On the quest to be the best for 2012

http://www.vln.school.nz/mod/threaded_forums/topicposts.php?topic=232181&group_guid=53307

The Virtual Learning Network is a 'facebook' for teachers - setting up groups about things that interest you and commenting/disscussing with others about teaching topics. Here I have posed a question and have asked for help on Personalised Learning and Flexible Learning Spaces.

Thanks to all the good folk who have been helping out!

On the road to providing outstanding personalized learning with flexible learning spaces

Although an advert for furniture, it poses some good questions that need some thought before I dive right in!

What  type of learning do you want to encouage?

Who should use the spaces?

How will furniture and ICT be used and configured?

Can staff visualise what it will be like to work in the spaces?

Although many of these videos are aimed at older levels, I believe the principles still transfer to primary school level. I'm excited to get this project going and to modify and adapt as I need to.

I think it is so important to recognise childrens needs, wants and styles (to achieve as well rounded citizens who can take on the world at anything they desire!) We don't expect adults to fit one mould, and we should never expect children too.



The end and the beginning....

Things worthy of mentioning for 2011:

• Successful classroom blogging and some independent children
• Some success and deveopment with Active Inspire (still think the SmartBoard holds the technology back though!)
• Some success with personal blogging and tweeting
• Proffessional Development external courses - ILT Conference, Kath Murdoch, Behaviour Management, iPad/iPod
• EduCamp Invers
• Some amazing and supportive colleagues, particularly my tutor teacher and syndicate leader
• Some success with initial trial of Personalised Learning
• Full Registration!!!!
• Got my car back fully diagnosed and cured - now runs like a dream
• Bought a new bike and have re-ignited my like for 'cyclists tan-lines'????

This year it seems has been a very career-focussed year, with a most boring personal life. This has been great for setting me up with my career, now as a 'real' fully registred teacher and I'm very much looking forward to the challenges ahead. 2012 for me brings a new teaching location. New school and new city. Moving back to Christchurch has been an easy-ish decision for me as I believe it will provide the opportunites for me to move ahead and achieve my personal and professional goals. Christchurch has had a hard time and many, many people have said "why Christchurch?" To me, Christchurch now has so much potential (not that it needed any more!) and I want to be a part of moving forward and looking to the future. After all, as a teacher, that's what I'm always trying to cater for. Living and working on the outskirts I hope I will be safe and happy. Having said that, I will miss Invers - mostly the family and friends that I have here. I hope they all come and visit, and I too, will be back to visit.


Things I'm looking forward to in 2012:

• New colleagues, new children, new structures, new challenges, new personal learning
• My 'own' wee place (for however long I can afford it!)
• Having a city life with arts and culture
• Cooking for friends
• Educamps (I believe there's a ChCh one and maybe a Nelson one...)
• An ActiveBoard that I will have mastered by the end of the year!
• Personalised Learning and hopefully some options for Flexible Learning Spaces
• Exploring new parts of the South Island (and getting some fresh air at the same time)

High Decile v Low Decile

I've been thinking about this a bit lately. It should be noted that I only have experience working in a low decile school. However, coincidentally I have had three professional conversations relating to this topic just recently, with three different people.

Low decile schools get more funding (what that is, I'm not sure, but I believe it is significant). I believe the reasoning behind this is because lower decile children are lower achievers. However, does that mean to say all, or most, high decile children are high achievers? I was talking to teacher of a high decile school, who was telling me that 85%ish of her numeracy class (she did have the lowest streamed class of three classes at her year levels), were below the national standard. That is a huge number for a smallish amount of students. Why aren't they getting the funding to help them?

Working in a low decile school, I would say the resources I have access to are excellent. We have a wide range of reading material, an extensive library for both students and teachers for professional learning, we are starting to build up some great e-learning resources, and we have pretty plentiful maths resources as well. Our school has managed to fund an out of class numeracy and literacy facilitator for some years and has been able to provide extra literacy and numeracy support for at risk children. Our kids (most) are moving! Do high mid and high decile schools get the same opportunities?

An inspirational teacher!

This teacher uses a wiki to share her planning with the class and learning contracts (personalised learning). Lots of other interesting things too!

http://msfothergillsclass.wikispaces.com

Educamp Invers

http://educampinvers2011.wikispaces.com



Above is the link to the Wikispace, which will also take you to the shared notes.


This was my first 'unconference conference' and I was a little apprehensive of what was going to happen. However, it turned out to be a very useful and inspiring day. The day started with a 'smackdown' which was a chance to share any 'gems' that had been using in your class or pearls of wisdom. This was followed by a general discussion about whatever came up. Very informal, which I think was helpful because it cut down the barriers of self-conciousness. 




Biggest take-outs and where to:

• Incredibox is a great website to encourage students creativity. I think I will leave it up for the students to have a play with, but I would also like to base a music lesson around it somehow.
• Google-Docs as a tool for writers. It allows students to add to their writing at home, it allows the teacher to leave comments from home without lugging home writing books, it allows reluctant writers to write without barriers (write bullet points then link them all together in a story). I would like to introduce this with just a couple of students to start with before introducing to the whole class. Using this method means you need to have reliable internet access with probably one computer between two or three students.
• Networking and putting faces to 'tweeters.' 

Will I attend another Educamp? Without a doubt!

For the ICT lovers....