A Few Words about TED:
1. “TED opened new possibilities for me: Through it, I discovered the vast possibilities through the online, connected world and participated in a course about education. I have initiated an eTwinning project with one of the other TED participants from across the Atlantic and also served as a bridge between two other TED participants and two of my colleagues who also have initiated projects together.”
-Silvia Cordero (Lund, Sweden)
2. “The TED experience gave me an opportunity to view education from a global viewpoint. In the United States we are consumed with all the buzzwords of "Common Core" and the "Race to the Top". Given an opportunity to talk with educators from around the world I thought more about how we all share a goal of educating students to be great thinkers, collaborators and engaged citizens. I was fascinated with how different countries placed different priorities on the types of things that are taught. I know one of the participants from Greece was talking about how important tourism is to their country and that was a consideration in how they built their curriculum. The use of technology used in TED also brought home the fact that our students will be adults engaging with people around the world in their future. The need to clearly communicate and collaborate is an important skill that I needed for TED, and our students will need in the future. Finally, it was a little discomforting that I could only speak English with any fluency and the participants from other countries were so multilingual.”
–Tracy Hubbard (Evanston, Illinois USA)
3. “The participation in TED was a very great experience.I got connections with people all over the world and we exchanged ideas and experiences and with some of them I have connections on Facebook or eTwinning. I shared this experience with my Albanian and Mediterranean colleagues in a meeting in Athensand most of them expressed the desire to apply in TED 2016. I shared some information about it to students for their Master’s degreethesis. TED for me is the best opportunity to get up to date information about education all over the world. Happy to be part of it.”
-Almida Cercizaj (Vlorë, Albania)
4. “This unique program provided us a dynamic educational environment which valued and embraced diversity perfectly. European and American educators collaborated together and showed a spectrum of disciplines, cultures and ideas, which together created a beautiful rainbow of common products. I hope I get such chances again in life as from them you just get to win and lose nothing.”
-Mirjeta Domi (Burrel, Albania)
5. “TED broadened my horizons. I saw how teachers from other countries worked, the problems they face, their educational systems, how they deal with problems likebullying, childrenof different religions, ethnics and backgrounds etc.I liked working together with my group, communicating with colleagues from so many countries and I alsoliked the casual chatting I had with them. In conclusion, it was a wonderful experience.
-Chryssoula Skarlatou (Lagkadas, Greece)
6. “I am so glad that there will be a new TED 2016, so I will learn much more about other ways to approach teaching. It means to get to know teaching in all its varieties, for any type of students, in so many different countries, with its educational systems and politics, cultural backgrounds and aims. These aims are at the same time very close, as we all want to educate wonderful young people, and - on the other hand are absolutely different, as our ways to imagine the present and future lives of our children depend on how we live now and how we interpret the world. TED did show me that there are many different ways to approach education, for example, inclusion, language teaching, arts, school organization, teacher training, etc. I enjoyed all of the sessions and was able to introduce new Ideas in my teaching and teacher training. Thanks a lot for the possibility to participate again.”
-Lili Aignesberger (El Ejido, Spain)
7. “TED has enhanced my educationalpractice throughexposure to numerous multi-cultural and multi-lingual strategies.Our online communitypromotes an environment of inclusiveness and open discussion where educators can debate and present global educational practice and theory.”
-Samantha Mulford-Philiphs (Land O’Lakes, Florida USA)
8. "TED made me think about method of teaching in my country (Poland) and about testing skills and knowledge using ready-made tests.In Poland everything is tested, but sharing experiences with teachers from Europe and America, I feel that is the wrong way..."
-Renata Matsili (Czyowice, Poland)
9. “To me, TED was a way to just learn about education in a different perspective than I had previously thought about it before. I didn't have any idea just how different teachers and education systems were until I joined the TED. Even more, I was able to work and connect to many different teachers globally, which was such a worthwhile experience. And last, but not least, I learned that kids are kids no matter where in the world.”
-Jeremy Lin (Naperville, Illinois USA)
10. '' TED is for me a unique chance to communicate, to learn, to share, to exchange ideas and thoughts with other teachers in a community that does not acknowledge borders, literal or other, among people! TED 'classroom' helps me become a more conscious and active teacher by enabling me to move beyond my own experience and knowledge and helps me better raise cultural awareness in the era of globalization'.”
-Triantafyllia Vrana (Myrina Limnos, Greece)
11. “This was one of the best dialogues I have ever attended. Meeting friends and colleagues and talking about different topics was one of the key points that I was hardly waiting for the webinar. This encouraged all of us to think creatively and to share our experiences concerning education in our countries. Past two years participating in the Dialogue I have changed my views and I managed to implement a lot of it in my teaching. As a teacher and a teacher trainer I am looking for next TED 2016. Our moderator Lucinda Morgan was organizing the webinars perfectly, she is one of the reasons we worked so hard, she motivated us and gave us freedom in our thinking, she was also a great support for all we needed during our presentations.“
- Karolina Nedelkovska (Bitola, Macedonia)
12. “TED was for me a great experience that bring new ideas, some of them already implemented in my classroom with a huge success. TED showed me the teaching realities in other countries and really opened my mind to other issues beyond school. I can say that, even at distance, some of us become really good friends. The best of all, though, is Lucinda Morgan who made all of this possible.”
-Rui Patricio (Alverca do Ribatejo, Portugal)
13. “TED gave me general overview /idea of global education. I could see that in other countries there are the same problems as in my country and I could learn new solutions. Some of solutions, newly introduced in my country, had been tried out in other countries and ended in failure -it would be great to share TED's ideas with the representatives of our governments to avoid such situations. Participating in an event where you can meet people from all around the world, gives a lot of good energy and motivation. It makes it possible to learn much from other educators and to see and understand new things.”
