Poor neglected blog...

It seems like ages since I last wrote a post here and I have to admit that this isn't realy a post at all. It's just say how neglected this blog is feeling at the moment.

Over the last year I haven't really found that much to blog about at all apart from the odd thing here and there. I hope, now I'm settled into my new job a bit more that I will be able to find things to write about and update more regularly.

That's it really...bit of a cheat I know!

See you soon...

If ever there was a reason to do an eTwinning Project...

...then this is it!

Whenever I talk about eTwinning, one of the biggest things I mention is the fact that it gives pupils an audience for their work, aside from the excellent opportunity to collaborate with other pupils across Europe and find out about our European neighbours.Over the past few months this has really shown itself to be true.

One of my classes have had a bear called Michel that has travelled around Europe this year. A bit childish for Secondary School pupils, some may think (though not me and certainly not them) ...however they have loved it.

At moments when I have been in the depths of despair (not really) one of the boys has asked how he's doing and we've learned such a lot about Europe and schools around Europe. We've learned that older pupils like have bears visit them just as much as younger ones (in fact more, judging by the photos of Michel playing in a band!).

Anway, last week Michel returned to Billingham for the Summer and we used the opportunity to do some creative writing (yes, creative, writing). I believe the resulting work is fantastic (specially considering these pupils could scarcely build a sentence in French in September).

The activity also gave opportunity for pupils to address those other skills that are so important in everyday life; working as part of a team, being creative, reflecting on previous work, being a good self manager etc..., as each group had to assigne group leaders, collators and time keepers to make sure the task got completed to a high standard.

Why has the work been so successful? Well, because they've been so well taught all year...no but really it's because they are interested in what they're doing, it's something real (we've had lots of boys cuddling teddies in the classroom recently) and also they know that someone other than me will read it!

Here's Michel's Wiki...have a look for yourselves:

Les aventured de Michel le Voyageur en Europe

I haven't directed you to the exact page, I'll let you have a look round. The technical college in Rominia with the older pupils is a must, as is his trip to Balamory Tobermory!

Nummerwang!

You can tell it's getting near to the end of term, as I'm using more and more videos to keep me going! Yesterday whilst teaching my Y9 afterschool German class numbers I remembered Mitchell and Webb's Nummerwang.

Not that much to do with numbers really but good German and a nice bit of fun for 5 pm on a Friday!

Let's see if it works this time (4th time lucky!)

Maybe the link will work since the video won't embed :(

Nummerwang!

L'histoire du poussin

Last night, as I was looking for inspiration to make the Perfect Tense with être more interesting, Kath Holton pointed me in the direction of L'histoire du poussin. It's a lovely little story about the short life of a little chicken, using the MRS VAN DE TRAMP verbs.

My classes liked it today maybe yours will too...

L'histoire du poussin

As for the QR Code. QR Codes are cool, they're what I do now!

eTwinning National Conference 2011

I've just returned from eTwinning's 2011 National Conference at the NCSL in Nottingham. I will blog in more detail about the workshops that I attended later in the week, when I've had time to catch my breath!

I just wanted to write a very quick post to say what a thoroughly inspirational weekend I've had. I've come away from the weekend with my head full of ideas about ways in which I can put in to practice the skills I've learned, both in linking with other schools through eTwinning, of course and also in my day to day teaching.

From the inspiring Key Note speech by Kevin McCabe from Jervoise Primary School, through using QR Codes and hand held devices with Technoteach, Working with bilingual pupils with Lisa Taner and creating virtual journeys in Google Earth with Baldev Singh

Podcasting at Trinity Catholic College

Today I had to enormous privilege to go to Trinity Catholic College in Middlesbrough to share some ideas on Podcasting.

Below is the presentation.

I've included some quotes  from my lovely Y10 French class who have been making Grammar Podcasts over the last year. It gave me the opportunity to experiment with Google Forms to get the survey done. I have to say that I really liked it and can see me having a look in more detail at using Google Forms for pupil voice surveys in the very near future!

I hope that you find the presentation useful in some way.

The second slide contained a little video that Joe Dale showed when I went to a Podcasting Workshop that he ran for Links into Languages last July. It's describes very nicely what a podcasting is and can be seen here Podcasting in Plain English

Podcasting with Pupils 

View more presentations from Helena Butterfield.

Education Blog Awards

I received a Tweet this morning from@chrisrat asking me whether I know this blog had been nominated for Blog of the Year in the Education Blog Awards.

I have to admit that it hadn't even occurred to me to even look on the site as I never thought I would be nominated.

I'm amazed and very flattered that anyone would nominate me, so thank you whoever you are :)

Thank you also to everyone who stops by and reads. I'm always surprised that people find my ramblings interesting...and sometimes wonder whether I should even write half the things I do!!

Finally, of course, I would like to ask that, if you find this blog interesting and enjoy reading please take a second and vote for it... :)