My experience of these learning tools after a few weeks has been amazing. I wish I had this support for students many years ago. I can see these just getting better and better and have found the Microsoft team really proactive in replying to feedback and wanting to improve their product (no, I don't work for Microsoft...).
I was very excited when they first turned up and immediately started using them with individual students.
The first student I worked with is a visually impaired student in my class. He carries a magnifying glass with him and uses it to read documents on his laptop. I helped him to download the Learning Tools addin and showed him how to magnify the text in his OneNote for our class. He has found this to be a fantastic tool and it has meant he can read the handouts and collaborative work easily and quickly without having to magnify every word .
Another student in my class has dyslexia and uses a lot of spoken commands wherever he can. Being able to have the example and the handouts read out to him has meant a lot. He is keen to get this feature on the phone app as well. He says it would be great to scan something with OfficeLens while he is out and about, then have the OneNote Learning Tools read it for him while he follows the text. I know this is something OneNote is keen to implement - we can't wait!
Another girl I have in Year 11 (age 15) cannot read. She is now using OfficeLens and OneNote to enable her to access the work from all subjects at school. Rather than teachers having to read work to her, she now is becoming independent by scanning the handouts herself in OfficeLens and then using the Learning Tools to read for her.
I love the way it becomes full screen in the immersive reading mode so that there are no other distractions apart from the text. This is huge for many of our students.
I have been working with our Learning Support Department to start to implement these tools so they can help students. Initial feedback is excellent, with staff keen to learn to use OneNote so that in the future they can start using these tools.
Things I think need to happen before we can really roll this out over the school:
It needs to work online. Many of our students do not have their own devices and so online is their only option.
Would love it for iOS so all students can access it.
I would like dictation to work on more than just Windows10. Not everyone is up to date yet.
As students have said, they are keen to also have it on their phones, so they can use them anytime, anywhere.
Links to excellent articles/resources:
Office Blog
Technet Blog
And the most important, the Suggestion Box for OneNote. I only found this in the last week. It's a great idea and I will be making more suggestions either through here or on the Feedback tabs in the addins.
Looking forward to using this more and more.
Wednesday, 23 March 2016
Friday, 18 March 2016
Future Schools Conference 2016
I attended the Future Schools conference in Sydney this year. Thanks to my school Hagley College for sending me..
This was a great opportunity to listen to speakers with ideas and tips on how to improve our teaching and our schools. I was in the" Teaching Kids to Code" conference, but did cross over to the Special Needs conference for an afternoon.
There were 2 days of full on learning and discussions which leave you feeling full and quite inspired. My mind has been racing and so many ideas come to light - now I need time to digest everything.
Here are a few notes from each session I went to, giving an overview of my days. They are just notes of the main points really for my reference. If you are interested in more information, see the links or ask me!
I always find Tim an engaging and informative speaker. He makes things make sense!
Creative and Service careers are on the increase. Need computers for most things
Kodu-only windows-use for English- Visual programming system. She made a game where Mario rescues a princess. This included storyboarding and a wiki on terms.
Using Scratch in
math. Scratch Junior has lots of resources. Students follow pictures-really simple
for someone hesitant to teach coding. There will always be someone in the class who
knows more than you so don't worry.
No guarantee they
have previous experience. Some students can
program apps and some never had computers. It is the equivalent of dropping students into
algebra if they can't count yet!
Boss level - the teacher sends a challenge. Students expect to lose the first time so the Boss has to be a challenge.
I really enjoyed this session and have written another blog post about it with more detail and slides.
The law is quite strict on use of Drones. It needs to be checked before you use them.
This was a great opportunity to listen to speakers with ideas and tips on how to improve our teaching and our schools. I was in the" Teaching Kids to Code" conference, but did cross over to the Special Needs conference for an afternoon.There were 2 days of full on learning and discussions which leave you feeling full and quite inspired. My mind has been racing and so many ideas come to light - now I need time to digest everything.
Here are a few notes from each session I went to, giving an overview of my days. They are just notes of the main points really for my reference. If you are interested in more information, see the links or ask me!
Demystifying Coding - Tim Bell
All digital systems
are made with code.
Python and Scratch
are also just programs.
You can get a Sprite
fest! This is where students just get carried away with a large amount of Sprites on their page.
