IVECA International Virtual Schooling (IVECA) is a nonprofit organization that provides intercultural collaborative education for students from around the world. At the heart of IVECA’s program is the Live Class, a transformative virtual meeting between two classrooms from different parts of the world. The purpose of a Live Class between partners is to celebrate the end of the semester-long program and allow students to display the global citizenship they have built over a semester. This fall, IVECA has had the pleasure of meeting with teachers from China, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Tunisia, and the United States.
To prepare for the Live Class, IVECA holds a series of meetings with teachers and their international partners. These meetings are designed to help teachers and partners understand the purpose of the Live Class and to provide them with the tools they need to make the experience successful. One of the key topics discussed in the meetings is the importance of cultural sensitivity. Teachers and partners are encouraged to highlight the different perspectives of their students and to be respectful of their cultural differences while being aware of similarities.
They are also guided to create an engaging and welcoming environment for all students. Teachers from Tunisia and Korea shared their students' growing interest in visiting each other's countries while exchanging inquisitive remarks about each culture’s food. The meetings between teachers from the partner schools are an essential part of the IVECA program. They help ensure the Live Class is a positive and productive experience for every student. A teacher from South Korea shared, “My students are finding the topics challenging, but they are having so much fun in the process.”
The IVECA Live Class provides a real-time opportunity for students to discuss different cultures, enhance their global citizenship, and strengthen international friendships. Teachers can prepare students for this exquisite experience by setting up the objectives and key discussion points of students' presentations and exchanging the progress of students' projects together. A teacher joining for the first time from Korea shared how he feels much more comfortable leading the Live Class with his international partner teacher. IVECA is grateful for all of the hardworking teachers and their passion for cultivating global citizens.