What is Play It Forward Play It Forward

What is Play It Forward? • Play It Forward is an initiative in the TCDSB Year of the Family which demonstrates our Faith in Action Through Innovation. • Four TCDSB schools will participate in the program throughout the 2015/16 school year. • St. Andre, St. Anselm, Michael Power/St. Joseph’s and Madonna Catholic Secondary School. (ALL students must have the necessary Student Information Release Form to participate) TO OBTAIN A COPY OF THIS FORM PLEASE CLICK THE FOLLOWING: https: //www. tcdsb. org/schools/jamesculnan/aboutus/School. Handbook/Documents/release. pdf • Students will participate in a charitable cause/initiative in their own school community and then share their experience with their partner school via Skype in a videoconference dialogue online.

What is Play It Forward? • Play It Forward is a way to continue the work completed in the Year of Charity in the TCDSB as we move forward into the Year of the Family in 2015/16. • By putting our faith into action, students will then be able to communicate with others within the TCDSB via Skype to discuss what it is they have done in their communities. • All schools will then participate in a Skype Videoconference session, discussing with one another, What they did, Who they gave to, What they experienced, and What charity looks like in their community. • Play It Forward will use the Ontario Catholic Graduate Expectations, and TCDSB Virtues of the Month as a framework for each component.

Ontario Catholic Graduate Expectations • Teachers are invited to use Ontario Catholic Graduate Expectations as a criteria/guideline for their students participating in Play It Forward. Below is a link which provides information on the OCGE’s (Ontario Catholic Graduate Expectations). https: //www. tcdsb. org/forstudents/graduateexpectations/Pages/default. aspx TCDSB Virtues of the Month • Individual classes will decide when they will participate in My City/My Service. The TCDSB virtues of the month are great incentives to help determine the Play It Forward charity events. https: //www. tcdsb. org/board/nurturingourcatholiccommunity/virtueofthemonth/pages/defa ult. aspx

Play It Forward Must Haves? • In order to participate in Play It Forward, each school must have; • A computer/lap top with camera capability. Please make sure your laptop is fully charged or being charged during the Videoconference. • A microphone set up near the computer/laptop for students to speak into. • A projector to help with visual presentations • A single chair should be set up for the ‘speaker’ with all other students seated behind the ‘speaker’ and visible. • It’s important for the other class who is not speaking at any given moment to remain quiet so the speaker is heard. It is important that each class engage in a true dialogue and listen respectfully to the other’s explanation of their charity event and activities

What is Play It Forward? • Play It Forward consists of 5 distinct components: 2 1 Charities Year of Family Online Etiquette Online Dialogue 4 3 My City My Service Continue the Conversatio 5 n

§ 1 Online Etiquette Students are invited to speak to one another about their experience while facilitating their respective charitable event. While doing so, students are reminded to be respectful during the online discussion with their partner school. Online Etiquette, is a component which assists both teachers and students with the guidelines to facilitate a rich, inclusive experience for all involved. Students are well equipped to take part in discussion and debate, but that building mutually respectful and meaningful dialogue, even amongst those same students, requires careful focus. This is why Online Etiquette is an integral part of Play It Forward.

§ 2 Charities • A comprehensive list of charities within the GTA are available for all students participating in Play It Forward. • TCDSB schools are invited to use the list of charities provided or submit the name of the charity of choice prior to the Online Dialogue date. • Schools will be asked to submit a number of dates to robert. gallo@tcdsb. org in which their school will be available to engage in their online Skype discussion with their partner school. • Below is a link which will assist in a list of approved charities used in the TCDSB. Included are contact info/locations as well. https: //www. tcdsb. org/Board/Nurturing. Our. Catholic. Community/Pastoral. Plan. Archives/Year. Of. Charity/Second ary. Resources/Documents/Year%20 of%20 Charity%20 -%20 Overview%20 of%20 Catholic%20 Charities%20 Community%20 Service%20 Opportunities. pdf

§ 2 Charities • Schools should look at assisting a family as their initiative. The new three year pastoral plan “Family Parish and School begins in 2015/16 as we focus on the family. • Schools can assist a family in their community, or abroad. The way in which they assist the family selected, or families, is completely up the class involved in Play It Forward. • Play It Forward gathers what we have learned during the years of Faith, Hope and Charity, and uses these as we move forward in our new plan.

§ 3 My City/My Service Putting Faith into Action Through Innovation The following are questions for teachers to consider when organizing the charitable event their class will be participating in with Play It Forward. • • • What preparation was done by the group before the charitable event? What were certain roles performed by students? Who were they helping? How did they come to this decision? Did they record their findings? Why help others? As part of this Play It Forward package, is a Q&A Page to assist students with the work they did in helping others. This Q&A Page is encouraged to be brought to the Play It Forward Spring Celebration. This form is available on the following slide.

§ 4 Online Dialogue Guided Questions for Teachers/Students • Introductions: Speak to your school; • When on camera, introduce yourself, ‘State your name, and age, before speaking’ • What grade/class are you in at your school? • Where is your school located? • What are some of your interests? • What are some exciting things that happen at your school? • ALWAYS end a comment online with ‘Thank You’ so those watching know you are finished speaking.

§ 4 Online Dialogue My City/My Service… Guided Questions for Teachers/Students • • Who did you decide to help? How did your class come to this decision? What did you do as a class? How did you feel about the experience? Why is helping others important? What TCDSB Virtues of the Month and/or Ontario Catholic Graduate Expectations were evident in this work? Was your initiative related to the TCDSB Year of the Family? Is there anything your class plans on doing next as a result of this experience?

§ 5 Continue The Conversation • After the Videoconference between schools, students are invited to continue communicating with one another through the following ways; • Blogging • Google Docs • Creating writing pieces/artwork to send to their partner school. • Ongoing Skype conversations throughout the year with their partner school. • Students can decide how they would like to continue the conversation with their partner school as well.

§Play It Forward Spring Celebration • After the Skype Videoconferences between schools, all classes in Play It Forward will be invited to the Catholic Education Centre (80 Sheppard Ave. East) at a date to be determined to participate in an assembly and culminating mass to celebrate what they have done with regards to Play It Forward. • Attached to this package is an Excursion Form for teachers and the Play It Forward Spring Celebration. • Families of the students will also be invited to celebrate in the mass as well