Coding, Programming, Computer Science are all about people,
Google developed a person finder which was
launched for NZ quake - meeting human need.
Humans need to be
able to pay for something with the correct amount - hence our use of barcodes We have a lot of
confidence they are correct.
Doing the process away
from computer first is best option. Then look at making programs in Scratch.
www.barefootcas.org.uk join!
Tools here for Computational thinking.
How to teach Coding within the existing Curriculum - Meredith Ebbs
Spend money on infrastructure. Most important is wifi and internet access.Creative and Service careers are on the increase. Need computers for most things
Kodu-only windows-use for English- Visual programming system. She made a game where Mario rescues a princess. This included storyboarding and a wiki on terms.
 |
| This slide has the link to her presentation and contacts |
Pencil Code useful
up to high school. Create pictures using 2D shapes.
Year 5 she gets them to build a
board game using Makey Makey and Scratch.
CS First Year 7
learn Scratch and create own game.
At High School they get to make their own
sprites.
No girls doing coding. She thinks this is due to marketing. Another problem is that girls stop coming
because the boys take over. Definitely an issue.
Computational
thinking: a digital age skill for everyone
Discover Authentic Learning - Anita L 'Enfant
ThinkUKnow students answering questions about the internet
This came up several times at the conference:
Authentic learning
must be:
Relevant
Real world problem
solving
Meaningful and useful
Makers
challenge at the conference - students selected the challenges. It was great to see them working on these over the 2 days.
Robotics - Bronwyn Moreton
Teachers should go through
curriculum and highlight where robotics fits.
Blue Bot for
juniors-very young students
Dash and Dot-ultrasonic, infrared, bluetooth. Can play hide and seek Program Dot with
Go! Program Dash with
Blocky, very similar to Scratch-good for Year 7-8-9
Edison Robot-picks up barcode or program with
Edware-uses variables and data containers
Pi2Go with Python
-use EV3 Lego kit, program EV3 withMindstorms
Can robots inspire a
passion for computing? Watch the talk by Robin Murphy -TEDtalk on importance of robotics on disasters.
It is important for students to understand how
technology changes the future.
Let them get on with it - Marg Meijers
GO! Gifted Online"In the new economy, computer science isn't an optional skill. It's a basic skill, right along with the three Rs" Barack Obama
No guarantee they
have previous experience. Some students can
program apps and some never had computers. It is the equivalent of dropping students into
algebra if they can't count yet!
Used gamification and at each level put
skills that she wanted them to learn. Badge earned at each level. Then she had a Boss
level that they had to pass to move on.
Did a
scoreboard - they do this all the time at home, so it is nothing new.
Boss level - the teacher sends a challenge. Students expect to lose the first time so the Boss has to be a challenge.
Compare this with a
school test and you can see the benefits.
I really enjoyed this session and have written another blog post about it with more detail and slides.
Coding with Drones, Droids and Robots - Brett Salakos
@MRSalakos #AussieEd
He uses a drone in the hall
with portable whiteboard for it to fly around and under and over.
Tickle app to connect with lots of devices drag and drop coding
Lunchtime coding
club - set up a maze
Set up obstacle course
outside
Search drone racing clips on Youtube
SPrk Lightning Lab
has a plethora of ideas https://sprk.sphero.com/
Can set up a virtual
classroom environment
Hour of Code and Beyond - brendan@code.org
"The programmers of today are the wizards of the future"
You don't have to be a genius to code. Every student in
every school should have the opportunity to learn computer science.
Teachers and parents
can do the Hour of Code too. They all have a goal that is fun,
achievable and creative.
Block and JavaScript
versions.
Multiple rounds of
classroom testing before they go public.
What Code. org does:
Full K-12
curriculum-free
U.S. Teacher
training
International
reach-different languages
A course has full
lesson plans. Web-based Interaction lessons, Videos, PD in the USA.
Code Club - Annie Parker
Free resources.
After school Programme where kids learn to code for free.
Most jobs in the
future will be based around coding.
Computational
thinking is beneficial for all jobs.
self confidence,
teamwork, confidence
"Coding is like a super power. They get to create the future."
