WOR Radio New York City - The John Gambling Show
 |
 |
To hear The John Gambling Show interview, click icon below.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is On Giants' Shoulders?
There is great controversy about education reform and accountability. However, a student’s qualitative and quantitative success will be sabotaged by a lack of motivation.
No matter what approach is used to educate or quantitatively assess the progress of a child, a motivated student will have greater success than an unmotivated one.
On Giants' Shoulders is a high school/college student-run program that uses web cameras and the internet to motivate elementary and middle school students (especially in schools in underserved neighborhoods). A group of students from a high school or college is paired with a group of elementary or middle school students. Each member of each group is then paired on a one-to-one basis according to individual interests.
Does this involve homework help or tutoring?
No!
If it does not involve homework help or tutoring, then what?
By harnessing the power of peer motivation, the younger students are encouraged and inspired to excel academically and socially, to become excited about learning and to respect their teachers, schools and the learning process.
What do you mean by peer motivation?
Many younger students, for various reasons, do not consider it “cool” to be studious, especially in group situations such as in the classroom. This manifests in behavior ranging from a simple lack of enthusiasm about learning to, in some cases, disruptive conduct and outward disrespect towards the teacher and school. Academically accomplished older peers can be powerful role models. This is further enhanced by basing the older/younger student pairings according to interests (such as sports, music etc.).
Why videoconferencing over the internet? Why not motivate the children face to face?
By “chatting” over the internet we save a lot of time and eliminate traveling expenses. And it is also much “greener”.
Any future goals for On Giants' Shoulders?
The goal is for this simple yet effective program to spreads to schools across the country and even globally. It has been accepted for listing with the National Service Learning Clearinghouse website.
How easy will it be for other students to start a branch of On Giants' Shoulders in their schools?
Very easy. A complete, step by step guide can be found at www.OnGiantsShoulders.org along with a database we are building of high school groups and elementary and middle school classes that are ready to begin using the program.
How did you come up with the idea?
My older cousin, who was a recent college graduate in her first teaching position, told me she was having a horrible time with her students. They disrespected her, wouldn’t learn and refused to even listen to her. But it dawned on me that children in elementary and middle school wouldn’t do that to a high school student. They know that it wasn’t very long ago that we were their age so we know all the tricks. We are not authority figures. To them, we are students who, except for being older, have a lot in common with them . They also see us as role models and that is why we can be so effective in motivating them.
How much time is involved?
Once a week online chats usually last approximately 10 to 15 minutes.
What is On Giants' Shoulders?
There is great controversy about education reform and accountability. However, a student’s qualitative and quantitative success will be sabotaged by a lack of motivation.
No matter what approach is used to educate or quantitatively assess the progress of a child, a motivated student will have greater success than an unmotivated one.
On Giants' Shoulders is a high school/college student-run program that uses web cameras and the internet to motivate elementary and middle school students (especially in schools in underserved neighborhoods). A group of students from a high school or college is paired with a group of elementary or middle school students. Each member of each group is then paired on a one-to-one basis according to individual interests.
Does this involve homework help or tutoring?
No!
If it does not involve homework help or tutoring, then what?
By harnessing the power of peer motivation, the younger students are encouraged and inspired to excel academically and socially, to become excited about learning and to respect their teachers, schools and the learning process.
What do you mean by peer motivation?
Many younger students, for various reasons, do not consider it “cool” to be studious, especially in group situations such as in the classroom. This manifests in behavior ranging from a simple lack of enthusiasm about learning to, in some cases, disruptive conduct and outward disrespect towards the teacher and school. Academically accomplished older peers can be powerful role models. This is further enhanced by basing the older/younger student pairings according to interests (such as sports, music etc.).
Why videoconferencing over the internet? Why not motivate the children face to face?
By “chatting” over the internet we save a lot of time and eliminate traveling expenses. And it is also much “greener”.
Any future goals for On Giants' Shoulders?
The goal is for this simple yet effective program to spreads to schools across the country and even globally. It has been accepted for listing with the National Service Learning Clearinghouse website.
How easy will it be for other students to start a branch of On Giants' Shoulders in their schools?
Very easy. A complete, step by step guide can be found at www.OnGiantsShoulders.org along with a database we are building of high school groups and elementary and middle school classes that are ready to begin using the program.
How did you come up with the idea?
My older cousin, who was a recent college graduate in her first teaching position, told me she was having a horrible time with her students. They disrespected her, wouldn’t learn and refused to even listen to her. But it dawned on me that children in elementary and middle school wouldn’t do that to a high school student. They know that it wasn’t very long ago that we were their age so we know all the tricks. We are not authority figures. To them, we are students who, except for being older, have a lot in common with them . They also see us as role models and that is why we can be so effective in motivating them.
How much time is involved?
Once a week online chats usually last approximately 10 to 15 minutes.
On Giants' Shoulders has been featured on NBC's The Today Show (see video above), WOR Radio's The John Gambling Show, on Bronx.com and in the Riverdale Review, presented at a TEDx Conference and listed in the National Service Learning Clearinghouse and the National Service Learning YouthSITE (Sharing Ideas and Tools for Engagement) (see articles, slideshow and screen shots below).
Presentation at TEDx Conference
links:
TEDx program:
http://www.ted.com/tedx/events/1565.html
TEDx Video:
http://www.livestream.com/tedxyouthdayhoracemann/video?clipId=pla_17829d7b-9a68-45e0-b535-d1ade9ba563d&utm_source=lslibrary&utm_medium=ui-thumb
Bronx.com:
http://www.bronx.com/news/Society/1107.html
National Service Learning Clearinghouse:
http://www.servicelearning.org/link/giants-shoulders
http://www.servicelearning.org/youthsite/high-school/vips/chelsead-shoulders
Riverdale Review:
http://riverdale.me/2010/08/10/fieldston-student-creates-mentoring-program-linking-private-and-public-schools/
http://www.ted.com/tedx/events/1565.html
TEDx Video:
http://www.livestream.com/tedxyouthdayhoracemann/video?clipId=pla_17829d7b-9a68-45e0-b535-d1ade9ba563d&utm_source=lslibrary&utm_medium=ui-thumb
Bronx.com:
http://www.bronx.com/news/Society/1107.html
National Service Learning Clearinghouse:
http://www.servicelearning.org/link/giants-shoulders
http://www.servicelearning.org/youthsite/high-school/vips/chelsead-shoulders
Riverdale Review:
http://riverdale.me/2010/08/10/fieldston-student-creates-mentoring-program-linking-private-and-public-schools/
