Don't be Bashful about Asking for Help!

Hi there! I had an interesting phone conversation with a librarian in one of my districts this morning that I'd like to share with you. She emailed me Monday and asked if I had ideas for a video conference that focused on the Salem Witch Trials. The Cleveland Museum of Art has a nifty program about that topic called 'Scary Art,' so I sent her the information about it. It's actually a perfect IVC for this time of year!

When she called me today, she was concerned that she was asking too much of my time by asking me to research and find other video conference connections about several other topics for 6th and 7th grade teachers. Little do you know how happy it makes me that people would ask my opinion about anything! :-)

Her teachers are so excited to use video conferencing and she had genuinely made an effort to research on her own, but still wasn't finding what she was looking for... Hmmm. There's a U2 song in there somewhere... (Now you're singing it, aren't you??)

Immediately, I began to wonder how often teachers around the region think, "I bet Cheryl, Rene, and Mary are too busy to help me. They have a lot to do, so I won't ask them for help." Yikes! What an unpleasant thought!!

I encouraged her to share all of the topics with me and talked to her about some possibilities off the top of my head. Then I said I'd continue to research and check back as soon as I found something worthwhile to report. The teachers in this instance are planning ahead (by a month or 2), which makes it so much easier to research and plan.

If you have a question about video conferencing, its use, strategies for integrating it into the curriculum, collaborative project ideas, etc., I hope you'll feel free to contact us. DL@gstboces.org

Ordinarily there is someone here in the office available to answer questions over the phone, by email, or by video conference. We collaborate with people around NYS and the US to find ideas and provide training about video conferencing to our region. Please don't hesitate to ask us for help. That's why we're here! :-)

When people ask me for help, their ideas often wind up here on our blog so they benefit everyone.

-------------------------

So, my video conference peeps and tweeps! Do you have ideas for excellent content provider programs or collaborative project ideas on any of the following topics?

Native Americans, Lewis and Clark (Grade 7)

Seneca Falls History, Women's Suffrage, Erie Canal (Grade 7)

From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler (Grade 6) - they are reading the book and would like to tour a museum (the characters visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art in the book, but I can't find IVC on their website)

--------------------------

If so, please share your thoughts!! (I'm not bashful. I ask for help all the time!)

Enjoy the rest of your week :-)