in their replies. My classes have also collaborated with numerous local and global organizations. Generally, my students learn and use research skills to learn about local people and organizations, and use writing and presentation skills to share their findings globally to benefit the organization. Locally they've collaborated with the Tashkent InterContinental Hotel, the Soros Foundation, Abt Associates, USAID, local orphanages, IREX, the Sports and Health Education Program,a local bread bakery, and a local music school, to name a few. Globally they've collaborated with students, teachers and college professors who use their Websites, government officials, authors, adventurists, scientists… the list goes on. Students are motivated to learn because the projects are meaningful, and they are able to celebrate success in their efforts. Professionally, this collaboration has improved my teaching and increased my enjoyment as a teacher. It has extended the walls of the classroom. | |||
| IMPACT (10 points): | TOP | ||
| I have "met" some wonderful people through online collaborative learning during the past four years at TIS. I have found the global community to be full of ideas and experiences-I enjoy working with them and appreciate their involvement with my classes and the ideas and experiences they have given me. It has been both enriching and rewarding to be a team player. I enjoy online collaborative learning and look forward to continuing my involvement. I've discovered that online projects require both flexibility and focus. While the project's activities might not be set in stone from the start, there should be a clear focus for learning. I've also learned that online projects offer great opportunities for meaningful learning, along with opportunities for collaboration and success. Finally, I've learned that the online collaborative learning offers many opportunities for students and teachers to learn together. I'm especially thankful to Diana Thomas, TIS's technology coordinator, who has always supported me in online collaborative learning in every way possible. Her influence has greatly impacted my professional growth. (And thank you, Diana, for requesting my testimonials for GSN…) In the future my husband and I see ourselves remaining in education, but perhaps doing more broad-reaching endeavors. I expect we will remain in overseas teaching most or all of our careers, building upon each experience. I see a path related to online collaborative learning as a possibility. | |||
| PROMOTING YOUR PROJECTS (10 points): | TOP | ||
| I've shared ideas through conversions, e-mails, discussion lists, international newsletters, and conferences. Projects are listed on search engines such as Yahoo! and Google, and are featured on Websites such as the following: USAID Game Days is linked to USAID's official site; select Game Days http://www.usaid.gov/locations/europe_eurasia/car/programs.htm IP.UZ Networks One of various Russian Websites that provides a link to Game Days http://www.ca-sports.org/ Global SchoolNet Treasures of Uzbekistan http://www.globalschoolhouse.org/CF/winners/winners2001.html#cat4 http://www.globalschoolhouse.org/CF/categories/cat4.html#Examples Caring Hands in Uzbekistan http://www.globalschoolhouse.org/CF/winners/winners2002.html#cat3 Uzbek Instruments http://www.globalschoolhouse.org/CF/winners/winners2003.html#cat8 Game Days http://www.globalschoolhouse.org/DOORS/_cfm/people.cfm Cybrary Treasures of Uzbekistan listed as resource for kids up to 15 http://collaboratory.nunet.net/cybrary/get_links.cfm?CatID=3610 Taking It Global Treasures of Uzbekistan was recently added to "Taking It Global" as an action project http://projects.takingitglobal.org/treasuresuzbek Treasures of Uzbekistan is the featured project http://uzbekistan.takingitglobal.org/home.html?shell=fmviewfm&MemberID=4521 Internet4Kids Features Treasures of Uzbekistan as a Website made by kids http://www.internet4kids.com/ Norwalk Public Schools Includes Treasures of Uzbekistan as a multi grade project http://www.norwalkttti.org/bottomley2/activities_by_grade.htm Friends and Flags Provides link to Treasures of Uzbekistan http://www.friendsandflags.org/winnerscircle.htm Edutopia Describes participation in Postcard Geography, links to TIS Website http://glef.org/php/article.php?id=Art_976 Ein Ganim School in Israel Provides link to class Website http://www.angelfire.com/rock3/dream0/ White House Kids Share Hope project http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2001/10/20011025-2.html Intel's Innovation Odyssey Holiday brochure project; 5th graders collaborated with local hotel http://www97.intel.com/education/odyssey/day_078/day_078.htm | |||
| DIRECT PROJECT ASSISTANCE (10 points): | TOP | ||
| I communicate with teachers at TIS in person and through email, and teachers at other schools primarily through email. For example, TIS's 5th grade teacher (Jeff), a teacher in a local school (Vickie), and I are working together on this year's CyberFair project. Jeff and I meet at school during our planning periods to discuss the project, and also through e-mails throughout the day. I send Vickie information through e-mail, along with links for support materials (unit plan, rubrics, sample projects, etc.) For pen pals projects, the teachers and I provide each other assistance through e-mail. For example, Marsha (in Israel) and I discuss how to have students write meaningful letters and Lucia (in Italy) and I share online resources for our project. | |||
| EMPOWERING OTHERS (10 points): | TOP | ||
| See testimonials. Participation in Associations Online Lists or Forums Publication Websites Presentations/Travel | |||