Yesterday the Zambia expedition team attended Group Development Day 1 delivered by Will Manners from Outlook Expeditions. This was the first time the final group had been together and gave them a great chance to get to know each other. The session started at 1pm and began with problem solving games allowing the pupils to start to come together as a team. We then looked at what it means to be part of a team and why it is important to have rules. The group then made their own agreement designed to ensure that they all play a full part in the organising and fundraising for the trip. The pupils were then asked to write down their own personal goals as well as discuss some group goals.

The next session was spent thinking about a draft itinary for the trip. The pupils have decided that they are going to work for a week in a school, they are going to trek and canoe along the Luwanga river, go on safari and visit Victoria Falls. Will explained that this is simply a draft plan and that it can be changed before and even during the expedition itself. For me, this provided a real start point to the expedition. Now the group has an idea about what they are going to do and what they will achieve.

Our final session of the afternoon was a look at fundraising. The team had lots of good ideas for both group and individual fundraising activities.

The team had invited their parents to come along at 6pm where they gave an excellent presentation covering what they had achived during the afternoon. Parents were then invited to ask questions.

Overall, the afternoon was very successful and I think that the team have gone away with a much clearer picture of what they need to do in the lead up to the expedition.  

I would like to thank Will Manners for delivering a great training session.

This week my S3 class have been busy researching, direction and producing their own news broadcasts. Though I use this activity to teach the ending of the First World War, the Treaty of Versailles and the League of Nations, it is a really fun task that can be used in many subject areas to teach different topics.

I split the class into two groups or rival news channels. Each group had to pick their own director, camera person, researchers, writers and of course presenters.  Each period I expected a full script to be completed for a single broadcast. Each broadcast included sports and weather in addition to the main news topics. I called directors meetings at random times to give the teams faxes that had just come through. These faxes were designed to give the pupils a brief outline of the key events and helped them structure their broadcasts.

The pupils then recorded their broadcasts and we watched them back together. The class enjoyed the task and every member of the team contributed to the finished product. Pupils who did not want to be on camera could work the camera or acted as researchers. One pupil even dressed up to deliver the weather bulletins. The two directers emerged as excellent leaders and I would like to congratulate them on the maturity, and the skill in which they lead their teams.

Thanks also to the drama department for the loan of the costumes!

Well I can fully sympathise with Don Ledingham when he wrote this post last week. This week has definitely felt much more like a marathon than a sprint.  From parent’s nights to running clubs, from pilates to Zambia expedition training, the earliest I have got home this week has been 7pm. From 5.30am that is some long days!  Nonetheless,  this week I have had so many instances when I have thought, ‘I love being a teacher!’

Monday began the countdown to the S5/6 prelims. I currently have a Higher History class so this week we focussed on revision, revision, revision. We started the week by looking at the British topic which is assessed by essays. Each pupil was asked to plan out some answers for questions out of past papers. I also reminded them that questions can be worded differently and they must answer the question they have been asked, not the question they would like it to be. The second part of the week was spent revising our cold war topic. We again practised past paper questions and made timelines and mindmaps.

Good luck to all pupils sitting prelims over the next two weeks.

Today the Assessment is for Learning development group led a whole staff training session. Assessment is For Learning is a key area with in the curriculum. The afternoon started with a video of Assessment is For learning in action and staff were then split into three groups to complete some activities.

Kate Bulloch, Fiona Henry and myself had the task of showing the staff how Memory Mapping could be used within the classroom. Our session started with Fiona introducing a memory game where there is a picture with a number of objects laid out and staff were given 10 seconds to study the picture. The next picture showed that two objects had been taken away and the staff were asked to identify which objects were missing.

I then explained that Memory Mapping is an activity that can be used during a revision lesson or when pupils have to memorise a diagram. It uses peer assessment as pupils are working in groups and assessing what each member has remembered and written down, and what still needs to be written. It also helps the teacher because gaps in understanding can then be filled and we can ensure that pupils have been given important concepts before a test. Moreover, it fits in with a Curriculum for Excellence because pupils are working collaboratively in groups. In addition, all pupils are actively involved in the task and for pupils who are very shy in class it is a low risk activity as there is no need for them to answer in front of the class.

Kate then gave the instructions for the task. We had set the room into groups of four and staff had to number themselves one to four. Each member of the group was then given two minutes to look at a mind map on the wall outside and then return to the group and replicate the mind map as much as possible. They could onlylook at the mind map once during those two minutes. This was repeated until all members of th group had been to look at the mind map.

I would like to thank staff for participating in the activities and hope that we have introduced them to an activity that they can use within their own classroom.

I would also like to thank Fiona for stepping in to help at two days notice!

Well I am doing ok. I managed to get to band practice last night and went a run (in my case a walk) with the Knox staff running club tonight. I just wanted to take this opportunity to thank Jayne Easson for being so very patient and understanding and to my other colleagues for their encouragement as I lost all feeling from the knees down and my feet began to bleed!

Mental note to ones self: must buy bigger trainers for next week!

This year Knox Academy CCF is celebrating its centenery year. This is a fantastic achievement for all involved in the setting up and running of the contingent, especially when you consider that we are the only state school in Scotland to have a CCF.

As I have reported in pervious posts, I have been involved with the CCF since the summer term and, despite initial reservations about the military aspects of the training, I have found some very exciting and worthwhile activities going on. From the discipline that is instilled in each cadet, to the special friendships that are formed between the cadets and the first aid training that they receive, there is always something going on that ensures that the pupils are being given the opportunities to take part in activities that will give them valuable life skills.  

A centenery committee has been established including the head teacher, members of staff, the CCF OC and two cadets. Our task is to plan a serious of events to commemorate this milestone in the History of the contingent. So far, ideas include a celidh, a dinner, a civic reception and a display in school tying in with Remembrance Day in November. We also hope to get in touch with former cadets so if anyone reading this has been involved in the Knox Academy CCF in the past, and would like to be involved or has stories or photographs to share, then please feel free to get in touch.

Part of the S1 Modern Studies course at Knox is to allow the pupils to plan and take part in their own mock election. They plan everything from manifestos to rosettes and party political broadcasts. I was talking to the pupils about this and I said that we could video the broadcasts and watch them back as a class. One pupil then pointed out that maybe we could do it as a podcast instead of a video. While this seems like a very good idea, I have absolutely no experience of podcasting and don’t know where to start or what equipment I would need. Does anyone have any tips for me? Knox Academy is planning to hold a Teachmeet on Podcasting at the end of February but the pupils may be ready to record their broadcast before this.

I am not a fan of making new years resolutions, mainly because I can never seem to stick to them. However, this year I am quite determined. So what better way to ensure that I keep my promises to myself than making them public!

Recently I have found very little time to do much exercise or keep up with my hobbies. This is mainly due to my, on average, 3 hour daily commute. So this year I am determined to try to keep fit and get back into my music. I have done a fair bit of reading and it seems that the reason that my energy levels are always so low is because I don’t do enough exercise to feel energised.

So… Tonight, armed with my dog, Kali, we set out for a power walk. I have to say that indeed I feel less tired already and Kali really appreciated the extra walk.

I am also going to join a few of my colleagues from Knox under the instruction of Jayne Easson PT Guidance on a weekly jog. I shall keep you updated on how I get on with that!!

And I intend on making it to band practice at least once a week too.

 Here’s to a new me.

Kali likes to read blogs!

Well it has begun, the new term that is. The term ahead, as always, promises to be action packed with lots of challenges. From Higher prelims to extended essays, from parents’ evenings to extra-curricular activites. All kicked off with a very slow drive through a blizzard on the Edinburgh City By-Pass at 6.30am this morning!