Teaching and Learning – Page 8 – ibpossum takes on tech

Blogging Challenge – How can I use NCEA better?

So, I am being cheeky and using this post to tick ALL 3 boxes of the blogging challenge. Does this mean I get credit for all 3???? Credit farming breaks my heart. It actually makes a little piece of my happy teacher persona die. Unlike fairies, no amount of clapping will bring it back. BecauseContinue reading “Blogging Challenge – How can I use NCEA better?”

Blogging challenge – evolving teaching practice – Telling stories

Something I have become acutely aware of this year is the power of telling stories. I had a huge focus earlier on in my teaching (I have only been teaching for 6 years, so in some terms I am probably still finding my feet in teacher years……) about removing myself from the front of theContinue reading “Blogging challenge – evolving teaching practice – Telling stories”

Every little thing

Gonna be alright Each year, I start my Level 2 Chemistry class the same way – by playing Three little Birds at the start of the lesson. It is to remind me and my students, but me mostly, that despite the big step up to Level 7 of the curriculum and the tough journey thatContinue reading “Every little thing”

Post boxes – learning together

Yesterday I did a post box activity with my Yr 10 class to start our genetics topic. We spent about half the class making the letter boxes, the girls made theirs pretty and the boys made theirs with as much tape as was humanly possible. Our first use was to vote on a movie withContinue reading “Post boxes – learning together”

Playing around with dry ice

Last week was the week before senior exams. My L1 class had just finished an internal the week before, as had my L2. I felt assessmented out before assessment week had even begun. Luckily, my year 10’s have been doing good old acids and bases. A big part of how I deliver this unit isContinue reading “Playing around with dry ice”

Are you in or out?

Today is the last day for ‘X’ing students out of external NCEA exams. We have been reminded of this off and on every briefing for the last 2 weeks. I have been scowling and muttering about how we don’t have our practice exams till next week so how can I possibly give any reasonably adviceContinue reading “Are you in or out?”

Why don’t we talk about job applications…..??

So, I’ll put it out there. I applied for a job. Got an interview which went really well (I thought, I actually enjoyed it) but something wasn’t quite right…. I still haven’t put my finger on what. The job was in a different city and would have been a massive move for my family, whichContinue reading “Why don’t we talk about job applications…..??”

Competencies over content

I have been thinking and hearing a lot about competencies lately. Today, a cardboard box made it ‘click’ for me about what this means for my teaching and learning programs, and I am thankful I had probably been focussing a lot on competencies without even realising it. But now I have been doing more readingContinue reading “Competencies over content”

3.1 – into the depths of ‘extended practical investigations’

So, I am a little ashamed to admit that this year is the first time in my teaching career (this is my 6th year) that I have had a class complete an extended practical investigation. My first school didn’t offer it, not wanting to do it as a ‘superficial credit counting’ exercise. I agreed withContinue reading “3.1 – into the depths of ‘extended practical investigations’”

Haves, and have nots

I had a interesting interaction this week that has got me thinking about haves and have nots when it comes to education. With up coming pay negotiations, articles like this about school donations and BYOD policies and general feeling of we (my household) are running on a tight belt, it really hit a chord withContinue reading “Haves, and have nots”