Monday, August 27, 2012

Product Placement and Sharing Welcome here!


MrsPotts read somewhere recently about ‘product placement’ and how this sort of promotion (in a local reality TV show) had reached ridiculous proportions. I agree that everything seems to be sponsored these days and now I’m conscious of the MacBookPro or the like casually (strategically) placed in movies.
But you’ll have to excuse me today s'il vous plait as this product placement is more in the line of … sharing.
My nephew-in-the-wine-industry presented me with this new kid on the block to celebrate something (anything!)  It’s called Stoney Ridge Pink Sparkling Spritz and it’s definitely worth a product placement here!  
Thanks Rowan.
So to Libraries and Learning-land...
Lately MrsPotts has been thinking about how difficult it is for (some) teachers to get the balance right between effective practice and dealing with all the day to day 'stuff ' in classrooms. As well as delivering the best teaching & learning programmes, the assessment of learning, assessment for learning and so on teachers have to consider things such as: how do we increase & maintain student engagement? and how well we integrate and optimise digital learning opportunities? digital-age learning which is authentic, real-world, rigorous, collaborative, and global (#ISTE12).

Some days I’m left wondering whether or not teachers are even managing everyday life in the classroom as a constant array of distractions seem to be taking up an awful lot of teachin' and learnin' time. I’m sure you know what we’re talking about here folks. Lately (in my Director of Learning role) I seem to have had to deal with my fair share of (mild) misdemeanors, social problems, health issues, petty arguments [he said, she said]& even shaved eyebrows (uh-huh!).  All of these things have an impact on learning as teachers and kids are distracted from what we are really wanting to achieve.
But MrsPotts is staying positive! I believe that it is possible to deliver great learning programmes for our kids, no matter what! (insert poster from Nike here!)
One of our teachers who I share with (she’s worth it!) took the time in the weekend to have a good look at this amazing resource I'd found out about on twitter called The Literacy Shed.
It’s fantastic and you can follow them on twitter or facebook or check out the sheds at http://www.literacyshed.com/ 
Check it out now, I say!
Today in the library Miss J told me that she had found just the thing to kick-start thinking on her class Inquiry.  Not the easiest of classes, but when she put the little movie clip up on the interactive whiteboard I saw engaged, focused kids asking super questions and giving thoughtful responses. 
Tick. Tick. Tick.