Hi everyone!
This month's meeting is scheduled for Thursday 28 May, in the library at Wodonga South Primary School from 4.00pm to 6.30pm.
You can find all the details for the meeting here!
We hope to see you there!
Regards,
Mel
Monday, May 25, 2015
Saturday, May 9, 2015
Worldometers: A wonderful filler/fast finisher take on them.
This week was the first Shepparton CRT Support Network Collegial meeting and I'd like to share something that came out of it on this chilly Saturday afternoon.
http://www.worldometers.info/
This site has a list of world statistics updated in real time. It's very interesting to just have a quick look at for sure.
Michael uses the worldometers stats as a resource for filler/fast finisher activity. He goes to the site and puts a set of stats up on the IWB and then asks questions about the statistics. He gave us the example where he used the Oil statistics to engage the students and then pose a question to the class:
"What is oil used to make".
Of course there's pertol and oil for your car, grease and other lubricants, tar for roads and so on but there's also solvents, plastics and even food colourings and flavourings.
http://www.ranken-energy.com/Products%20from%20Petroleum.htm
Chemicals for medicine, plastic for heart valves, lubricants for industrial machinery, glues, CDs and DVDs, dish washing liquid, floor wax... The list goes on. what is our world going to be like if we don't have these things or have to find other ways to make them?
A great discussion or exploration based activity to help students understand exactly how reliant we are on petroleum as a society.
That's only one way to use the worldometers and only one of the possible questions you could ask. A fantastic resource and way to use it. Thanks for sharing Michael!
Regards,
Mel.
http://www.worldometers.info/
This site has a list of world statistics updated in real time. It's very interesting to just have a quick look at for sure.
Michael uses the worldometers stats as a resource for filler/fast finisher activity. He goes to the site and puts a set of stats up on the IWB and then asks questions about the statistics. He gave us the example where he used the Oil statistics to engage the students and then pose a question to the class:
"What is oil used to make".
Of course there's pertol and oil for your car, grease and other lubricants, tar for roads and so on but there's also solvents, plastics and even food colourings and flavourings.
http://www.ranken-energy.com/Products%20from%20Petroleum.htm
Chemicals for medicine, plastic for heart valves, lubricants for industrial machinery, glues, CDs and DVDs, dish washing liquid, floor wax... The list goes on. what is our world going to be like if we don't have these things or have to find other ways to make them?
A great discussion or exploration based activity to help students understand exactly how reliant we are on petroleum as a society.
That's only one way to use the worldometers and only one of the possible questions you could ask. A fantastic resource and way to use it. Thanks for sharing Michael!
Regards,
Mel.
Wednesday, May 6, 2015
New Blog in the Side Bar: Teach Different!
About Tim's Blog:
When I'm in Facebook groups and someone asks for feedback on their new blog I like to have a quick look and offer some. Blogging is not only a great way to reflect on our own practice, at the same time it's putting our thoughts out there for others to reflect on as well so it's helping others while helping ourselves. Last night I ran across just such a comment and went through to Tim Bowman's new blog, "Teach Different".
Even though the blog is very new I just.... Connected with Tim's content. We had a short conversation and it turns out that it's part of a project he's embarked on after contacting John Hattie who, to Tim's amazement, supported his ideas and now Tim is writing a book too!
Tim seems wonderfully enthusiastic about not just his blog but exciting teaching strategies and sharing them with others (who wouldn't be after encouragement like that?).
So I'd like you all to meet Tim "TeacherTim" Bowman.
You can find the full blog post that goes with this one here (including his "Truth or Lie" PowerPoint):
http://teachdifferent.com.au/2015/05/5-ways-to-introduce-yourself-to-a-new-class/
"Forget being the Favourite (Be the Best)" is another great post. Short, to the point and oh so very true in my experience.
I've added this one to the side bar here but think it's also well worth adding this one to your bookmarks or your feed, it feels like this blog is going to be well worth keeping tabs on!
About Tim's Book....
Tim is using Kickstarter to fund his adventures into Authorland for his book "Forget Being the Favourite: 55 Ideas on Teaching Differently". If his blog is anything to go by then his book might be well worth supporting with the $5 that will get you a copy of the book. You can find out more about this here:
http://teachdifferent.com.au/2015/05/forget-being-the-favourite-55-ideas-on-teaching-differently/
Keep it up Tim! I look forward to being able to recommend your book to the teachers of the future.
My reflections on all of this....
Sometimes I run across comments about people worried about their teaching qualifications and how far they are going to carry them. They love teaching and would never give it up but they want to seek new experiences and new challenges in life. I like examples like Tim, or our own Ian Trevaskis, that I can point to and show that teaching qualifications and experience can carry you in all sorts of directions.
Tim and Ian chose to become authors in different ways. I love the social aspect of teaching so I stayed in front of people but moved sideways into Professional Development as have others. Some have gone on to become musicians, work in museums and many other places. I even met one who started travelling to local markets, making things with the craft skills she learned with her students for Mother's Day and Father's Day and so on.
Teaching can take us all sorts of wonderful places, the walls of a classroom are far from some imaginary line that marks the boundaries of our careers.
I like reminding people about things like that.
Regards,
Mel.
When I'm in Facebook groups and someone asks for feedback on their new blog I like to have a quick look and offer some. Blogging is not only a great way to reflect on our own practice, at the same time it's putting our thoughts out there for others to reflect on as well so it's helping others while helping ourselves. Last night I ran across just such a comment and went through to Tim Bowman's new blog, "Teach Different".
Even though the blog is very new I just.... Connected with Tim's content. We had a short conversation and it turns out that it's part of a project he's embarked on after contacting John Hattie who, to Tim's amazement, supported his ideas and now Tim is writing a book too!
Tim seems wonderfully enthusiastic about not just his blog but exciting teaching strategies and sharing them with others (who wouldn't be after encouragement like that?).
So I'd like you all to meet Tim "TeacherTim" Bowman.
You can find the full blog post that goes with this one here (including his "Truth or Lie" PowerPoint):
http://teachdifferent.com.au/2015/05/5-ways-to-introduce-yourself-to-a-new-class/
"Forget being the Favourite (Be the Best)" is another great post. Short, to the point and oh so very true in my experience.
I've added this one to the side bar here but think it's also well worth adding this one to your bookmarks or your feed, it feels like this blog is going to be well worth keeping tabs on!
About Tim's Book....
Tim is using Kickstarter to fund his adventures into Authorland for his book "Forget Being the Favourite: 55 Ideas on Teaching Differently". If his blog is anything to go by then his book might be well worth supporting with the $5 that will get you a copy of the book. You can find out more about this here:
http://teachdifferent.com.au/2015/05/forget-being-the-favourite-55-ideas-on-teaching-differently/
Keep it up Tim! I look forward to being able to recommend your book to the teachers of the future.
My reflections on all of this....
Sometimes I run across comments about people worried about their teaching qualifications and how far they are going to carry them. They love teaching and would never give it up but they want to seek new experiences and new challenges in life. I like examples like Tim, or our own Ian Trevaskis, that I can point to and show that teaching qualifications and experience can carry you in all sorts of directions.
Tim and Ian chose to become authors in different ways. I love the social aspect of teaching so I stayed in front of people but moved sideways into Professional Development as have others. Some have gone on to become musicians, work in museums and many other places. I even met one who started travelling to local markets, making things with the craft skills she learned with her students for Mother's Day and Father's Day and so on.
Teaching can take us all sorts of wonderful places, the walls of a classroom are far from some imaginary line that marks the boundaries of our careers.
I like reminding people about things like that.
Regards,
Mel.
Tuesday, May 5, 2015
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