March 9, 2006

Mills Lawn sixth graders talked with students in Jakarta, Indonesia, during a video conference last Friday. The conference was part of MLS students’ countries projects, which they will present at the International Open House on March 16 at 6:30 p.m.

By Lauren Heaton

Sixth-grade students at Mills Lawn School pulled their heads out of their textbooks last Friday morning and took advantage of the latest videoconferencing technology to learn firsthand from students in a classroom on the opposite side of the globe.

Glued to a TV, Mills Lawn students listened intently as ninth-grade students at the International School in Jakarta, Indonesia, described in real time their lives in East Asia as well as their home countries around the world. The Yellow Springs students craned their necks to see the screen and waved at the camera to their new friends overseas.

Jesse Jewell said he thought the experience of meeting people across the world was “pretty cool” and that it was “like actually talking to them even though they’re way far away.”

Roniqua Cobb said she was surprised to learn of the pollution problems in Jakarta.

Nathaniel Reed found it interesting that the students from the International School had maids and chauffeurs.

The students were also excited to connect with their former guidance counselor, Amy Huneck, who now teaches at the school in Jakarta and arranged for the videoconference to help the sixth graders with their countries projects. Each of the students has chosen one of the world’s countries to research and complete a project on to present during International Open House on Thursday, March 16, at 6:30 p.m., at the school.

Using the international students as a primary resource, Mills Lawn students asked questions, prepared with the help of Becky O’Brien, Mills Lawn’s independent learning program coordinator, that would elicit answers not readily found in books and encyclopedias.

Students here wanted to know about cliques and bullies, popular sports, the effect of natural disasters, environmental issues, and the effects of the Iraq War on the lives of Indonesians and the citizens of the students’ home countries.

They got the perspectives of students from Brazil, India, Pakistan, Korea, Holland, Italy, Venezuela and others, and they were surprised to learn, for instance, that badminton is the national sport of Indonesia, and that the war in Iraq does not affect the people of other nations like it affects the U.S.

The video exchange was slightly blotchy, but the students didn’t seem to mind as they sat for nearly an hour and a half asking questions and then answering a few queries about snow, racism in America and the prevalence of “hand” phones among sixth graders.

This was the first time this year that Mills Lawn’s Polycom equipment was used to supplement the curriculum. Last year, fifth graders spoke with Willie Herenton, the first black mayor of Memphis, and third graders attempted to receive a program on Amelia Earhart, but failed because of a weak signal.

Though the school’s equipment is nearly three years old, the technology can be difficult to bridge with slightly different conferencing systems, said Dionne Barclay, technology specialist for Mills Lawn. Teachers also want to make sure that the programs are relevant to the curriculum they are teaching, Barclay said.

Sixth-grade teacher Jody Pettiford said that by talking to people in other countries her students were able to learn invaluable information that they never would have read in books or on the Internet.

“It’s taking the international project to another level,” she said.

Contact: lheaton@ysnews.com