Transformation Teachers Programme

happy new year everyone – cannot believe school icks off this wek… boo! Anyway here are the fruits of mine and year 9’s labours …. check this out……

www.geographyrocks@podbean.com

hopefully it should work – but be patient.. i am a novice!

Just a little starter I made for my year 8’s about rainforests – went down a storm although i think that I had more fun making it! I know that some people have been using their crazytalk films in imovie  – could someone let me know how else they have been using crazytalk in the classroom?

many thanks

Amy Brian the treefrog – crazytalk

Hello all, I hope your half term has been fabulous – full of lie ins, breakfast in bed and a stressfree existence. I have completed my write up research write up of my research project but am not too sure where it should go – so I have posted it here – if anyone knows its rightful home then could you let me know?!

DownloadI tried to upload this ages ago – it’s from our d of e trip last term…. it’s not great, but it’s a start!!

OkeyCokey,

I have to admit I have been lazy as you like with this blogging malarky, mainly because 

1. am not in the habit (is this an excuse?)

2. Don’t really feel I have that much to impart

3. am waiting till I ave something amazing to report – but that could take years!

So I have decided to throw caution to the wind and get in with it! So here I am. I have been using my mac more this term and have even managed to get the IT department to connect it to my projector which is most exciting. As a result I have started to make some resources – my first attempt at using crazy talk was last week which was ok…. kids found it ‘hilarious’ , ‘creepy’, ‘weird’ and ‘real’ ….. am having trouble though – how can I save it as a file other than a crazytalk file. It would be good to be able to save it to my memory pen as a file which is compatible with other computers in the school, which do not have crazy talk installed – is this possible?

I have also started using openmind with my 6th form – which has gone down well, as apparently it doesn’t feel as though they are doing work! which lets face it is always a winner! The comiclife sheets have also been a winner with the 6th form – livens up taking notes from the book and I have also used it with my SEN/EAL students…….. will keep you posted on how it all goes.

And excitingly I am doing a podcast project with my year9s in a couple of weeks about their migration histories – which should be interesting  – so i will keep you posted……

Here is one of the crazytalk videos – I hope it works!

old womanI will also put the comiclife stuff I have done on my blog too……

tata for now,

Amy

it’s not great but it’s a start!

I am trying to upload my podcast / films and can’t any tips – I go to the ‘write a post’ section and write my little piece then go to the section which says upload but it wont! It uploads really quickly and then isn’t anywhere to be seen!  Any advice?

Okay okay, so i have been a little slack on the old blogging front, but half term, ofsted and exam revisions have meant that creativity and playing around with the amazing software have been put on the back burner a little.

I have however made my first podcast or two so have a look…….

Arrrghhhhh, is it only Monday? Have been racking my brains about how to use my funky software in the classroom, now, normally I am quite creative but tiredness seems to have zapped my creativity. However I am running a thinking skills workshop and showcasing open mind which should open some eyes and get people excited! will let you know how it goes. However my projector died a loud and undignified death today so we shall see how long it takes the IT support department to sort it out…….

If anyone has some toptips for practical use of these new fangled things them let me know… think bed is calling……..

Eeek am I turning into Sue! We are currently in Question Time and there are a panel of teachers at the front and the rest of the grop are answering questions. We are currently talking about AFl and how we can use AFL within this new whizzy technology – there are some great case studies – the St Thomas More Music teacher had a great case study about how her students assessed each others raps they had created and she had filmed. Their level and depth of thinking and assessment of each others work was enhanced by the tehnology and the result was amazing. I am also thinking about how I can use it and I think Open Mind is going to be extremely useful for me.
Time constraints have also been raised – and this is something that concerns me – where do i find the time to play and develop teaching ideas? Perhaps the problem is that we are all quite excited and impatient and want to use it NOW! With BSF there will be so much more technology and so we have to start developing our confidence and levels of ICT now so we are ready when the technology comes in…… so many questions! How do we manage the leadership of this transformation? What role do we play in the school to this? How do I find the time to develop all these exciting things? Will there be the hardware to support and develop these new teaching and learning resources? Phew!!!!! over and out!