Am I learning something new everyday?

Am I learning something new everyday?

It is starting to feel like that..but it’s all good!

Since joining the Global Classroom Project ‘Save Our Rhinos’ my network of teaching connections or contacts or PLN has increased exponentially. Firstly, I have started using Twitter to actually communicate! Communicate with my teacher contacts in relation to this project and organise some secret skype sessions.

Furthermore, I was added by Michael Graffin, The Global Classroom Project Co-founder, to two skype teacher groups that run 24/7, namely hlwskypers (Hello Little world) and Global Classroom. These educators chat about different events or activities that they are planning collaboratively in their schools or simply want others to join in with student learning. They are a cool way to keep in touch globally. Here is the link to a map and contacts of connected tech savvy educators who are willing to help you!

Funnily enough, someone sent me a skype invite, which I accepted, thinking it might be someone in my new network. It was an ICT teacher in the USA. He chatted for a while before I asked where he got my contact details. He said, “Oh Steve Sherman was talking about you.” So I said’ “Who’s Steve Sherman?”

So, who is he?

Steve Sherman talks about Global Classrooms

Click here to view the embedded video.

I think he knows a fair bit about ‘connectiveness’.

On the 14th February I was invited by a teacher in Indonesia to join a Google Hangout with her class of thirty five 17 year old boys who are learning English. Joining me were other educators from Canada and the USA. It really was an ‘eye opening’ experience of how schools can be so different to our own. I introduced myself and asked some questions, and to be honest it was a fun learning experience for all involved. It was a bit of a shame my class of ten year olds were in a specialist lesson, so they missed this opportunity…but I’m sure there will be many more.

I just learned about ‘quad blogging’ the other day from another global educator. I had no idea what this was so did some research. As part of my discussions on the skype groups, I recommended one of my teachers to join and she did! Spreading the connectiveness! So what is quad blogging?

A Blog needs an audience to keep it alive for your learners. Too often blogs wither away leaving the learners frustrated and bored. Quadblogging gives your blog a truly authentic and global audience that will visit your blog, leave comments and return on a cycle. Here’s how it works:
You sign up using the form below, shortly after, you will be allocated a Quad four schools/classes including your own. Each Quad has a co-ordinator who is responsible for making sure each of the quad members know what is going on and when. Each week one blog is the focus blog with the other three blogs visiting and commenting during that week. In week two, another school/class blog is the focus with the other three visiting and commenting. This is repeated until each of the classes/schools has had their week in the spotlight. The cycle is then repeated. However, this time, your pupils know what is coming – They will work harder than you have seen them work in order to get content on their blog!