Classroom+8

__March 2012__
 * ROOM 22**

This year has started differently from 2011. The children did not start off very enthusiastically with the ICT in the classroom. It become very apparent to me that I needed to encourage and demonstrate the different ways we can use the tools in our learning. Everytime we have started something I have been saying we could use this particular programme or app. Now they are lining up to get into the classroom to start using them before school and are now using them much more successfully. However we still have a long way to go. I have to say I do very much miss Ricky. Lisa has said I am now riding my bike very wobbly with out the trainer wheels. However she has said she misses him too. My Goal also this year is to use my mimio better and more. I actually put it on the other morning and then found all the pens had dried out. Oh what a shame!!! Oh well will try again next week. My other goal is to have every child with their own google docs so they can use them for they learning as well. So much I want to do this year.

Today Friday 2 March Our classes room 20,21,22 walked down to Barry Curtis park for morning tea to celebrate World Children's day. The collaboration between the three classes was something worth sharing. They had so much fun all together. Photo will follow.

Room 22 willowbank School Level: Year six Teacher: Maureen Agnew 2011 has started very fast. Our three classrooms and working well together on the children's different learning styles. All the children know which is the best way for them to learn now and so we are going to continue to develop our learning space around these ways. Now I have our new mimio setup we are beginning to use it. For some students this is the first time they have seen or used it so we are having some play and experimental time on it. Kids are starting to bring in laptops and ipods to use. This is so great. All the children enjoy working in our awhina space and it is so good seeing years 2,4,6 children working co-operatively. Only had one bruised thumb from the hammers so far!! We are trialing Skyrider interactive books from learning media. Spent yesterday with whole class going over what the symbols etc work. They all have a graphic organiser with them that the students work on. I'm going to use them as workshops as they are all relating to a reading strategy so the children will opt into the workshop and work on the mimio. Very exciting. Started today with children monitoring their own learning by putting on the board all the things they need to do for the day. It felt great some kids doing maths, some writing, doing art. I have been working with kids that need help and support. Went to camp two weeks ago, we were sitting around the camp fire when one of my special needs children started telling a story, making it up as she went. I was really taken back. So back to school and she is now using garage band to tell her stories. No more fighting with her to write a story. Learnt cool thing at a course I went to the other day for ASD give your ASD child a camera to find out what their special interest. All the kids have done their ICT matrix and so now we will spend time going through these to help them set their goals.

ANZAC: Thought I would share our learning with you around ANZAC. All the activities have been designed to fit in with the different learning styles of the children in the class. So at the moment there is a very big hum going on in the class and the awhina space. There are children creating poetry and art, children using clay to create a statue of soliders, children creating songs plus more. Here are some pictures of what it is all looking like.
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14 July 2011 We have been using the cameras we were donated for a class photo competition and now we are doing a picture a day, where one student takes a photo and then we add it to our class wiki page. The kids are really enjoying this activity. We have also started using the children's wikipage for their homework so they now put all their homework on their homework page. I can check it at anytime. We are really into our CHiLL sessions now. This is where once a fortnight on a Thursday afternoon two children take control of leading learning by teaching the class a new skill or game, computer programme anything that they are good at. They have to have a plan, WALH, Success Criteria and how they are going to do the teaching. The kids have all got into it. Some of the comments from the reflection we do afterwards are things like it's really hard to get the kids to listen, now we know what it's like for you. The reflections are very honest which is great.