So here we are, the first year of the course drawing to an end ( although no felt tips were harmed in the writing of this blog). It's been 3 months since me last 'blog', and that didn't get any comments, and I doubt very much if this will...
Time has flown by since we all started, and many things have changed. I am now teaching part time at the WEA, after weeks of no teaching practice, it all comes at once. I have my own group of students ( marvellous) and they've kept me on. I get to park in the staff car park ( small, but relevant to a Northern boy like me), and I realise now how much I enjoy teaching, despite the fact that it 'consumes' your life, time and sleep pattern, where I have the barmiest of ideas at equally barmy times of the night.
Other things have changed, and these things are best left without comment ( so no-'one can say I'm being slanderous), but as Noah once said, 'It never rains but it pours. Must buy an umbrella'. Or at least I think he said that.
So onwards to Term2, more assignments, stress and insomnia. After which, I'll be a free Man,,,,
Comments I wonder ??
Tuesday 27 May 2014
Friday 13 December 2013
Mobilising the Mobile Technology
Just wanted to share to all my fellow bloggers....
I recently discovered on my Smartphone a brilliant 'app' called 'Deezer'. This is basically a free app, in the same vein as 'Itunes' but much better!. You simply download the app, and once installed, you can search any album/song/artist you like, as there's something like 300,000 to choose from! I would highly recommend it and test it !.
I recently discovered on my Smartphone a brilliant 'app' called 'Deezer'. This is basically a free app, in the same vein as 'Itunes' but much better!. You simply download the app, and once installed, you can search any album/song/artist you like, as there's something like 300,000 to choose from! I would highly recommend it and test it !.
Thursday 12 December 2013
The 12 weeks of Uni
On the first week of Uni my tutor gave to me a lesson in beginners Ict
On the second week of Uni my tutor gave to me two woolly gloves
On the third week of Uni my tutor gave to me three French blogs
On the fourth week of Uni my tutor gave to me four library cards
On the fifth week of Uni my tutor gave to me five Ted talks
On the sixth week of Uni my tutor gave to me six books a reading
On the seventh week of Uni my tutor gave to me seven students drinking
On the eighth week of Uni my tutor gave to me eight website links
On the ninth week of Uni my tutor gave to me nine tutors dancing
On the tenth week of Uni my tutor gave to me ten teaching sessions
On the eleventh week of Uni my tutor gave to me eleven Power points
On the twelfth week of Uni my tutor gave to me twelve parking spaces
With indirect reference to 'The 12 days of Christmas' published circa 1780.
On the second week of Uni my tutor gave to me two woolly gloves
On the third week of Uni my tutor gave to me three French blogs
On the fourth week of Uni my tutor gave to me four library cards
On the fifth week of Uni my tutor gave to me five Ted talks
On the sixth week of Uni my tutor gave to me six books a reading
On the seventh week of Uni my tutor gave to me seven students drinking
On the eighth week of Uni my tutor gave to me eight website links
On the ninth week of Uni my tutor gave to me nine tutors dancing
On the tenth week of Uni my tutor gave to me ten teaching sessions
On the eleventh week of Uni my tutor gave to me eleven Power points
On the twelfth week of Uni my tutor gave to me twelve parking spaces
With indirect reference to 'The 12 days of Christmas' published circa 1780.
Tuesday 3 December 2013
Festive Fun...
I have added the Youtube video of 'Are You Being Served?', which is from the 1981 xmas special entitled 'Roots?'. The staff are celebrating Old Mr Grace's 90th birthday, and viewers can see no less than 4 musical numbers, the highlight of which is the Scottish dancing. Sheer brilliance !!.
This episode saw the last appearances of Young and Old Mr Grace, and legend has it that Wendy Richard (Miss Brahms) declined to 'blacken up' for one number. Watch and you'll see why.....
This episode saw the last appearances of Young and Old Mr Grace, and legend has it that Wendy Richard (Miss Brahms) declined to 'blacken up' for one number. Watch and you'll see why.....
The Man whose life was unto a Mr Men story
Are you sitting comfortably ?? Then I'll begin....
There was once a man who lived a very nice life, in a very nice part of the world, with very nice neighbours, and his very nice children. His house was very nice, as he had worked very hard to make it so.
