Discussions

Your Name and Title:

Wendy Jewell, Facilitator My Hero Learning Circles

School or Organization Name:

 The MY HERO Project

Co-Presenter Name(s):

Mali Bickley, Teacher, Educational and Outreach Consultant

Laura Neitzer, Teacher, Educational and Outreach Consultant

Jeanne Meyers, Co-Founder and Executive Director

Area of the World from Which You Will Present:

Canada (Toronto)

 The United States (New Jersey)

Language in Which You Will Present:

 English

Target Audience(s):

Educators, Middle/Elementary/High School Administrators, Nonprofit Leaders, Parents, Students

Short Session Description (one line):

The presentation introduces the My Hero Learning Circles, virtual classrooms that engage students and teachers from diverse parts of the world in interactive, cross-cultural discussions focused on heroism and the creation and sharing of positive media.

Full Session Description (as long as you would like):

The MY HERO Project uses media and technology to celebrate the best of humanity and to empower people of all ages to realize their own potential to effect positive change.

This presentation will focus primarily on the MY HERO Learning Circles, a joint venture between iEARN Learning Circles and The MY HERO Project.  Virtual classroom LEARNING CIRCLES allow students around the globe to communicate and collaborate, fostering an appreciation for diversity and a sense of global citizenship. ICT plays a critical role in facilitating communication and project creation. Educators and their classes share cultural information and hold online discussions regarding heroes in virtual classrooms hosted by iEARN. Using online collaborative tools hosted by myhero.com students share stories of their heroes through writing, art, music and video projects.

Two educators who have participated  many times in the Learning Circles will introduce the ways in which they’ve integrated the project into their curricula.  Mali Bickley, Educator and Co-director of iEARN Canada and Laura Neitzer, Educator in New Jersey, USA will share their experiences taking part in the My Hero Learning Circles and offer suggestions for others who may want to participate.

Websites / URLs Associated with Your Session:

 www.myhero.com

Examples of completed My Hero Learning Circles:

Elementary: http://myhero.com/go/organizer/view.asp?pageid=550

Middle School: http://myhero.com/go/organizer/view.asp?pageid=479

High School: http://myhero.com/go/organizer/view.asp?pageid=821

Call To Action: http://myhero.com/go/organizer/view.asp?pageid=1012