Learning Never Stops

My goodness! What a place to be in. This was my first time attending a conference from the confines of my sitting room. I started following the step-by-step instructions on how to participate, desperately wishing I had help from someone more knowledgeable about these these things. But I managed. And the ensuing result was astonishing. The atmosphere in the chat room was vibrant. Like-minded people from all over the world (Serbia, US, Finland, Canada, Germany, Australia, UK, etc) were all there talking at the same time! The topics addressed were: Using Word Clouds to Integrate Reading and Writing Introducing Web 2.0 into Your Classroom: A Project Management Approach EduBlogging StudentCon: Students Teaching Teachers Creating a Personal Learning Network (PLN) Supporting Authentic Student Engagement with Blended Learning Environment Will Online Learning Change Everything? What the Heck is a 21st Century Skill Anyway Technology, what's in it for my students HOTTS (Higher Orde

 The education system is a long one. Our children today are savvy, technologically far more advanced than teachers and impatient. The moment we try and teach them something that has no relevance to their world and their needs, we have lost them. So we need to tread carefully. Education should not be viewed by our students as something that needs to be scaled and at the end of all that knowledge, exams and stress, is the scintillating prize: a piece of paper saying, "Yep! You scaled the mountain." It should a magnetic pull that lures children into a world that empowers them and gives meaning to life. This is what Mr Charles Leadbeater refers to as an extrinsic motivator.This applies to not just slum kids. All children need to be motivated. The video is inspiring. Teachers need motivation too and that's why technology is so 'cool!' I will be starting a unit on children's rights. The children in my class are from privileged backgrounds. I know I will star

Last night I was reading an article on the National Geographic, July 2000 issue.The cane toads were introduced from Hawai to combat cane beetles. But this exotic species played havoc with the ecosystem. Fascinating read and a superb study for a class inquiring about food chains. However, one article struck me as quite thought provoking. Recently, we went on a trip to Haller Park. The students learnt about how a fragile ecosystem had been rejuvenated by the introduction of the mangrove tree. This unique plant has the ability to store salt in its vacuoles. In Australia, due to the eradication of woodland by well meaning farmers, salt lakes, saline ponds, and dead fields are proof of how unforgiving Australia can be. Our students are learning to become problem solvers.In Grade 4 they learnt  about biomes, food webs and the delicate balance of nature. I recall how passionately they spoke about their ecosystems in front of a rapt audience. Wouldn't it be great if the unit never ende

Alright. We've got a curriculum to cover. And I have to make sure I have fun teaching it too. Math can be tough to teach unless we have a thorough understanding of and passion for the subject. I did fairly well in Math until i went to high school. From there, everything went downhill.How do I make sure my students have a solid foundation in math before they reach the craggy shores of high school?! Creating centres and stations in the classroom are a great way to go about it as it allows teachers to use the pre-assessment results to plan ahead and differentiate lessons.So far, judging by the reaction of the students and parents, I feel I am going in the right direction...yet there is always that niggling feeling that something could be done better.I don't believe in very detailed planning.We have to observe, record and then plan efficiently.Every one has a different style of teaching and planning. So the bottom line is get to know your objectives thoroughly, and then relax and

We have been givn appraisal forms to fill over the summer holidays. For the first time, I feel I know what I am writing and why! I seem to have found what I am looking for. Yipee! My goals for the following year : 1)To continue to make my classroom a fun and exciting place where students want to learn. 2)To teach my students as many web 2.0 tools as possible so that they can decide how to direct and present their learning. 3)To help my colleagues who want to learn more about how to use technology in the classroom. 4)To continue pouring over blogs from other amazing teachers around the world and learn from them. 5)To connect world wide with other classrooms and let students appreciate the power of technology that knows no borders. Hard to achieve? Absolutely not. I feel refreshed and energized. But first, I have to browse through the ponderous catalogues and order manipulatives for the class. Um...i'll try and make that exciting too! Here is a video posted by a 7th grade who

2nd July 2010. Last day of school. The worst time of the school year.Students keep hugging and crying. I have a perpetual lump in my throat. I wish I did not snap at Ridh last Thrusday, I wish I had hugged Priya more often, I wish, I wish, I wish. Today, as I sit typing at my desk, I look around and see how hard the kids were trying to help me set up my class for the next year! What a perfect gift for me from them. They sorted out the books,then typed them into a word document, brushed the boards, wiped the laminated math vocabulary words till they were gleaming , arranged the baskets, sorted out my drawers and store room. There was an adamant sticky tape stuck to the white board the whole year. The ugly thing had disappeared! Thank you dear ones. I will miss you. The year as a whole has been a good one. And it was good because I grew as a teacher, a friend, a colleague and a mother because of two very special people in my life. Jennifer and Rukiya. They are both amazing individuals w