Classrooms Without Walls

Classrooms Without Walls (CWW) is an online teaching program for students in conflict zones that provides pre-service teachers with valuable opportunities to develop cultural sensitivity, innovative teaching strategies, and a sense of social responsibility.

These experiences broaden the perspective of pre-service teachers, enhance their pedagogical skills, and inspire them to make meaningful contributions to education and social justice on a global scale. CWW is an opportunity to learn to leverage digital tools, adapt curriculum materials, and employ alternative instructional methods to engage and support students effectively, to foster cultural sensitivity and deepen understanding of global issues, including the impact of conflict on education, and to recognize their role as global citizens and advocates for educational equity.

Who?

Any Bachelor of Education Student.

What?

Online teaching to students in Afghanistan and Ukraine.

When?

Fall: October to December
Winter: January to April

Where?

Online

What's Involved

Onboarding takes 1.5 hours. It provides all the details volunteers will need to prepare for the experience. We also have mentors – experienced teachers who can provide support, as well as program coordinators who will provide ongoing support.
Minimum of teaching online 1 hour a week until semester ends, plus preparing weekly lessons.

Different locations have different volunteering and subject needs:

Teachers for Afghanistan: Teach online female students residing in Afghanistan, ages 11-19. Needs include ESL (beginners, Intermediate, advanced), math, science, health, art, PE, life skills, and coding.
Teachers for Ukraine: Teach online students residing in Ukraine, ages 5-19. Needs include ESL (beginners, Intermediate, advanced), math, science, health, art, PE, life skills, and coding.

Requirements

Pre-service teachers need a current Police Information Check with Vulnerable Sector Screening (issued after May 1 of the current academic year). Students who do not already have a police check should begin this process online with their local Police station as soon as possible as police checks often take 4-6 weeks to process. Please see the Field Police Information Requirement webpage for more information on how to request a PIC-VS.

Apply a variety of mentorship strategies to support mentees’ personal, social, and academic goals
Examine a variety of approaches to teaching and learning in non-traditional educational settings
Examine how teaching and learning take place in other contexts
Examine the diverse ways children and youth experience and express knowledge, actions, and identities
Gain experience working with youth in a small group setting

Teachers for Afghanistan: Any day between 9:00 am - 7:00 pm Kabul time (starting from 7:30 pm MT)
Teachers for Ukraine: Monday to Saturday – 3:00 pm – 7:00 pm Ukraine time (starting from 6:00 am MT)

The program time commitment is a minimum of 1 hour once a week (plus preparing weekly lessons). Onboarding takes 1.5 hours.

Fall Semester Timeline

Fall 2024 Applications Open: August 28, 2024
Werklund Information Sessions:
- Cancelled; please email wse.experiential@ucalgary.ca with any questions about the Service-Learning program or to arrange for a meeting.
Fall 2024 Applications Close: September 17, 2024 for smaller programs, larger placement applications are ongoing.
Fall 2024 Placements Start: early October (program dependent)
Fall 2024 Placements End: mid-December (program dependent)

Winter Semester Timeline

Winter 2025 Applications Open: November 15, 2024
Winter 2025 Information Session: November 26, 5:00 pm (Zoom)
Winter 2025 Applications Close: Ongoing, program-dependent
Winter 2025 Placements Start: early January (program dependent)
Winter 2025 Placements End: mid-March (program dependent)

Experiential Learning Check-In & Reflection Opportunities

All participants in Experiential Learning programs are welcome and encouraged to attend at least two of the check-in & reflection sessions below as part of their program. Reflection is an incredibly important part of experiential learning. It encourages students to consider their experience so far and to adjusted as needed as they go forward through the rest of their program, or into the next step of their career.