750,000 jobs in tech
in-U.S.A in 10 years will be unfilled
Needs fixing
Atlassian -tech start up in Aus. Need more tech start up
Scratch, html, css,
python
3yrs of resources
free
free teacher
training
52% of participants
are girls in Aus-9-Ilyr olds so not pre-conditioned
Continually adding
to library
Kid and inventor
day. Bring in people to inspire kids. Coding though play
learning though code
helps problem solving skills
This session started us thinking about how we can set up a coding club at school, perhaps with School of Apps students being the mentors for our Year9 and 10 students.
CSER Digital
Technologies Moocs - from the University of Adelaide.
Learning coding helps in all areas of learning, not just computer science.
She went through a huge range of resources that could be used with Junior school students. This is just a small example of them.
She started with
Codeclub world and just downloaded projects. Does a lot of
unplugged activity.
Group for girls to
chat about what they did during the day.
Cs Unplugged
resources
certificates and
digital badges
Makerspace in the
library - she brings in parents and grandparents to help out.
Literacy. Binary
Code -Binary bracelets
Fuzz ball in
kodable https://www.kodable.com/
The official Scratch
Book-really good. for Scratch Junior
Science- Use Scratch to
teach Circuits
Hello Ruby -LindaLiukas A delightful way to teach kids about computers
Ada Byron Lovelace
and the thinking machine. Binary games Magic binary Trick game
Usborne- Computers
and coding
Uses Tickle to
program BB8
Littlebits for
makerspaces
Bitsbox -make on
tablet then get a QR code and put on your phone. Through hour of code.
I was amazed at the huge amount of resources available for teachers. If you are keen to code, you can!
Use of Virtual Reality in Special Education - Mathieu Marunczyn
Matieu teaches Tech in Special Ed
at Jackson.
Oculus Rift with
Touch
Hololens and Google
Glass
Kinect Party xbox360 great for social interaction. Kids love it for games.
Kids are going to
have this-we need to keep up
Why virtual reality
and special ed?
Emerging technology,
affordable, Virtual sensory spaces, learning environments
In special needs you
should ask for gear from companies. They will help if you have an idea you want to try.
Challenges:
Physical space
limitations, behavioural, issues, social role modelling. and engagement,
funding
Ethical
considerations:
Ethics approval,
screen time limited, adult supervision well being checks, Oculus user guideline
We don't have
research on what can happen when students use this equipment.
Titans of Space, Meditation app (sit on a beach), Positive response from students.
Observable results: Behaviour
modification-calming, Language Development, Increased engagement
What is it used for?
Sensory experiences
and calm spaces -somewhere to go have time out
Social modelling for
kids with autism can have interactions with a character
Broader education
use
Humanities and job
training
Go for a walk in an
area and flick a switch to another space
One example is "Clouds over Sidra" - a virtual walkthrough of a refugee camp. A review of this is here.
Richard Attenborough
-Virtual reality "First Life"
Workforce training.
Kids doing training before they leave. Driving lessons and practise safely in VR.
Limitations:
Damage to real world
relationships? Are we losing co-ordination?
Dependency and
escapism -depression?
Cost - Still very
little educational content. Kids are coding maybe they can do it themselves?
This session really blew my mind. So much potential and so many questions. This is not just in Special Ed, but imagine what could be done in all classrooms. Where to from here??
Raising student achievement through technology - Robert Carter
Technology can
transform lives
Access to content: Programme that can read text for Apple -Prizmo
Digital content: digital feedback
enables students to revisit it
Loved this quote from Robert - "If I had asked him to
write it down, he would have left the room telling me my history and my future!"
"From the moment students enter a school, the most important factor in their success is not the color of their skin or the income of their parents, it's the person standing at the front of the classroom... America's future depends on its teachers."
— Barack Obama
Video interview
-list of questions. Used Typorama App for text blocks. Use video compressor App
and put video in SMS http://www.typorama.co/
They do video
stories for SN students and put out to all students. Rather than just IEP. Gives the student a voice.
Flipped Classroom - Anita L'Enfant
Have to write 2
questions about the notes at home
Can look over and
over the notes. Kids can pause and rewind. For tests and
quizzes you can go back and watch him teach it again. Videos on Youtube.
How to make the best
use of teacher time. Best use of time is talking with students
Need a screencasting
tool and somewhere to put it. Specifically used for
chalk and talk or demonstrations. Doesn't have to be
you. Use Kahn academy.
