Smart boards. Fantastic!!!!

Today, I experienced smart board creations for the first time and I can now see just how much children are missing out on without. It allows teaching to become more interacting far more interesting. I would suggested the everyone take a look at it and give a go. I believe that teachers would have as much fun using it as the children would.



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"Do More" - Could we do just that?

Many of us have been in lectures that you find it hard to keep your eyes from sliding closed and I am sure that the opposite has happen. There have been lectures that without knowing it, the time passes so quickly that you felt has though you could blink and it would be over. This week offered yet another moment of clarity. During the last of three lecture of very dry topic were presented again in very dry presentations, a moment of inspiration hit me. It is really up to us as educators to be inspiring, not just with our knowledge but with our methods. The three lecture showed me that the very fact that a teacher knows and/or understands something does not mean they can present it well. I believe that the teacher or educator make it a point to go beyond what they find interesting and construct an interesting environment which promote learning. This does require teachers to, yet again, "do more". The difference, in my own opinion, is that if teachers did it to begin with it would not feel like more. It would become the norm and accepted. You may differ from these thoughts. However, I suggest that everyone consider the next lesson they plan to give and assess whether the audience will find it as interesting as you do. Thanks for reading.

What I learned this week!

During the recent weeks of my journey through the PDGE programme at Strathclyde, I have dealt with much criticism of my progress through the programme. I have found many qualified teachers are very welling to criticize my performance, however, they are quite reluctant to provide in constructive information which would help me to progress further.
Well, this week I got what I was looking for. The information was unexpected and I valued it greatly. I have struggled this the development of a teaching persona. I willingly admit that I am nice guy. I stay calm most of the time and it take a lot to get me hot under the collar. That being said, I find developing a dynamic extroverted persona difficult and I also felt that without it I would always struggle in teaching. This is where the advise come in. This advise came in the form of an explanation of what assessors were really looking for from new teachers. I was told that assessors are looking for new teachers to use the personality they and make the most of it, not to develop a fake unnatural persona which hides you true personality.
This advise has given my the boost I was looking for. I like who I am and I hope other teachers learn from this and do the same. Just be yourself.