VIDEOCONFERENCE LINKS AGNON - BEIT SHEAN REGION YOUTH

The 7th grade project has been focused on our Shorashim. At Agnon we do an intensive project called Shorashim where the students research their family history. One aspect of this project has been to compare our family's immigration experience with that of the Israelis. We found out where our families came from and found out where their families came from. We made a map that showed the similarities and differences of our backgrounds. When we had the videoconference, we were trying to make face-to-face connections with the kids so that as they continue their correspondence and work together on future projects, they will feel that they are working with friends, and not faceless strangers. The videoconference was very successful because they were able to meet their peers and see that they are actually people behind the words of the emails.

Agnon Student Elliot Seth Rosenbaum Adds

We liked the teleconference because it gave us a chance to see what our pen pals in Israel are like. It was a great learning experience for our pen pals and us. It was fun to be able to talk to them in person rather that writing to them, because you can't really get to know somebody till you "meet" them. We thought that we also connected in a spiritual way, and that is another thing you can't have when communicating by mail.

The connection between us was great. Most of us were able to introduce ourselves and tell our friends from Beit Shean what we liked and disliked. One boy from Beit Shean even said, "I want to kill Osama Ben Laden." Everybody laughed and thoughtfully agreed. I thought this was also extremely fun because all the kids understood each other but both places thought the other place had funny accents.

One day in the near future I hope we will be able to have another teleconference!!!

Adar 5762 - March 2002