Why blogging with pupils is so great!

I just had to write this post!
I just got a comment on the blog I created for our Dutch eTwinning Project from one of the English pupils involved. He wanted to know if we're travelling by ferry or plane and thought plane would be better even if a bit more expensive!
Priceless - I don't think he would have said that to me face to face, and so nice to get an opinion. (Unfortunately flying is A LOT more expensive!!! - and far too traumatic for Mrs. Butterfield who wouldn't have anyone's hand to hold!)

Race for Life - still alive!

I made it round the course today and even managed to run round some of it - curiously it was the bit where Graeme, Alice and Dan were stood (and over the finish line). It was amazing to see so many people all together trying to run...it was quite difficult to do so at some points!
I met some colleagues just after the start so it was nice to have a bit of a chat for a while. I then had to schnell it up a bit thought because I needed to go to Alice and Dan's school fair!
It's quite scary to stop and think about the number of people I know affected by cancer and it's probably the same for other people too. I can think of at least 2 colleagues, plus one of my best friend's mums and me, although I must admit that I never really think of my mole (malignant melonoma) that was removed 9 years ago as anything that major - unfortunately life insurance companies think otherwise!
I have vowed to run next year and Alice wants to do it too. As Graeme so aptly pointed out to me, what was the point in walking :o( He also wondered if the couple of people who sponsored me £10 knew I was only walking!!! I told him it didn't matter how it did it just that I actually did it and raised money.
Barnaby Bear also accompanied us, so that will go in his diary. Off to the Lakes with him tomorrow. We had hoped to go in the tent but it's a bit wet...

Using MyStudiyo again

My Yr 8 class finally got onto Paris this week, so since I was booked into the computer suite today, I decided I get them using Isabelle Jones' MyStudiyo quiz that she created a few weeks ago for one of her classes.
They did quite well and really enjoyed it. You can find out what they thought by following the link:
http://www.langwitch.org/weblog/2008/06/langwitch.html
Thank you Isabelle for this very useful resource

Final training (ha, ha)

Well tomorrow is my Race for Life at Ormsby Hall in Middlesbrough. I must get that final bit of training in this evening so that I'm in tip-top condition for the big race!
I am cross with myself that I will be walking this year - all due to laziness and not keeping up my training schedule (unless you call almost running round Köln last week training!). Never mind, it's doing it that counts and my sponsorship must be at least upto £50! (I can be sponsored online by following the link in the sidebar!)
I just hope it doesn't rain...

Playing with Wordle

Well, here we are. I know that I wouldn't be able to resist for long...actually I tried to do a Wordle thingie the other night but my computer was playing up. I thought I might print this out in colour and put on the wall in my classroom. I've added as many "Key Words" as I could think of off the top of my head - maybe I'm missing some!
Anyway, here it is...

Experimenting with Google Docs

We decided that we'd experiment with Google Docs for a survey on our eTwinning Blog this week. One of the wonderful girls in my groups of Year 8s who come to me at lunchtime on a Tuesday created this at home.

I must say that I am , of course impressed with Gemma's dedication to French and ability to add the hyperlinks and YouTube video but I am also thinking of the possibilties for using Google Docs in the classroom. I am also wondering why it's taken me until now to discover it and realise it's potential.
One problem though...it doesn't seem to want to load in the Over-blog blog for the French school. Any suggestions as to why that might be anyone?
Hopefully this one will work...

Maintained :o(

Well, after my joy last week at losing 5lbs in one week, I stood on the scales today to find I'd lost nothing at all.
I'm trying to remain up beat, after all I did lose a lot for me last week and I did go to Germany, the land of cakes and beer! Maybe I shouldn't have had that cheese cake.
Oh well, I'm still on target for the 12 lbs in 6 weeks that I'd hoped for, so can't really grumble.