Category: Professional Learning

Autumn Training Workshops

INSETPublished on1 Comment on Autumn Training Workshops

This half term I am providing some voluntary training workshops in school on a real variety of different exciting topics, tools and concepts that I believe will be extremely important in the definition of a modern classroom embedding ICT and making the most of web 2.0.

  • Infomapper
  • ArtRage2 – this is amazing and a valuable addition to the schools software. I will post more about it soon.
  • Google Earth
  • Flickr
  • Classroom Blogging
  • 2Simple’s 2Connect and 2Investigate

These (not in any particular order, although I am delivering the ArtRage2 work tomorrow) will be short 45 minute sessions that any member of staff can come along to. I have already delivered some work last Tuesday on Infomapper that utilises OS data sets (bought by the LA).

Thankyou to Highwood Infant School

Google Earth, INSET, IWB, Mapping, My class, SMARTboardsPublished onLeave a Comment on Thankyou to Highwood Infant School

I spent most of today attending an INSET day at Highwood Player Infants School talking to them about using their IWBs which they have just had installed.

Many thanks to everyone at the school for inviting me and making me feel so welcome I hope that some of my ideas provide a springboard for your school’s IWB development.

Apart from the resources I planned to discuss we spoke about and used a range of other material. Below I have tried to record most of those thoughts from the morning:

  • Artrage 2 – a fantastic art package ideal for the use on the interactive whiteboard. Look out for more on this soon, here on my blog as I will be introducing the use at my school and planning some training.
  • Microsoft Local Live – we looked at the school and Highwood Player had really clear imagery from the “bird’s eye view” setting. Would be useful to look at before short walks or local area studies.
  • Quikmaps – Another mapping site that allows you to scribble and add placemarks. Again would be to look at before short walks or local area studies.
  • BBC Little Animal Activity Centre – we had a read of the animated books and phonic activities.
  • Google Earth – just mentioned this briefly but a wonderful tool that I am huge fan of. Read the rest of my blog for more information.
  • Topmarks Educational Website Search Engine – very handy when looking for something specifically aimed at schools.

Please follow the links above to the relevant sites.

Further down my blog, you will have to scroll a bit, there is the notes from the session with the links from the images. Please feel free to print these and use in school.

mswordNotes from session (handout)
mswordFerry Halim Guidance
vnd.ms powerpointPowerpoint of Year 2 Instructional writing work (ordering digital images)

I would really appreciate it you could take some time to leave me some feedback about the training session – scroll to the bottom of this post (or the one further down) and find the word “Comments” click on it and leave me your thoughts.

I really value your feedback and remarks so that in the future and can take them into account for other similar training sessions. Thanks again.

Notes for INSET @ Highwood Player Infants

INSET, IWB, Maths, SMARTboardsPublished on2 Comments on Notes for INSET @ Highwood Player Infants

Aims for the session:

  • To give you some real, creative and practical examples of ways to embed the use of the IWB in your teaching.

Introduction:

  • Tom Barrett
  • Year 6 classteacher
  • ICT Subject Leader
  • Assistant Headteacher
  • I have been using IWBs for the last 5 years in my teaching.

5 Ways in for Free

1. Ferry Halim
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Non-educational site providing a wealth of beautifully created games. Ideal for early whiteboard or mouse skills. Links to these skills I have highlighted in my Ferry Halim Guidance document.

2. Furbles
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A maths programme that needs no internet access and runs as a small piece of software downloaded in seconds. Its uses range from sorting according to colour, shape number of eyes etc – to data handling and creating pictograms and bar charts. DOWNLOAD IT HERE
3. Mathszone

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An extremely useful set of maths links to interactive activities throughout the maths curriculum. Notable links include activities from Toftwood Infant School.

4. Northumberland Grid for Learning

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Some excellent activities for early mouse and whiteboard skills; such as connect the dots and dress the teddy.

5. Using Digital Photographs

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Where is your troll?!
Taking photographs using the digital camera and feeding these into a literacy activity.

Instructional texts – link with science and forces. Year 2

Class went outside with skateboard, TA with a digital camera recorded each step when discussing how to skateboard. TA returned to class and loaded the pictures into whiteboard software (also printed small pictures off and photocopied for other independent work) – lower ability children were asked to work independently (could be supported initially by TA) to put the photographs into the correct order. Highly motivated and completed the task successfully.

Your next steps

  • Make the most of online resources – get the children using the boards with the Ferry Halim games.
  • Approach the IWB as a tool that can be used in every part of the lesson – from shared to independent to plenary.
  • Never worry about doing something that works perfectly well without an IWB; you are allowed to switch them off! – Just be aware of and reflect upon the choices you make.
  • Share your experiences regularly with each other. Have a fortnightly clinic session or make time for getting excited about successes in staff meetings.
  • Perhaps plan an IWB related target for performance management – as the development of IWB skills will be something that is already happening and is part of the School Development Plan

Any Questions?

Giving Feedback for this session

http://tbarrett.edublogs.org

At the very bottom of the post is a link to COMMENTS please leave your feedback in this way and if there are any questions or queries in the future please feel free to add a comment or contact me and I will try my best to help.

mswordHANDOUT from the session with these notes.