This session ran really well today. What amazed me, yet again, is the sense of wonder and anticipation even Itermediates have for a shared big book. Obviously you have to choose carefully…. “Each Peach Pear Plum” though it is my son’s favourite book is inappropriate for 12 and 13year olds.
My choice was In the Woods by Chris Wormall… Though it sound a quaint story to begin with a relies on prior knowledge of rhymes and other fairy stories there is a twist to the tail that brings the students up short if they have never heard it before. In fact many of Chris’ books are like this. But the reason I chose this one was the fact it followed a journey- in the woods- as the name states. We used the IWB to plan out a retelling of the story then the pictures show the students making embedding their own sound files for different portions of the story. A great whole class/ breaking into groups kinda lesson. They responded well to the challenge.
Was reading Weblogg-ed today about letting students be ‘Googleable’. Will was talking about questions he ask Principals about Googling applicants. And it got me thinking about being ‘Googleable’ myself. I’ve never done it before, odd perhaps but I haven’t, well maybe once or twice early on. Much to my delight, or now constination- having read Will? I came up with a big fat Zero. When I began my blog and my adventures into edublogosphere I was very concerned about not having stuff tracked back to me. I didn’t want to be googled, So that is why I created Dragon09.
Anyone really looking doesn’t have to go too far to find my name, look up and to the right for a start, then there are many NZ bloggers- hi, btw! who link back to this blog and use my proper name. And have been donig so for 12 months (no worries guys). I it is good to know that googling Simon Evans (Even with NZ attached) brings me no where near the first few pages of a Google search.
However, you type in Dragon09 and you get a whole page of me, me, ME (Save for one). Having said that, its not such a great thing according the Will’s post I’m now putting myself at a disadvantage- Which prospect employer would key in D_R_A_G_O_N_0_9 looking for me? None!
I was privileged enough today to observe a music session with some Intermediate students. I call it a ‘session’ because it felt more like a session than a lesson, with students recording tracks, dubbing, mixing, jamming and rehearsing and not necessarily in this order.
The end product apparently is still 2 weeks away. They will be recording their own version of ‘Hotel California’ or some such.
The teacher was clearly a talented musician, but then so were many in his class- Vocalists, bass players, guitars, drums to name a few.
I can’t believe he handpicked his class and pulled out all the ‘budding musicians’ from the year group. This is much more a powerful demonstration of the passion of a teacher impacting on and inspiring his students.
Are we getting over it? Or is it part of the message that needs repeating in different ways, to engage different people. TO AWAKEN A WORLD TO IT’S OWN FUTURE!!!!
However, you type in Dragon09 and you get a whole page of me, me, ME (Save for one). Having said that, its not such a great thing according the Will’s post I’m now putting myself at a disadvantage- Which prospect employer would key in D_R_A_G_O_N_0_9 looking for me? None!
I was privileged enough today to observe a music session with some Intermediate students. I call it a ‘session’ because it felt more like a session than a lesson, with students recording tracks, dubbing, mixing, jamming and rehearsing and not necessarily in this order.
The teacher was clearly a talented musician, but then so were many in his class- Vocalists, bass players, guitars, drums to name a few.
