It’s been a while since I posted something new within this blog.
The reason for my absence is that my spare time has been absorbed with teacher training and I’ve been writing about the progress of a friend who went to aid the aid the victims of the Haiti earthquake as a volunteer with a British rescue team. (For those who are interested the blog can be found at) http://2dayucan-che-bruce-in-haiti.blogspot.com/)
The Haiti blog content was mainly constructed from SMS text messages and MMS pictures together with some email content which was sent to me in the early hours of each day from Che Bruce whist he was engaged with the rescue operation in Haiti.
I utilised Mobile Phone and computer technology that I have previously written about in my early blogs. I recently discovered that when you receive SMS Text messages or MMS Picture messages on a mobile phone that these messages can be easily forwarded as emails free of charge to an email user address. I built up the Haiti blog by cutting and pasting the messages on to the relevant blog page. I added additional word comments in the normal way on my computer.
This discovery was for me as a teacher and my learners a significant moment. The students were inspired by Che’s bravery and his selfless act as a volunteer, and as a result they were empowered to follow their tutor’s journey through the blog. (Many added their own comments).
With a slight steer many of the learner’s have realised that they could utilise the same technology (Mobile Phone and blog) to evidence their own achievements whilst working on practical college assignments or extra curricular activities. Many students have since set up their own blog and are adding evidence via their own familiar mobile technological resource.
The above concept is inspiring and motivating for all learners despite their learning preference or need. The concept is achievable and requires little in the way of training or cost. The majority of today’s learners (Digital Natives) are familiar with mobile technology and the Google blogger setup and is not dissimilar to face book or myspace.
The mobile phone and associated technology is Swiss Army Knife in the World of Teaching and Learning.
Some have yet to discover or believe !
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Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Blog 21 : We all achieve more When we help each other.
We all need a bit of help dyslexic or otherwise
I really enjoy teaching and instructing. Over the years I have had a lot of help from what education would describe as significant others. A significant other is a person or persons other than parents who have a positive effect on your life.
When we are young it is often a teacher, youth worker, scout leader or possibly a relation the list is endless. When we get older we tend to disguise the fact that we need help. I believe that some in education and society leave individuals feeling that to ask for help as is a weakness.
When in fact it is they who are weak. We all Achieve more When we Help each Other.
The modern terminology is mentor or buddy. We all at some stage will need to talk to someone, sound ideas, receive advice or check that we are going in the right direction.
Over the years I have acted as mentor or buddy for many individuals young and old. When my former mentee’s have gained experience of life, we still talk about direction; however it is not always their direction that we often discuss, the direction of a new mentee.
Often my former mentee’s have become my mentor.
It is not necessary for a significant other to be tagged as buddy or mentor. (As a matter of fact I prefer to be known as neither). You don’t always need to talk or even personally know your significant other. For example David Beckham is significant to many. Through the media and internet those to whom David is significant, know well his origins, his success and his beliefs. Who ever is significant to you, just recognise them and say thank you once in a while.
The greatest moment is when a former mentee returns to the place that their career began and I witness them become significant to others.
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I really enjoy teaching and instructing. Over the years I have had a lot of help from what education would describe as significant others. A significant other is a person or persons other than parents who have a positive effect on your life.
When we are young it is often a teacher, youth worker, scout leader or possibly a relation the list is endless. When we get older we tend to disguise the fact that we need help. I believe that some in education and society leave individuals feeling that to ask for help as is a weakness.
When in fact it is they who are weak. We all Achieve more When we Help each Other.
The modern terminology is mentor or buddy. We all at some stage will need to talk to someone, sound ideas, receive advice or check that we are going in the right direction.
Over the years I have acted as mentor or buddy for many individuals young and old. When my former mentee’s have gained experience of life, we still talk about direction; however it is not always their direction that we often discuss, the direction of a new mentee.
Often my former mentee’s have become my mentor.
It is not necessary for a significant other to be tagged as buddy or mentor. (As a matter of fact I prefer to be known as neither). You don’t always need to talk or even personally know your significant other. For example David Beckham is significant to many. Through the media and internet those to whom David is significant, know well his origins, his success and his beliefs. Who ever is significant to you, just recognise them and say thank you once in a while.
The greatest moment is when a former mentee returns to the place that their career began and I witness them become significant to others.
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Friday, January 8, 2010
Blog 20 : Lack of understanding is a Learning Barrier not Dyslexia
“It’s a funny old world, is that of a teacher”
I often here teacher’s say “I don’t believe he/she has dyslexia” it is just something he/she plays on.
Or his/her dyslexia it’s an attention thing!
When I enquire as to why they doubt the effects of a learner’s dyslexia, they often reply because he/she is so confident, or they are so patient or they never seem flustered.
Such comments are why I personally do not often disclose that I have dyslexia.
I am confident, I am patient, I am not often flustered, and I can make good presentations and speeches. I have lead adventurer expeditions and I have inspired people to keep going when they and others have given up.
As I have got older I have found ways of remembering spellings and through the use of technology life is reasonably normal. In fact there have been times when I have actually thought that I did not have dyslexia.
However when I mark my class register, I have to fight off the anxiety, and frustration that erupts internally, simply because I can’t find someone’s name on the list. (Word Blindness)
When I sit in the classroom, in the vicinity of another teacher who has marked six registers in the time that I have taken to mark one, or they have written four tutor reports whilst I am considering options on the first. It is then that I realise the effects of dyslexia.
I don’t get upset or frustrated it is what I am. When I was at school and others had to wait for me to finish, or my tutors would humiliate me for being too slow.
Those were the times when I was frustrated and annoyed.
Teacher's and those in authority who display a lack of understanding, is the reason why I and others like me switch off and become disengaged.
Lack of understanding is the Learning Barrier not Dyslexia
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I often here teacher’s say “I don’t believe he/she has dyslexia” it is just something he/she plays on.
Or his/her dyslexia it’s an attention thing!
When I enquire as to why they doubt the effects of a learner’s dyslexia, they often reply because he/she is so confident, or they are so patient or they never seem flustered.
Such comments are why I personally do not often disclose that I have dyslexia.
I am confident, I am patient, I am not often flustered, and I can make good presentations and speeches. I have lead adventurer expeditions and I have inspired people to keep going when they and others have given up.
As I have got older I have found ways of remembering spellings and through the use of technology life is reasonably normal. In fact there have been times when I have actually thought that I did not have dyslexia.
However when I mark my class register, I have to fight off the anxiety, and frustration that erupts internally, simply because I can’t find someone’s name on the list. (Word Blindness)
When I sit in the classroom, in the vicinity of another teacher who has marked six registers in the time that I have taken to mark one, or they have written four tutor reports whilst I am considering options on the first. It is then that I realise the effects of dyslexia.
I don’t get upset or frustrated it is what I am. When I was at school and others had to wait for me to finish, or my tutors would humiliate me for being too slow.
Those were the times when I was frustrated and annoyed.
Teacher's and those in authority who display a lack of understanding, is the reason why I and others like me switch off and become disengaged.
Lack of understanding is the Learning Barrier not Dyslexia
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