IWB choice

If, like me, you use an interactive whiteboard (or IWB for the acronym obsessed) for much of the active content of lessons, then you’ll often find yourself feeling frustrated by the software developers behind such devices.
In the UK there are two varieties of IWB that have found favour in our secondary schools, abbreviated by teachers [...]

Sometimes you find the perfect thing

Ever heard of SnagIt? Well, this post is one for those ICT-curious teachers who are looking for tools that can create (among others things) interactive resources for their students.
I must admit I am attracted by the possibility of using Flash animations in my lessons but simply do not deem such labour-intensive resources worthwhile for everyday [...]

Yes, I know it’s been a while.

Okay, okay – yes, hands up, I know I’ve been neglecting my blog but I have news dear faithful readers. You see, changes are afoot. Having worked at my school for the last 14 years, I have decided that a change is in order. This, among other things, will mean more time to write which [...]

Flash or what?

Looking for new interactive resources for the classroom can be fun but can also take a great deal of ‘Googling’. Here are a few I’ve found recently that might save you a bit of time.
The first site is stuffed with excellent resources for English and Maths (among others) from the fertile mind of Stewart Davis [...]

Innovation in writing for £30

My school equipped me with a laptop; my local education authority gave me use of a portable interactive whiteboard; and I’ve even recycled a cast-off TV from a friend, finding it a new lease of life in my classroom. Yet there is one piece of kit that I have found more versatile than any of [...]

Exam keywords game

Just how do you teach the idea of identifying examination keywords? Well, you could try shooting ducks…
Recently I was working with Judith on a series of starters for less able students to teach the idea of identifying keywords in examination questions. We made several really good resources (if I say so myself) and I was [...]

Finding photos

Most teachers looking for images would probably turn first to Google Image but there is a new method that might be a lot easier. Flickr Storm, an offshoot of the well known photo-hosting site, makes finding pictures a joy.

It gives you a simple search with the ability to filter by type of licence and then [...]

Help with Photostory 3

On this site is a comprehensive guide to using Microsoft’s excellent Photostory 3. It is also a great read if you are looking to explore the uses of Flickr with your students – amazing work Jake!

Starting right

A while ago, Ruth Price, behaviour consultant for Doncaster, and I were chatting about classroom management and she asked if she could film me at work. I agreed and she duly filmed a whole day’s teaching which we later edited down to twenty-four short clips.

The idea was to try to capture a teacher dealing with [...]

SMARTboard’s spotlight tool

Did I mention that I teach in a hut? Well, that is what it’s called at my school. Even worse, most students and staff refer to my room as “the old hut” or “the brown hut”. I know, I know, it sounds pretty dreadful but inside… well, that’s another story.
Teaching in a hut (that’s “mobile [...]