It is hard to believe that I am only a few months away from celebrating the second year of my first professional blog. As time has gone by, the topics have changed, and my readership has fluctuated, but I’m still here. I personally think that’s quite an achievement, considering all that has gone on behind the scenes …

In light of what has been a very busy to start to the year, I thought I’d share my first (occasional) Global Education Update …

 
cc licensed ( BY ) flickr photo shared by woodleywonderworks

Global Classroom 2011-12 is coming to an end

Nine months after the official launch of the Global Classroom Project (2011-12), we are planning its conclusion. There are feedback surveys to prepare, a few VoiceThreads to create, a wiki showcase to work on, and the final webinar(s) to organise …

Yet, as I look back, I’m happy. This project, and the people I work with, have helped me through the ups and downs of the past year, and led to some amazing new opportunities and connections. It has been a wonderful experience, and I’m certainly looking forward to taking a few months break!

We are currently working on the final project, building a commerative wiki (http://globalclassroommementos.wikispaces.com), and sending several #globalclassroom scrapbooks around the world. It is time to celebrate our teachers’ & students’ achievements in Global Classroom 2011-12.

The May #globalclassroom Twitter chats start this weekend (in a few hours)

This month marks the first time our newly-formed chats team have organised the monthly #globalclassroom chats.

I’d like to thank Jennifer Fenton (@jennysfen), for organising this month’s chat, and to Andrew Thompson (@1AndrewT63), who bravely put his hand up to help out, and is on the list for next month

This month’s topic is: Getting a global project started … Where do you begin, and how do you make it meaningful and sustainable?, contributed by Laurie Renton (@RentonL).

I hope you will take a moment to explore (and bookmark) our new Global Classroom Twitter Chats wiki, which you will find at http://theglobalclassroomchats.wikispaces.com

The chats start today, Saturday, May 12, and run until Monday / Tuesday next week. Please see the wiki to find out when they run in your timezone. I hope to see you there!

Exploring new opportunities with iEARN Australia 

And finally, in what was one of the most satisfying moments of the year to date, I’ve joined the iEARN Australia management team, where I’ll help run the Australian branch of the world’s largest and longest established global collaboration community.

Drawing on my experience running Global Classroom, I am looking forward to helping grow the iEARN Australia network, raising awareness about the benefits of global education and collaboration within the wider Australian educational community. I’m determined to make the most of this very special opportunity, so stay tuned!

Dear Mr P.,

Last year, you took a young teacher, new to your school, under your care. He was shell-shocked and disorientated after being unexpectedly appointed to his first teaching position at 9AM on the first day of school.

Yes, as you know, that teacher was me.

To this day, I still don’t fully understand what you saw in me. Yet, you did your best to ensure I was treated fairly, and had the unshakable belief that I was capable of doing great things with ICT. I felt, for the first time, that someone believed in my abilities, and I sincerely appreciated your support and guidance through the tough times.

Later, just when I was preparing to leave, you asked me to take on Room 13. All I wanted to do was leave my memories behind; yet, with your encouragement, I took on that challenge, and I am truly glad I did.

In those four weeks, I proved to myself that I could teach. I felt like a teacher.

I am not sure how much you know about the Global Classroom project I did with those students, but it marked the very first time I collaborated with teachers around the world. I was learning how to flatten my classroom walls, and exploring ways to enable my students to connect, share, and learn with kids around the world.

And this was just the beginning …

Mr P., my teaching experience in Room 13 changed the course of my career.

After my departure, I went on to co-found and coordinate the development of The Global Classroom Project: 2011-12.

I know you believed I was good with ICT, but I had no idea that I would lead the creation of a global online learning community, which now connects hundreds of teachers and thousands of students around the world.

Yet, with all that happened last year, I was never able to properly thank you for everything you did for me.

Out of the trauma and painful decisions which defined the start of my 2011 school year came new friendships, wonderful opportunities, and the realization that I could use my ICT skills to create, and do something special. I rediscovered my love of teaching, and found my educational niche.

I’m not sure if we will meet again, so I’d like to take this opportunity to say something I wanted to say a long time ago …

“Thank-you Mr P. You made a real difference in the life and career of a young educator.”

There are occasions where you come across something beautiful.

This is one of them, via my good friend @surreallyno.

“A lonely desk toy longs for escape from the dark confines of the office, so he takes a cross country road trip to the Pacific Coast in the only way he can – using a toy car and Google Maps Street View.”

Composed by Tom Jenkins (details here)

Address Is Approximate from The Theory on Vimeo.

My PLN has been a source of support, learning, and encouragement, and along the way, I’ve met many wonderful new people, made new friends, and discovered some invaluable online professional learning resources.

Today, I’m taking the opportunity to nominate a few of my favourite sites, blogs, and resources for the Edublogs Awards 2011.

The purpose of the Edublog awards is promote and demonstrate the educational values of these social media.  The best aspects include that it creates a fabulous resource for educators to use for ideas on how social media is used in different contexts, with a range of different learners while creating an invaluable resource of the best-of-the-best on the web!network

http://edublogawards.com/

BEST NEW BLOG

Teaching the Teacher: http://traintheteacher.wordpress.com/

Stephanie (@traintheteacher) found me on Twitter some months ago, and I soon discovered her insightful blog (established Jan 2011) where she has shared her experiences, reflections, and learning as a student-come-beginning teacher.

We need more student and beginning teacher bloggers like Stephanie; as by sharing our stories, frustrations, learning, and achievements, we can build informed community understanding of new teacher experiences, and better aid their entry into the teaching profession.

BEST GROUP BLOG

Edublogs Teacher Challenge: http://teacherchallenge.edublogs.org/

With out a doubt, the Teacher Challenge blog is one of the BEST online professional development resources for teachers on the internet today. Written by teachers, for teachers, this is relevant, informed PD at it’s best. It has helped me improve my blogging skills, and build my PLN.

