Digital Christmas ideas

Online advent or seasonal calendars are all the rage.

I did one last year - the Advent of Technology calendar for ELKS at
http://drillbit.omnium.net.au/elks/modules/showcase/gallery.php?id_galleries=7

Here are some ideas for any classroom as the end of term approaches
http://web.me.com/concetta.gotlieb/Site/Christmas.html

JISC collections for schools: online subscription respources

This JISC project launched in April 2008 and offers "The highest quality online subscription resources at the lowest ever prices."

For the first time, schools can benefit from nationally-negotiated terms for a range of specially-selected and high quality online subscription services - from newspaper archives and image databanks to catalogue of invaluable resources covering history, science, art and music, modern languages and much, much more.

Some of the benefits include:

• the discounted pricing on offer enables schools to offer cost-effective, 24x7 access to trusted and regularly updated online resources - already widely available in further education colleges - in many cases for the first time.
• remote access is available, so teachers and learners at subscribing schools can access the resources from wherever they are.
• there is no limit on the number of teachers or learners who can access a resource simultaneously.

New collaborative project - Wings

At the Education Show on March 1st, Kids on the Net inaugurated a new project as part of our tenth birthday celebrations:

We invite teachers to join in. Please contact the editor at info AT kidsonthenet DOT com and we will arrange for you to have access to the input forms for a period of time appropriate to your class.

Check it out:

Wings

Links for teachers - inspiration in education

Here are some interesting links for teachers - truly inspiring individuals (sorry they're all American - I'll find some European or others soon!)

Lucy Gray's blog A Teacher's Life. Lucy is an Apple Distinguished Educator, teacher and teacher educator.

She's a contributor to The Infinite Thinking Machine "designed to help teachers and students thrive in the 21st century" with a blog and video podcast.

Wesley Fryer describes himself as a "catalyst for creative educational engagement." His blog, "Moving at the Speed of Creativity" won 2006 "Best Learning Theory Blog" from eSchoolnews and Discovery Education.

Writing prompts

A 15-year-old confessed recently that he loves writing but can't always think about what to write. He's not the only one. Even professional writers sometimes have difficulty finding inspiration.

There are various places on Kids on the Net which will provide inspiration at a variety of levels, whether you're 6 or 16. Here are some of our writing prompts:

Monster Motel: submissions are closed at the moment, but you can still be inspired to write a story about a monster... http://www.kidsonthenet.com/motel/

Dragonsville - will be opening to submissions again in September:
Complete "the Story Dragon" tale at http://www.kidsonthenet.com/dragonsville/scroll.htm
Write instructions for young dragons - how to fly, or how to breathe fire - or report on a young dragon's training http://www.kidsonthenet.com/dragonsville/research.htm

Kids' Castle: write a diary entry from the castle, a newspaper report, or a poem about the tournament. http://www.kidsonthenet.com/castle/

Write your own Adventure Island! Very challenging for an individual, but a great project for older writers http://www.kidsonthenet.com/adventureisland/index.htm

Here are some tips on Getting Started, from children's author, Philip Ardagh, http://www.kidsonthenet.com/create/howtostory.htm

Some more prompts to get you going from children's authors here: http://www.kidsonthenet.com/big3/storygame.htm
Can you write a spooky story? http://www.kidsonthenet.com/big3/dollshouse.htm

And more advice to young writers - exclusive to Kids on the Net - from dozens of children's authors including some very famous names... http://www.kidsonthenet.com/authors/advice.htm

Watch this space!

Kids on the Net and the eTeachers' Portal have some great plans for the autumn term.

We will be reopening Dragonsville and initiating some new projects to celebrate our TENTH birthday - quite amazingly old for an internet venture :)

Watch this space for more information.

Scrap tests for under-16s?

The BBC is reporting on a Call to scrap tests for under-16s

Apparently the General Teaching Council (GTC) believes the tests are failing to raise standards and placing "added stress" on pupils, teachers and parents.

It's true that there are stresses - even though exams and tests are part of students' lives. The problem is that national tests have consequences for the schools and the schools can't help but put pressure on the kids.

But as my daughter said immediately she saw the news item: "what about those who take their GCSEs at 15?" - she was, herself, 15 when she took her GCSEs. I'm guessing they don't mean that though: they mean anyone under Year 11. But it pays to remember sometimes that children are as much as a year different in age during the same test. My son is a case in point - a whole year older than his sister (minus three weeks!) at each point - and how different his path through school is!

More people seem to want to delay school than to get children in ahead of their age, but as someone myself who was a "year ahead" (I was a September birthday too), I would like to see children grouped according to ability and maturity and not strictly by age.

What do you think?