Thursday, May 29, 2008

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Unleash the kids on the world...

Well, we've started.  I have a small group of students trialling  blogging as an alternative to their regular digital portfolios.  The kids currently use PowerPoint to showcase their years work.  This small group are going to use blogger as a means to reflect on work, ask questions, survey people and of course, showcase their own work.  I hope you will drop by and leave them a comment now and then.  You can find a link to their blogs over to the right... warning - they really have just started and are still setting them up!
On my list so far are
and T

Monday, May 26, 2008

My inspiration...

I use technologies naturally and seamlessly within my day to day life.  I love Flickr, my iPod, blogging (though that seems less and less), iTunes, my mobile phone, Skype, Google Earth and Facebook.  The list could go on and on and on.  I get very frustrated at the hurdles I need to jump over to implement it within my classroom.  This is blocked and that is blocked.  Something is recommended on a Monday and blocked by Wednesday.  Ahhhhhh!  I have been blogging since early 2004 and just now, the education dept seems keen to take it on.  Social networking is big in the real world but blocked at school... By the time they catch on to that, it'll be a thing of the past too.  I don't want to seem like I'm just giving up.  I believe you need to be wary and careful with security on the net when dealing with kids but I also believe that is about educating them and their families.  Education into safe practice.  I also feel it is up to parents and teachers to monitor younger students and their use of the net, even when they are just playing 'games'.  I don't think the answer is a blanket ban on a site that may (through a million steps) lead to adult content.

I went to an innovations conference recently.  We presented so missed all of the workshops.  That didn't matter though as we were lucky enough to listen to the keynote speakers.  I was very excited by the prospect of listening to the following teacher...
His name is Andrew Douch.  Andrew works at a high school in Shepparton and uses all kinds of technologies to enhance his biology classroom.  He teaches years 11 and 12 (16-18 year olds) and believes that we have to take advantage of the technologies most of them own such as mobile phones and MP3 players.  He creates and broadcasts a popular biology podcast available to anyone through iTunes.  Through this resource, anyone in the world can become his student.  Andrew also uses Facebook, Skype and MSN to connect with his students.  He is available 24 hours a day.  This may sound daunting to some but to me it is just exciting.  The students understand he has a private life and only contact him when needed.  He marks his MSN as away if he is busy but students know that if it indicates available, they are free to chat!  I am planning to try some of his ideas within my own classroom so stay posted... Thanks especially to Andrew!

Thursday, May 22, 2008

Brrrrr...

With nine days to go until winter officially starts, I am officially cold.  I know other places on this glorious planet reach much, MUCH colder temperatures than us, but it is getting near to what we consider cold.
There was a frost on my car this morning as I left for work.  The car ambient temperature placed outside at 5 degrees celsius.  COLD!
The thing that we are lucky about is the high for day.  The mornings start very fresh (cold in my opinion) but the mid day high reaches around 18 degrees.  LOVELY!
Perfect weather for sleeping in a warm, cosy bed and getting out and about on days when you don't have to work!

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

I miss this space...

It is funny how something can consume you for so long and practically take over your life and the next minute lay forgotten.  I used to blog all the time.  These days there are various reasons that blogging seems to have stopped.  I am so busy with school, Facebook (though I don't use that that much) and of course Flickr.  I also believe that the audience isn't out there as much as it was.  I don't mean the world wide audience of strangers but more the friend type of audience.  Who actually reads blogs these days?  Who leaves comments?  Should I continue?

I wonder what you think...

Anyway, I am going to try to get back on the horse and update this space far more often.  Please drop by from time to time.  I love catching up with you here...