Close to my heart are those kindred souls that have a vision for making our world a better place and who make that vision a reality one meaningful act at a time. This post highlights two such people: Julene Reed* and Dr. Jane Goodall.
I met Julene several years ago and immediately identified with her kind and gentle spirit. The more I have come to know her and the work she quietly does, the more I have been astounded at the scope and quality, the substance and depth of her contribution to humanity, a contribution made through our profession--made through the lives of children. She sets a glowing example for all educators to emulate.
A few months ago, I asked Julene if I could highlight her work here on drTimTyson.com. I wanted to post this interview with Julene as a celebration of Dr. Jane Goodall's birthday** and her amazing contribution to humankind. You will see why as you read further. I know this is a long post, but my hope is that Julene's interview will give educators ideas about how to center the educational experiences of students on the gift of meaningful contribution--empowering students with the knowledge that they actually have within themselves the very real capacity to make our world better.
So set aside some quality, quiet time to read and reflect on the entire interview. View the videos of Julene's students working in Africa with Dr. Goodall's organization. And as you read, keep foremost in your thinking, "How can I do this, or something just as significant, with my students?!" Because, ... I believe you really can!
I invite you to click the link below to read the interview with this extraordinary educator!
*Julene Reed is the Director of Academic Technology at St. George’s Independent School in Collierville, Tennessee
**Dr. Goodall's birthday is on April 3rd.
Julene, what is your "job," and what do you do on a day-to-day basis in that role for both teachers and students?
I am the Director of Academic Technology for the middle and upper school campus at St. George's Independent School. My role is one that is a combination of many different parts. I am very lucky in that my daily job offers me a great deal of creativity and flexibility. In my role with technology, I provide professional development for faculty and staff, I assist both teachers and students with technology integration, I help students and teachers with digital media (digital video projects, podcasts, etc.), I oversee the laptop program, I conduct videoconferencing classes, and I assist with any academic needs that involve technology. Along with these tasks, I am involved in administrative tasks, software and hardware purchases, security decisions for our campus, the utilization of interactive whiteboards, and a variety of other duties. I am the varsity girls' tennis coach as well.
I help lead the Roots & Shoots organization on my campus. We work with the environmental science class and the recycling club, we organize both Peace Day and Earth Day celebrations, and we are involved in both local and global outreach projects. Roots & Shoots is the educational outreach of the Jane Goodall Institute.
What is your passion as an educator? How does this passion reveal itself in your work with teachers and students?
I am passionate about many things involving education. I am very passionate about the utilization of technology to enhance teaching and learning. I am especially passionate about the use of technology for global education and collaboration. It is an amazing tool for expanding our students' experiences beyond the classroom into other countries. Through global experiences, students can build relationships with people in different parts of the world and gain an understanding and knowledge of different cultures.
I am also passionate about authentic learning experiences in which student and teachers can create and share knowledge and information. Through these types of experiences, we can all make a difference in what is happening in our world. With today's participatory culture and the read/write web, our students can create and publish information in ways that engage people and can implement change in areas that are important and meaningful.
My passion reveals itself in my work with students and teachers as I continue to find ways to create projects that are related to global education and service learning. Guiding students to implement change for environmental, social, and global issues through the utilization of technology as they raise awareness and communicate globally provides a great deal of both motivation and satisfaction for myself, my teachers, and our students.
How/when did you first become acquainted with Dr. Jane Goodall and her work?
My first introduction to Dr. Jane and her work was in my college anthropology class that I took as part of my undergraduate studies at the University of Kansas. I was fascinated by her work. I didn't really revisit her work again until I accepted my position at St. George's in 1989.
At that time, St George's had started a website, Eagle Watch, which had a live video feed on eagles' nests at Reelfoot State Park in northwest Tennessee. The website was unique in that it featured student-created content, and it was the result of collaboration between education, business, and government. BellSouth was one of the major sponsors of the website, and they were also a sponsor of the Jane Goodall Institute at that time. I was invited by Bell South to give a presentation on Eagle Watch in their exhibit hall booth at NECC in Atlanta.
Jeanne McCarty, then the national director of Roots & Shoots, was also presenting in the booth. This led to an invitation to attend Roots & Shoots' North American Youth Summit, which was held in Tampa, Florida. It was at that summit that I first met Dr. Jane personally. I then became familiar with her current role as one of the United Nations Ambassadors of Peace.
Once I met Dr. Jane and worked with her organization, I saw the world through different eyes. She broadened my vision of the world and life in a way that has been life changing. Dr. Jane kindled a passion within me to make a difference in this world, and it is a passion that has never died. I have been extremely fortunate to continue to have opportunities to work with Dr. Jane and her amazing staff, and those opportunities re-energize me and feed my spirit. Dr. Jane continues to inspire me daily.
What exactly does her organization do that relates to students/teachers in our schools who want to make a global contribution?
Dr. Jane believes that the future of our world is dependent on today's youth. Because of that belief, she formed Roots & Shoots. It is an international organization that focuses on care and concern for animals, the environment, and the human community. Through this organization, she encourages both adults and youth to make a difference in this world, one step at a time.
