Great learning and Snow!

We've had a fun week at school. The snow didn't deter us and we got out there early on doing some tug of war matches and linking it with some science work - forces! The children had such a laugh and there were some surprising tuggers!
We've set up our class blog to work alongside our digital leader blogs, have a look!
http://digidudes.wordpress.com/
http://marthas6.wordpress.com/

I'm hoping to get lots of red dots on our globes because the children have friends and family all over the world - India, Sri Lanka, Philippines, Nigeria, Lithuania, Ireland to name but a few!

Please look and comment! It's too cold to go out after all :)

21st century learner

The word cloud above is created by me using one word shout-outs from my class about what they think learning in the 21st century means. Technology is an often chosen word there, something that would not have been used had we had such things as word clouds when I started teaching in 1997! Back then, many years ago I didn't have a mobile phone or computer, not even a computer in my class. I actually used a blackboard! There was no smart phones, apple products, touch screens interactive whiteboards etc. it was very different. That is not to say worse or that now is better, it is what it is and we are in a technologically advancing era, which shifts all the time, and in ten years time this blog will be very very outdated - maybe even antiquated! The point is that as the children learn so do I, and I cannot be the type of teacher who churns out the same old thing year in year out, a) because it would bore me and therefore bore my class and b) because we have to keep changing and adapting to new technology, theories and practices.
I'm doing some homework too now, a short online course about 21st century learning. It really is just the beginning but already I've been inspired by @DeputyMitchell's work on blogging and he evidence he has that the children's understanding and enjoyment of learning has improved. Just look at the results. I'm hoping this course will inspire me to get my class blog going, as well as the digital leaders. I'm doing some homework too now, a short online course about 21st century learning. It really is just the beginning but already I've been inspired by @DeputyMitchell's work on blogging and he evidence he has that the children's understanding and enjoyment of learning has improved. Just look at the results. I'm hoping this course will inspire me to get my class blog going, as well as the digital leaders.
I just thought I would ponder the changes. When I started teaching I had barely sent an email. Now I am blogging on an iPad and I will tweet a link to it later. It is actually another language - honest kids!!I just thought I would ponder the changes. When I started teaching I had barely sent an email. Now I am blogging on an iPad and I will tweet a link to it later. It is actually another language - honest kids!!

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