2012 is to Be…
I know that I reflected on 2011 last post and I know that we are now a week into 2012 however I really have been spending the week reflecting on my life. Most people who know me well know that the last three years have been really hard. I have struggled both personally, and professionally. I’ve spilled many tears and struggled with...
Peanut Butter and Lettuce – Who Said They Do...
I have just returned from Expanding Learning Horizons (ELH11) where I presented a paper on Problem Based Learning (PBL). I love teaching using PBL as it means I can take a step back and allow the students to take control of their learning. Here is the description of the session… At a time when we need to let go of the need to be the...
Who the *Tweet* Cares?
Over the course of the last year I have offered many PD sessions on the basics of social networking. My usual focus is on Twitter as this is the social network which I am most inspired by in my teaching practice. These PD sessions run from one-to-one sessions to small groups (3 or 4) to class sized groups and beyond. I know I am no...
The Past or The Future…
My sister and I enjoy a long run every second weekend and afterwards we enjoy a good catchup over coffee and a walk. Today’s conversation was about how my children were going at school and we started talking about the assessment my daughter in Grade Seven is currently working on. The conversation then moved to our schooling and the things which we did at the same age. Now my sister and I are really NOT that old (we are in our early 30s). I know life after school has changed since the late 90s and the skills students need now and into the future have definetly changed. I mean when we were at school the internet was *new*. Both of us remember spending time in the State Library labouring over books to find the information we needed to complete the assignments that more often than not were hand written. And *THESE* days my daughter finds nearly all of her information on the NET. Now we both know that the skills involved in searching the internet compared with searching the library are completely different. And we realise that in the age of the Internet everyone is an expert in everything. Cause lets face it if you don’t know the answer you can look it up and become an expert yourself. Or find someone who can help.
This led to our thoughts of what education is going to be like when our youngest children (who are currently 2) get there… Maybe exams will be a thing of the past… Or maybe more will be open book… Maybe students will make their own curriculum… Or maybe the government will still decide when and where student learn…
Skills change over time… I’m not sure where education is heading… All I hope is that students in the future learn the skills they need to be successful in life.
Education needs to make sure it keeps up…
Maybe We Need to Ban the Classroom…
I know that I’m a bit behind in my podcast listening HOWEVER this week I was listening to my current favourite podcast “Teacher 2.0″ the episode which caught my attention as I was running along was titled “Chalk Markets Plunge!” in it Rodd Lucier from The Clever Sheep Blog was explaining his view on the Ages of Education. He believes that there are 3 ages of education:
- The Slate and Chalk Age – mid 1800s to present
- The Paper and Pen Era – 1900s to present
- The Web and Keyboard Period – 2000s to present
And that if we really are to move forward in education then we need to ban chalk.
This had me thinking… maybe we need to ban the classroom in its current form… Why are we so concerned that learning happens in a box. Learning now happens anywhere and everywhere. If we are to move into the Web and Keyboard Period perhaps we need to recognised that learning happens in a classroom, at home, on the net, on paper and even with or without chalk. Learning is now about the experiences not the tools nor the place…
Related articles
- Let’s Ban Chalk! (TheCleverSheep.blogspot.com.au)
Out of the Gate and Running….
You may know that I’m a runner. I have been running since the day that I came 10th in my Year 8 school cross country carnival. To be honest at the time I had just decided that if I made it to the finish line then it was going to be a good day. Before then I never really thought about running I just did it when we were made to in PE class. Anyway… I always find it interesting every new year as I run my usual running tracks (especially on weekends) that the number of people who are out and about participating in their new found love of running. Now that we are a month into 2012 the number of people out and about is starting to reduce. As with any resolution to make it a habit you have to keep working on it…
I feel this way about how we work with any new idea… I regularly read the Tech Transformation Blog and every so often I read something that makes me think about my habits. Similar to many of the people on my running tracks I get excited and have that initial drive to do something about it and I’m working on it daily until a hurdle stops me in my tracks…
The hurdle this week was stuff… Like every week things happen… great ideas, good opportunities, problems which need solving and as like every week you go with the flow you extend the ideas, take up the opportunities and try to solve the problems. I had a week where I know I did lots of things BUT I feel like I didn’t accomplish anything. Nor do I feel I worked on my goals for the year. So I guess you could say this year I’ve started out of the gate running full pelt to hit a brick wall I’m hoping that this is just the effect of week 1 of the school year and next week the great ideas, good opportunities and problems which need solving, lead me back to finding the passion I’m trying to find…
Related articles
- 2012 – Start The Year With Great Ideas (mookinoodles.wordpress.com)
- 2012 is to Be… (ja.theangellfamily.com)
2012 is to Be…
I know that I reflected on 2011 last post and I know that we are now a week into 2012 however I really have been spending the week reflecting on my life. Most people who know me well know that the last three years have been really hard. I have struggled both personally, and professionally. I’ve spilled many tears and struggled with who I am and what my place is in this wonderful world. I need to know who I am as a daughter, as a mother, as a sister, as a teacher, as a learner, as an ELF. So 2012 is about finding out who I am and what I’m about. I am hoping to post to my blog, this blog at least once a fortnight this year.
My sister gave me a book of sticky notes for Christmas. I know most of you are thinking why on earth would you be excited by a book of sticky notes? This book (Quickie Stickies: 100 Pick-Me-Ups for When You’re Feeling Unglued by Karen Salmansohn) had a quote which I have decided will help me find my focus and my passion this year.
“Make sure your BURNING DESIRE is the light at the end of the tunnel.”
So this year 2012 is going to be my year of PASSION. I’m finding my passion again. I’m finding me.
I hope that you plan to come on the journey with me but understand if you decide it’s time to jump off the train.
Year in Review…
As many people seem to be doing at this time of year I thought that I would look back at what has been 2011 for me professionally.
Accomplishments
- School Help Site set up with pages ready to go for the year
- Successful implementation of the Problem Based Approaches Intel Teach Course
- Digital Profile Cards
- Maintained my IB Economics class as well as my ELF Duties
- Differentiation in my IB Economics class (Each student had a different plan)
- LOTE conferences
- PLN Training for staff
- Multi-Modal Assessment and Class Tasks
- Problem Based Learning
- Year 6 Exhibition Workshops
- Implementation of OneNote in some sections of the school
- Basketball Tour Site
Hangups
- I worked too many weekends
- I worked too many nights
- Trying to be someone else
- Not spending enough time with my family
To the Future…
I have a lot to work on in 2012. This I need to think about more…
Related articles
- Proud as Punch (Both as a Mum and an Educator) (ja.theangellfamily.com)
- Peanut Butter and Lettuce – Who Said They Don’t Mix? (ja.theangellfamily.com)
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