The wrong week to start blogging?
Well it looks like last week was the wrong week to start blogging as I ended up being away from school, home and my computers for most of it. But it turned out to be a great week to give me something to blog about after.
My first outing was with the other lead learners from my school and two of our partner schools down to visit Sandringham School in St. Albans, rated outstanding by OFSTED. We met their equivalent group for a joint workshop Tuesday evening before spending the Wednesday touring the school, observing lessons, meeting staff, students and hearing about the school’s journey. It really was a pleasure to walk around the site and the school’s ethos, atmosphere and approach to learning really is inspirational. I’ll share more thoughts another time.
I was then back in school for Thursday before jumping on a train down to London to visit BETT2011 and attend TeachMeet@BETT2011. Both events similar with a real focus on harnessing new technology and using it to enhance education; yet at the same time polar opposites. The exhibition full of folks who don’t necessarily know a thing about education, pushing a sales pitch in your face before you’ve even read the name of their stall compared to a TM organised by teachers, for teachers with a real enthusiasm for learning, sharing (not selling) things that they have tried themselves and you could use tomorrow. That said TM wasn’t without its moments and BETT had a few hidden gems, both of which I look forward to sharing once I finally get chance to go through my bags for life full of goodies and what I imagine may soon become waste paper!
