The only way to resurrect this blog is to write so I have decided to start using it to reflect on my day and see where we go. So, what’s happening in my little corner of the world?

This morning I spent some time with our Librarian to see all that was available on her new subscription to teachingbooks.net What a great resource! I think that our students are going to love all the video book trailers and interviews with authors. I also think that the website will be a great resource for teachers and the fact that it will link with our new online Library search will make using it very easy. If the creators of the website happen to be listening, my only request would be an additional interface for young students. They would love to access the content on their own!

Next it was off to help our grade 1 teacher do some video reflections with her students. They are wrapping up a Unit of Inquiry in which it we hoped that the students would learn that “co-operation nurtures relationships”. We showed them how Photobooth works and gave them 10 minutes to play with it. We then had them think about how they would complete this statement “I think that co-operation nurtures relationships means ________ because __________.” We encouraged them to imagine that they had to explain it to an SK student. The students had a chance to practice what they wanted to say and videotape themselves so that they could collect their thoughts and get used to seeing themselves on camera. They then went to their teacher and made their official recording. This will serve as their summative assessment before working as a class to do something related to the topic that will make a difference to their lives or the lives of others (i.e. taking action). We consciously decided to not make this a writing task so that we could gauge what students really knew about the topic without the writing process hindering them. Any students who were not very explicit will have a more formal interview with their teacher after the action project.

The remainder of my day was spent at a cross-country meet. Much as I was dreading the hour-long bus ride to take part in a 15min run, it was great fun – as always! Just some of the many things I do in a day as an ICT Integrator and PE Teacher…!