Today we covered our Workshop safety floor plan. It is important to know where the walkways are, and where the work areas are.

We will set up a seating plan once in the workshop.

All my class work are uploaded onto my class site. It makes it very functional for teachers, parents and students.

The year 10 students have to make blog entries on all the theory topics we cover, as well as uploading photos of their completed projects

Computational Thinking and Design and Develop Digital Outcomes.

New Zealand included Digital Technologies into the new curriculum. It is important to cover the two new areas in technology. 

You can find our presentation here with heaps of resources and tips

  

Revision and the Google Teacher Level 1 Exam

I had just 2 hours to prepare for this exam, you know..the Google Teacher Level 1 exam. Our bubble leader knowing me for a few years was very optimistic about my ability to ace the Level 1. I can just say "WHAT IS WRONG WITH THESE PEOPLE" I run out of time. Really. Look how drained and tired I look.

Photo of Chris just after his Goole exam

On a lighter note, the DFI course conducted over 9 days by Manaiakalani was refreshing and if I fail the exam I will definitely give it another go. Awesome team and was great to connect with other teachers across New Zealand.
For those interested in doing the Level 1 Google certification can just go to the teachers at google page for more info.
Dorothy asked us to cover the following points in our day 9 blog entry.

What are you proud of? I am proud to be a teacher in New Zealand. We learned a lot during Covid-19 Lockdown as teachers and I am sure that our students had the support and teaching they needed. When we compare our 2020 mid-year results with 2019 we are ahead at this point of time. We were able to do this by being a digital google school, as well as all the support from our community and parents. So yes, I am a proud Kiwi.

What do you regret? I regret that we do not have enough time during our days that we could invest in more training of our teachers without burning them out. I also regret that we do not have a teacher exchange program running in New Zealand.

What will you be taking forward into the ‘new’ era of schooling?It became clear during this lockdown that digital contact between people can help us cope, and gives us resources and tools to be able to function better as humans and as teachers. Physical distances between people and places can be overcome by applying digital technologies. I see a flexible school timetables with students deciding when they will attend online or onsite classes. Networking and collaboration between teachers will also become more visible as we move forward. Teachers will also become more and more tech savvy. 

Update on the exam
Proud owner of a badge

Devices

When it comes to the option of choosing between devices for the digital classroom there are a few things to consider.

Manaiakalani Cybersmart program is also very useful to prepare the students to be smart online. The Smart Surfing Basics on their site I found quite insightful to guide the students to know how to make smart searches and to get the right information. I adapted one of the slides for my students.

Enabling Access

Good discussion on teachers and students connecting with each other. Thanks for sharing the link to Manaiakalani PLD site

I got some feedback on my new site and it is always nice to look at your site through the eyes of someone else.

"Visible teaching and learning - 4, Rewindable learning - 4 , Multimodal content - 4, Multitext content ie a variety of texts supporting the 'main' text - 4, Opportunities for learners to be creative. Love the comparison between old and new sites, also adds are such a great idea"

Collaborate Learning

Our last session was intense. Our first session covered Multi-modal as a topic. Setting up the "Hook" for the students to "pull" them into learning was under discussion. If the setting is right it will empower our students and enable them to create, share and learn. The sequence could be in any order. What will be very evident is that it will be self directed learning in a positive/warm environment.

Multi-modal design should be the "new" aim of every teaching class site. That will make sure the site is set up to differentiate learning to meet each student where they are.

I started a new site on Wood Turning. The idea is to have a multi-modal site at the end of the day.  I start  by introducing basic wood turning information and work my way up to more advance information and projects. Setting up the "hooks" by making sure all type of media are used in the construction of the site.

https://sites.google.com/boic.school.nz/woodturning/basics

The Wood Turning site is still in progress. It is a pity time is so limited. I look forward in developing the site and to transfer these concepts and skills I gain to my other class sites when I update them.