Through Roots & Shoots and the related website, youth are able to connect globally and collaborate on issues, share ideas, and build relationships as they focus on activities through with they can take action. Regional, national, and international summits are regularly held to celebrate the success of past projects and plan future projects. Roots & Shoots also provides curriculum for educators and group leaders.
How have the lives of your students/teachers/community/the people with whom you have worked abroad been impacted by your association with Dr. Goodall and her organization, Roots and Shoots? Do you have any rich media that can help share this amazing story with our readers? Before we watch it, do you want to share what we are seeing?
The most memorable connections we have made globally involved projects in Nepal and in Tanzania. These projects greatly impacted students and teachers here and the people with whom we worked in those countries. They were transforming projects for me, personally, as well.
Nepal:
Manoj Gautam is a Roots & Shoots leader who lives in Nepal. About three years ago, he posted a message in the R&S listserv about a documentary he was filming on child slave labor in Nepal. He needed help to complete it. At that time, our history students were studying child slave labor in England in the 1800's.
We started communicating with Manoj, and he sent us his raw video and still images. Some of our students worked to complete the documentary that is now hosted on the Apple Learning Interchange. The Nepal documentary has been shown at a peace conference in Russia, it has been used in workshops around the United States, and Dr. Jane viewed it at a youth summit in Cape Cod.
You may view the documentary and related information at this website: http://edcommunity.apple.com/ali/story.php?itemID=282
Because of the documentary, Dr. Jane traveled to Nepal to meet with Manoj about the many issues that are currently being dealt with in Nepal. Manoj is traveling to the United States this spring to work with Roots & Shoots and Dr. Jane at an international youth conference. With the documentary, we were able to raise the awareness of people around the world regarding the issues of child slave labor in Nepal. Our students have also sent books and school supplies to Nepal for the children to use in their schools.
Manoj will hopefully be visiting us at St. George's in April. At that time, he will visit classrooms teaching about environmentalism, Nepal culture, political unrest in Nepal, and child slave labor. And it all started with a simple request on a listserv!
Tanzania:
At the first Roots & Shoots North American Youth Summit I attended in Tampa, Florida, I met Nsaa-iya Kihunwra, a college student who was attending Stetson University to get his MBA. Nsaa-iya, known as "NK," was from Tanzania. He was a member of the first Roots & Shoots organization in Tanzania, and he met Jane after he had won an art contest that was held in Dar es Salaam in celebration of Dr. Jane's 30th anniversary of her work in Gombe with the chimpanzees. Dr. Jane helped NK with this enrollment at Stetson University as a result of their friendship.
NK and I became friends, and we are now family. He spent two of his spring break periods with me in Memphis where he taught art, environmentalism, Swahili, and African culture, and African history. NK's classes had a huge impact on the students of St. George's. NK returned to Tanzania after graduation, and he now lives there with his wife and two young daughters.
Because of our relationship with NK, we have sent computers and school supplies to schools in Tanzania. Most of these have gone to Sumu Secondary School, which is at the base of Mt. Kilimanjaro. Three years ago, one of my Roots & Shoots students traveled with me to Tanzania to work in the village with students at that school. We helped to build a classroom, we planted trees, we visited with students and teachers, and we also visited three other village schools. This coming summer, another student and I will return again to work with Sumu Secondary School students and to also work with other Roots & Shoots groups in Tanzania. This relationship with our Tanzanian friends has had a huge impact on many students at St. George's, and it has made a lifetime impression on me, the students who traveled with me, and the students and teachers in Tanzania.
There are more stories of a school of orphans in Uganda, an orphanage in Mexico, other global connections, Jessica Rimington and the One World Youth Project, and many other meaningful experiences, but our most impactful experiences took place in conjunction with Nepal and Tanzania.
How can those who are reading this post make logical first steps to get their students involved in making a global contribution as your students have done?
There are many things people can do to make a difference, and it doesn't have to take place globally. There are important issues in our own communities that need addressed. One huge factor is finding something that students will be passionate about‚ something they care about. That will make the experience much more salient, and motivation will be much higher if the students are vested in the project.
There are many organizations that exist to help bring people together for global issues. I have created an exhibit on the Apple Learning Interchange that provides resources, tips, and tricks for global education. You can access that exhibit, "Bringing the World to Your Classroom" at this website: http://edcommunity.apple.com/ali/story.php?itemID=787
Do you have any resources and/or final thoughts you would like to share?
Always! I highly recommend getting involved in global issues. Students have the ability through technology to connect globally. Harness that power, and guide them into collaborative studies with people from around the world. Our network is global now, and it is important that we learn to use it productively.
Start a Roots & Shoots group in your community and connect with others around the world. Look for other organizations with which you can connect and collaborate and make a difference.
Find issues that are important, and take a step to make a difference to change those issues. "Do one thing, then do another," is a phrase I use. Each of us truly can make a difference. Guiding students through projects that raise their awareness of the outside world is a noble venture that can affect them for a lifetime. And, in doing so, it will change your life as well!
Other resources can be found through:
The Jane Goodall Institute, "Roots & Shoots," Making a Difference Globally
http://edcommunity.apple.com/ali/story.php?itemID=821
The Jane Goodall Institute
http://www.janegoodall.org/
Roots & Shoots
http://www.rootsandshoots.org/
