On Thursday, October 27, 2016, K-5 teachers from across North America and beyond clicked on a simple link and were joined together online for a live-streamed participatory event they enjoyed from the comfort of the classroom!
We celebrated the end of Connected Educator Month with songs, stories, movement, laughter, and learning during the 2nd annual “Largest Online Gathering of K-5 Classrooms (ever!).”
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At 1:15pm eastern time/10:15am pacific time, performer and teaching artist Dave Ruch appeared on screen, live from his home studio in Buffalo NY, to lead K-5 students in an interactive singalong!
Students got to move, think, laugh, learn, respond to questions, and enjoy a shared experience with classrooms just like theirs from across North America and beyond.
The program ran ~30 minutes.
“Thank you for making this possible for the students…much love to you from our 1st grade!”
-Ms. Leann Deibel, Orrville Elementary School, Orrville OH
Registrations came in from each of the following states, territories, provinces, and countries…
Alberta
British Columbia
Manitoba
New Brunswick
Newfoundland
Nova Scotia
Ontario
Prince Edward Island
Quebec
Saskatchewan
Ecuador
India
Pakistan
Puerto Rico
South Africa
Ukraine
Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming
Thank you so much to all the teachers and students from near and far that joined together online for this event. It was absolutely thrilling to see classrooms checking in on the Chat board from Manitoba, Florida, Ontario, Idaho, and all across North America.
We had schools registered from 48 states and Puerto Rico (where were you Delaware and New Hampshire?!) plus 10 Canadian provinces and territories, and 5 other countries.
I’ll be posting your videos and pictures right here as I receive them.
Dave
Many thanks to the great folks at Zoom for providing the technology that will make this event possible!
Zoom unifies cloud video conferencing, simple online meetings, group messaging, and a software-based conference room solution into one easy-to-use platform. The Zoom solution offers the best video, audio, and screen-sharing experience across Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Blackberry, Zoom Rooms, and H.323/SIP room systems.
Dave Ruch
is a Buffalo NY-based performer and teaching artist who has been extensively involved in the arts-in-education field since 1995, using music to teach core curriculum and inspire young learners.
Through school assemblies, workshops, residencies, and distance learning programs, he works with tens of thousands of students each year in preschool, primary, elementary, intermediate, middle and high school settings.
Ruch is also a Public Scholar for the New York Council for the Humanities, and a contributor to the Huffington Post on arts, education, and music topics.
“This was FABULOUS! I will definitely recommend this to every teacher I know!”
– Lauren Collier, Fifth Grade Teacher, Parkway School, Boone NC
23 Responses to We Made History Again!
Have questions or looking for booking information? Call Dave at 716-998-2001, or send him a message below.
I love this idea! I often have my students sing Christmas Charols. and they LOVE it. They start off shy but then they love it. I have 6th graders and wonder if you know of a group that includes 6th graders? My students are in a Special Day Class and love to sing. I would love to have them be involved in and participate in something so awesome!
Hi Ana – Yes, a couple of options for your 6th graders. I offer live online concerts for schools on a variety of topics that can be customized for a 6th grade audience, and there are also pre-recorded interactive videos of several of my programs than can be rented for a five-day period of your choice. You can find info on all of that on the virtual programs page.
Hope that helps, and please let me know if any questions.
Hi!
I think this is a wonderful idea! Do you have a date in 2020? I am hoping it is also in June and that I haven’t missed it… It is probably somewhere on your website, I will dig deeper.
Thanks again!
Elodie (LA)
Hello Elodie – no plans to do this exact event again, but I have lots of online concerts and video content for students all throughout the year. You can see all the options on the following page (click here)
I hate I am just learning of this great connection- today is 10/28. I teach Kinders in SC – USA and was curious if you will be planning another connection in the spring? I would love for my class to to connect!!!
Grace Toler
Christ Church Episcopal School
Hi Grace – I’m sorry you missed this event, but there are many more scheduled throughout the year. You can find the full schedule by clicking right here.
Our Red Mill Elementary Kindergartners (the Red Mill Mickey’s) enjoyed singing along. Especially the last song, “Sasha”! Who knew they could keep up with you! Faster and Faster. They loved it. Thanks for giving us this opportunity.. We are so glad we participated and hope to do it again next year.
Thanks Lisa, so glad you could be there!
We gathered 100+ 3rd graders together in our school for this event. They had so much fun and were engaged and really thought that you could see them the interaction was so great. Thank you for this amazing experience!
Hi Virginia – I’m so glad to hear that! Thanks for being there.
What a fun program! The students were engaged, and enthusiastic. We loved your comments to the children that made it seem you were right here. Well done! My one suggestion would be that the part where you were reading the chat comments was too long. You lost my students there. We do sing along every week in Grades K, 1, and 2, so it was terrific to bring them all together to do one “with” others.
Kathy – thanks for the valuable feedback, and so glad you could participate.
Thank you for the concert. We really enjoyed it. We love your songs. You are funny.
Funny LOOKING, maybe! So glad you had fun.
SUPEr fun i loved it LOL
Hi Jacqueline – so glad you had fun!
We loved it! So much fun!
I’m so glad! Thanks for being there.
hey dude
Hoping I can get some of our teachers to sign their class up for this free event. Sounds like fun!
I hope so too, Lisa!
I registered for this event and then realized that we would be finished school for the day by the time it starts. I’m very disappointed that our class cannot take part.
Sorry to hear that Tracy. I’ll make sure to send you the video so you can use it the next day.