Trial

Again, a fruitful meeting. The feeling is that we are close to a good list of possible texts but now we must begin decision making. I would like to hear some short listing!

We also explored some aspects of the white board – a simple cloze exercise that can be downloaded from Jim. Jim also demonstrated how to hook up and start an electronic whiteboard and how to get good sound.

Literacy week (fist week in September) – some suggestions: teachers reading fav parts of fav books at lunchtime, prizes through the library (lucky book, lucky borrower etc), state scrabble competition, DVD of staff and students on celebrating reading (thanks to Peter), 50 word short story.

More suggestions welcomed.

Material from the federal Education Department has arrived. They suggest a National Reading Day and other ideas for junior secondary. See link opposite.

Dear Staff

I ask you to start thinking about texts for 2009! Is there room for ‘The boy in striped pyjamas?’

Please post your suggestions her.

Richard

We need to consider preparing for the Department’s Ultranet, hence the use of this blog. As immigrant users of this technology we are somewhat hesitant. Our students are native.

From earlier comments from this blog it is apparent that we need to formalise the following in Years 9 and 10 – text responses, argumentative essays and critical analysis. Staff are encouraged to think more on this. Sharing our work sheets electronically will help us to see the gaps.

Suggestions for Literacy week so far include: our usual 55 word story competition and “Reading a fav bit of a fav book” at lunchtime.

Other topics covered were spelling and the need to work explicitedly in this identified weak area and Thrass. Please continue to contribute to this blog.

Dear Students.

Feel free to contact me for assistance over the holidays. I will access this site once a day for much of the holidays and attempt to provide brief answers. The basic aim is to lift my level of understanding of how blogs work.

I will expect questions to cover the book ‘Night’, the critical analysis of the news articles, the listening test associated with the film ‘Schindler’s List’ and perhaps preliminary questions regarding Outcome 2.

So far, I have learnt that your comment iswill be sent to my email address where I have a chance to view, edit and answer, before I approve the comment’s addition to the blog site. This provides you with privacy and avoids unsafe and unseemly comments being posted on what is really a school project site.

Use initials or first names only.

Have a good and safe holiday.

Dear Staff

There appears on the right a link to the Victorian Education Department’s epotential site.  This site offers great ideas but it also allows you to determine your computer skills.  No one can see the results but you.  I would urge you all to have a go!  Post a comment on what you think of the page.

Good afternoon.  This is my first blog under this system.  In the past I have used a dreamweaver site within our intranet.  However, if students mis-address their page, there are often lengthy delays for corrections to be made.  The blogs cannot be seen outside of school (an advantage as far as security goes) and parents cannot view them.

The consultants from the Department of Education recommended this site.  However, I am only going to work with staff at present until I feel confident that I have mastered the system.

My medium term aim is to have a blog up for my year 8 history class where they can post information about assignments and ask historical questions which other students can answer.  I also plan to have a site for Year 11 week after next so they can ask me questions on the Text currently under study.  Long term is to have a Canadian school participate.

For the moment I ask my staff to log on and to add a comment on the following:

Can they see blogs having a role in their classes?