Create your profile on ATC to introduce yourself to other teachers. Browse the ATC community of teachers that have joined with this purpose. To connect with a teacher, click on “connect” to send him/her an invitation e-mail to participate in a virtual connection with your class. Together, decide on what type of activity you will participate in and determine the date, time, and any other details needed. If time zones don’t allow for a virtual connection, record a video for your partner class.

Prepare students ahead of time and build excitement. Set up will depend on whether you are teaching remotely or back in the classroom. If you are at school, you can use a computer, smartphone or tablet and a projector or TV for students to view.

Communicate with your partner teacher and decide on the type of activity you will do together. What is the learning goal? Consider your subject, standards and particular unit content. Create a tentative agenda for the virtual connection. Allot time for each class to introduce themselves and to present their information. Allow time for both groups to take turns to ask questions at the end.

Connect for worship, share a devotional thought, sing and pray together. Conduct a live science experiment, share a video demonstration or a finished project. Give a presentation on a specific topic or conduct a language exchange (each class presents in the language they are studying). Interview the other class to learn about their culture, country, geography and language. Download the teacher guide in ATC for more ideas.

Go over the agenda with your students so that each student understands what he/she is responsible for and knows when to speak. Assign each student an active role ahead of time. Greeters open the meeting and introduce the class. Presenters share prepared content with the other class. Interviewers ask predesignated questions. Photographers document the meeting while Scribes take notes or blog about the experience. The Social Media team can use the photos and notes to prepare posts to share in a newsletter or social platform. As the teacher, be ready to facilitate the call as needed. You may want to start the call and greet the partner teacher and class, and then allow students to continue with their roles. Find ideas for student roles in the teacher guide in ATC.