Country comes to town

Still here

2006-08-26T13:54:00.000+01:00

Getting to grips with things at the start of a new term is always time consuming. A brief post to say that I will be creating a new blog in my role as SSDN mentor which has been rebranded "Glow". Haven't had time to look at the introductory material yet but as the training has been delayed until at least next April it will allow me to settle into my new class and school.
Attended in-service on Curriculum for Excellence. All Primary and Secondary teachers were together, a real novelty but a worthwhile experience in itself. Look forward to seeing how things move forward.
Now it is back to class preparations...big list , much to be done

A couple of days well spent

2006-08-13T23:02:00.000+01:00

Not long back from a visit to Campbeltown ( accompanied by Spencer) of course to collate material with Marlyn for our forthcoming seminars at SETT. A Chinese meal and a few glasses of wine helped get us working as we began to decide what to include, or more difficult what to omit, from the seminar. We are now after 2 days and nights of discussions ready to organise some slides using Keynote- the Mac answer to PowerPoint. Another learning curve coming up then!

I have also for the first time made use of the Bluetooth feature on the laptop. We sent each other files to practise, some from Marlyn's phone and others laptop to laptop. A small step for computer experts...another giant leap for me! I have decided to get a new mobile phone and have chosen one with features, as opposed to one that just phones! You know the sort, Bluetooth, polyphonic ringtones, MP3 player and so on....but the main attraction is the colour.

Marlyn had a copy of the CalMag magazine, where, the article Owen and Samuel wrote appears on the back page about the teddy project. They will be thrilled to see it in print.

Pictured are my latest gadgets...a groovy pink memory stick (Magic Key) and an amazing colour changing mini mouse for the laptop.

Busy times

2006-08-08T16:04:00.000+01:00

Today has been a busy and productive day. It started with an early morning phone interview with Douglas Blane for the TES about our seminar at SETT "Infants Can Communicate" and my use of ICT generally. I was a bit nervous about the interview but once I got into the swing of it, I enjoyed the chance to discuss the project. It also helped clarify points to include in the seminar which Marlyn and I have still to bring together.

I also spoke with Catherine McGoldrick the Oxford Reading Tree rep. Dunoon Primary needs a new reading scheme and ORT is a possibility.

In between phone calls I have been painting my kitchen and reading a few blog posts. Ewan and John have been discussing the design aspect of blogs and web spaces and giving children the opportunity to be creative with their space. I think that the look of the blog is important. I certainly have enjoyed adding things to my blog, and think that at primary level posting photos, Bubbleshare slideshows and animated gifs all adds to the appeal as well as developing skills and a real sense of achievement.

I also read Alan November's latest blog post where he asks
" Do you believe connecting students to people around the world in your curriculum will benefit your students? If so, what are some of your ideas?"
I can only say that the biggest thrill for the children with Talking Teds was the global aspect of the blog and the knowledge that they had a worldwide audience. This was really motivating for them. I also feel chuffed when I see hits from around the world on my site meter. I am just a beginner blogger....what lies ahead....when will I understand everything that Ewan, John and Andrew talk about on their blogs?

Just off to embellish this post with a few bits and bobs.

Holiday reading

2006-07-27T18:35:00.000+01:00

Just received my latest purchases from Amazon.
I have always liked reading non-fiction and reference books so it is not as sad as it looks!

Spent time today in my classroom sorting the computer area and setting the interactive whiteboard up to small person level.

I am back in tomorrow to do a bit more sorting and organising....then it's off to Blackpool on Saturday.

My new classroom

2006-07-26T18:30:00.000+01:00

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Well here it is- my new room, ready to be licked into shape. Went into school today and tried out the computer, an iMac running OS9 and an old 'grey' machine. Back into tomorrow to do a bit of furniture arranging!

Scorchio!!!

2006-07-21T19:12:00.000+01:00

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Technobabble or How to learn HTML and Javascript in 20 minutes between toddler interruptions

2006-07-21T16:23:00.000+01:00

Having spent 20 minutes or so in the presence of my brother at the computerface (he who is blessed with a great many wee men in bowler hats).....discussing HTML and Javascript.....I can now quite confidently say that I have a lot to learn!
My big brother is a patient and enthusiastic teacher who is extremely knowledgeable about his subject. I remember reading his Phd thesis...well the title...and giving up...another Greek document.....but with a bit of encouragement I could get quite into all this stuff...given time.
In the meantime if I can get a handle on FTP's and Javascript
copying I would like to try the Lightbox photo slideshow application which looks really cool. Perhaps John Johnston at Sandaig could talk me through it as he seems to be quite a few giant steps ahead of me!

My visitors have gone and now I know why I didn't do all these sorts of things when my children were small!

