I've had another great great day at work.
We took yrs 5 n 6 to Samphire Ho. Really lovely time splashing about in the rock pools.
The kids all thoroughly enjoyed themselves as did I. Up to my knees in a pool with a fishing net. "Showing the kids what to do" Honest.
Friday, July 20, 2007
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Passed
YAYAYYAAYYAY
I've jsut got 61% for my last module.
Feedback was relevant and fair.
Very happy.
:D
I've jsut got 61% for my last module.
Feedback was relevant and fair.
Very happy.
:D
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Monday, June 18, 2007
Which StarWars character are you?
Your results:
You are Chewbacca
(This list displays the top 10 results out of a possible 21 characters)
Click here to take the "Which Star Wars character am I?" quiz...
You are Chewbacca
| Sure you're tall and hairy, but you've got heart!  |
(This list displays the top 10 results out of a possible 21 characters)
Click here to take the "Which Star Wars character am I?" quiz...
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Attack of the killer bees
At lunch time today a huge swarm of bees descended on the school playground!
Virtually all the kids went inside apart from 2 dumb lads who thought it was "cool" to wander about in the swarm shouting "Come ON!"
The whole playground was full of the little buggers. Eventually after about 30 mins they all descended onto a tree and made a swarming mass.
They then stayed there until all the kids had gone home.
Some bloke came to remove them. He basically put a protective mask on, put a black bin bag around the swarm then cut the twig.
He then jumped down shouting...oh that didn't go well as bees swarmed out of the sack and covered him from head to toe.
I left to go and laugh myself silly.
Never a dull day working in a school.
Virtually all the kids went inside apart from 2 dumb lads who thought it was "cool" to wander about in the swarm shouting "Come ON!"
The whole playground was full of the little buggers. Eventually after about 30 mins they all descended onto a tree and made a swarming mass.
They then stayed there until all the kids had gone home.
Some bloke came to remove them. He basically put a protective mask on, put a black bin bag around the swarm then cut the twig.
He then jumped down shouting...oh that didn't go well as bees swarmed out of the sack and covered him from head to toe.
I left to go and laugh myself silly.
Never a dull day working in a school.
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Face book / myspace
I've created a myspace account www.myspace.com/oliwyllie and also an account at facebook www.facebook.com
Drop by if you like.
Drop by if you like.
WOW TOP DAY
I've just had one of the best days at work.
We have a drama company called Wildest Dreams in at school this term. They are working with all the classes and there will be a whole school production at the end of term.
I was with Year 3 and Year 4 this morning for their sessions.
The drama guys, QJ!!!! and Chris got them using their imaginations with a paper towel. Pretending it was a different object at miming to the rest of the class.
We then split into small groups and had to make up a story using the paper towel.
With the Yr3 class I was with 4 very imaginative girls. They decided that I should be a wicked king. The king was hungry and sent his daughter, the princess obviously, out to kill a unicorn for his dinner. The unicorn was where we used the paper towel, rolled up as a horn and held in place by a hairclip!
The princess didn't want to kill the unicorn but I stamped my feet and made her. LOL.
So she goes off into the forest and shoots the unicorn with her arrow. Then falls to the ground distraught. Then 2 fairies fly down and use their magic to remove the arrow and make the Unicorn come back to life. All hug.
I then ride up on my horse, furious that I'm still hungry.
The princess and the fairies turn and shoot me dead! I fall to the ground.
The fairies then realise that they will lose their powers as they have killed someone and fall to their knees and holf their faces.
The End.
btw it was all done as a mime.
2nd Play is with Yr4 (my class)
I'm with 2 boys(slightly disruptive pupils) and 1 girl.
It's School sports day and William the magician is going to do a magic trick to open the proceedings.
He asks for a volunteer from the audience. Me. (Me Sir, Pick Me Sir, Me Sir) Arm waiving like a tree in a hurricane.
He then tells me & audience that he's going to turn me into a monkey.
I lie down and he casts the spell. Usng the rolled up paper towel as a magic wand After a bit of thrashing about on the floor I jump up and run around the audience making monkey noises etc etc.
