Room+2b

Term 3/4

over the past two terms i have been busy working on class blog.I have managed to make a blog, but havn't taken it to the staff as yet as i have had an accident on our tutorial days,What i have managed to do is go round and work one on one but will do so with staff as they need it. As our staff are at varying levels and some of our staff are new i have done the basics like how to make a spread sheet, tables, changing of font, adding colour, to the other end where staff are needing help with activ studio the new program. I have also looked at technical aspects to trying to help others out. i have looked at the cool schools web site, have found this really cool and has lots of cool tools to use in the class

Here is the blog that i have made as a start. From here i want to try and get each of the staff members now to be able to make one. term 3 day with Jill. This blog hasn't been worked on as i have lost my pass word and was too confused!!!

[|room 2s blog]

i have also learnt how to use the PRTSC SYSRQ key to make photos and make memories and then you could make make instruction pages after the seesion with Jill and the other lead teacher in term three, went back to class with camera we looked at taking photos with the camera, saving, onto computer, then using the camera tool in active primary, and taking areas shots specifically round the head. Children also looked at free hand drawing around a photo. They had much enjoyment out of this. We also looked at the PRTSC key and the difference it between them both. For future use we could then use this as part of our reading group or part of our writing

writing: with writing in a year one / two class we have looked at the coaching model. This was taught with the top end group only for the starter. At the beginning it took a bit for the group to get the hang of it, but after i left them to it after having taught them the specif skill they had to try it. It was a great way for the children to see what it was like havng to give clear instructions. I tried it with the next group down and was semi successful too. This was a little bit more challenging as this group often sense was a problem and getting them to decode what they had wrote was time consumming. I didn't attempt it with my other two groups as i felt it was more important that they learnt how to form letters correctly and write a correct simple sentence.

Syndicate / Staff meetings: over the year we brought along the laptops to more and more meetings. This was a encouraged by all. During our meetings we would focus on different aspects like our computer system where teachers would look at where to save work on Teacher write. For staff this was quite benfical as at times things were said this is in a so and so folder and we would look blankly at each. But by bringing along our laptops it reinforced how to work the network. This is a never ending learning curve. Also in staff meetings we sometimes just brought along one laptop and learnt how to hook it up to the data projector. This was great, as it reinforeced what you learnt and were able to teach somebody else. Through the data projector we had turns or were shown new websites/activities or programmes that we could incorporate into our classroom teaching. It was a benefical way to do as we were able to ask people how it worked where to go to find it.

Newsboard: In Term 3 our class had a go at doing our News electronically. I did the typing for the beginning. It was semi successful, what i found was when it came to news i had so many children that wated to share news it took forever, the teaching point would be lost. I had the class split up into 3 groups where one was on newspaper articles, weekend news and a book to share. This made sure we had a variety. What i have thought to do in the future is when the groups report back to the class about what they have shared is that i type summary versions instead of listening to individuals. This is a process that both the children and i am geting my head around. By term four we will have a better system up. Term 4: For news after lots of trial and error we have got our news down pact. We turn the activ board on, from that i write up 2 people's news from the reporter sharing to the class. (2 from book, 2 from newspaper etc). From that we focus on the specific leraning point it is captials etc. media type="custom" key="7259735" In Summary What i have noticed in my classroom though is that children are keen to use the ict/computer technology, children are now typing directly onto the computer stories while i'm working with groups, children seem to not need as much help as they have been taught by the teach/peer/share model the skills required to work on the computer. In regards to editing work, my children have been introduced to the track changes as a class infront of the active board, as this is a tool i have never really used my self we are all learning. In term 4 we had the final sharing time with jill and the cluster, at this we had some great tools shared, it was great being able to share with others what we knew. i have been priviliged to go to Rotorua again this year and have found this very benefical, it reiterated how important ict is in the classroom. Children in the class today have cameras laptops phones etc, and as a teacher we have to show them another way to use them.

I am certainly more aware of technology out on society today and that as a teacher i need to be including it everyday.Its often fascinating yet overpowering with all the stuff you need to take in and teach. I have loved this year, having to step up and take a more leadership appraoch for our school. I have certainly learnt lots over the past three year. I have loved being involved with the other schools in the cluster and hope that we continue meeting up and sharing knowledge. Thanks heaps to Jill and our Mangers