BEST ED TECH / RESOURCE SHARING BLOG

Education Technology and Mobile Learning: http://educationaltech-med.blogspot.com/

There’s always something interesting in Med’s blog feed, and I’ve always appreciated the incredible effort he puts into his visual explanations of the latest education technology tools and resources. Educational Technology and Mobile Learning remains one of my most frequently bookmarked blogs in my Diigo library.

BEST TEACHER BLOG

Stump the Teacher:  http://stumpteacher.blogspot.com/

While I follow many amazing blogs, my stand-out teacher blog for 2011 just has to be Josh Stumpenhorst’s "Stump the Teacher” blog (). Josh’s blog has taught me a great deal about teaching, and about myself; and his work inspires and educates teachers around the world.

BEST EDUCATIONAL USE OF AUDIO / VIDEO / VISUAL / PODCAST

The Virtual Staffroom Podcast: http://virtualstaffroom.net/

Chris Betcher’s Virtual Staffroom podcast remains the ONLY educational podcast I remain subscribed to, as his inspirational interviews with leading educators enable teachers to share and learn from each-other – around the world. I have followed the Virtual Staffroom for nearly 4 years, and eagerly await each episode.

Well, these are my nominations for the Edublogs Awards 2011.

I hope they will help inspire and educate others, as they have done for me.

I came across this amazing video on the Teacher Reboot Camp Blog (January 1, 2010), and thought I’d share it here.

It is a wonderful way to reflect on the year that was … according to Google™

Google™–What the World Searched – 2010

Today, October 29, 2010  is a special day for Australian teachers. It is a time to remember and thank those wonderful teachers who have shaped our lives and our future.

Today, I am taking the opportunity to publically acknowledge those special people who inspired my entry into the teaching profession.

Mrs Daughenbaugh (Year 4):
I remember you for your creativity, and ability to bring out the artist within us. You had a truly positive impact on a young boy’s life, and it has been amazing to work with you over 15 years later as a fully qualified teacher.

Mrs Snow (Year 6):
Without a doubt, you were the most inspirational teacher I ever had. I have wonderful memories of your class which continue to inspire my own teaching today.

I’ve never forgotten the grammar lesson – “Capital G for Germans” you once gave me, and I still smile about the time you discovered a frog in the classroom! I suppose it was a bit of shock when you discovered that I became a teacher, but you’re one of the reasons why I joined this profession! Thankyou.

Ms Thomas (Teacher-Librarian):
Your arrival was one of the best things that ever happened at my school. I always loved coming to your Library at lunch; helping out, reading, and discovering the joys of the (very slow!) Internet. You provided a place where I could be myself, where I could leave the teasing outside. You helped inspire my life-long love of libraries. Thankyou.

Teachers. We Make a Difference.

In December 2008, I was involved in a WA union trial of Curriculum Organiser, one of the most useful and inspirational pieces of software I have ever worked with. Designed for Australian educators, the software supports teacher planning across all learning areas (K-7, and now secondary learning areas).

The Curriculum Organiser™ database contains a wealth of syllabus/curriculum linked integrated themes, graphic organisers, unit planners, and subject learning activities for teachers to adapt to their own classroom situations. One of the most useful features is the database of instructional strategies (e.g. Think Pair Share, Six Hats Thinking, SWOT Analysis, Bloom’s Taxonomy) which teachers can employ to promote student engagement and higher-order thinking skills.

An individual licence costs about $200, but WA State School Teachers Union (SSTUWA) members can access it for free as part of their membership. I highly recommend the Curriculum Organiser planning software for graduate teachers, as (used effectively) it significantly reduces your planning workload across all eight learning areas, one of the hardest and most stressful tasks we face as new teachers.

My involvment in this trial ultimately led to the complete transformation of my teaching approach over the coming years, inspiring the creation of a unique electronic database of curriculum resources and enabling me to adopt a flexible ICT integrated approach to curriculum planning. More details on this later.

“What students bring to class is where learning begins.

It starts there and goes places.”

I believe teaching is about enriching students’ lives, forging connections with their communities, and using their questions to drive the learning process.

As a teacher, I aim to use my talents, professional knowledge and expertise to enable my students’ access to the powerful texts and multiple literacy practices of our society.

My teaching is informed by the principles of social justice, democracy and environmental sustainability. I firmly believe that no child deserves to be left behind; and I hope to help my students become the informed, empowered and innovative global citizens of the 21st Century.

As revised January 2010

Welcome to my “A Relief Teacher’s Journey” blog.

I am a primary school relief teacher working in the southern suburbs of Perth, Western Australia. Since February 2009, I have attended 20 schools across the government and private education sectors, teaching classes from Kindergarten to Year 7, including Physical Education, Music, Art and ICT.

Despite the intense challenges and difficulties I have faced as a relief teacher, I have I have found the experience to be extremely rewarding, making me a better person and a better teacher. 

I have a keen interest in Web 2.0 and other educational technologies arising from my teaching philosophy and university studies in the field of multiliteracies (New London Group, 1996). I have a long-term aspiration to become a specialist Literacy/ICT integration teacher, supporting teachers’ meaningful integration of educational technologies to support all their students, particularly those deemed “at risk” or “failures”.

As an educator, I am on a professional learning journey. The creation and maintenance of this blog marks the achivement of two long-term professional goals; namely my desire to explore the implications of ICT technologies, and to share my experiences, ideas and evolving teaching practice as a new graduate teacher.

Recalling my immense lack of knowledge & experience as a newly graduated teacher, I hope this blog will become a relevant and informative resource for student and graduate teachers, particularly those contemplating or currently engaged in relief teaching work.