Connecting....Part II

This post is a thank-you to Mrs. Graham and her kindergarten class in SE Minnesota. They invited me into their classroom for a moment today to share one of my favorite song stories, Down By the Station. How fun is that? And I didn't have to spend a dime on airfare!

Kory is a fabulous kindergarten teacher that I recently followed on Twitter. I can remember my coworker mentioning that she read for her class earlier this year so when Kory put out a request for more guest readers, I thought it sounded like a great opportunity! She calls her group #Korytellers. (I'm so jealous she has a cool name that lends itself to a catchy hashtag!) I've been wanting to do a class Google Hangout or Skype or some kind of video-conference all year, but it gets a bit tricky arranging those. I have five groups per grade level so finding and arranging five equal hangouts for each class is not so easy. So I jumped on the chance to at least experience being a guest on the other end of things.

So sweet! I'm mentioned on the agenda!

My second graders had a field trip today which left me with an open class period. We set it up and I'll admit that I was actually nervous to be on camera. But as soon as I saw those sweet little faces, it was just like being in front of my own kids! They were so adorable and ready to listen! They had wonderful manners and you could tell they were delighted to have new guests in their classroom every chance they got. I love how Kory uses technology to reach out globally and invite others to join her and her students on their educational journey. Reading a story in a kindergarten class is nothing new....but using technology to bring in exciting and diverse guests from around the world? That's what tech integration and connection is all about. Bravo, Kory! You and your #Korytellers are my heroes on Hero Day! Thank you again for letting me be a part of your day.