Minutes from Lead Teacher Day

Minutes


ICT lead Teacher Day

18 May 2011

Present

Elm Park: Belinda, Sara, Veronica

Botany Downs: Bridget, Lyndal

Shelly Park, Ruth, Edwina



Agree on Agenda

BEST Practise: BDS made blogging compulsory- It went down well with the staff- the support for the staff has been really good. We thought that it would be a great way to use the skills they have learnt over the past 3 years on the cluster. Look at updating blog roll on the wiki.

Belinda shared City.lego.com link to comic builder create a class login and use for comic building skills.

Belinda also shared Comic Life 2- you can create templates, load to blog or make a movie. Save as a Jpeg! Belinda happy to email instructions, looking around $6 for licence.

ipad puppet pals on ipad, can load extra sets of characters- the application is free. Great resource and motivator for children.

Art Rage also available on ipad.

Garage band- plug it into amps! Choose instruments, and make a band!

Smile box- Lyndal shared.

Tagxedo- like wordle in shapes

Poster-street.com free posters for teachers

Kerppof.com spell a picture

http://www.picnik.com/

Classroom Visits:

Everyone really liked communication for all.

Writing on the mimio

Enjoyed looking through all class blogs.

Wiki use integrated in literacy and numeracy.

Only have a few computers in each room but it’s used so well.

Confidence has increased greatly.

Anna and her digital learning centre has worked really well, and so many classes are benefiting from it! Lots of positive comments!! Well done Anna



SOLO/INQUIRY

BDS had Pam Hook come for a TOD at the end of the Xmas holidays, we got all the maps, and worked through them. We then shared our worked at staff meetings. In the last school hols, we had Pam Hook again and did our planning with her in occupations. Great insight- we planned as a whole school, then broke off into teams to go further. Solo is part of inquiry- it does not stand alone. Staff have had a really good go at it, some are displaying in modelling book, maps on mimio programme. E.g. tornado Lyndal used the cause and effect map.

Look at our school motto- and houses- compare and contrast how we do our BEST always.

Boys are really enjoying SOLO, it helping lift boys achievement.

Lyndal and Bridget bringing SOLO into reading lessons. Its about getting a grasp on the map- when you can use it- and use a wide variety to the maps.

Chapter book exercise- use the SOLO map to do the book review.

It helps visiting other schools to get new ideas and understand how to use it.

A lot of children at SPS sit on multi-structural, using the assessment rubric.

Discussion on how to move them to extended abstract.... Car has wheels, motor etc.... if it didn’t have 4 wheels it wouldn’t work! So use things kids know to get a handle on the TOOLS not the subject. USE the BECAUSE..... So to keep ourselves safe from a house fire we need to... give kids the starting sentence.

Groups share.

DEFINE MAP: My aim is to write a definition: Rubric 1 idea, 2 ideas etc etc

I have several ideas about penguins and can explain them and form an opinion. Use this to collate ideas and write a definition.

Relational: A penguin has two ideas because.....

Extended Abstract: several ideas can explain them (because) and form an opinion.

Veronica shared her inquiry book:

Lyndal shared our BDS inquiry plan.

The value of Inquiry, school visits, everybody being on board and being committed, use our CRT time to get PD, Belinda in doing inquiry and questioning, Pam Hook.

Dear Abbey

Discussion with cluster about school issues and lead teacher support offered.

ULEARN

ULearn Rotorua

Costs, accommodation, information- as it’s during the holidays we may be able to send more teachers...

Learning @ Schools Share new knowledge and ideas



Email I sent to Bruce to sell it at BDS

The U Learn conference is now is Rotorua and takes place during the school holidays.

It begins on Wednesday 19 October (9am start) through to Friday 21 October (1.50pm finish)

It includes 6 breakouts- these are presenters from NZ schools who offer practical learning experiences and 5 keynote speakers

1. Simon Breakspear (Australia)- Author of Talent Magnets

2. Jack Bacon (USA) Author of many educational books

3. Graeme Aitken (NZ) Decisions made by policy makers

4. Jan Herrington (Australia) Authentic learning in higher order thinking

5. Professor Stephan Happell (UK) founder of Ultra lab



Registration is:

Early bird bookings (march- July 31st) $595+ GST

August-October $645+ GST



Accommodation costs vary and prices are based on 2 beds per room:

The Motels/Hotel in the area are:

• Millennium (Official conference hotel) $264.50 per night- (2x queen beds)

• Silver Oaks $130 per night ( 1x queen bed and 1x single bed)

• Distinction Hotel $199 per night (2x queen beds)

• Kingsgate $199 per night (2x double beds)

• Sudima Hotel $159 per night (2x double beds)

• Ridges (not listed) around $190 per night (2 queen beds per room)



Possible teachers to go....

Briar, Louise, Lauren, Keiko, Gareth, Jenny, Michelle, Erna/Sue perhaps at another school

Elm Park are sending 4 people to go to U Learn.

Shelly Park are unsure.

Victoria Fair in Scotland- linking classes through skype and blogging in the first week of June as her class are studying schools around the world.

Discussions on schools, similarities and differences.

Look at updating class blog roll on wiki for each school to keep in contact and comment on each others work...????

Lead Teacher Blogs/reflections