Hi folks – sorry for the disappearing act!
I can’t believe an entire term and term holidays has passed. If the rest of the year keeps going at this pace it’s going to go by in a complete flash.
I feel absolutely terrible for not updating more frequently, and my goal for this term will be to post regularly. I may have to pick an ‘updating night’ (or dig out my blog posts planner) to keep myself on track.
Considering the great deal of trepidation I felt starting in a Prep/1 class at the start of this year, I’ve relaxed quite a bit. It’s such a strange mixture of students to teach, but so much fun at the same time. My kiddos have certainly put my doubts to rest and we’ve had an absolute blast so far. I’ve been very pleasantly surprised at how well everyone’s settled in together – the preps are beautiful and the grade 1s are just gorgeous: they’ve become great leaders to the preps.
Since we’re settling into a new building, that’s currently in it’s ‘defects’ period, I’ve had a distressing lack of technology at my fingertips on a daily basis. Our classroom computers are no more – now due to be set up as a pod outside the classroom (still waiting!), and then my brand new IWB died. Or, at least, the globe did. (I tell you, I nearly cried!)
Not that I’m dependent on technology, but I love having it available to use to enhance lessons, or to explore areas of interest with my students. I also have a bundle of great teaching videos and songs that we share during fruit snack time, or eating time. It’s also meant that I haven’t started the blog with my students yet (parents yes, students, no).
It’s been a big term, at any rate. I even did a public speaking stint at the research findings lunch for the Contemporary Literacies project I was involved in last year. For those of you who aren’t aware, I am absolutely terrified of speaking in public, and even though I was talking to a Prezi presentation I couldn’t actually tell you what I said, I was that nervous. Seemed to go well, though, and I’m repeating the talk (somewhat) to my colleagues this term as a PD session on integrating technology into literacy. (That’s not as scary, since I know everyone, and we’ll be playing with flip cameras, talking lids, Bee-bots, Vokis and other bits and pieces.
Besides regularly updating this blog (and the class blog), I’m planning on making whole class blog posts, initiating our classroom blogging challenge, and trying to stay on top of my curriculum! (The last one’s kind of a biggie, but probably the most challenging of all of them.)
Later this term I’ll share a bit more about how I’m using the iPad and Evernote in the classroom. (My student portfolios on Evernote started well – I’ll admit to getting a bit slack towards the end of the term, but I plead end of term craziness for that! Will be getting back into the habit starting Day 1 on Monday.) I’ll also share my idea for my classroom blogging challenge!
Finally, I was going through some photos I took at the start of the year, and I found this one of the staff whiteboard in the staffroom. Just looking at it again made me laugh – and is a great sign of the relationship we all have with each other. We have some great personalities.
The never-ending yard duty saga (and why you never ask teachers for their preferences!): 🙂
(I love the idea of concessions for yard duty!)
I hope everyone has a WONDERFUL start to term 2! I’ll update again soon!