One day, not so long ago, the man was sitting in his very nice armchair, looking at his very nice garden, when his mind started to wander, as your mind sometimes does when you have nothing else to do. After a few minutes, and eating the last of the Jaffa cakes ( Is it a cake or a biscuit? pondered the man, then realising he didn't have that much spare time for such trivial trivialities).
As I said, the man was sitting there, when at this point in our story he realised that he was, and had indeed been, at various varying stages in his life, been one of the Mr Men ( which ironically enogh were his favourite stories EVER)(better than Winnie the Pooh).
After even more wondering and pondering, the man realised he was more like Mr Strong. Not necessarily in physical build, but in a way that he kept everyone together, and looked out for those dearest to him. He then realised he was also like Mr Silly and Mr Nonsense (his fave characters), as he had always thought it highly important to maintain some silliness and nonsense in everyday life, no matter what the book of life threw at him ( and it was quite a big book). He then realised again he was like Mr Bump (always accident prone, just like the man had been in younger years),and also like Mr Lazy, but not very often nowadays.
The most important thing the man realised that he was going to be like Mr Birthday very soon, as his very nice daughter had a very nice forthcoming birthday, and he was in charge of the cake ( a huge responsibility, bigger than huge itself). But, most of all, the man was most like Mr Happy.
'Why?' I hear you ask. Well, this was because even though having a very nice life the man knew deep down (deeper than an actual well), he was indeed Happy.
Jackanory, Jackanory, Jackanory......
There was once a man who lived a very nice life, in a very nice part of the world, with very nice neighbours, and his very nice children. His house was very nice, as he had worked very hard to make it so.
One day, not so long ago, the man was sitting in his very nice armchair, looking at his very nice garden, when his mind started to wander, as your mind sometimes does when you have nothing else to do. After a few minutes, and eating the last of the Jaffa cakes ( Is it a cake or a biscuit? pondered the man, then realising he didn't have that much spare time for such trivial trivialities).
As I said, the man was sitting there, when at this point in our story he realised that he was, and had indeed been, at various varying stages in his life, been one of the Mr Men ( which ironically enogh were his favourite stories EVER)(better than Winnie the Pooh).
After even more wondering and pondering, the man realised he was more like Mr Strong. Not necessarily in physical build, but in a way that he kept everyone together, and looked out for those dearest to him. He then realised he was also like Mr Silly and Mr Nonsense (his fave characters), as he had always thought it highly important to maintain some silliness and nonsense in everyday life, no matter what the book of life threw at him ( and it was quite a big book). He then realised again he was like Mr Bump (always accident prone, just like the man had been in younger years),and also like Mr Lazy, but not very often nowadays.
The most important thing the man realised that he was going to be like Mr Birthday very soon, as his very nice daughter had a very nice forthcoming birthday, and he was in charge of the cake ( a huge responsibility, bigger than huge itself). But, most of all, the man was most like Mr Happy.
'Why?' I hear you ask. Well, this was because even though having a very nice life the man knew deep down (deeper than an actual well), he was indeed Happy.
Jackanory, Jackanory, Jackanory......
Tuesday 26 November 2013
Show me a Reflection,O Mirror.....
Yesterday (25.11.13) was my micro teaching session, the first I'd done since August of this year. I volunteered to go first as I wanted to play some 'easy listening' music as the Student's entered the classroom. This seemed to work.
Although it was a mere 20 minute session, I had done between 8 and 10 hours lesson prep. Some may think that 'excessive', but it was very important to me that everything ran smoothly ( which it did, as I kept within the time allotted), and without rehearsal ( no time for that, ironically enough).
On reflection of this session, I am very glad that it was a success, and that I've completed the task. The unfortunate issues, however, would be that no-one took time to look at the 3 posters I had placed on the tables, with information about each fracture. If anyone had, it could have generated a discussion prior to the teaching- so that prep was in to no avail whatsoever.
Also, the cursed 'PowerPoint' was mentioned, which will be a long running discussion for some time yet. The idea of the micro session, and indeed all my future teaching practice, is to feel comfortable within my own parameters, and to self gauge how much content to use/research/resource accordingly for each session. It's also about using the teaching aids one feels comfortable with for that one session. I also thought the humour used in the session didn't get the reception I'd anticipated ( v. tough audience on further reflection), which reminded me of the audience's from my acting days.
