Introducing #T12: #TeachTechGoals

  July 24, 2017            No comments
Last week, I travelled to London for the #ADE2017 Institute. I was incredibly proud of becoming part of this amazing community and I had such a fantastic time; learning so much and connecting with some awesome educators from all over Europe.



One of the many highlights was the project we started with a special group of teachers: introducing #T12 - @TechTeachGoals


The Team (from right to left) -- @Headdowneyesup, @MrTullock, @dunne_robbie, @assthead_jones, @rooie_smithy and myself. 

We were given the challenge of creating content together using the app Apple Clips (another blog about this app coming soon.) We decided on the hashtag #TeachTechGoals as a way to help teachers with different ideas and inspiration to use technology effectively in the classroom. Each set of videos will have a specific focus. At the institute, we decided to focus on Assessment. So here are our first set of #TeachTechGoals:











As you can see, this is a very exciting project which I am really looking forward to working on in the future. Make sure you follow @TechTeachGoals on twitter to keep up to date with the next project we will be working on!

Robinwood Residential

  July 17, 2017            No comments
I was very fortunate to go on our Year 6 residential last week. We went to Robinwood's Dobroyd Castle complex in Todmorden.

We left on Wednesday and returned on Friday afternoon. We had an amazing time! I cannot recommend Robinwood enough. From the moment we arrived, the organisation, enthusiasm and effort from the staff was first class. The pupils had an amazing experience, as did the staff. The range of activities available to the children was great - click here to see.

I decided to use the trip as another great example of how social media can be utilised to share what we were doing with parents. There are so many reasons why I encourage schools to utilise social media and giving parents an insight into what their children were doing on residential is another. Our school has a blog, twitter, facebook and youtube channel. We find Facebook to be the best channel to engage our parents and we regularly update and share what we are doing through it. I particularly love the live feature on Facebook and we have used this recently to share our sports day to parents who couldn't join us:



While we were away in Robinwood, we used the Facebook live tool to share some of the activities:





It really helps when other staff embrace it too and so more can be shared. This is why I feel it is important that whole school training is provided for a more consistent approach. Each night, I would collate everyone's pictures and videos and then put it together into a Quik video. 

Quik is a free app I have used previously and is now one of my favourite apps for creating slideshow videos. I really like the live photo integration. Live photo is a feature for new iPads and iPhones. Live Photos records what happens 1.5 seconds before and after you take a picture. What you get is more than a great photo — but a moment captured with movement and sound. You take a Live Photo just like you do a traditional photo. When you select a template within the app Quik, there are a few which utilises the live photo feature which adds more movement and animation to the slideshow. It couldn't be easier to use. Select your photos/videos, choose your template and music and voila... an amazing slideshow for you to share! Here are our examples from our residential:

Day One


Day Two

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I Didn't Know

  July 10, 2017            No comments
No one forgets their first class. When my first class left Davyhulme, I was able to share this poem at the leavers assembly. I remember tearing up as I read it and thought I would share it as I am sure many followers of this blog can relate.

I found it online and have struggled to find the author. So if anyone knows please let me know and I will add it in. Here is the poem (I have adapted a few words):


I Didn't Know 
I didn't know that years of school and a college degree would be of little consolation when facing a room full of bright little eyes on the first day of school. I thought I was ready,
I didn't know that five minutes can seem like five hours when there is idle time and an eight hour school day far too short for a well-planned day of teaching.
I didn't know that teaching children was only a fraction of my job.
No one tells you about the conferences and phone calls, staff meetings and committees, paperwork and paperwork...
I didn't know that it took so long to cut out letters, draw and colour pictures, laminate-all for those display boards that were always "just there"
I didn't know that I would become such a scavenger, and that glue sticks would feel like pure gold in my hands,
I didn't know that an administration and co-workers that support and help you could make such a difference
I didn't know that there would be children that I loved and cared for and stayed up late worrying about, who, one day, would simply not show up.
And that I would never see them again
I didn't know that I can't always dry little tears and mend broken hearts.
I thought I could always make a difference...
I didn't know that the sound of children's laughter could drown out the sound of all the world's sadness
I didn't know that children could feel so profoundly. A broken heart knows no age.
I didn't know that a single "yes sir" from a disrespectful child or a note in my desk that says "You're the best!" could make me feel like I'm on top of a mountain and forget the valleys I forged to get there,
I never knew that after one year of teaching I would feel so much wiser, more tired, sadder and happier, all at once.
And that I would no longer call teaching my job, but my privilege.


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Welcome to Davyhulme Primary!

  July 07, 2017            No comments
My golden rule of teaching is 'Make Them Care.' Making sure there is a purpose to everything children do in class for me is imperative. Assessment is never the purpose, that happens due to effective and engaging teaching. I truly believe technology can add a real purpose in lots of different ways. Here is an example using one of my recent purchases - The UpAir One Drone.


I have to say so far I have been incredibly impressed. The quality of the camera is amazing and it is very easy to use and set up. The battery lasts around 15mins flight time, which is probably the only downside. 

I knew the children would absolutely relish having a go with this and so my Year 6 digital leaders were able to fly the drone over the school grounds, recording their journey. Once we shared the footage to our iPads, the pupils wrote and performed a guide in iMovie adding a soundtrack composed in Garageband. 

Knowing this would be shared online and featured on our school blog, website and social media channels, added purpose to the project for the children. Here is their finished effort:




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A Lovely Poem for Your Leavers Assembly

  July 03, 2017            No comments
I am always asked to put a little video together for our Year 6 show and end of year assembly. Each year, I always include a special poem that I finish the end of year video with. It is called Leaving School by Jade Hughes and it is beautiful:



We've now left school,
It's how the story ends,
Tears of happiness is what we recommend, 
It's what we say,
But there's always a little pain,
Because once you've left,
It's not the same, 
You could walk through school and you would see,
Your friends who have grown up incredibly,
But now you've gone,
It's not the same,
As you may never see them again, 
Your friends who have grown up right beside you,
Who have helped you through your daily strife,
Will go ahead and leave behind them,
You who wants the same old life, 
But you can not live your life in the past,
Hoping that the same memories will last,
You have to move on and just be glad,
That leaving has made you so sad,
As this just shows that you have loved,
Your days at school here with us, 
So go ahead and live your life,
And become what you want to be,
But don't forget the days you spent,
When you were young at school with me.

I usually record one of the pupils performing this poem over pictures and videos of the children during their time in school. Here are a few examples of my end of year videos:






Year 6 Leavers Video 2013 from Davyhulme Primary School on Vimeo.


I hope you find this useful and if you have any poems that you share, please share them on twitter or facebook.

Homemade iPad recording booths

  July 03, 2017            No comments
One question I am always asked on my training is how do I manage multiple children all recording on the iPads in the same classroom. Over the weekend, I decided to make some iPad recording booths to help reduce background noise when recording content on the iPad.

Each box cost approximately £10 each. I bought the materials to make 6 boxes which would be perfect as a class set. Here are the links for the materials:




Here is a video explaining how we put them together with help from my sons:



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