This is a playbook by Free Intelligent Conversation (FreeIC) on how to host a Virtual FreeIC Classroom Session. The goal of the Virtual FreeIC Classroom Session is to connect students of different classrooms to bring them together to share ideas. This is a step-by-step guide for teachers on how to set up a virtual FreeIC session with another classroom. If you have any questions please contact FreeIC at contact@freeic.org.
Step 1: Identify a Classroom to Partner With 👨🏫👩🏫
Find another classroom that would be interested in a joint virtual session
If you cannot identify another classroom, please contact FreeIC at contact@freeic.org and we’ll help you get connected to other interested classrooms
Step 2: Coordinate Meeting Logistics ⏰
Date & Time
We recommend a length between 60-90 mins
We recommend creating a calendar invite once these items are confirmed
Video technology
We recommend using Zoom because of its breakout room feature
Step 3: Organize Breakout Rooms 📝
Confirm the number of students joining from each classroom
Decide on the number of breakout rooms needed for the session
We recommend 2-6 students per breakout room
Identify a breakout room leader
The role of the breakout room leader will be to guide the conversations and to encourage participation from everyone in their breakout group. They will keep everyone on task and serve as a moderator for their group.
We recommend having 1 leader per breakout room
Assign students to a breakout room
Ideally, you should have an equal number of students from each classroom per breakout room
An easy way to do this is to assign numbers. For example, if there are 6 breakout rooms, number the students 1-6, and have them join their assigned breakout room.
Step 4: Schedule Rehearsal Call 🎤
This call should include the teachers of both classrooms and breakout room leaders
The purpose of this call:
Test the technology you’ll be using. Make sure you’re comfortable and familiar with the features. Specifically:
Breakout room functionality
Assigning people to breakout rooms
Joining breakout rooms
Ending breakout rooms
Admitting people into the call
Muting people
Removing people from the call
Making others co-host
Finalize logistic and session details
Make sure everyone is on the same page
Answer any questions
Confirm conversation topics
Confirm if you want students to talk about a specific subject related to the course or if you want students to talk about whatever they’d like
If you’d like to have students speak about whatever they’d like, we recommend having breakout room leaders use the FreeIC Questions at the bottom of this document to help guide the conversations
Note: Breakout leaders should be guiding the conversations, not forcing them any which way
Create an agenda for the call
This can be a very high level. We’ve used one as simple as:
Intro/Kick-off
Breakout Sessions
Closing
Create a troubleshooting protocol
Identify who will be the primary point of contact for:
Student questions
Technical issues
General inquires
Step 5: Have Fun 🥳
You’re ready to rock and roll. Be sure to have a good time!
Don’t forget to take photos/ screenshots!
Following the session reach out to Free Intelligent Conversation and/or Heterodox Academy to let us know how it went.
Looking for other classrooms to FreeIC with? Or additional classroom resources to promote conversation?
We recommend checking out our partners at Heterodox Academy!
FreeIC Questions
If happiness was the national currency, what kind of work would make you rich?
If the average human life span was 40 years, how would you live your life differently?
What's something you know you do differently than most people?
What would you do differently if you knew nobody would judge you?
Which character in a book or movie best describes who you are?
If you could travel back in time and meet yourself as a 10-year-old what advice would you want to give yourself?
If you could stop a bad habit that you have, what would you stop?
If you could meet any person, dead or alive, who would it be and why?
If you had everyone in the world’s undivided attention for 20 minutes, what would you tell us?
When you think of home, what immediately comes to mind?
What can you do today that you couldn't do a year ago?
What would constitute a “perfect” day for you?
If you could wake up tomorrow having gained any one quality or ability, what would it be?
If you could change anything about the way you were raised, what would it be?
What absolutely excites you right now?
You can find additional FreeIC Questions here.