Interwrite reflection

Our PD session on using Interwrite went really well. It was a great idea to start with a challenge where teachers had to tick off when they had successfully completed each challenge.
We then moved into three groups. Each group had a different focus and learning outcomes. The group that I worked with learnt how to save an interwrite file, take a capture of a photo from the Internet, and duplicate a photo.
I use interwrite alot in maths, whole class and group work, where chn share their thinking. We use both the modelling book and the teaching station (interwite) to model thinking. This ensures more than child is sharing their thinking and I can keep track with where chn are at in the learning process.
This work can then get printed off for modelling books or learning logs or the classroom wall.

My next steps:

• I really would like to get chn in class to create their own Interwrite activities for other chn to work on. 
• the youtube clips I found were really useful so I might see if I can find some more 

Puppetpals

An update to my previous puppetpals post (which can be found here) http://marcellesjourney.blogspot.co.nz/2012/07/ipod-update-1.html

The app Puppetpals,which is on our ipod touch, is going so well. I am having chn ask (about 5 times a day) if they can make a puppetpals show. My new philosophy is to always say "Yes" to chn wanting to express their creativity by using the range of web2tools I have taught them how to use. I also have chn asking to post maths in their blogs, make numerous comments on blogs and use the ipod to create a movie.

Puppetpals started off by being used to create narrative plays/shows which was fine because it brought out the creative storytelling side of my class. Now when they ask to make a puppetpal show I ask them to link it to something they are learning or have learnt. Some of their ideas have been; our no wrap Wednesdays, retelling a reading book, healthy lunches....

Here is an example of a puppetpal show.
http://leahroom1.blogspot.co.nz/2012/08/my-movie.html

My goals;

• to use this app as a set task in reading groups 
• link learning outcomes with the final product
• ensure all chn are having the chance of using it

Using the easispeak in the classroom

The easispeak is working so well in class at the moment. I have children using it to remember what they want to write about. They record a sentence then write it and then record again. It's so easy for children to use.
Children have also recorded their mihis on it and then uploaded them to their blog. We have retold a maori legend in parts and then put it together on windows moviemaker with our art work.
We have 2 easispeaks per syndicate so I have been able to use 2 at a time in class to speed up the recording and uploading time.
I use a programme called audioboo to upload the sound file straight from the easispeak and then embed on a blog. I have a trained a few auidoboo experts which makes it easier to manage. 

Ipod update #1

I downloaded the free version of puppetpals last night and then found this limiting so paid $2.59 for the full version.

Puppetpals is a digital storytelling app where you can use the existing characters and backgrounds to take photos or use your own photos as characters.

I showed Toby this app before school this morning and he "went for gold"!  He was so excited he came and found me in the staffroom just before 9am to show me his very first try.

From the morning onwards he used every free opportunity he had to keep playing. By the end of the day he was taking photos of this peers, cutting them out (by tracing with his finger on the screen of the ipod), adding backgrounds and voice recordings.

I can see this app, Puppetpals, being used to retell stories in reading and writing, creating short narratives and more.

You can upload your finshed as a movie to a blog and share.

I'll upload his finished product when it's done. ;)

Ipods in the classroom update #2

Earlier on this week Victoria took our ipod out to circuits on the courts and took photos of the syndicate doing these circuits.
I then showed her the splice app which I had downlodaded for free on the ipod. It's not the easiest app to use for the first time but I can see children getting the hang of it when they use it more often.
Victoria then made a video of the photos she took, added music and then we plugged it into my laptop and I modelled to the class how to add this video straight from the ipod to our class blog.

Now I have a child each day asking to take the ipod out to circuits!!!( I can't say I haven't motivated them!)

So... the purpose and "worthwhileness" of this??
Well, the actions of taking photos, making the short movie and then uploading all on one device is easy and simple.
Also, children can create short movies of their day-to-day "school life" and share them instantly with an audience.
They are also becoming more and more familiar with mobile devices.

I can't wait to get more ipods for our school and start sharing this knowledge with our techsperx club and then watching this filter through into classrooms. ;)

Below is Victoria's post copied from our class blog.

Victoria used the ipod today to take photos of us doing circuits. She then created a video using the splice app on the ipod. This is our first time using the splice app.

Circuits are a fun fitness activity. We are doing circuits to get fit and ready for our cross country. 

Education Skype

I can really see the potential of joining Skype in the classroom. My class have skyped one of our quad blog classes in the UK so I can the potential of further utilising what skype has to offer.

From my quick look into it we can skype experts around the word and learn from them. I can see learning about the Olympics and our big idea of "performance" becoming more real-life to chn, especially if they are talking to an athlete at the games!

Hmmm,  I wonder if this we can do that?

My challenge - sign up using my existing skype account and... go from there. I could ask the class who they would like to skype and why to get them thinking?

