Primary Bits and Bytes

(Posted by Fiona)

Welcome to the new school year, I hope everyone had a restful break. I went to peaceful Pembrokeshire and had a lovely time building sandcastles and rockpooling. The crabs remained elusive, much to my son’s disappointment.

Things have been fairly quiet over the summer, however there has been a significant news update from YHGfL; they have been shortlisted for the ICT Excellence Awards 2010 in the Support for Schools category. The results will be announced in October, good luck to them.

Don’t forget to book your ICT professional development for the year. The upcoming courses and networks for this term can be found on the Courses page of this blog, or on Kirklees Ednet at:

http://www.kirklees-ednet.org.uk/management/cpd/brochure/cpd.asp

(Posted by Fiona)

Following the success of last year’s event you are invited to visit the ICT Showcase where pupils from Kirklees Schools, ranging from KS1 to KS3, are presenting an exhibition of innovative ICT activity.

The pupils will demonstrate and talk about some of the exciting and innovative work they have been undertaking using a range of ICT tools. These are just some of the uses of ICT that will be demonstrated :

• Using a learning platform
• Video conferencing with a book author
• Multimedia work, with sound and  animation
• Digital video creation
• Using Lego robots
• Creating a virtual school guide
• Creating video documentaries
• Using voting pads for quizzes  and self assessment
• Using animations software
• Using Nintendo DS Lite and  brain trainers
• Pivot Stick Figure Animator

Last years pupil participants really enjoyed the day as the following comments made by them on the day show:

“I think it was brilliant and interesting. I liked finding out what other schools are doing.”

“I thought that overall it was really interesting and informative. I really enjoyed it, and it was very well organised.”

“I really enjoyed all the hi-tech equipment and cool software. Thoroughly enjoyable.”

Staff and Governors from other schools who attended enjoyed seeing pupils demonstrating their work :

“A wonderful opportunity to see something of the vast range of ways in which ICT is being used – and enjoyed by pupils across Kirklees. It was fantastic to see the confidence and enthusiasm of pupils as they explained and demonstrated the work they have been doing.”

“Fantastic, thank you. The children were so enthusiastic. We saw some fantastic uses of software.”

“Lots of new technology we now want in our school. What fantastic confident children to explain and demonstrate it all!”

“Very impressive with great enthusiasm from the pupils.”

Please make a note of the date and be sure to save an hour in the day to visit.

We welcome anyone from school and also your governors.

To give us an indication of attendance figures we request that you make a booking through INSET online:  Course number ET20001

Non school  bookings can be made via Hilary.stubbings@kirklees.gov.uk 01484 225735

Further information from

Eileen.torr@kirklees.gov.uk

(Posted by Dughall)

Friday 26th March, 6.00 – 9.30 pm Doncaster South CLC

I’ve mentioned Teachmeet in this blog before (here, here and here). So what is it? Well, boiled to its bones, it is good quality, free CPD.

I first encountered a Teachmeet at the BETT show in January 2009 and was an instant fan. Teachers (and others with a direct involvement in education) took to the stage and spoke enthusiastically about things they were doing in classrooms. They were short, punchy, informative presentations of ideas and resources that you were left feeling you could probably use in your classroom the following day.

Hearing first hand from practitioners about things they have tried, things that have worked and problems encountered and solved is very powerful.

One of the nice things about Teachmeets is that although they are increasingly happening all over the place, technology allows anyone to attend via the internet. This ‘virtual’ attendance can be entirely passive or might involve a degree of participation from ‘afar’. These distance contributions might be actual presentations (via web-conferencing) or may be texted questions or comments.

I have now attended a number of Teachmeets in person and virtually and I have also given presentations in situ and virtually. In the spirit of Teachmeet, I have shared examples of my own practice in the classrooms of Kirklees.

Last year, I went to Manchester for a Teachmeet with some Kirklees teachers (one of whom spoke enthusiastically about the use of the DBPrimary Learning Platform with her Foundation Stage children). We shared a lift and on the return journey we were buzzing with the ideas that had been shared. We also decided that there was a need for something like this to happen closer to home. This was a seed sown.

Since then, plans have taken shape, cogs have slotted together and wheels have turned and Teachmeet Yorkshire & Humberside will be taking place later this month (26^th March).

One of the considerations for this event was to make the venue as accessible as possible for people to attend from a wide area – this is why we decided upon Doncaster – with its access to A1/M62 and other major roads. Doncaster South CLC is a fantastic, modern, flexible venue where attendees can come and know that they can attend in comfort, borrow a laptop or connect their own (if they wish). Credit must also be given to Damian Ward (Curriculum Manager at the CLC) for his work in helping this to get off the ground and for his excellent publicity materials. (Poster) (Flier).

So here’s where you come in.

• Please head over to Website and read a bit more about the event.
• Please consider whether you might be able to come along for some or all of the evening.
• If you can’t come, please consider checking in via the internet (a link with details will appear on the Teachmeet Y&H page closer to the date).
• Print off the poster and display it in the staff room, notice board(s), corridor(s) etc
• Print off the flier(s) and distribute accordingly.
• I know that you are doing or have done something with your pupils worth sharing with others – please consider sharing your practice with others on the night by signing up for a presentation.

I sincerely hope to see you there.

By all means contact me directly if you would like to know anything more about it or if you have any questions. dughall.mccormick@kirklees.gov.uk