Learning 2.0 Virtual Conference

Even though our timings with the learning conference don't match, I've asked my teachers to attend the session on "Taking your classroom global". 

Because we recently did an activity on using blogs in the classroom. I think this session might help them streamline their understanding of using web 2.0 tools to create a learning community better.

I'll be posting my thoughts on the session as soon as it finishes :D
Excited!

managing different abilities

This year, I have a child with hearing disability. He can read lips very well. Even though he gives me results when I present him with a task sheet, there are times I forget to face the class when i'm speaking.

I'm going to look for strategies to keep him an active participant of the class.



Nov 8 2012

I think i'm starting to understand him.
He is extremely intelligent.
I was earlier giving him books below his ability to read and analyse.

Some days later, I talked to him one-on-one
about what he liked to do etc
he told me he loved the harry potter series
i was dumbstruck

the child was reading harry potters at home
and i was giving him grade 4 books because i thought he couldn't comprehend.
that day in the library period i asked him to write a book review for harry potter (using the template i gave him)
and I got to know that he hadn't just read the book but had understood it quite well too

he's enjoying story writing and is keeping pace with the class. the only extras i give him are a couple of graphic organizers that guide him through his tasks

Blogging in the Classroom workshop for teachers

Yesterday, I did the same starter blogging activity for teachers in my school. However, I did not discuss the e-safety side of it. I feel teachers who are not so internet savvy would get confused with so much of details. so I let it be. I will be doing an e-safety workshop separately so they can transfer it to their children too. Like the children, the teachers thoroughly enjoyed the activity.

Apart from the starter activity, I gave them blogs to browse. I feel I should have differentiated here and given them blogs related to their subject, as Urdu and Math teachers were confused on how to use it in their subjects. I've searched for blogs and will be soon sharing it with them to discuss how they are being used.

I've given them homework to run personal blogs. I think I will keep it to personal blogs until they are comfortable with using them in the classroom.

Here's my lesson plan for the workshop:

for some reason i'm not comfortable with trainer notes
i prefer using the lesson plan format for trainings too

Objective: 
Identify use of blogs for personal and academic use
Create a blog and make atleast one post.

Starter

• Give each learner post it notes in two different colors.
• Have each learner to write down what they're feeling at the moment in 50-60 words on the bigger postit.
• ask them to display it anywhere in the room
• ask learners to go around the room reading others posts and comment.
• Tell them they are allowed to revisit their own posts and reply to the comments

Ask to get back to their seats.

individually, ask them to do task 1 of the workbook.

then, discuss in table groups.

As a whole class, discuss what they enjoyed about the activity and what they learnt.

development:

·         group teachers in trios

·         assign task 2

·         As a whole class, discuss how learners have put the blogs totheir personal and academic use.

·         in the same groups, assign task 3.

·         take a whole class feedback.

regroup teachers.

ask to do task 4.

ask them to use the internet if they want for research

individually, ask learners to do activity 5.

share the webs in pairs.

do activity 6 in the same pairs. Use the computer one by one to create a blog for themselves.

conclusion:

as a whole class , discuss what they learnt

and ask each what they will take from the days workshop to the class.