Trick or Treat?

Trick or Treat?

Uh-oh. It’s All Hallows’ Eve and the last blog entry was on the 10th October. Shame on us! We have a bit of catching up to do!

 

First, it’s down to Dorset. Two days with 20 leaders of learning. Thanks to Prince of Wales First School  and headteacher Peter Farrington for hosting the event. We look forward to seeing you all again in February…but we’ll be keeping in touch via the Wikispace. And Gary…keep on tweeting!

 

Next, it was back to Wales and our first twilight session in Henllys CiW Primary. Exploring the power of photo-feedback and designing linked learning experiences. Thanks to Michelle Bellew and her staff for remaining awake and upright after a day of hundreds of individual learning interactions!

 

And it’s back across the bridge and down the M5 to Dorset again. Thanks to Veronique Singer for inviting us and hosting the event at Radipole Primary School, Weymouth. We had a great day with leaders of learning from Radipole, Southill, Portesham and St Nicholas & St Laurence schools. A creative, collaborative learning community in action!

 

Finally, we head north to Stirling, donning thermal underwear and woolly hats (thanks Claire!). Three days of exploring and experiencing learning. It was heartening to see the impact that DfL is having in the local settings. A privilege to work with such dedicated educators.

 

So, three countries and four treats for us…

 

….and a trick….no thanks to the driver who created the additional lane between the tollbooths on the Severn Crossing and created a half-mile tailback during the rush-hour on the Friday before half-term. May your doorbell be rung constantly tonight!!!

Love what you do…

Image via CrunchBase

We have just enjoyed being remote voyeurs at the first Dorset TeachMeet, thanks to organiser Gary Spracklen (Prince of Wales First School). The meeting finished with a brief tribute to Steve Jobs and quoted part of his Stanford Commencement address from 2005. It is worth ‘retweeting’ here.

‘Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to what you believe is great work. The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it.’

What we witnessed tonight was Dorset practitioners who obviously love what they do – engaging with learners and learning.

Despite the pressure to become a ‘testing culture’ (and collect a PISA gold star from teacher) it’s great to hear that learners are still being encouraged to engage in real-life problem-solving through creativity and genuine, not contrived, dialogue…doing ‘stuff’ that will actually prepare them for life beyond education.

Not everyone is going to be a Steve Jobs. And, many entrepreneurs succeed despite great adversity. It’s a shame that for many learners their greatest adversity may be their school days.

No-one knows a learner’s potential but if they can leave education with the confidence and skills to ‘keep looking and don’t settle.’ Then we can say, as leaders of learning, that we’ve also done great work.

PS We love what we do. Thanks to all who continue to make it possible. A & L

www.ustream.tv/user/TMDorset – videostream of the Teach Meet