TEL.A.VISION Brings Teachers & Students Together

“Teaching is about building relationships with your students,” says Jim Amaral, Global Concepts teacher at Oak-Land Junior High, who has brought TEL.A.VISION to 700 seventh graders during the past year.  Jim will tell you that one of the greatest gifts of TEL.A.VISION is not only witnessing students learn more about themselves, but that the process truly builds stronger relationships between students and their teachers, parents and peers.

Jim sees students, who might not normally participate in class or complete assigned work, choosing to engage in the TEL.A.VISION project.  The students are truly enjoying the multi-faceted approach which incorporates their creativity and multiple technologies.

Photo by Andy Blenkush of the Stillwater Courier/Lake Elmo Leader

As a result of this experience, future Oak-Land 7th graders will continue to create their own TEL.A.VISION.  The students have enjoyed the project so much that Mr. Amaral is working with students to identify additional global topics/assignments to which they can communicate their work via TEL.A.VISION.  The next step for Oak-Land is to collaborate with students in other schools, states, even countries to share student visions for their lives and their world.

The key to the success of TEL.A.VISION is having students share their videos.  In sharing, everyone gains insight into not only that student, but themselves as well.  The whole basis for TEL.A.VISION is to give students the opportunity to spread their visions of hope and possibility throughout the world.  In the process, unique visions combine to achieve a common goal of peace.