Beeclip - An online scrapbook

An online scrapbook creator....
So now I have glogster, smore and beeclip to trial and compare. ;)

Great website... ideas to 'technify' your teaching

http://www.teachgennow.com.au/

The first great idea I found on this site was Smore. http://www.smore.com/app/ It is an online poster creator, similar to Glogster. You can upload poster to blogs, twitter, facebook and share with others. It would be great to use for our school events. I created a glog last term for the ICT parents evening but had to take a snapshot of it and upload as a picture to share on twitter. from what I have seen on Smore you can upload straight away to twitter.

Where to from here?

• trial making a poster on Smore and upload to class blog
• model and teach to an expert in my class to then teach others
• reflect on the use of this tool; What are the benefits of uing this tool?

Brain Breaks

Minds-in-blooms is a wonderful website I happened to come across with ideas on what to do for a "Brain Break".

I am going to try this next term becasue these ideas sound like a fun way to give chn a break between sessions, especially the middle block of the day; a few of my chn regularly ask "When's lunchtime?" These brain breaks may be what they need to re-energise?  Let's see....

This website is full of ideas... so there's another item added to my to-do-list!

ipods and ipads in the classroom

http://ipadsipodsdevicesineducation.blogspot.co.nz/

A great site for information on using ipods and ipads in the classroom.
I am in the process of taking videos of chn talking about how the ipod touch is helping and supporting them with their learning.
I am really interested in the potential of using these to engage chn with learning and therefore increase their achievement levels and understanding.

https://sites.google.com/site/initialipadsetup/

http://www.teachingappz.co.uk/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=emailmay12

A great website for teaching resources

Skyping

http://vardontechsperx.blogspot.co.nz/2012/05/skyping-te-puke-school.html

Today our senior techsperx skpyed the "geek club" from Te Puke Primary school. They absolutely loved it! Check it out on our blog link above ;)

I must admit I was a little nervous trying something new but the outcome and the positives from this experience outweighed my nervousness....  therefore I had to give it a go!

After a few connections issues we were 'live' and face-to-face with the geek club. The chn met each other and talked about their excitement over the exchange visit, which is happening tomorrow.

Skying.... the potential is HUGE! connections can be made all across the globe, learning can be instant - imagine a scientist when studying science or an author?

My next steps:

• to skype with our quad blogging buddies and learn about their country, culture, education
• to teach/encourage others at school how to skype

Restorative Practice and Conversations

After our 2 day PD session on restorative practice in the holidays there have been ideal situations for me to trial some of the restorative practices we learnt.

On day 1 of this term while on a lunch time duty I dealt with a boy, who was brand new that day to our school, that had been hit by a another boy. I seized the moment and got all boys involved to sit down in a circle on the school field (it just so happened when I walked the boy who had been hitting/pinching to the other boys they were all together on the field). We had an impromptu circle time on the field!
This worked and gave each child their turn to speak and then apologise.

Just today I tried a discussion with a boy in my class who had had two perfect morning blocks  but went a little 'sideways' during the library this afternoon. I was completely perplexed?!
After attempting a restorative chat and having him shrugging his shoulders all the way through I am not 100% convinced these restorative chats work for him right now. I am going to persist because I believe in the long run it will work but in the meantime I think I need to do more work around apologies and feelings - getting chn to explain how they are feeling and why.
This works for most chn in my class but there is small bunch who need to express their feelings better.

Ipods in the classroom

I am interested in how I can further grow the use of ICT tools with my class of year 3/4 so am trialling the use of an Ipod touch. Ideally a small group of Ipods would be better but one is better than none.I am in the process of downloading free educational apps and have had success in finding apps for maths, spelling, reading and spelling.I have also downloaded journal stories from itunes on my laptop.I found this slideshow on managing ipods in the class so will use this to ensure the use of the ipod within my class is beneficial to learn and not just viewed as a "fun gadget".On Monday I plan to teach two chn who will then be the ipod experts to teach others. The ipod will be integrated into maths and reading, to start with. I will also get chn to take photos and videos and use an app to make a movie.My overall goal is to document the use of this ipod (videos, photos, reflections, student voice) to prove their effectiveness of raising student motivation and achievement. I could then possibly apply to the Board and/or PTA to fund more ipod touches or Ipads for each classroom at school or for those teachers wishing to use them.I would love your thoughts, questions....Ipod Touch Conf

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My interview/discussion with Gwynneth

Gwynneth took a break from researching and drinking coffee in the sun (her words not mine) and came in today  to talk and interview some chn and teachers about ICT - particularly student voice and blogging and how it supports chn's learning.

