Genius Hour update!

Further to my post ‘What would be your Genius Hour?’ on June 3, 2014, here is a website link to the UKEdChat discussion on Genius Hour.  The session set out to explore the following:

1. How do you currently integrate students interests in the classroom through learning experiences?
2. What is the benefit of pursuing student passions, interests and talents in the classroom?
3. How did you hear about the concept of Genius Hour?
4. What problems do you think you might encounter while implementing Genius Hour?
5. Share one thing that you have learnt about Genius Hour this evening.

Further to the excellent ideas raised during the discussion, UKEdChat also provided some very useful website links to help support the implementation of Genius Hour:

http://www.geniushour.com/

http://www.livebinders.com/play/play?id=829279

http://geniushour.wikispaces.com/

http://hmsdelaney.weebly.com/

http://hughtheteacher.wordpress.com/2013/03/24/genius-hour-manifesto/

http://www.mathematicshed.com/genius-hour

Please post any of your own ideas and experiences below.

Jumpstart! Grammar: Games and activities for ages 6 – 14

Here is the excellent partnership of Pie Corbett and Julia Strong’s latest offering in their crusade to develop the quality of children’s writing: Jumpstart! Grammar: Games and activities for ages 6 – 14.  Like Pie Corbett’s other Jumpstart game books: Literacy and Storymaking, this is another practical and easy to use text packed full of fun and engaging ideas to develop children’s grammar across the primary school and beyond.

Here is an overview of the book courtesy of Amazon.co.uk:

‘This collection of simple to use, multi-sensory games and activities will jumpstart pupils’ understanding of grammar in action. If you are one of the thousands of teachers who feels insecure about how to teach grammar engagingly, and perhaps also lack confidence in your own grammatical knowledge, then this is also the perfect book for you.

Fun games will focus first on helping children hear the difference various types of grammar can make followed by activities to help them understand what different effects you can create with grammar, rather than dwelling on arid naming of parts. Technical terms will only be introduced once the children have established what the various features can do, with a particular focus on those terms that really help children discuss what makes language coherent and effective. By the time the children are asked to use the terminology, they will have a real grasp of what it’s good for.

It will prepare children for any grammar tests on the horizon in an engaging way so that they love playing with words and spinning sentences to make ideas dance. And, of course, they will be able to name the parts if that is what is required.

Jumpstart Grammar will celebrate the joys of language, and coherent expression; of finding just the right words or phrases to express what you want to say.’

An investment definitely worth making!

Kagan updated!

Our Kagan page has been updated with some videos and the latest Kagan Structure of the Month: Pairs Compare!  Next step: videos of Hamford teachers and children carrying out Kagan Learning structures in our school!

Do you want to be a ‘Sparky’ Teacher?

Sparkyteaching.com is an excellent website for inspiring teachers to think about developing the whole child and their learning beyond school.  Their website states:

‘We think that teaching sparkily is about teaching with humour, inspiring young people and doing things differently – not just to be ‘quirky’ but because different things stick with learners.  In fact, if we weren’t called Sparky Teaching, we’d probably be called Sticky Learning.  It’s about seeing the little people who sit in front of us every day as individual characters not numbers or levels, recognising their sparks and what makes them them.’

Their blog is great and they are well worth following on Twitter so you can see all their free and paid resources, as well as how other teachers are using them.  They also regularly tweet inspirational videos like the ones below.

 

 

Finally, here is a link to their resources page.  Explore and find out which resources you can download for free.  The school have purchased the Everything Pack as an e-book, so we will all have access to those resources when they arrive.

Now, do you want to be a Sparky Teacher?