The Connection Lens Launch is in the Books

Sometimes it is just good to reflect.

I have been working on the Connection Lens book pretty steady for about a year and a half. Because my time is limited, my writing time takes the place of my blogging time. My books, I feel, have a reflective tone and they do somewhat fill my reflective practitioner niche, but nothing really takes the place of blogging for a powerful reflection experience. 

So here I am.

What an amazing time we had on Saturday November 7th, 2020 during the Connection Lens book launch. I was so please with the number of friends, colleagues, CBL faithful, and new folk that joined the event. John Hollingsworth, comedian, entrepreneur, and motivational speaker was the consummate host, keeping the event going smoothly, asking tough questions, keeping us focused. Writer of the book's foreword, Dr. Jennifer Williams beautifully shared her connection to me, CBL, and her Teach Boldly passion. Ziauddin Yousafzai, writer of the book's afterword, told a bit of his story about his work in Swat Valley, making connections for his work promoting girls' education. The Connection Lens articulated his view of how education should be. Theresa Laflèche explained her connection with the book as editor and homeschool parent. The speaker lineup did not disappoint.

Here is a recording of the event:

The launch did what it was supposed to do. Not only did it introduce the book to the world, but the event launched the book to an Amazon #1 Best Seller in Educational Reform. I am pleased about this, not for the acclaim, but that I really think these ideas need to get out there. I am excited for anything that can help spread this work to the masses to better the educational landscape.

Thanks to everyone at the launch, and thanks to you, for your interest in CBL. As I mentioned at the launch, you can really help the work by doing three things:

1) Pick up the book from Amazon

- For a price of a Starbucks coffee you can help support the work of connections-based learning and bring the power of the Connection Lens to your sphere of influence. Visit your country's Amazon site and search for "The Connection Lens" or go directly to the Amazon.com site here: bit.ly/CBLbook2

 

2) Use the book

- Read the book. Use the material in your work. Start a book club and read it with your colleagues. Put these ideas into practice to develop your own connection lens.

3) Review the book

- 5-Star reviews are a great way to get these ideas noticed. Connections-based learning is a grassroots initiative that is bottom up, not top down. The more positive reviews, the more we can get our message out there: human connection makes a difference.

Here is a taste of the book:

And again, thanks for your support. Together we can make classrooms a place of meaning, motivation, and a chance to make a difference for children everywhere.

Free Book! New Book Launch!!

 

I am very excited to share with the CBL blog devotees a first look at a special opportunity. I have been hinting at a new CBL book in the works and it is finally here. Connections-based Learning: A Framework for Teaching and Learning in a Connected World started the conversation on leveraging connection in our teaching. But the three lenses of CBL needed drilling down. I began work on a book that would focus on the first of the three lenses, the Connection Lens. Entitled The Connection Lens: Teach with the Power of Human Connection, this new work helps any educator begin approaching teaching with a mindset of connection. The book will be available starting November 7th, 2020 and I want to launch it with a bang. Head to bit.ly/CBLparty to sign up for a spot to join the release party. 

Now, more than ever, we need to harness human connection and so I am excited to get this book out. With a foreword by Dr. Jen Williams and an afterword by Ziauddin Yousafzai, Malala's father, the ideas in this book are well supported by researchers in the education community. The online book launch party over Zoom planned for November 7th is at 7am Pacific Time and I would love to have you join this event. Educators around the world will be joining myself and friends to hear about this new work. This early time is to accommodate a global audience. Daylight Savings Time changes on November 1st so please check carefully what 7am PST/10am EST would look like for you on November 7.

Use this link to register: https://bit.ly/CBLparty and share the link with your friends and colleagues. Keep in mind that I only have room for 300 so register as early as you can.

FREE eBook!!

On the leadup to The Connection Lens launch party, I will be offering the eBook of the first book in the CBL series for FREE!! Visit your preferred Amazon site and search for "Connections-based Learning" between Saturday, October 24th and Wednesday, October 28, 2020 to pick up Connections-based Learning: A Framework for Teaching and Learning absolutely FREE! 

Use this link to head directly to the site on Amazon.com: http://bit.ly/CBLbook

The Empatico Connections-based Learning Dance-off

It was my first digital dance off. There was flossing, electro-shuffling, orange justice-ing. And of course: some dabbing. And through it all, a connection was forged.

My first Empatico experience was a wonderful testament to the power of connection to develop empathy. Empatico, an initiative of the Kind company, is one of the easiest ways to connect your class for #ClassPartnerships. The platform facilitates not only with whom you connect, but how. It is like a dating service that not only sets you up with a great match but books your restaurant reservation, drives you to the rendezvous, and loads you up with snappy conversation tidbits to make you shine. Whether you have never connected your class or you are a connections-based learning veteran, if you have students ages 7-11, you have got to check out this platform.

Not sure who to connect with? Easily solved! Empatico uses info from a few quick questions to connect you with the right learning partner.

Not sure what to talk about? No problem! Empatico offers eight different topics to choose from. Each topic opens the door to your students sharing a bit about their neighbourhood, their home, their life.

Not experienced in Skype or Google Hangouts? No worries! Empatico has its own connection platform. It is as easy as clicking a button.

I am very fortunate to know Kristen Abeywardene. When I proposed setting up her grade 4/5 class with the always free Empatico app, she got down to business right away. She signed up that afternoon. Empatico used her activity choice (Local Landmarks), student age, and times available to connect us with a class in Hermosillo, Mexico.  Our students prepared info to share about their chosen landmarks: Riverview Hospital, city hall, Rogers Arena. Meanwhile, the class in Hermosillo was doing the same.

When the time for the connection came, up popped a notification. As I said, connecting was as easy as clicking a button.

After some introductions, students began to share. The student presentations were on their school laptops. I held the laptops in front of the screen as students described their landmark to their Mexican learning partners.

The students from Mexico did the same. But the conversation moved well beyond landmarks. Students began seeing what they had in common and began connecting. When the students began dancing in front of the camera as they shared their favourite dance moves, I really saw how a simple connection can spawn empathy. There was laughter, agreement, understanding.

What is empathy? Simply put, empathy is "the ability to understand and share the feelings of another" - Oxford Dictionaries . Clearly, these students were building a mutual understanding. They were seeing how they were alike. They were sharing feelings.

With empathy, there is equality. Developing sympathy is good. But it conjures up an image of inequality, like ivory tower folk looking down on the poor peasants below wondering what can be done for them. When we empathize, we share feelings. We see our commonalities. We develop a #BetterUs.

In connections-based learning, one of the aspects of #CoDesign is #EmpathizeNeeds. The idea here is that through connection, we feel the needs of another. And we come to understand how to respond. The Empatico platform sets students up to do just that.

"every time I share a person with my students, I have meaning, I have motivation, and I have a chance at empathy" - p. 91 Connections-based Learning

I encourage elementary educators to visit the Empatico site and get connected. And let me know how it goes!!