After she interviewed 3 chn from my class it was interesting to hear what Gwynneth found out. My chn talked about how yes, recording their voice was important because other people could hear what they have to say and what they are learning.
They really thought when others comment on their blog it helps with their own learning because they can improve their work.
They thought the "Wow" comments and "I liked your photos" were not good enough comments and they want feedback and feed word comments so they can improve their work and then reply back to the commenter. I think I must have drilled this into them that a good quality comment should include a positive comment and what they enjoyed (feedback) and something to work on (feedforward) or a question to start a conversation!!!

Gwynneth talked about our blogs (E-Journals) at Vardon being showcase portfolios and also process portfolios. We, chn and teachers,  are really trying to "showcase" our chn's learning and also show the process as we go.

One thing I am going to try out is after modelling and teaching a writing group, instead of the chn writing their draft writing in the books they will write straight into their blogs. They can then proofread and edit and the publish straight away without MY CHECKING. "Argg" This breaks my #1 rule - check with a teacher before you click publish. BUT there is a different purpose for doing a piece of draft writing... anyone who views this child's blog, of course it will definitely be me their teacher and their classmates and buddy class, and I'm hoping other teachers and chn around the globe, can give this child feedback and feedforward. I am then going to model and teach how to go back and re-work their post and re-publish. The they can reply to the commenter to let them know they have listened to their feedback.
We do this in writing books so why not open it up and get a wider audience.

I'll let you know how it goes....

Term 2 Goals

Term 1 for me was all about setting up procedures and expectations with my class around ICT in general.

My Year 4's were wonderful roles models. I used them as 'support techs' when the Year 3's needed help both in the ICT suite and the classroom. It really impressed me that IT skills they learnt last year by putting them into practice this year. They helped with teaching Years 3's how to; log onto their blogs, write and publish posts, commenting on other blogs, using the class netbooks, using voicethread.....

I spent a lot of time teacher modeling how to write a good quality comment and it has now really started to sink in. A classic example was when I had our quad blogging classes blog on the teaching station and we were reading their posts and also their comments my chn picked up that their comments didn't really follow the correct commenting structure and they didn't really have any feedback. So onwards and upwards with commenting this term. I am going to get our Techsperx to create classroom posters on "Writing good Comments" and possibly even  videos.

My E-Learning goals for Term 2 are;

• To develop more of an expert role and get certain certain to be the leaders in the classroom. This will then get chn to be the leaders and therefore develop their leaderships qualities. 
• To get chn to make up their own activities on Interwrite to share with others and get other chn to compete. 
• Developing a home-school partnership by encouraging parents/caregivers via e-mails to visit blogs and make comments
• Trying to integrate E-Learning as much as possible so work being completed in the computers in my class is not seen as an isolated task. I want chn to view using IT tools as part of their maths, reading, science etc. work.

I am excited to further progress our global connection via quad blogging and achieve my goals above.

Writing prompts website

http://great-teaching-ideas-weblinks.posterous.com/

Online Teaching resources

A great link I found online! I'm using the online games to teach reading time on clocks tomorrow ;)

Teaching Commenting Skills

These are links I found on twitter.

http://threefourlonnie.global2.vic.edu.au/how-to-comment/ Here is the link to the blog with the above poster.

Click on the link under this picture to go to a great site on how to teach commenting skills to your class.
I believe it is essential to teach and model good commenting skills, just like we do in maths, reading writing etc.

http://educational-blogging.wikispaces.com/How+To+Teach+Commenting+Skills

My thoughts on teaching commenting skills.....

I already use my morning oral language time to teach and model commenting skills to my class. I enjoy using my morning oral language time as what we are talking about is relevant, useful and chn can relate to what is happening on the blogs we view, or it starts a great conversation if we need further clarification e.g; looking at a blog about romans (england quad blog).

I believe that modeling a good quality comment is essential. Chn can then use the modeling to then write then own good quality comments. I often use our buddy classes blog or our quad blogging buddies blog to model writing comments.

I find after a modeling session chn are putting their hands up and asking if they can then go away and write a comment on someones blog... which proves it's all worthwhile!

with your writing programmes?

A teacher actually came to me at school yesterday (holiday time) and asked if a child in my class would have written a comment on her class blog during the holidays! If it was this particular child then I am so impressed!

My goal is to encourage more commenting at home; after school, weekends and holiday time!

Why comment?

I think chn see relevance in what they are doing when others are making comments on their work. Just like in class with chn's work books.... if you, as a class teacher, or chn as peers are providing comments; feedback and feedforward about their learning this only builds upon chn's current knowledge and then they improve from there.

Commenting on bogs is the same as providing feedback and feedforward only in a different format so chn then feel more motivated and excited out writing on their own blogs which therefore increase their motivation for writing and hopefully their actual writing skills.

I would love your thoughts on the above.....

Useful web tools for teachers

http://www.goedonline.com/101-web-tools-for-teachers

101 webtools for teachers!

A great list of tools!