Summer visitors

2006-07-20T12:27:00.000+01:00

My brother and his family are on their way to visit...haven't seen them for a couple of years. My brother is a computer programmer or software consultant or some such thing. Don't know if he knows how to blog though so it will be interesting to get his opinion of this old blogging business. I am sure he knows all about HTML so might ask him for some advice...it's all Greek to me.

2006-07-13T14:21:00.000+01:00

Isn't it amazing...courtesy of Google Earth here is an image of the venue for SETT in September.
I have now spent several hours zooming around the country. I have found my Dad's house in Prestwick but unfortunately much of Argyll has not yet been photographed in close up.
After reading a post in the Masterclass area of LTScotland, there are other services which provide similar arial shots around the world so I tried some of them too. The wee men in bowler hats have been at it again!

Posting via Firefox

2006-07-09T19:33:00.000+01:00

I am trying out Firefox as my web browser. Now when I go to post in blogger there are a lot more options. I can use different texts change size and font and even change colour....pretty cool eh?

I can also make a bullet point list
Or a numbered one
Change to bold text
Or write in italics

I will also be able to create a link more easily!
Don't know if these are new features or why they don't appear when using Safari- better not go too wild as lots of annoying changes will just frustrate the reader. Now to post to see if it shows up on the blog.

The wee men in bowler hats have been busy again.

Well chuffed

2006-07-04T22:35:00.000+01:00

I just love this blogging business!
I am so pleased with how the blog looks but then I am a very visual learner- I need to see things to get the idea- a diagram/drawing...the actual letters of a crossword written down or just show me! Anyway ..look at that lovely clock and the scrolling Bubbleshare slideshow. In just a couple of months since setting up the Teddy blog so many more options to spruce up one's blog have become available and I am fair gobsmacked by it all.

My Dad used to tell me that there were wee men with bowler hats inside your brain doing all sorts of things to get your brain going. I think this was his attempt to cheer me up when I couldn't do my maths homework...'ah the wee men in bowler hats are away out", he would sigh.

Well some people obviously have lots of wee men in bowler hats operating in their grey matter and allow us with fewer the chance to copy and paste HTML into our blogs to make clocks and such like appear!
The result is such a visually pleasing-clever looking-professional bit of web space that some people might think I am chalk full of wee men in bowler hats....I take my hat off to those who are!

Time to reflect

2006-07-03T18:26:00.000+01:00

Now that the dust has settled and the holidays have begun, I shall let you know of my ICT experiences in my new school.
As promised there was a lovely new Promethean board set up in the P4 classroom I was teaching in for the last 3 weeks of term.
(Although my new post is as Principal Teacher with responsibility for Infants and Pre-5 due to various reasons I will not have an infant class until August)
The board was of great interest to the pupils, but as it was hitched up to a PC, and I have only got my provisional licence for those machines, I waited until I had time at lunchtime to hook up my trusty old Mac! The children were mightily impressed and all desperate to have a turn out at the board. Now with a class of 15 you can get everyone to have a turn fairly quickly- not so easy with 29 pupils all itching to try it out!
The first thing I showed them was some of the pictures in the library- I explained how I had used the seaside picture with my P1/2/3 class and they asked if they could do the same thing. Over the next 3 weeks I used the board periodically for maths as well as demonstrating Kidspiration. I got the children to tell me all about themselves in a mind map- a hand written one.
Dunoon Primary has a classroom in a box- a suite of PC's which are timetabled for use throughout the school. The classroom I was in had one iMac. On one afternoon the children were taken in groups to work on Type To Learn in the computer room which houses some fairly old PC desktops.
As it turned out the board had been sent out with the Professional Edition of the software- not the Primary version, so I phoned Promethean and arranged a swap. By this time the usual software glitch had occurred and the pen would not work with the board so I needed to reinstall the software. Parcel from Promethean came in double quick time.....alas they had only sent the PC version, so another call, another 24 hours and we were cooking with gas.
Being with the class for such a short time meant that I really did not have time to do very much with the board but the children were certainly very enthusiastic and eager to learn about the uses of the board and the software they could see in my expansive dock!
Now I am just off to add those little finishing touches to this blog- a clock....some links...maybe even a site meter. I also have to post an article on the teddy blog so I had better get on. Oh..and for some reason I can't get online with my laptop so I shall have to get in touch with BT or try reconfiguring the Airport!!

Welcome to my new blog

2006-06-26T23:25:00.000+01:00

At last have found the time and the courage to start a new blog. I am now in my third week at Dunoon Primary. Having been made most welcome by all staff I am beginning to enjoy the new experiences. I have to admit to feeling quite overwhelmed by my emotional reaction to the change- but was reminded that changing job is up there with moving house and divorce as one of life's great stresses.
I think this change will be a good one and it certainly made me appreciate my home and family. I enjoy the drive to and from work and find the company of so many interesting people stimulating.
As for ICT.......well that will be another post...some of us have an early start in the morning!