iEARN in Action, May 21, 2008

Special Announcement!

1. PLEASE SHARE YOUR FEEDBACK IN AN iEARN-WIDE SURVEY! We welcome you to share how iEARN serves your needs and how all of us together can improve the network. All your contributions to the survey are extremely important: we hope to get direct feedback about your participation in iEARN, develop a better infrastructure for your collaboration and improve the network in general. Your input will be put together in an annual report and will become a great resource for you to learn more about iEARN values, achievements and perspectives. To take the survey, please visit http://www.iearn.org/annualsurvey.html (currently available in English and Russian) and respond by June 15, 2008. Thank You!!! iEARN Evaluation Team

Seeking Partners: iEARN Projects!
2. Include your iEARN Projectin the 2008-2009 Project Book.
3. New project proposal -- "For Me, Writing is Something Awesome" from Bat-Chen Diaries.
4. "Leaving Footprints" project encourages active citizenship among young people.
5. "Write On" -- a project based on interesting writing prompts.

Resources, Contests, Websites and Announcements!
6. iEARN school in Kansas USA wins international education award.
7. iEARN-India and iEARN-USA team up on Hindi language program in New Jersey, USA.
8. Join global discussion on "the role of iEARN teachers in making a difference as project leaders."
9. Daniel Pearl World Music Days.

Upcoming Events!
9.JEARN (iEARN-Japan) to co-host Youth Summit for the Environment in Kobe, Japan (May 2008).
10. iEARN-Canada Teachers/Country Coordinators to present keynote at NECC, Texas, USA (July 2008)
11. 15th Annual iEARN International Conference, Bukhara, Uzbekistan (July 2008).

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Seeking Partners: iEARN Projects and Activities
Download the 2007-2008 iEARN Project Book (in Arabic, Azeri, English, French, Spanish): http://www.iearn.org/projects/projectbook.html for a full listing of iEARN projects, see: http://media.iearn.org/projects/.
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2. INCLUDE YOUR iEARN PROJECT IN THE 2008-2009 PROJECT BOOK!!! If your project is already active and will continue, please submit an updated template to projects@us.iearn.org. If it is a new project, please note that all new projects are required to have an initial group of participants before being considered for publication. To find partners, post your project idea in the Teachers Forum: or, for students, the Youth Forum. If you find partners, you are welcome then to complete the project template below and send it to projects@us.iearn.org as soon as possible, but no later than the FINAL DEADLINE of August 1, 2008. This project template can be submitted in any language, and is available in multiple languages in the translated versions of the iEARN project book, available for download at http://www.iearn.org/projects/projectbook.html.

1. Name of Project:
2. Brief one-sentence description of project:
3. Full description of project:
4. Age/level of project participants:
5. Timetable/Schedule for the project:
6. Possible project/classroom activities:
7. Expected outcomes/products:
8. Project contribution to others and the planet:
9. Project language(s):
10. Curriculum/Subject area:
11. Names/email of initial participating groups:
12. Name of facilitator(s):
13. Email of facilitator(s):
14. iEARN Forum where it will take place or is taking place (leave blank if uncertain, and you will be assigned to a forum):
15. WWW page of project (not required):

Send by email to projects@us.iearn.org.

3. FOR ME, WRITING IS SOMETHING AWESOME" FROM BAT-CHEN DIARIES. The purpose of the project is to expose children to the values of writing a diary; to encourage young children to write in a reflective and personal manner and express their anxieties, fears and concerns as well as their hopes and dreams-- hopefully this will lead to getting acquainted with others. Languages: English and Hebrew. Contact Ayelet Shahak in Israel. For more info, see http://www.batchen.co.il or see the discussion in the Teachers Forum.

4. LEAVING FOOTPRINTS - ENCOURAGING ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE. This global learning project involves teachers and youth and is designed to promote awareness and encourage active citizenship. You are invited to join us and explore how your footprints and the footprints of others make a difference. What footprint will you leave? Contact Michelle Speight in Canada. For more info, see here.

5. WRITE ON! A project that uses interesting prompts for students to express themselves and develop their writing skills. Facilitated by Farah Kamal and Saadia Kazmi in Pakistan. See here.