Challenges:
work ethic
School culture
Not good for
everything
Time for video
Technology
-where-how
Parents love flipped
classroom. Students often say -"Mrs x does it this way" so now they can show parents how so they can help. Good for junior
high.
Start by setting up
your laptop to record your instruction.
screencasting
tool - Explain Everything
Verso - Got a built-in sharing
system. Need password. Has questioning techniques
My Ed App - Datacom uses this.
Can embed and takes to next level. Learning Pathways System.
ITunes u
Edmodo
Don't limit it to
just a video
Focus on the
learning. Group them in like needs for peer coaching.
Assessment. You can
get students to use Explain Everything to talk though the process while
writing answers.
writing answers.
Choose the best 2
Explain Everything on a topic and put into their video space.
Overall, the conference was an amazing experience. The time spent listening to inspiring teachers
and then discussing ideas with my colleagues was well spent. So may things to think about now
that I can implement into my classroom and share with others. Hopefully this blog is just the first
step to inspiring others.
and then discussing ideas with my colleagues was well spent. So may things to think about now
that I can implement into my classroom and share with others. Hopefully this blog is just the first
step to inspiring others.
Monday, 14 March 2016
Gamification - a talk by Marg Meijers
One of my favourite sessions at the Future Schools Conference 2016 was Marg Meijers "Let them get on with it". She gave us some really good ideas for making learning fun through Gamification and I wanted to share those here. These slides are from her presentation and her contact details are at the bottom of this blog. She is a motivated and exciting teacher - I wish I had been fortunate enough to have a teacher like her when I was at school.
To cater for this huge range of abilities, she wrote different levels of a game where students could drop into a level at the right stage of their ability.
She wanted students to be able to work at their own pace and not repeat work they had already mastered. The goal was to have students engaged and motivated as well as challenged and extended. So she made a game that covered all of these requirements.
Each level has badges and a "SkillZ Boss" they have to beat before they can move up to the next level. I particularly like the idea of the Boss level as it covers all the work and effectively is the test. Her slide on the difference between the Boss level and a test is enlightening. I really love this. Isn't this exactly what we want to have our students do?
She also includes Health bars where she can add health for good work and remove for off task behaviour. There are random fun elements as they go and various challenges as extras. She uses a spinner for those that can't decide which challenge to do when there is a choice.
If you are looking for reasons to gamify your class - here they are:
Marg's email is mmeijers@gmail.com
Check out these games she has made to learn coding:
Alice
Scratch
I wish all classes were like this - imagine how much fun learning would be!
As we all know with teaching, there is no guarantee students
have previous experience in your subject. Some students can
program apps and some have never had computers at home. Marg likened this to being the equivalent of dropping students into
algebra if they can't count yet.
To cater for this huge range of abilities, she wrote different levels of a game where students could drop into a level at the right stage of their ability.
She wanted students to be able to work at their own pace and not repeat work they had already mastered. The goal was to have students engaged and motivated as well as challenged and extended. So she made a game that covered all of these requirements.
She also includes Health bars where she can add health for good work and remove for off task behaviour. There are random fun elements as they go and various challenges as extras. She uses a spinner for those that can't decide which challenge to do when there is a choice.
If you are looking for reasons to gamify your class - here they are:
Check out these games she has made to learn coding:
Alice
Scratch
I wish all classes were like this - imagine how much fun learning would be!
Wednesday, 9 March 2016
OneNote class add in
This is amazing. Loving what I can do with this. I am so excited, I just had to write about it straight away.
Adding a page to all student's notebooks is such a useful tool. Instead of writing templates in the content library and getting students to copy them, I can just put the page in their sections! As well as that, I can put a whole new section in. Great for when you forget to do that on start up.
The ability to review student work is fantastic. I can quickly go to each
student's page and see the work they have added. The + opens to show which
student did the work.
Being able to create a class notebook on my desktop as well as add/delete students, means that I can do everything within the app.
For the students that can't find the link to their notebook, it is great to have a quick link to all of the OneNote links to all my notebooks.
PD links are great. OneNote is really great at supplying good resources to help people use their tools well. It's great to have these links here - although I would put that tab in the main screen rather than in the OneNote class add in. It would be more accessible there.
I will be sending feedback-you should do it too. Well done OneNote - this is the best tool for teachers. I love it.
