How Come?

Google Questions

howcome — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 05:19:39 +0000

I was reading an old post from Dean Groom’s blog called I Can Fly and one of his points was

“that we need to we need to be asking them questions that they can’t Goolge the answer in under 3 seconds.”

I find it interesting that although I agree with many of his points and thoughts, this one line is the comment that really stands out for me.

It makes me wonder and question ”How much of my everyday questioning to my students is just a simple comprehension response?” In my HSIE and Science units this term, I’m sure that I haven’t extended their thinking beyond the simple recalling of facts which could be answered in 3 seconds by Google.

There is just so much information about questioning techniques out there available to us all and I feel that over the next few weeks, I will need to look into my use of questioning and how to improve it beyond recalling facts.

I thank you Dean for highlighting the important fact that students need to be able to wonder and think beyond what they can google in 3 seconds.

‘Question mark‘
www.flickr.com/photos/77476789@N00/2201907500

Motivator Posters

howcome — Thu, 29 May 2008 12:42:03 +0000

I tagged on my del.icio.us a site from graham wagner’s Teaching Generation Z blog way back in February. He used the motivator posters from BigHugeLabs for his class rules. Today I have used them to create posters for our first ever music lesson with recorders. It was a simple and easy process. It took a while to upload so I’m a little worried about using it with my Year 2’s but I’ll give it a go soon with a small sample of fast finishers to see if I could use it as a whole class lab lesson on publishing a recount of a recent science show.

Learning to Change

howcome — Mon, 05 May 2008 12:31:38 +0000

I have just watched this interesting video from Chris’ Blog. I have added it to my vodpod. I particularly like the comment that 21st Learning is the death of education and the dawn of learning.

Roy the Singing Zebra

howcome — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 06:04:58 +0000

In line with the other post about Star Fall and Panwapa, I was listening to my first ever podcast by the Ed Tech Crew and in their show notes for podcast 36 is a link to Roy the Zebra.

Here is another fantastic website that has a huge appeal to Early Stage One and some elements for Stage One. Again I will be adding this to the MyClasses page as a regular link for all my students to use. I will also show it the Kindergarten teachers when school returns.

Starfall and Panwapa

howcome — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 06:02:48 +0000

At my last ICT Curriculum meeting, I suggested that we need to find more suitable and have a larger variety of programs for the Early Stage One and Stage One students. In my quest to find suitable programs I came upon the Starfall and Panwapa websites via NJ Tech Teacher Musing. Both are now resources on my MyClasses page and del.icio.us. I will be recommending them to Year One and Kindergarten.

Comic Life

howcome — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 02:33:50 +0000

Last week my son brought home his autobiography that he wrote and published at school. The last page contained a collection of photos with captions. He said that his team used Comic Life to create the page. I left it at that.

Then the other day, while I reading Derick’s Blog he referred to Jane Hart’s Top 100 Tools for Learning 2008 and there at number 79 was Comic Life so I downloaded the 30 day trail.

Since then, the whole family has a go at using this creative program. It is simple to use and the results are amazing.

I will be showing this program to the staff when school returns after the holidays. I hope to use it with my Year 2 students in the coming months.

_{Image: ‘Burning Error III’}

_{By :}_catikaoe

Videos and Vodpod

howcome — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 12:10:45 +0000

While I’m on the topic of videos. I started using vodpod as a place to store the useful videos that I view. Thanks to Judy Connell for sharing this via her blog HeyJude.

Since starting my jason.harrison vodpod last month on 11th March, I have amassed a collection of 21 videos. Imagine what it will be like in 12 months.

Cat Herding

howcome — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 11:40:02 +0000

I was reading Darrel Branson’s list of Videos for Educational Change and it brought to mind my first clip that I saw at an inservice. It is called Cat Herders.

“You see the movies. You hear the stories. I’m living a dream. Not everyone can do what we do. I wouldn’t do anything else. It ain’t an easy job…. ” Cat herding is just like teaching. This quote runs true for teaching.

Are you living the dream like me ???????

First Post

howcome — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 11:50:32 +0000

This is my first post. I’m finally entering the blosphere. I’ve been reading a few blogs for the past couple of months and I commented on a few interesting posts. Now it is time for me to enter the blogging world.

For the first time in a staff meeting my Principal shared this amazing and insightful video with the staff. The point that I particularly took a liking too is the comment about how schools educate children from the shoulders up and a bit to the left. How true!! The implications that this has on my teaching and my classroom is profound. I must make changes and I feel that Technology and the inquiry learning process is the answer.

Hello world!

howcome — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 05:05:12 +0000

Let’s start