However, it's all done now. 'Satisfied am I' as Yoda once said.
Although it was a mere 20 minute session, I had done between 8 and 10 hours lesson prep. Some may think that 'excessive', but it was very important to me that everything ran smoothly ( which it did, as I kept within the time allotted), and without rehearsal ( no time for that, ironically enough).
On reflection of this session, I am very glad that it was a success, and that I've completed the task. The unfortunate issues, however, would be that no-one took time to look at the 3 posters I had placed on the tables, with information about each fracture. If anyone had, it could have generated a discussion prior to the teaching- so that prep was in to no avail whatsoever.
Also, the cursed 'PowerPoint' was mentioned, which will be a long running discussion for some time yet. The idea of the micro session, and indeed all my future teaching practice, is to feel comfortable within my own parameters, and to self gauge how much content to use/research/resource accordingly for each session. It's also about using the teaching aids one feels comfortable with for that one session. I also thought the humour used in the session didn't get the reception I'd anticipated ( v. tough audience on further reflection), which reminded me of the audience's from my acting days.
However, it's all done now. 'Satisfied am I' as Yoda once said.
Friday 22 November 2013
How technology has changed the way we learn
In the 21st century, technology has changed the ways in which we communicate and go about 'everyday life' beyond recognition. Very few educators would disagree with the notion that technology has dramatically changed the teaching and learning process.
In this final 'homework' blog (hurrah!), I will discuss the 3 of the 12 points identified by Dr Katherine McKnight, Phd on how this has occurred and its relevance.
i) Communication Evolution - Because the majority of people in the world rely on text speak, it is becoming more apparent that our students have learned a dialect/language we don't always understand. They now communicate in many different modifications, due to technology. Maybe its 2M2H (Too much to Handle).
ii) Extended Classroom Communities (ECC) - Technology facilitates our ability to extend this, by using such web based platforms as Edmodo. With this internet application, both Teachers and their Learners can discuss homework, post assignments and interact with their Peers as they work on the relevant project.
iii) 'Bye Bye' to 3 ring Binders - Gone are the days where learners would struggle to carry all their work around in numerous binders. Nowadays, a computer, tablet or even mobile phone can keep all these 'files' and 'handouts' in neat folders. Teachers can also use a Web 2.0 tool, http://www.LiveBinders.com, that allows uses to create an online binder.
On reflection, I found this website very useful and informative. It is written and updated by a Teacher, with many years of experience. The site is easy to follow, and has many other links which could be useful for the student Teacher.
Dr Katherine McKnight, Phd is an Author, Educator and Consultant who began her career over 20 years ago in Chicago, US.
Further reference can be found on http://www.teachhub.com
In this final 'homework' blog (hurrah!), I will discuss the 3 of the 12 points identified by Dr Katherine McKnight, Phd on how this has occurred and its relevance.
i) Communication Evolution - Because the majority of people in the world rely on text speak, it is becoming more apparent that our students have learned a dialect/language we don't always understand. They now communicate in many different modifications, due to technology. Maybe its 2M2H (Too much to Handle).
ii) Extended Classroom Communities (ECC) - Technology facilitates our ability to extend this, by using such web based platforms as Edmodo. With this internet application, both Teachers and their Learners can discuss homework, post assignments and interact with their Peers as they work on the relevant project.
iii) 'Bye Bye' to 3 ring Binders - Gone are the days where learners would struggle to carry all their work around in numerous binders. Nowadays, a computer, tablet or even mobile phone can keep all these 'files' and 'handouts' in neat folders. Teachers can also use a Web 2.0 tool, http://www.LiveBinders.com, that allows uses to create an online binder.
On reflection, I found this website very useful and informative. It is written and updated by a Teacher, with many years of experience. The site is easy to follow, and has many other links which could be useful for the student Teacher.
Dr Katherine McKnight, Phd is an Author, Educator and Consultant who began her career over 20 years ago in Chicago, US.
Further reference can be found on http://www.teachhub.com
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