I found out last week that I had been successful in gaining a place at this year's GTA in Sydney #gtasyd . The process of applying included making a 1-minute video talking about how I was an 'Ambassador for Change' in the field of education. The process was personally challenging; I usually hate putting myself 'out there' in a visual sense. However, it also made me engage in those '21st century skills' that I believe are crucial for today's students: taking risks, stepping outside of my comfort zone, being creative. If we as teachers are not willing to get a little 'uncomfortable' and try new things, how can we expect our students to do the same?



Recently I began a collaborative project with some interstate schools as a result of a tweet I had seen asking for expressions of interest. Many people had responded to the initial tweet, but when it came to the crunch, most said they were not ready, not experienced enough, too busy... In fact, I nearly did the same thing. I didn't know if I was going to be as 'tech-literate' as the other participants, I didn't really need an 'extra' thing to do, I wasn't sure if I was ready to engage in this kind of a project... But I jumped. I dove in and said yes, and am so glad I did. I have made new friendships with online colleagues, strengthened my Twitter PLN, engaged my students in exciting ways, and even learnt about and signed up for virtual excursions (this week my students are visiting the Mawson Base in Antarctica to talk to the scientists). I'm so glad I took the risk of trying something new. Try it. Jump in.

Today I held our second deTECHtives group at school - a fortnightly meeting of teachers who are interested in finding out about apps and websites that can be used in an educational setting. Today we spoke about effective Google searches. I put together the screencast below for those teachers who couldn't make it... Enjoy!

I spent today with the Pullenvale Environmental Education Centre (PEEC) team learning about Storythread - a pedagogical teaching tool that involves linking narrative with role-playing, to teach kids about environmental issues and sustainability. The setting for today's workshop was the stunning Silkwood School, set in the Gold Coast Hinterland, and the workshop was the result of a partnership between Silkwood, Healthy Waterways and PEEC. 

Part of the day involved spending some time connecting with nature and participating in dadirri, an Aboriginal term meaning "an inner deep listening" or quiet, which biologist Mary Clark refers to as "profound attentiveness". How strange to be still for an extended period of time! When I had a chance to reflect as part of this process, I jotted down the following thoughts:


Have I lost the ability to 'look up'? It seems I am always on a mission, trying to get to the next place; more quickly, efficiently, than ever before. As my breathing slows, my senses seem to switch on: I can hear the birds cheeping, I'm noticing for the first time the way the leaves rain down as the gentle gust of wind blows through the treetops, I hear the repetitive creak of the fallen tree that has fallen in the fork of another tree. As I walk through the path mapped out for me, I come across a signpost that indicates there are native honey bees buzzing in a particular tree-trunk. Would I have noticed this if not for the sign? How much of the world am I missing because I am not taking the time to take in the world around me?


A month or so ago, my students and I discussed the 'Look Up' clip that was popular on social media sites at the time. We tried to identify the motivation behind developing a clip like that, and who the target audience might be. As a lover of all things technological, I struggled with some of the ideas put forward by author Gary Turk, but after today's experiences I now 'get it'. Kids need stillness in amongst the fast-paced craziness of today's world. They need to connect with the natural world around them. The pedagogy of Storythread is all about developing skills such as open-mindedness, creativity, identifying and solving problems, risk-taking and collaboration; exactly the same skills that I aim to develop through the use of 21st century technologies. Once again, the issue is not the device, the teaching tool or the particular strategy that is used; it is the vision we have for what kind of people we want our kids to be. Answer that first, and then fit the curriculum around that. Kids first. Always.