I then dissapear behind a curtain. Magician says " Phew thank god that monkey's gone, we best get the races underway before he returns. So other 2 pupils who have been warming up get into their starting positions.
As Go is shouted I leap out from behind the curtain and chase the runners.
And... I get paid to do this....
We have a drama company called Wildest Dreams in at school this term. They are working with all the classes and there will be a whole school production at the end of term.
I was with Year 3 and Year 4 this morning for their sessions.
The drama guys, QJ!!!! and Chris got them using their imaginations with a paper towel. Pretending it was a different object at miming to the rest of the class.
We then split into small groups and had to make up a story using the paper towel.
With the Yr3 class I was with 4 very imaginative girls. They decided that I should be a wicked king. The king was hungry and sent his daughter, the princess obviously, out to kill a unicorn for his dinner. The unicorn was where we used the paper towel, rolled up as a horn and held in place by a hairclip!
The princess didn't want to kill the unicorn but I stamped my feet and made her. LOL.
So she goes off into the forest and shoots the unicorn with her arrow. Then falls to the ground distraught. Then 2 fairies fly down and use their magic to remove the arrow and make the Unicorn come back to life. All hug.
I then ride up on my horse, furious that I'm still hungry.
The princess and the fairies turn and shoot me dead! I fall to the ground.
The fairies then realise that they will lose their powers as they have killed someone and fall to their knees and holf their faces.
The End.
btw it was all done as a mime.
2nd Play is with Yr4 (my class)
I'm with 2 boys(slightly disruptive pupils) and 1 girl.
It's School sports day and William the magician is going to do a magic trick to open the proceedings.
He asks for a volunteer from the audience. Me. (Me Sir, Pick Me Sir, Me Sir) Arm waiving like a tree in a hurricane.
He then tells me & audience that he's going to turn me into a monkey.
I lie down and he casts the spell. Usng the rolled up paper towel as a magic wand After a bit of thrashing about on the floor I jump up and run around the audience making monkey noises etc etc.
I then dissapear behind a curtain. Magician says " Phew thank god that monkey's gone, we best get the races underway before he returns. So other 2 pupils who have been warming up get into their starting positions.
As Go is shouted I leap out from behind the curtain and chase the runners.
And... I get paid to do this....
Sunday, June 10, 2007
Nuthin to do
Odd feeling having submitted last module of first year.
Uni doesn't start agin until mid Sep. Will try to do some reading in between.
Guess I'll have to start being Super Hubby/Dad to make up for being more than a little grumpy recently.
Uni doesn't start agin until mid Sep. Will try to do some reading in between.
Guess I'll have to start being Super Hubby/Dad to make up for being more than a little grumpy recently.
Friday, June 08, 2007
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
Action Enquiry
The 4th and last module of my first year is about Action enquiry.
In a nutshell I have to make a change to my work practice then monitor it's affect.
I have to make myself the centre of the research rather than the pupils.
So I can't say by doing x the pupils got x% higher marks but I can say by doing x I have learnt how to motivate pupils more effectivley. I can now take these findings to make change y.
I have decided to look at ways to encourage some of the pupils to participate more in class discussions.
Initially we are changing the time honoured Hands Up to a smaller gesture such as pointing their thumbs to their chests.
I will also monitor which children answer questions in Numeracy and Literacy to see if some are more confident in one than another.
I will targer those pupils who are not engaging as much and try to discover why.
Is it a fear of getting the answer wrong?
Is it laziness?
Lack of self confidence in public speaking?
In a nutshell I have to make a change to my work practice then monitor it's affect.
I have to make myself the centre of the research rather than the pupils.
So I can't say by doing x the pupils got x% higher marks but I can say by doing x I have learnt how to motivate pupils more effectivley. I can now take these findings to make change y.
I have decided to look at ways to encourage some of the pupils to participate more in class discussions.
Initially we are changing the time honoured Hands Up to a smaller gesture such as pointing their thumbs to their chests.
I will also monitor which children answer questions in Numeracy and Literacy to see if some are more confident in one than another.
I will targer those pupils who are not engaging as much and try to discover why.
Is it a fear of getting the answer wrong?
Is it laziness?
