Let's Skype

[Heather]

I have been brainstorming ways we could Skype with schools around the world. I really want to have our kids here at our elementary school (K-4) in Oregon, WI see other libraries, hear others read books, share book talks with different grade levels etc.

[Barb Odanaka]

Hi,

We love Skype!

I'm a home educator and children's book author. I am starting to do virtual school visits using Skype (although I'd prefer to do them in person!).

Barb Odanaka
www.skateboardmom.com

[Kate Messner]

I'm both a children's author and a teacher, so I'm interested in both sides of this discussion! My own 7th grade students enjoyed a Skype visit with Laurie Halse Anderson recently, and my blog about that day includes reflections on how it worked as well as a checklist for teachers considering Skype visits.

http://kmessner.livejournal.com/91520.html

I also offer Skype visits in my author life, ranging from free 20-minute virtual visits for classrooms & book clubs that have read one of my books to more in-depth presentations with PowerPoint for $200.

http://www.katemessner.com/teachers.html

I'm looking forward to hearing others' thoughts on this new way to connect kids & authors!

~Kate
http://www.katemessner.com

[Tony Bandy]

Hi all....

Late to this discussion, but there's a bunch of new tools out there for this sort of thing. There's Adobe Connect (free version) and also Vyew and Yugma. Most of these do support some sort of video camera capabilities.

Tony

[Allison Williams]

I would love to Skype with your library. I'm librarian at a K-4 division of a K-12 school in Richmond, VA. This summer I arranged a Skype visit with author Marsha Diane Arnold for our school's "Hooked on Books" program. I got her name on a website for authors willing to do short Skype visits without charge. It was really fun.
Let me know if you are still interested in connecting. I see you posted your request a year ago.

[Ms. Newton]

Hi Allison,
I think it would be great for us to have a Skype visit in the library. I am thinking of what we could do. We are a Pre-K - 4th gr. school and perhaps we could choose a class from a grade level and work on something with a particular author or unit that some classes are doing. I have some teachers in mind that would be willing to participate on this... what do you think? Did you have something in mind or could we work together to come up with a plan?
Thanks for the response.
Heather

[Allison Williams]

Hi Heather,
I'm glad you are still interested. I would like to pursue this in collaboration with you. At the same time, I will put feelers out to find some teachers who might be interested. One project comes immediately to mind i.e. the 2nd grade research project on the United States. I would think the classroom teacher who is responsible for your region of the country would love to get together with you. We also do a unit on westward expansion in 4th grade and that might be interesting, esp. if your students want to know more about Virginia history (and believe me, we have plenty!)
Here is our library website http://tinyurl.com/ydagw8s if you would like to learn more about us. And perhaps we should continue this conversation privately. Here's my email
[e-mail]
Looking forward to hearing from you!
Allison

[Barb Odanaka]

I'm saddened and surprised to hear some schools are resistant to Skype videoconferencing. Seems very backwards thinking to me. What could be better "social studies" than Skyping with another classroom from a different side of the world? There are so many possibilities.

I've used Skype videoconferencing for several years now. I'm not in any way a "techie," but it is almost ridiculously easy to download and use. Plus, something all schools could appreciate, it's FREE.

I also think it's the perfect "warm up" to author visits--or a substitute for schools who don't have the means to bring an author in. I would keep the virtual visits short, though, say 15-20 minutes. Enough to read one of my books, answer some questions, give a virtual tour of my home office, show the students my various desk doodads and my cat...