The following are responses to frequently asked questions about OneWorld Classrooms:
1. What happened to the Creative Connections Project and how have you changed? The Creative Connections Project started as a small Arts in Education project linking New York and Amazon Rain Forest classrooms and grew to involve classrooms from all over the US and around the world. OneWorld Classrooms, a new nonprofit organization, is the next step in our evolution. Our mission and our programs remain essentially the same and, as a nonprofit, we hope to replicate, refine and expand the original model to offer quality cross-cultural educational experiences for more schools around the world.
2. We are outside the USA. May we join? Yes, we welcome schools from every country in the world to participate. Many of our programs are FREE for schools in some world regions (see our registration form to see if your school qualifies). Schools outside the USA that register for programs with fees must make payments in American dollars (via a certified International Money Order, a bank transfer, etc.).
3. I homeschool. May we join? Yes, we welcome homeschools to participate; but sign up for class options not school options. All homeschools with fewer than 10 students may register for all programs for half price. The discount is reflected on the last page of the registration form, just before you submit the form.
4. How can we get our school community involved? See our Make a Difference, Parents and Volunteers pages.
5. Do you still sell videos featuring partner classes in the Amazon Rain Forest, Africa, the Galapagos Islands and China? No, videos are now available on our FREE Electronic Cultural Exchange Library.
6. How can we make a significant difference in the overseas schools we are exchanging with? Many of the overseas schools we work with are needy. Your class/school can make a difference simply by participating in the project: The project opens up the world to participating students and helps them to build self-esteem as they share about themselves. You may go a step further, however, by participating in our Make a Difference program. Proceeds go towards the purchase of art materials, books, bookmaking materials, audiovisual equipment, computers and computer accessories for partner schools in the Amazon, Latin America, China and Africa.
7. Our school requires that payment for registration go through our business office. How should I handle that? The easiest way is to list your purchase order number in the Payment Options section of the registration form. We will immediately send an invoice to your business office and activate your registration. Or, if you don't know the purchase order number at the time you are registering, mail us the purchase order as soon as it is available and we will send you an invoice. (Registration will be activated upon our receipt of your purchase order or purchase order number.) Alternatively, you may simply pay with a check.
8. We are planning to register. When can we begin once we do? Access to the project's FREE Travel & Learn Online content is available throughout the school year. You will gain access (username and password) upon registration. If you are participating in our Global Connections, you may participate any time during the school year. If you are participating in our Classroom Connections, we will match you with a partner class/school after we have received your payment or purchase order. You will determine exchange timing (and other exchange details) with a Project Liaison at your partner school. The deadline for all completing all exchanges is May 1st, 2008 (though you and your partner teacher may determine a different schedule/deadline.)
9. Can I access the FREE Travel & Learn Online content without signing up? No. The content is free, but are password-protected and require registration. Teachers who register for Global Connections or Classroom Connections automatically gain access to the free content.
10. We can't join this year, but would like to participate next year. Can we get on a waiting list? Yes, send us an E-mail to robin@oneworldclassrooms.org and tell us your name, school name, E-mail address and grade level and we will put you on the waiting list. We will then inform you when registration is open for the next school year.
