In 2015, I was inspired to establish our school makerspace as a result of my experiences and learning at the International Society for Technology Education Conference. As I have reflected in past posts, it took me years to understand that effective STEM programs were built on inquiry learning pedagogy, curriculum integration, and hand-on ‘maker’ […]
Continue reading →It is been a while since I’ve ‘put pen to paper’ here, but it is nice to be back. In light of my experiences and the challenges I’ve faced so far this school year, I’m dedicating this post to the ‘learning curve’. For me, good teaching is about learning. It is about taking risks, experimenting with new ideas, […]
Continue reading →Over the past few weeks, I’ve been working with a group of student teachers and a few new relief (substitute / casual) teachers, and been given ample opportunity to reflect on my early career experiences. I still have vivid (painful) memories of my student teaching practical experiences, and remember how I graduated from university in 2008 […]
Continue reading →In preparing for my Science, ICT, and the Global Classroom presentation at the Science Teachers’ of Western Australia Conference this weekend, I’ve learnt some valuable lessons about global connections, crafting powerful presentations, and about connecting science to the real world. But perhaps the greatest lesson has arisen from my endeavours to model the appropriate (legal) use of […]
Continue reading →cc licensed ( BY ) flickr photo shared by Scott McLeod Would you believe that our education department ICT policy makers, in their infinite wisdom, have blocked student access to Flickr.com? And that this means, that no less than four out of five Creative Commons images sites, which are SUITABLE for students, don’t WORK AT […]
Continue reading →Whist preparing a recent job application, I took the opportunity to update my teaching philosophy statement, the ‘reflective ‘manifesto’ which defines my beliefs about 21st Century teaching and learning practices. I’ve posted it here. What impressed me the most was not that my ideas and approach had necessarily changed over the past 3 years, […]
Continue reading →Chapter 5: Citizenship, focussed on the complex educational issue of digital citizenship. I was particularly interested in the idea that we could examine digital citizenship through 5 lenses, the areas of technical, individual, social, cultural, and global awareness. As I am not a classroom teacher, I really struggled to relate this chapter to my […]
Continue reading →Yesterday, I met a former student … and the memories came flooding back. cc licensed ( BY ) flickr photo shared by The Wandering Angel Three years ago, I was a student teacher on my final teaching placement. I was teaching a troubled, angry, and violent 8 year-old student … whom my cooperating teacher […]
Continue reading →As a new teacher, it is so easy to get all-consumed with the teaching. Yet, it is important to remember that we are teaching students … we are teaching children. cc licensed ( BY ) flickr photo shared by Pink Sherbet Photography Some of my students, my “little characters”, are not easy to teach. Some make me […]
Continue reading →Today, I had a reason to smile. I’ve spent the last four weeks teaching a Year 6 class at my old school. I’m a relief teacher, but I’m part of the furniture. In these few weeks, I’ve helped run a global project, and learnt a lot about myself and my students. I’ve loved the opportunity […]
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