Monday, 9 February 2015
Sunday, 8 February 2015
First week down...
The first week is under our belt! Oh okay, so the first week consisted of only two actual teaching days... but we all appeared to be fairly shattered by the end of it!
It was fascinating to explore the acoustics of the new space, which the "holes in the wall's" created. We adapted our teaching methods to utilise the 'space around the corner' to limit the sound travelling the length of the building. We are constantly aware of the wider repercussions. It's not just that we are now team teaching... due to the openings in the wall, we are conscious of how what we are doing might impact on the other teaching spaces in the building.
We set ourselves some targets of what we hoped to get through in the first two days... we got through half of them! We introduced our kids to their google accounts and passwords, which a number had problems with! Some of our kids used them last year, whether it was with my pilot class or the younger pilot class coming through. For some of the kids it was their first time! One student had inadvertently be given a teacher aides login detail (same initial and surname!) - Minor glitches that we worked through! Let's just say that the page with the "reset password" button was kept on my screen... and used quite a few times!
Overall, the kids are responding fantastically to the change in environment and collaborative approach to teaching!
Next week, my partner in crime and I are getting GAFE training, which is super exciting!
My goals for the week are:
It was fascinating to explore the acoustics of the new space, which the "holes in the wall's" created. We adapted our teaching methods to utilise the 'space around the corner' to limit the sound travelling the length of the building. We are constantly aware of the wider repercussions. It's not just that we are now team teaching... due to the openings in the wall, we are conscious of how what we are doing might impact on the other teaching spaces in the building.
We set ourselves some targets of what we hoped to get through in the first two days... we got through half of them! We introduced our kids to their google accounts and passwords, which a number had problems with! Some of our kids used them last year, whether it was with my pilot class or the younger pilot class coming through. For some of the kids it was their first time! One student had inadvertently be given a teacher aides login detail (same initial and surname!) - Minor glitches that we worked through! Let's just say that the page with the "reset password" button was kept on my screen... and used quite a few times!
Overall, the kids are responding fantastically to the change in environment and collaborative approach to teaching!
Next week, my partner in crime and I are getting GAFE training, which is super exciting!
My goals for the week are:
- to get the Passports sorted for the syndicate.
- Set up the template for individual student blogs.
- Undertake the EAsstle test in reading and mathematics.
Carpe dium
Monday, 2 February 2015
The end of the Summer holiday is nigh...
As with all 'best laid plans', this years preparation for the new school year has gone somewhat to custard! Hubby had booked 4 days leave to take control of our midget terrorists so I could dedicate those days to setting up my new collaborative classroom space without the distraction our cherubs provide. Alas, the builders on sight were somewhat waylaid and nought could be done but wait... and wait...
This year brings a few changes. I've moved into a new block, while my partner in crime for the year has remained in the same classroom. There is now a sizeable hole in each of the internal walls, to provide for collaborative teaching spaces and lending the older building to a more modern learning environment approach to teaching.
At the end of the year, my 'stuff' was piled into a corner to await my return post-construction. It wasn't easy to look at it without feeling the overwhelming urge to run in the other direction. This is what I was met with:
Each internal wall has had a hole created, with a support beam maintained in the middle. These photo's were taken when we were yet to gain full access:
Our old cloak rooms have had the hooks removed in order to utilise the space as a learning area. We are going to use the space as a creative space. We feel it lends itself to that as the lino on the floor enables a wet area (or clean up!). We are also intending to put instruments out there as the doors can be closed to minimise the noise levels. A large work table will be placed out here for collaboration or art etc.
It wasn't just my room that had a pile! Somehow our task was to combine these two classes into one wider learning space.
This year brings a few changes. I've moved into a new block, while my partner in crime for the year has remained in the same classroom. There is now a sizeable hole in each of the internal walls, to provide for collaborative teaching spaces and lending the older building to a more modern learning environment approach to teaching.
At the end of the year, my 'stuff' was piled into a corner to await my return post-construction. It wasn't easy to look at it without feeling the overwhelming urge to run in the other direction. This is what I was met with:
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| The pile! |
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| Hole through to Room 6 |
 |
| Hole through to room 8 |
 |
| View to old cloakbay |
It wasn't just my room that had a pile! Somehow our task was to combine these two classes into one wider learning space.
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| Towards Rm8 |
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