Lack of self confidence in public speaking?
Wednesday, May 02, 2007
Monday, April 02, 2007
Critical incident
My role at work is due to change slightly after the Easter holidays.
Currently I spend 1 hour with each year group during the week and spend the rest of my time as ICT technician. After Easter I will be assigned to the Year Four class as their TA every morning until 12:00. I will then spend the afternoons in other classes assisting with ICT lessons and troubleshooting any problems that have occurred. The Head has also increased my hour by an additional eight hours a week to allow me to keep on top of the technical running of the school’s network and website.
I am very excited by this new role and am eager to learn all that I can from working more closely with an experience teacher. I am also looking forward to developing a closer relationship with a class of pupils.
I have a slightly strained relationship with the teacher but feel that this is because I have not had time to get to know her properly. She is quite a serious individual and is quite reserved.
I feel fairly nervous about working as a TA as I have had no training and do not know fully what is expected of me.
I will have to plan my workload more effectively as I will have less time than before in my technician role. I will also have to make it clear to the other staff that any problem they encounter will not be dealt with until after lunch. I forsee this being a problem and will have to discuss with them how best to overcome it.
The increased hours will certainly be handy as I have been made redundant from my job that I worked on Saturday mornings. But at least I will get my weekends back and be able to take my daughter to ballet.
Currently I spend 1 hour with each year group during the week and spend the rest of my time as ICT technician. After Easter I will be assigned to the Year Four class as their TA every morning until 12:00. I will then spend the afternoons in other classes assisting with ICT lessons and troubleshooting any problems that have occurred. The Head has also increased my hour by an additional eight hours a week to allow me to keep on top of the technical running of the school’s network and website.
I am very excited by this new role and am eager to learn all that I can from working more closely with an experience teacher. I am also looking forward to developing a closer relationship with a class of pupils.
I have a slightly strained relationship with the teacher but feel that this is because I have not had time to get to know her properly. She is quite a serious individual and is quite reserved.
I feel fairly nervous about working as a TA as I have had no training and do not know fully what is expected of me.
I will have to plan my workload more effectively as I will have less time than before in my technician role. I will also have to make it clear to the other staff that any problem they encounter will not be dealt with until after lunch. I forsee this being a problem and will have to discuss with them how best to overcome it.
The increased hours will certainly be handy as I have been made redundant from my job that I worked on Saturday mornings. But at least I will get my weekends back and be able to take my daughter to ballet.
Thursday, March 08, 2007
Reflective Learning Notes / Theories
Greenaway
Greenaway outined 3 simple steps to help learn from experience; these area a reflective cycle 'plan-do-review' (Burton translates this as 'what-so what-now what'
To yo, as practitioners working with critical incidents the inital "PLAN" element may not apply; you will probably start with "DO".
1. DO - have an experience
2. REVIEW - review what happened and what can be learned
3. PLAN - plan a way to approach the next round of experience
BOULD
Bould's model of refelction draws heavily on the realm of feelings; the model is cyclicla with the product of a cycle being the 'outcome'
EXPERIENCE
Behaviour
Ideas
Feelings
REFLECTION
Return to experience
Attend to feelings
Re-evaluate experience
n.b cylical process between Experience and Reflection
OUTCOME
New Perspectives
Change in behaviuor
Application of learning
Action
Schon
Schon identifies two kinds of reflection
1. Reflection-in-action- this is reflecting on the hood, where you reflect your actions dusing an event... this isn't going well; what can I do now to improve things? This is going well; how can I maintain the momentum> You are hawk like; sharp eyed, making informed decisions based on intuitive split second reflections.
2. Reflection-on-action- this is retrospective reflection, you refelct on actions that have already occurred, ususallu, but not always, fairly soon after the event.
Things that didn't go well; what can I do next time to improve things?
That went well; how can I make use of what I ahve learned?
You recall incidents and chew the cud, ruminating in depth on how you can improve your practice. You may mull something over spontaneously while traveling ot resting or you may put specific time aside and formally structure your reflections.
As Practioners you might try and record an event where you are aware of reflecting in action, then also apply retrospective reflection to the same event, this would provide a comparison and assist in analysing the value of Schon's thoughts.
