So you're having a hard year?

http://www.educationrethink.com/2012/12/ten-ways-to-deal-with-hard-year.html

Some good ideas for getting through the tough teaching days.  We all have them because we're only human so it's worth having a read.

Read:Communities of Practice

Reading about "Communities of Practice".

good website for other professional reading as well


http://selectedreads.com/what-are-communities-of-practice/

dyslexia and elearning

I found this site that offers information about apps and tools that can help dyslexic learners. I find that dyslexia is a difficult problem to understand but if there is a method, app or tool that we can try... that's great!

dyslexia apps and tools
 

Good app for poetry week.

I was playing around with this app and think it has potential for all ages for poetry week. 

Brainstorm words that relate to the photo. 

Children can move them around. 

Put them in different order etc. add words to make it sound right -

Voilà! A poem!

Blogging Meme

Blogging Meme

Thanks to Marcelle Natusch @MNatusch  who tagged me for this blogging meme!

The blogging task includes: 
 •Acknowledge the nominating blogger.
•Share 11 random facts about yourself
•Answer the 11 questions the nominating blogger has created for you.
•List 11 bloggers.
•Post 11 questions for the bloggers you nominate to answer, and let all the bloggers know they have been nominated. Don't nominate a blogger who has nominated you. 

11 Random Facts!!!

1. I used to live in Upper Hutt in Wellington

2. I learnt ballet for 12 years

3. I did gymnastics for 6 years after which I coached for 5 years

4. I have 3 brothers

5. I have owned 2 gorgeous dogs that I loved to pieces but I don't spend enough time at home to own one now.

6. I love being creative - I dabble in embroidery, sewing, knitting, painting, drawing, etc etc

7. I did pottery at teacher's college in Wellington.  It was so cool!!

8. I was taught to play a ukulele and a guitar at T.Coll. but I actually can't play either.

9. I wish I had learnt to play the piano

10. My favourite colour at the moment is purple.

11. A random cat strolls through my house on occasion and I have named him Randall.  He's friendly but i wouldn't try picking him up!!

My Answers to Marcelle's Questions

1. What do you love about the place you live? Please name where you live first....  Hamilton. I'd have to say the most important thing for me is the people I know here!
2. What do you love teaching the most and why?  I love teaching literacy.  I love to see the children realise that they can do it and it opens a whole new world for them.
3. What do you like doing in your spare time?  Facebook, Twitter, Stumbleupon, Pinterest.  I don't believe I'm saying that!! I also read and enjoy going out for coffee with friends.  Doing stuff with my boys is cool when they are around.
4. What is one thing you would like to change about the world?  At the moment, with what's in the news in Hamilton I would like to stop alcohol and drug abuse.  It is such an insidious problem that affects individuals and families in so many ways. 
5. Your favourite part about the holidays, I mean non-contact time. ;)  Sleeping in and having time to do what I want.
6. Name someone you admire. Jessie Hillel
7. If you could be transported back in time when and where would you go?  I have no idea, I'm sorry.
8. The first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the word "chocolate".  Chocolate mousse
9. Your favourite movie and why?  Chocolat because I watched it recently and was compelled to watch it to the end even though I'd seen it before.  I like Johnny Depp and its about chocolate.
10. Name something that you wish you could do better. Manage my time!
11. Something new you are going to try in your classroom this year. I want to set up a better daily 5 system and I want to have more fun learning activities.  I think I have moved too far away from developmental learning and there hasn't been enough hands on, experimentation and FUN!!!  for the class and the teacher.

I tag you  

@KateSmith99  @GLR_NZ  @tashmacinnes  @PethybridgeA  @kworkman401  @paularobertsnz  @reshmaph   @jaimehnew   @louise_003  @onemouse  @ColeTeo

Some Questions for You to Answer.

