Are you email posting to your blog? If not - why not?

It really is the simplest way to get posts onto your blog, in real time, with a minimum of fuss and time. Follow the instructions here and get posting!!

Speech to text typer.

Haven't we all got those learners who are so strong orally but when they have to write clam up?

Now your learners can dictate their stories, poems, reflections... straight into a browser based speech to text typer and edit as they go.

BRILLIANT!!

http://talktyper.com/index.html

Still tweeting...

Off to GAFE and Ulearn12  this week and very excited about all the new learning and networking ahead!

My goal is to tweet the week away sharing all my new learning far and wide and this new resource from Silvia Tolisano gives even more ways to include twitter in your classroom : )

R U Ready 4TwitterII from Silvia Rosenthal Tolisano

Hang on everyone - it's going to be a huge week!

Solo Taxonomy explained using Lego.

I must admit that SOLO taxonomy had me stumped... until I saw this clever animation using lego in a tweet. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDXXV-mCLPg

Padcampakl

In spite of the name not really having a great ring to it, the inaugural padcampakl held at Pt. England school was a great success yesterday. What never ceases to amaze me is how sharing our New Zealand teachers are. Not one cent changed hands yesterday and yet a wealth of knowledge was shared, rich discussions took place and I came home much richer for the experience. You can read my blog about the day here on the vLN or share in the resources shared here or follow the twitter conversations here

Black & White and Scanned All Over

Excellent uses for QR codes in a school setting. How to make your own qr code hunt. http://www.classtools.net/QR/

I'm all a Twitter!

No I am not a twit but I am a fan of twitter for my professional development and although I am rather more a lurker and a re-tweeter, I am beginning to share my thoughts and resources with more frequency and confidence!

Recently on the VLN - my new virtual home,  I jumped into thread started by Tessa Gray called Why Twitter?  The discussion that ensued is well worth a read.

Tessa said "I've just been reading 12 Most Unexpected Ways Twitter Changed My Life and wondered, if you could do PL (professional learning) and PD (professional development) in your PJ's, what would be your 3 top reasons for using Twitter?

You can read the original article here.  12 unexpected ways Twitter changed my life

Find me on twitter at  @CatrionaPene

QR codes.

QR codes are a great fun activity for teachers and for students.
They are free to read and create, easy to use a for huge range of information and have that little bit of mystery attached that kids love!


What are QR codes?

You can download a QR code maker for free.

You can embed, video, maps, songs, images, twitterfeed, telephone number...




Here are some qr codes to try.

Here is a HOW TO resource for QR codes.

Here is a great example of how to integrate QR codes to add another dimension to children's artwork.
Once again taken from the amazing Sylvia Tolisano's Langwitches blog.

Here are two more examples from the Core Education Blog - Thanks Tania Coutts.
http://blog.core-ed.org/blog/2011/10/exploring-qr-codes-with-children.html

Breaking the google images habit.

I am linking this post to an excellent presentation by Suzie Vesper on "breaking the google images habit"

We are all guilty of using googles images to quickly and effortlessly source images to use in our classes and with our students but I would like to challenge you to make an effort to change your ways and with Suzie's help use copyright free images from now on and teach your students to do the same.

Draw some!

If you haven't already downloaded this app for use in your classrooms I suggest you get right onto it
but be warned!! It is totally addictive!!

Draw some is just like pictionary for the iPod and iPad, you play against a friend or randomly chosen player and get points for successfully drawing and solving another persons drawing.

As you gain points you can buy extra coloured pens or bombs to reduce the eletters you choose from.

It is lots of fun and it works really well in a classroom because as long as each device has its own email anyone can pick it up and play at any time.

Great for spelling skills, drawing skills, problem solving, team work, turn taking.

There is a free version to begin with but the full version will cost you $4.19