Gibbs
Gibbs identified a series of 6 steps to aid reflective practice, these elements make up a cycle that can be applied over and over.
Description - what happened?
Feelings - what were you thinking and feeling?
Evaluation - what was good and bad about the experience?
Analysis - what sense can you make of the situation?
Conclusion - what else could you have done?
Action Plan - what will you do next time?
Unlike many other models (with the exception of Boud) Gibnbs takes in to account the realm of feelings and emotions which played a part in a particular event.
Kolb
Kolb suggested that experience alone does not provide a sufficient learning experience in many situations, "there are many example where experience alone is not sufficient for meeting particular learning goals. In such situations , it seems to work better if the raw experience is packaged together with facilitated exercises which involve thinking, discussing or creatively processing cognitions and emotions realted to the raw experience.
Kolb suggested greater structure in reflection: "This model suggests that a participant has a Concrete Experience, followed by Reflective Observation, then the formation of ABstract Conceptualizations before finally conducting Active Experimentation to test out the newly developed principle" (Neill, 2004)
Greenaway outined 3 simple steps to help learn from experience; these area a reflective cycle 'plan-do-review' (Burton translates this as 'what-so what-now what'
To yo, as practitioners working with critical incidents the inital "PLAN" element may not apply; you will probably start with "DO".
1. DO - have an experience
2. REVIEW - review what happened and what can be learned
3. PLAN - plan a way to approach the next round of experience
BOULD
Bould's model of refelction draws heavily on the realm of feelings; the model is cyclicla with the product of a cycle being the 'outcome'
EXPERIENCE
Behaviour
Ideas
Feelings
REFLECTION
Return to experience
Attend to feelings
Re-evaluate experience
n.b cylical process between Experience and Reflection
OUTCOME
New Perspectives
Change in behaviuor
Application of learning
Action
Schon
Schon identifies two kinds of reflection
1. Reflection-in-action- this is reflecting on the hood, where you reflect your actions dusing an event... this isn't going well; what can I do now to improve things? This is going well; how can I maintain the momentum> You are hawk like; sharp eyed, making informed decisions based on intuitive split second reflections.
2. Reflection-on-action- this is retrospective reflection, you refelct on actions that have already occurred, ususallu, but not always, fairly soon after the event.
Things that didn't go well; what can I do next time to improve things?
That went well; how can I make use of what I ahve learned?
You recall incidents and chew the cud, ruminating in depth on how you can improve your practice. You may mull something over spontaneously while traveling ot resting or you may put specific time aside and formally structure your reflections.
As Practioners you might try and record an event where you are aware of reflecting in action, then also apply retrospective reflection to the same event, this would provide a comparison and assist in analysing the value of Schon's thoughts.
Gibbs
Gibbs identified a series of 6 steps to aid reflective practice, these elements make up a cycle that can be applied over and over.
Description - what happened?
Feelings - what were you thinking and feeling?
Evaluation - what was good and bad about the experience?
Analysis - what sense can you make of the situation?
Conclusion - what else could you have done?
Action Plan - what will you do next time?
Unlike many other models (with the exception of Boud) Gibnbs takes in to account the realm of feelings and emotions which played a part in a particular event.
Kolb
Kolb suggested that experience alone does not provide a sufficient learning experience in many situations, "there are many example where experience alone is not sufficient for meeting particular learning goals. In such situations , it seems to work better if the raw experience is packaged together with facilitated exercises which involve thinking, discussing or creatively processing cognitions and emotions realted to the raw experience.
Kolb suggested greater structure in reflection: "This model suggests that a participant has a Concrete Experience, followed by Reflective Observation, then the formation of ABstract Conceptualizations before finally conducting Active Experimentation to test out the newly developed principle" (Neill, 2004)
Sunday, March 04, 2007
Module 3
Ok feeling a little less panicked now.
Well only 95% panic but hey it's a reduction.
I've read and read and read the LA's for this module now need to start reading the reference material.
Thank the lord for my fellow researchers who are very supportive and more than willing to help me get up to speed.
Damn I can't wait until I get these 3 years out of the way.
