Five weeks ago I had a cycling accident. I was out for my usual morning road ride before work and the next thing I knew I was on the side of the road surrounded by paramedics. It turns out I wasn’t even hit by a car, somehow my tyre caught in a groove between the lanes. The bike stopped and I kept … [Read more...] about Life Without Activity
How Time Flies
This week I was reflecting on 2016. I really can’t believe how fast it has gone. I know each year I seem to say the same thing. My middle son has started his HSC and I still remember him being in Kinder like it was last month. Times does go quickly as Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr once said, “The … [Read more...] about How Time Flies
The Power of Feedback
Below is a great little video called "Austin’s Butterfly" (2012). This video shows how a first grade student completes a scientific drawing of a butterfly. Initially Austin drew what he thought was his “best work”, an accurate image of a butterfly but he soon realised that his peers did not … [Read more...] about The Power of Feedback
Expectations – Too High or Too Low?
It is rubric and reporting time again and I’m looking at the results from the various assessments. I always ask myself as both a teacher and a parent; are my expectations too high or low as to what the kids should achieve? My middle son is currently finishing Year 11 and I look at how he has gone … [Read more...] about Expectations – Too High or Too Low?
The jobs we’ll lose to machines — and the ones we won’t
Next week we start a gaming technology project and as you may or may not know, I'm a fan of TED Talks. I listened to this talk recently by Anthony Goldbloom and it seemed timely with what the kids will be doing for the rest of the term in this project. Goldbloom is a 33 year old Aussie and the … [Read more...] about The jobs we’ll lose to machines — and the ones we won’t
How to Talk? How to Listen?
This is a great TEDx Talk from 2015. It touches on a lot of points I can relate to. Especially trying to have conversations with the kids in my class and my kids at home. It is a little American-centric but some of the points are valid. Especially when my job hinges on how well I talk to people both … [Read more...] about How to Talk? How to Listen?