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Check it Out! Resources, Contests, Websites, Announcements.
(This includes resources that are not part of iEARN)
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6. LONGFELLOW MIDDLE SCHOOL (IN THE USA) WINS KANSAS IN THE WORLD AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION. See their iEARN work here.

7. iEARN-INDIA AND iEARN-USA TEAM UP ON HINDI LANGUAGE PROGRAM. Read about the New Jersey, USA School District Hindi Language Program in a recent Converge magazine article.

8. JOIN GLOBAL DISCUSSION ON "THE ROLE OF iEARN TEACHERS IN MAKING A DIFFERENCE AS PROJECT LEADERS." Laila Al Rawahi of Oman has started a discussion in the Teachers Forum on "leadership and the role of iEARN teachers in making a difference as projects leaders." Ideas from the discussion will be shared in a presentation at the upcoming conference in Uzbekistan. Join the discussion in the Teachers Forum.

9. DANIEL PEARL WORLD MUSIC DAYS. The Daniel Pearl Foundation is extending a special invitation this year to young musicians and schools to participate in the 7th annual Daniel Pearl World Music Days global network of concerts to be held October 1-31, 2008. World Music Days provides a unique learning opportunity - using the universal language of music to promote unity, tolerance, and cross-cultural understanding. Register your event online at http://www.danielpearlmusicdays.org.

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Upcoming Events
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9. YOUTH SUMMIT FOR THE ENVIRONMENT IN KOBE, MAY 22-24, 2008. In May 2008, the Ministry of the Environment in Japan will host the G8 Environment Ministers Meeting (Kobe Meeting). Prior to this meeting, iEARN-Japan is co-hosting a Youth Summit for the Environment in Kobe, and inviting 20 iEARN countries to participate. iEARN-Japan has teamed up with 10 organizations: iEARN-Japan, G8 Kobe Child Summit, British Council, Environmental Business Women, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Environment, Hyogo Prefecture Government, Kobe City Government, Hyogo International Exchange Foundation, and GlobeJapan ) to host students and teachers from France, Italy, U.K., Germany, U.S.A., Canada, Russia, Brazil, India, China, South Africa, Mexico, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Nepal, Mongolia, Australia, Kenya, Iran, Taiwan, and Japan. See more here.

10. iEARN-CANADA TEACHERS/COUNTRY COORDINATORS TO PRESENT KEYNOTE AT NECC, JUNE 29-JULY 2, 2008 IN TEXAS, USA. On July 1, Jim Carleton and Mali Bickley (iEARN-Canada Coordinators) will share their experiences "leveraging the collaborative power of technology to help their students help others worldwide." See here.

11. JOIN iEARN-UZBEKISTAN JULY 12-18 IN BUKHARA FOR THE 15TH ANNUAL iEARN CONFERENCE. Check out the conference website, developed by youth, with help of iEARN-Uzbekistan team! iEARN-Uzbekistan Country Coordinator, Anatoly Kochnev announces pre-conference activities schedule where people will be able to learn more about conference hosting country, things to bring, activities during the conference, visa issues, travel opportunities and other.

Online chat schedule:

May: Date: Monday, May 12. Time: 4PM (GMT +5). Theme: Two months to go: are we ready? Date: Tuesday, May 27. Time: 4PM (GMT +5). Theme: Last call for proposals for workshops.

June: Date: Thursday, June 19: Time: 4PM (GMT +5). Theme: Getting ready to travel to Uzbekistan: what to take with you.

Connect in the 2008 Conference forum or see here. If you have any questions or inquires about participation in iEARN Annual 15th International Conference and 12th Youth Summit, please contact us at info@iearn2008.uz

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TO SUBMIT AN ANNOUNCEMENT FOR THE NEWSFLASH: Send your announcement (2-3 lines) to newsflash@us.iearn.org.
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iEARN (International Education and Resource Network) is a global non-profit network that empowers teachers and students to undertake projects designed to make a meaningful contribution to the health and welfare of the planet and its people. Started in 1988, iEARN is currently active in over 120 countries, with 1,000,000 students participating as part of their education. iEARN-International: http://www.iearn.org

Download the 2007-2008 iEARN Project Book: http://www.iearn.org/projects/projectbook.html (available in Arabic, English, French, and Japanese) or for a full listing of iEARN projects, see: http://www.iearn.org/projects/
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