Well only 95% panic but hey it's a reduction.
I've read and read and read the LA's for this module now need to start reading the reference material.
Thank the lord for my fellow researchers who are very supportive and more than willing to help me get up to speed.
Damn I can't wait until I get these 3 years out of the way.
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Learning has occurred
For the next module on my course we have a fairly long list of reference books!!
Now me n librarys aren't that well aquanted so I was not really looking forward to trawling throughn some dusty old manuscripts (ok maybe a slight exageraation)
From reading through my fellow cohorts posts on fc i have been introduced to
http://books.google.co.uk/
Hopefully this will be the answer to my prayers.
Anglia Ruskin does also have an E-Library that I need to become familiar with.
Feeling the pressure of the new module at the mo.
Now me n librarys aren't that well aquanted so I was not really looking forward to trawling throughn some dusty old manuscripts (ok maybe a slight exageraation)
From reading through my fellow cohorts posts on fc i have been introduced to
http://books.google.co.uk/
Hopefully this will be the answer to my prayers.
Anglia Ruskin does also have an E-Library that I need to become familiar with.
Feeling the pressure of the new module at the mo.
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Monday, February 05, 2007
Free software
Well we all like free stuff don't we?
These links are for some great LEGAL free software.
paint.NET
earth.google.com
A fantastic program which uses satellite imagery and maps to let you zoom in on any location in the world. The programme also utilises the Google search facility to help you find specific places such as hotels and schools, and a layer of road names can be added by simply ticking a box.
These links are for some great LEGAL free software.
paint.NET
www.getpaint.net
I strongly recommend paint.NET as a free alternative to PaintShop and a huge improvement on Windows Paint (which it has been designed, as an academic project overseen by Microsoft, to replace).
Layering and advanced effects are available, yet it is simple enough for Key Stage 2 pupils to use, for example to add effects to photos. I particularly like the semi-transparent tools which activate when you hover over them.
Google Earthearth.google.com
A fantastic program which uses satellite imagery and maps to let you zoom in on any location in the world. The programme also utilises the Google search facility to help you find specific places such as hotels and schools, and a layer of road names can be added by simply ticking a box.
Irfanview
www.irfanview.com
IrfanView is a very fast, small, compact and innovative FREEWARE (for non-commercial & educational use) graphic viewer. Use for producing slide shows, contact prints, viewing and converting many file types. The most common image manipulations are VERY easy. To resize, it's just "Image, Resize/Resample". Indicate the new size (in pixels, centimeters or inches) and then "OK".
Open Office
www.openoffice.org/
A free alternative to MS Office. It will open nearly all Office documents and also allows you to create pdf's (portable document files)
AVG Free Anti Spyware and Free Anti Virus
Does what it says on the tin!!
Module 2 marked!!1
OMG
I got 72% for module 2 of my degree course!!!
No idea how on God's green earth I did that.
I got 72% for module 2 of my degree course!!!
No idea how on God's green earth I did that.
Sunday, January 14, 2007
Module 2 handed in!!!!
Well, submitted my second module for my Ultraversity degree on Thurs night.
Last week 8th - 12th was a real hard slog. Think that my eyes must've looked like Gollums by the end. I worked from 7 - midnight every night, then must've only splet for 5 hours or so before the alarm.
Lesson learnt......DO NOT LEAVE IT TO THE LAST MINUTE!!!!!
Well next module doesn't commence until 19-02!! So a little break is well earned.
There is of course some reading to do in preperation and I have a few things to sort on my Plone homepage.
Well 2 / 4 modules done for this year.
Or 1/6 of the way to the final degree!!!!
Last week 8th - 12th was a real hard slog. Think that my eyes must've looked like Gollums by the end. I worked from 7 - midnight every night, then must've only splet for 5 hours or so before the alarm.
Lesson learnt......DO NOT LEAVE IT TO THE LAST MINUTE!!!!!
Well next module doesn't commence until 19-02!! So a little break is well earned.
There is of course some reading to do in preperation and I have a few things to sort on my Plone homepage.
Well 2 / 4 modules done for this year.
Or 1/6 of the way to the final degree!!!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