Get it here - NOW
Adding a page to all student's notebooks is such a useful tool. Instead of writing templates in the content library and getting students to copy them, I can just put the page in their sections! As well as that, I can put a whole new section in. Great for when you forget to do that on start up.
The ability to review student work is fantastic. I can quickly go to eachstudent's page and see the work they have added. The + opens to show which
student did the work.
Being able to create a class notebook on my desktop as well as add/delete students, means that I can do everything within the app.
For the students that can't find the link to their notebook, it is great to have a quick link to all of the OneNote links to all my notebooks.
PD links are great. OneNote is really great at supplying good resources to help people use their tools well. It's great to have these links here - although I would put that tab in the main screen rather than in the OneNote class add in. It would be more accessible there.I will be sending feedback-you should do it too. Well done OneNote - this is the best tool for teachers. I love it.
Get it here - NOW
Friday, 26 February 2016
My Learning Space
Blog task for February:
Create a photo or video tour of your classroom/learning space.
Why have I got things set up this way?
I love the range of working areas within the class. There are ares for groups to work together, either around the large low table for large groups, on the couches, or in smaller groups at the high tables. We have screens for presentations and also for smaller group presentations.
Students can sit comfortably on a couch, with feet up, or stand to work if they prefer. It gives room for them to move freely around the room and I have found that students do change from one area to another depending on what they are working on.
Having had this class for a year now, I don't think I would change anything! I love the possibilities within it and it seems to work well for all we do.
Have a look at our newsletter for more photos and information.
Create a photo or video tour of your classroom/learning space.
Why have I got things set up this way?I love the range of working areas within the class. There are ares for groups to work together, either around the large low table for large groups, on the couches, or in smaller groups at the high tables. We have screens for presentations and also for smaller group presentations.
Students can sit comfortably on a couch, with feet up, or stand to work if they prefer. It gives room for them to move freely around the room and I have found that students do change from one area to another depending on what they are working on.
Having had this class for a year now, I don't think I would change anything! I love the possibilities within it and it seems to work well for all we do.
Have a look at our newsletter for more photos and information.
Monday, 8 February 2016
Beginning of 2016
I'm excited. After becoming a Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert last year, I have now been given the title of MIE Surface Expert. I love my Surface Pro 3 and am even more excited to be getting a SurfacePro 4 as part of this programme. Looking forward to it!
Thanks to Kurt Soeser for providing the header - it is much appreciated and looks great!
The beginning of the year has been mad. I have been meaning to blog for ages, but all of the setting up and prep has meant that I have had little time to just sit and write.
Enrolment
We have 2 days of enrolling new students at our school and I really enjoy these days as an enroller. I get to meet new students and work on getting a good programme together for them.
School of Apps
We have 11 students this year and they have started the year well. Very keen and motivated, and even with all the admin in the first few days, they are writing apps already. I am also loving the OneNote Learning Tools. These are fantastic for a few of my students in here. One has some sight issues so the large print is fantastic and a couple are dyslexic. How amazing to be able to cater for them with such great tools.
Professional Development
I am really keen to help staff this year and have set up sessions to instruct and support staff on a range of topics. Carmen Kenton and Andy Gorton are great support in this and Carmen and I will enjoy our lunchtime duty in the Computer lab where we can help staff and students. For my own development I intend to spend quite a few hours each week working on increasing my knowledge of Office365 and in particular OneNote.
Year 11 Music
I am looking forward to teaching this class, as it has been a while since I had this year level. Using OneNote for all their work and looking at how I can incorporate a lot of technology in the class is the challenge. It is a large class and has a wide range of abilities. I am keen to use StaffPad for all the music notation instruction so I have work to do on this as well.
Badges
Really keen to get these up and running. Just sorting the graphics and we can get started. It will be good to get them out to students this year and see how they will work.
Along with organising Itinerant Music lessons, School of Music classes, MIE Expert info and reading, keeping up with Twitter, and my own life/work balance it will be a busy year.
Bring it on.
Saturday, 2 January 2016
2015 reflection
It's 2016!
I can't believe how quickly the last year went by.
A challenge by Justin Birckbichler, @Mr_B_Teacher, to write a reflective post got me thinking about writing again. I liked his blog and title - Successes, Challenges and Resolutions so I have split this into those categories. The challenge was to do this before the New Year but I managed to start with one of my Resolutions, and have some time out with family, taking a jet boat trip up the beautiful Waimakariri River.
