Christmas is just around the corner and the kids are getting excited about the holidays, presents, and trips that might be ahead. This is a great time to remind them about giving instead of just receiving.
In our district we just reconfigured the grades so that the elementary schools go from K-5 now. That puts my Grade 3 class in the middle. The new term for them this year is "the little big kids". They are very excited about this role.
Because the leaders in the school have all left, it is a great time for them to take on some of that responsibility.
As we prepared for the Canadian Thanksgiving in early October, we began to look at all we had and realized that we could make a difference for others who didn't have as much. We began looking at ways we could help.
Here we recycle drink containers for refunds. Our class has taken over collecting the containers from around the school and the money we raise from recycling them is going towards an adopted boy and girl in Rwanda. The students were very excited to receive the information about them and the pictures a few weeks ago.

This is the third year that Room 101 has done Pennies for Presents. We collect pennies for about 3 weeks and each day we count, roll, and keep a tally of how much has been collected. It is a special time for my students because they get to do announcements and posters as well as the monitoring of the collections. This year we will be filling our meter bank each day. They are very excited about this.
The great thing about this activity is that everyone in the school can be included, because even our needy children can find a penny to share. It is amazing to watch the excitement in the school as the totals grow.

These books are great for sharing the idea of giving instead of getting. My students were able to make many connections after listening to the stories.
We took advantage of the American Thanksgiving holiday to reinforce the concept of giving and Christmas. We continue to talk about how we can give by doing random acts of kindness as well.

Last time I wrote about my son Felipe going to Sokcho, South Korea and how the student exchange began, as well as the creation of the Sokcho International School.
Today I want to reflect on the change in technology since he went there in July 2000.
It is important to note that in some areas of South Korea, the advancements in technology are less evident than in other areas. It was interesting to travel there in 2002 and witness with my own eyes some of the contrasts.
It almost seemed like third world living mixed up with state of the art affluence. Technology has been responsible for much of this advancement.
When Felipe went to Sokcho, computers were still fairly new and many people didn't have their own computers. The main use of the computer was to write emails. While we were there, we would visit internet cafes to send messages home.
I still remember getting the weekly email updates from Felipe about his new job and life in a foreign country. This was an important way of connecting because phone calls were very expensive and mail took way too long to arrive.
Now we are able to video chat, send music and videos, use social media, surf the internet, use mobile devices and much more. The vehicles are equipped with the latest technology as well. Much of this technology is manuafactured in Korea.
Classrooms and schools are becoming more and more high tech. Even 6 years ago when I visited, each classroom in my daughter-in-law's school had a computer and television mounted in it. In SIS (Sokcho International School) the students have ipads and they are using e-textbooks for instruction. Almost every student has a mobile phone as well, even the littlest ones.
With all these advancements in technology, we need to remember that our goal is to help our students learn and continue to be lifelong learners. I would love to hear from others about how technology has helped their teaching.

In July 2000, my son Felipe headed off on a journey that was about to change his life. He had just finished his BMus at the University of Victoria, along with a TESOL course. He packed his bags and headed to South Korea with a couple of his buddies from the music department to teach English in a small private academy called ECC. This was supposed to be a short term stay, but ended up becoming his home. He now has a wife and 2 children and they have built a beautiful house not far from where he works today.
In an effort to remain connected, Felipe and I often talked about  the possibility of students coming to Campbell River to visit. His boss' son was travelling to Nova Scotia for English immersion, so why not the west coast? Conversations began to put into motion plans to make exchanges possible in some of the Campbell River schools during the winter break in Korea. Felipe became the liason between the principal and our district.
I still remember when the first group arrived. It was snowing and the plane couldn't land on our little airfield. It had to return to Comox, (about a 40 minute drive away) and then the students and chaperones ( the principal's husband, Felipe, and his wife) had to be transported by shuttle to Campbell River. Their first experience in Canada was a snowy one.
I had the privilege of hosting one of the girls in my home as well as one of the boys in my classroom. The chaperones stayed with us as well until they were sure the students were settled with the families. Then they returned to Sokcho. They returned at the end of the 2 months to escort the students back home. This began a tradition in Campbell River that continues today.
The principal had a dream to create an international school that would be linked to a community in BC and provide Canadian curricula.
Felipe continued to act as liason between her and Campbell River. The Sokcho International School became a reality a year and a half ago. It is slowly growing and the students are learning the BC curriculum. They are connected with the Campbell River school district and the current principal of the school was a former principal in Campbell River. Felipe is teaching the music there as well as helping out with the business side of things.
Needless to say, it is exciting to have this connection with my son, especially when he lives so far away. It is also great to see that my grandson is attending the school now. I enjoy seeing the photos of some of the work that he is doing courtesy of his teacher who posts updates on her facebook page.
Sometimes it is hard to see our children travel to other places to work, but it is rewarding to see that they are making a difference.
I would love to hear your stories about teaching across the world and remaining connected with home.