- Katarzyna Pietraszko (Kocierz Moszczanicki, Poland)
14. TED is the best project I have been a part of. Why? Because it gave me information that I cannot find anywhere else.It gives me competence and knowledge I cannot get from other sources. When I decided to join TED, I didn’t have any clue that it would change my mind. What do I mean? I mean that TED helped me to get to know about many aspects of the teaching and educational systems around the world. In TED, I was the only Bulgarian. I was teaching at a small vocational school, near Varna and I could not believed that my experience and my competences would be found to be as useful by the all participants. Here is the moment that I must say THANKS to Lucinda Morgan because she worked very hard to make TED bringing lessons, conferences, studies at one place via Internet. What I see is the fact that all of us, who live and work in Europe, Asia, USA, Africa, have the same problems, the same dreams. Some methods of working are the same. Nobody of us knew it before. We had the chance to discuss, to help each other, to get to know each other and the most important-to be friends although we have not met. This is TED. What I think is that TED must be given as a sample how things should go. I really hope that TED will gain more and more participant friends in the future.
-Evgeni Raychev (Varna, Bulgaria)
15. "T.E.D. as a new form of transatlantic cooperation represents to me a totally new experience that has significantly enriched my professional CV. I am proud of all the new knowledge, new friends and acquaintances, and the opportunity to worthily present Croatia and how happy I am to be part of a great world educational system."
-Nataša Ljubić Klemše, (Bjelovar, Croatia)
16. “Participating in the TED- programme spring 2015 has turned out to be very valuable for me and my workplace for a number of reasons:
-The webinar wasn’t ready-made, participants were given a structure and a platform to cooperate and collaborate meaning that valuable knowledge in Europe and the US was shared.
-I work at a resource centre for language acquisition and globalization and learning from colleagues abroad has meant more resources to my workplace.
-Working asymmetric (cooperate) and symmetric (collaborate) meant that discussions were kept ‘alive’ and deadlines were held. Lucinda was a real expert in using the platform, organizing, including and rounding off which added to my motivation.
-I feel confident in adapting webinars to my workplace now.”
-Marie Søgård Fink (Sonderborg, Denmark)
17. “Sharing the ideas, working together with other colleagues from all around the world, realizing similarities and differences between your country and other countrieswere all amazing experiences for me. ... But the most importing thing it made me feel valuable.”
-Inci Yilmaz Simsek (Kirklareli, Turkey)
18. “With TED, there are no borders, no divisions. Our goal is unified. TED allows me to interact with peers around the globe and provides a means to share educational methods on how to better engage my students. The program enables participants to collaborate creative ideas and discover ways to help make this world a better place through education. I am thankful for the personal growth TED provides by helping me to become a better educator, and a better person."
-Kit Brown (Homer, Illinois)
19. “TED is a great virtual experience. Not only has it increased opportunities for building education-related connections around the globe, but it has also helped me improve my cultural competence and take action as a global citizen. I look forward to participating in future TED projects.”
-Barbara Zielonka (Nannestad, Norway)
20. “Once you start TED, you can't give up because it is addictive.Even if you have lessons early in the morning you can't help joining each session. I have been involved in three TED online programs since 2012 and it has beenone ofthe best possible ways of extending my professional development.Thanks to TED program I had the opportunity to meet best of the best teachers from all over Europe and the USA. TED,indeed, hashad an amazing impact on my teaching and professional development.”
-Ümit Çiçek (Trabzon, Turkey)
21. “The Transatlantic Educators Dialogue is a unique diplomatic educationalprogram with the best educational leaders in the US and in Europe whoare given the opportunity toexchange on comparative educational systems and philosophies. In a global and competitive world,The Transatlantic Educators Dialogue actsas a possibility for educational leaders to join efforts to reflect, rethink and reshape our cultural perceptions on education to empower our future generations.”
-Fabrice Fresse (Huntersville, North Carolina USA)
22. “I was intrigued by the possibilities of the online classroom software, and the ability of people around the world to find a place to meet and present a wide variety ofideas, perceptions, and perspectives on issues and possible solutions which are common to classrooms around the world.”
-Nicolas Bardo (Tampa, Florida USA)
23. “It was great to discuss 21st century skills and education worldwide with colleagues sharing my same enthusiasm and commitment: my experience with Ted was instructing and revealing and it allowed me to establish new working contacts and to make friends with educators from different countries and even continents. It provided me with a new insight into didactics. Thank you for this wonderful opportunity!”
-Ida Balzano (Anzio, Italy)
24. “Participation in TED has helped me to realize that teachers from distant places speak the same language, have the same interests, and we are concerned about the same issues. During the sessions I felt part of the group "teachers in the world".I have many emails and I like to think I can get in touch with any member of the group in case I need professional help.”
-Maribel Andres (Logrono, Spain)
25. “TED gave a me a sense of collegiality... Irrespective of our nationalities & working context, we share the same challenge & strive to find answers. It made be feel that I'm in journey with ours, not on my own. Together, we will not change the World, but might have a thin influence.“
-Tony Mizzi (Valletta, Malta)
26. "I have participated in TED for three years, and each year I am inspired by teachers from around Europe and the U.S. to be more innovative and more connected beyond my classroom. The presentations each week highlight great teachers who are willing to share their knowledge and expertise. It's like the recharge from going to a conference, but every week. Last year I got a kick out of telling my students I was presenting with a teacher from Norway. When I told them we were meeting to plan the presentation, my students wanted to know where we were meeting. The idea of working online with someone so far away didn't cross their mines, but my experience with TED makes it seem normal."
-Catherine Mein (Huxley, Iowa USA)