This was a new initiative this year and I was reasonably happy with the way it went. It was totally a new learning experience for all involved and we came a long way. I feel this is the way education should be for students and those that did the course were certainly happy with the outcomes. Students were excited, came in frequently after class hours and they were enjoying learning together. More on this in my previous blog Schools within Schools.
Professional Development
I have done a lot more reading and personal Professional Development this year. Joining Twitter and being able to connect with such amazing people with inspiring ideas has been the single biggest motivator for me.
I have relished reading tweets and so many articles and blogs, all of which are helping me to improve my teaching and my ideas.
I have read a large number of books on education as well, with 3 inspiring me to read them many times and bookmarking pages.
Open: How we'll work, live and learn in the future by David Price
Stratosphere: Integrating Technology,Pedagogy and Change Knowledge by Michael Fullan
Creative Schools: Revolutionizing Education from the Ground Up by Ken Robinson
Blogging
This is very new for me and I want to thank #EdblogNZ and @nlouwrens for getting me started. It's a great way to reflect on my work and to keep track of what I am doing and why. Looking forward to more challenges over the year.
#MIEExpert
I have been selected to be a Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert for 2016 and I am so excited about this opportunity. I have a lot of ideas to help staff and students become more confident in using Office365 at our school, and I am learning a lot myself.
Staff Connections
I have really enjoyed working with 2 particular staff members this year, Andy Gorton and Carmen Kenton. Without these two people in my school, I think I would get frustrated, lack motivation, and I would not be the teacher I am. They feed me, inspire me and encourage me to always be better, think and read more, and push the boundaries. Whenever I feel unmotivated or a bit down, all I have to do is walk into their office or room and suddenly the world is right again. I am forever grateful.
Although there were many great things that came out of the School of Apps in 2015, this was the first year and there are a lot of tweaks to make. Due to staffing, we are rearranging the subjects that students will have access to, and we are also getting a new Computing teacher which will mean a different approach in that area as well. The students will get to go to his class to gain help with coding, which I know will be advantageous, as I am limited in that area and struggled with that over the last
year. I am also rearranging the order of projects as some students struggled with the individual project, so I will put an easier one first to get them on track. Looking forward to seeing how this works and if it helps engage students more fully at the beginning of the year.
#Twitter
Using Twitter has been a real challenge! I still am not that confident and frequently google things to work out what I should and shouldn't do. I don't think I have made any really big social blunders, but I'm not sure I am doing things as well as I can yet. It's a steep learning curve and I love it, but I'm still a newbie! I do believe it is a fanatstic tool and I am keen to make the most of it in 2016.
And in breaking news.... I have just found this amazing help sheet - thanks +ariaporo22
Blogging
This is a real challenge for me. Writing is not a strong point of mine. I'm music and maths oriented so it takes me a while to get my thoughts into some sensible order when using words. I was always told I rambled when I wrote, so I have been trying to make things very concise. They tend to come out in bullet points. I use far too many exclamation marks (I have deleted about 6 so far while editing) and have had to edit furiously for each post.
Work/Life Balance
This is a hard one sometimes. I think I am improving on it but I suppose doing work each night between 9 and 11pm is probably not a good balance. My personal life, being a taxi to 2 teenagers with multiple sport and music events, makes it difficult to keep up. It is on the edge at the moment, even to the stage of me pretending that reading books on education and being on Twitter reading articles and participating in chats is actually not work so doesn't count in those hours. Teaching is not a 40 hr week job so maybe the 9pm work time will have to stay for a while. Maybe just not every night...
Technology
I get frustrated trying to encourage other staff to use technology. Many of our staff struggle to even use their email, never mind integrate some sort of technology into the classroom. This is something I would like to change and I am working on setting up PD sessions for staff to help support them and encourage them to try something new.
I can't believe how quickly the last year went by.A challenge by Justin Birckbichler, @Mr_B_Teacher, to write a reflective post got me thinking about writing again. I liked his blog and title - Successes, Challenges and Resolutions so I have split this into those categories. The challenge was to do this before the New Year but I managed to start with one of my Resolutions, and have some time out with family, taking a jet boat trip up the beautiful Waimakariri River.
