Winding Down & Up

We are officially winding down the current school year and I am already getting ready for the next. I have some significant changes this next year, I am moving up and moving out - up to grade 8 as a homeroom teacher and out to another classroom. New curriculums, new administration, new programming and staffing as well.

I am really looking forward to teaching my first technology classes and am at a bit of a loss as to which direction I am planning to go. I want to integrate technology as much into my classes (English, History & French) as much as possible but also take the student's learning from the other classrooms into my tech classes. It is all in the very early stages of planning at the moment. I want to incorporate as many web 2.0 tools as possible, and am looking for classes interested in working with wikis, skype, video conferencing, etc. We use a Smart Board in my classes and we also have access to a ITV lab in our school next year, I am very excited about the possibilities! Please contact me if you are interested in a collaborative project.

This year, I have really plugged into the web 2.0. I bought myself an ipod and have been listening to as many podcasts as I can. The PD out there is absolutely amazing! We've even started using French podcasts in the classroom and the kids immediately wanted to know when they could start making their own. The students really enjoyed talking on skype with me while I was in Iceland this year.

So while the students are winding down the year, I am going to be heading to Winnipeg, Manitoba for a 2 day workshop using Smart Technologies. I hope to come away with many different lessons and ideas to use in my classroom next year. This summer I will be developing plans for my new classes and catching up on what is new and exciting on web 2.0.