1. What is your favourite time of the day and why?

2. What was the last 'thing' (online or hard copy) you read?

3. How do you think NZ education could be improved - one idea only!?

4. Where would you like to take your class on a day class trip?

5. What do you like most about technology in the classroom?

6. Name three things you like to eat.

7. What is your favourite insect?

8. How often do you have to tidy your teaching space? (or is it always tidy?!?)

9. What movie would you recommend for others to watch?

10. Where do you like going out for dinner,/ coffee?

11. If you could spend 4 weeks anywhere in the world, at no expense to yourself, where would you go ( you can take a friend!)?

Thinglink app

What do you want to be when you grow up? HAPPY!

 What a great underpinning goal for your learning.

Carol Burnes on Poetry and Stories

What we can learn from poetry and story from EDtalks on Vimeo.
This brings back pleasant memories of the great times down at ICOT2013 at the beginning of the year. I went to Carol's breakout and was so impressed with her ability to be totally involved in the story or poem she was telling. Her voice and actions added so much to the message!

visible thinking

Since going to ICOT2013 I have been using more thinking skills in my programme and trying to encourag
e a sense of questioning of whatever is not fully understood.

I came across this website from a twitter contact and was impressed with the range of thinking activities it displayed.  It's an American website called Visible Thinking.

awesome teacher app

Wow this looks like an awesome app to use as a teacher? We need time off to become competent in these apps!

80 alternatives to YouTube

Khoa Do: refugee, young aust of the year etc etc

Khoa Do: Persistence, learning and success from EDtalks on Vimeo.

This man is so motivating.  His message is so applicable to our kids.

Blogging

I've been thinking a lot about reasons to blog and that has encouraged me to seek out other people's ideas and motivations. I've just listened to a TEDtalk by the Mena Trott. This is quite dated now (2006,I think) but she started the blogging trend and part of her vision was for people to be able to pass on their stories. She has very few old family stories that have been passed on to her through the years and she felt blogging could fill that void for people in the future.  Have a listen to her, she is entertaining!

I also read an interesting article by a guy called George Couros

He talks about the value of open reflection, the development of literacy with different mediums, student voice, and the ability to track your learning.  What was really interesting was his last reason relates to the above snip. It is developing a positive digital footprint. We probably need to be teaching children about how their blog can help them in their future.  The emphasis is on well Googled as they could just as easily have negative posts come up that they cannot get rid of!  It's a short but interesting read. http://georgecouros.ca/blog/archives/3721

Bill Gates video

Most ideas don' t work the first time - RESILIENCE

Apps for education and bullying video

http://appfinder.lisisoft.com/app/itlate-voice-free

This is a worthwhile app to have on you iphone, ipad, ipod or android phone or tablet.
It translates spoken conversation and writes it at the same time .
Very handy for our ELL students

strong message on effects of bullying

ipads in junior classrooms

A six year old who cannot form letters yet, sat for 15minutes perfecting the lowercase letter a by tracing over the letter on a printing app. Every time I walked past the colour was different and the letter was looking better. I put a piece of paper down on the table and after discovering that you can't use your finger to write on paper the child picked up a crayon and very capably formed a letter a. Looking very pleased and ready to tackle a new letter the child was in control of the learning and the ability to practise while changing the colours was so appealing that the goal was achieved!

How some countries are raising performance of all students!

ICOT2013 Kerry Spackman

I came across the link to Kerry Spackman's keynote speech from the Thinking Conference.  It was really interesting to listen to it again.  What sort of a dent do you want to make in the world?  How can you make a difference?
I  feel that every time you have one of those moments in your class room when you connect with the challenging child or get a response from a shy or introverted student you have made a tiny dent.  You're making a difference to their day, even their future if you can encourage them that it is worth making the effort to be a lifelong learner.
Have a listen if you have a spare hour.
Kerry Spackman wrote the book "The Winner's Bible" and is a successful speaker around the world.
Kerry Spackman ICOT2013 Keynote Speaker

what is best for digital learning?

 I read a really good article  that explained the pros and cons of having one device for all. Very interesting. I wonder how you decide who gets what?
http://gettingsmart.com/cms/blog/2013/01/is-11-the-new-one-size-fits-all/