Successes
The School of AppsThis was a new initiative this year and I was reasonably happy with the way it went. It was totally a new learning experience for all involved and we came a long way. I feel this is the way education should be for students and those that did the course were certainly happy with the outcomes. Students were excited, came in frequently after class hours and they were enjoying learning together. More on this in my previous blog Schools within Schools.
Professional DevelopmentI have done a lot more reading and personal Professional Development this year. Joining Twitter and being able to connect with such amazing people with inspiring ideas has been the single biggest motivator for me.
I have relished reading tweets and so many articles and blogs, all of which are helping me to improve my teaching and my ideas.
I have read a large number of books on education as well, with 3 inspiring me to read them many times and bookmarking pages.
Open: How we'll work, live and learn in the future by David Price
Stratosphere: Integrating Technology,Pedagogy and Change Knowledge by Michael Fullan
Creative Schools: Revolutionizing Education from the Ground Up by Ken Robinson
Blogging
This is very new for me and I want to thank #EdblogNZ and @nlouwrens for getting me started. It's a great way to reflect on my work and to keep track of what I am doing and why. Looking forward to more challenges over the year.
#MIEExpert
I have been selected to be a Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert for 2016 and I am so excited about this opportunity. I have a lot of ideas to help staff and students become more confident in using Office365 at our school, and I am learning a lot myself.
Staff Connections
I have really enjoyed working with 2 particular staff members this year, Andy Gorton and Carmen Kenton. Without these two people in my school, I think I would get frustrated, lack motivation, and I would not be the teacher I am. They feed me, inspire me and encourage me to always be better, think and read more, and push the boundaries. Whenever I feel unmotivated or a bit down, all I have to do is walk into their office or room and suddenly the world is right again. I am forever grateful.
Challenges
School of Apps
year. I am also rearranging the order of projects as some students struggled with the individual project, so I will put an easier one first to get them on track. Looking forward to seeing how this works and if it helps engage students more fully at the beginning of the year.
Using Twitter has been a real challenge! I still am not that confident and frequently google things to work out what I should and shouldn't do. I don't think I have made any really big social blunders, but I'm not sure I am doing things as well as I can yet. It's a steep learning curve and I love it, but I'm still a newbie! I do believe it is a fanatstic tool and I am keen to make the most of it in 2016.
And in breaking news.... I have just found this amazing help sheet - thanks +ariaporo22
Blogging
This is a real challenge for me. Writing is not a strong point of mine. I'm music and maths oriented so it takes me a while to get my thoughts into some sensible order when using words. I was always told I rambled when I wrote, so I have been trying to make things very concise. They tend to come out in bullet points. I use far too many exclamation marks (I have deleted about 6 so far while editing) and have had to edit furiously for each post.
Work/Life Balance
This is a hard one sometimes. I think I am improving on it but I suppose doing work each night between 9 and 11pm is probably not a good balance. My personal life, being a taxi to 2 teenagers with multiple sport and music events, makes it difficult to keep up. It is on the edge at the moment, even to the stage of me pretending that reading books on education and being on Twitter reading articles and participating in chats is actually not work so doesn't count in those hours. Teaching is not a 40 hr week job so maybe the 9pm work time will have to stay for a while. Maybe just not every night...
Technology
I get frustrated trying to encourage other staff to use technology. Many of our staff struggle to even use their email, never mind integrate some sort of technology into the classroom. This is something I would like to change and I am working on setting up PD sessions for staff to help support them and encourage them to try something new.
Resolutions
- I will make my classroom a place where students don't want to leave. I have the opportunity with a new music class this year to make it a vibrant and exciting learning experience. I really want to see how I can do this is in a "traditional" class of just 4 hours a week, not just in the Schools within Schools environment where I have more time and flexibility.
- I will make the most of my MIE Expert role. This means helping others, learning more and getting the most from the support and encouragement of others. Setting up PD sessions at school is just the first step. I want to support staff in their classes and try to help them see the amazing transformation of students when technology is used to support learning.
- I will continue my blog and keep up with professional reading and Twitter. I have really enjoyed the learning I have done this last year and I want to continue this as it inspires me to do more.
- I will be wary of my work/life balance. Making time to do other things for myself that are not work related has to be a priority. I enjoy gardening, music and genealogy, as well as being with my kids, so I am going to set aside time to do some of those each day. Plus more jet boating and swimming in the Waimakariri River.
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