struggling with powerpoint?

You might sympathise with this then..... and no- wonder project teams this is not a subtle way of telling you that you have to make a power point for our open hui on the 6th!! :) Shall we check the Senior teachers next presentations and offer them friendly critique? Hmmmmm Perhaps not! Just Joking guys!

supporting transition to school...

Well done to the team at Parsons Ave Kindergarten who are exploring how digital media might support transition to school. Here's a copy of the clip made by Tyler- Jay, with the support of Ann, Anne, the staff of Levin East school, and his mum about going to school - we all went on a school visit together and Tyler showed us around and explains his ideas about school visiting processes and what happens at 'his' school. Some of his topics of photograph were interesting and we enjoyed spending time looking at the images and sharing them with his friends. His voice over was great - the first time he'd tried something like this. The idea for this clip is to have it available on the children's computer for easy access when children choose to investigate. Tyler- Jay's mother reports all visitors to his house get to watch his DVD! He was certainly keen on sharing it with our Kindergarten friends and explaining some more! We also have several copies of it on DVD so we can share this with other families of children going to this school. Next steps- lets see if children  who weren't part of the making of the DVD find this information useful.....and lets make one for other feeder schools!

digital technology can't do everything!

Don't expect computers to do everything for you! teachers remain the most important part of the process! both as educators discussing what is on the computer with children and accessing peripherals to maximize engagement, as participants in the decisions about what should be on the computer, and continuing to capture the teachable epiphany in the format most accessible to the learner, her peers, and her family. Here's the challenge!

One of our hundred languages?!

Kudos to Paremata Kindergarten for supplying this work..... and Cerys and her whanau for letting us post to the blog. The team are very clear that what happens on their two adjacent children's computers will reflect the planned programme - ero noted this particularly. Having a hearing challenged child with a very able teacher aide means that work in the programme reflecting this is also represented in the digital material easily accessed by children. Here's a clip of a child ( not the deaf child) accessing a clip showing us the sign for the national anthem that the teacher aide had participated in making. Way to offer opportunities to be inclusive! Great work Cerys in setting yourself a learning challenge and showing us mastery with practice of our national anthem in sign. The digital component allows her to practice to her hearts content and not just when a team member can support her. Maybe you'll teach it to me Cerys when I visit this week? I've included the clip that she was looking at too.....

How wonderful that the team recorded this and communicated it to her very appreciative family - a great way to collaborate on a learning journey the child has chosen for herself.... They used photostory so that the soundtrack of the clip she was looking at was part of the revisiting process for all the stakeholders in Cerys's learning journey. ka pai to mahi!

The hundred languages...

Here's an old and well known philosophy- but a goody. I have to say that when this was written originally - if there was 100 languages then there are at least 150 now! great to see this digital way to get across your philosophy for the school.... definitely a great exercise for a teaching team to be involved in.

Games can lead the fight against boring teaching....

Ok- this is something we know well in early childhood. I am being a bit of a devils advocate here- this link is to an article by a secondary english teacher advocating gaming to embed english skills. Not the sector you would expect this in perhaps? so if we are historically  better at delivering learning through play curricula- shouldn't we be continuing to lead the charge at learning through play in the 21st century? click this link to interface magazine.....Games can lead the fight against boring teaching.