Sometimes, it’s got to be about the slog. Reflections of the term.

Today, I spotted the cartoon above over at gapingvoid.com. With almost perfect timing, it seems to sum up and a handful of words this term. It hasn’t been pretty, but the stuff we are doing is essential. It’s been a term in which we’ve laid some foundations for the stuff to come. It’s been a slog, mundane, a mission. But essential. There hasn’t been a lot of cool stuff.

Yet.

Sometimes, the cool stuff can get in the way.

On reflection, this has been a tough term. As always, the team have delivered and I am very happy with the team around me. So, let’s have a look back and forward.

The term started with the department being awarded Centre of Excellence status. At the same time we spearheaded the drive toward a BYOD policy with the launch of the Mobile @ Priory policy. A big part of the slog has been getting our collective heads around the idea of using mobile devices within the classroom. There is much more to come on this.

We’ve also set up some missions on the Mission:Explore website. This term, we have flirted with facebook, Twitter and BYOD access to WiFi. There’s a lot to get sorted if the change is to be embedded and sustainable.

But. The foundations are there. Sometimes, the slog is needed.

Next term, look out for:

Further developments with the BYOD WiFi policy
Raise results in the GCSE Controlled Assessment and Sustainable Decision Making elements of the course.
Geocaching and QR codes around the school – creating resources for Geography, MFL, EAL, DTRM, Music and Induction
A project linking geocaching, the Olympic Games and the teaching of traditional skills
We are going to nail live blogging from mobile devices in the field, as well as data collection.
We are going to plant hundreds of flags around the University of Portsmouth in an attempt to engage the higher education population with our students’ sense of place.
Our contribution to BBC School report (which is bound to include some form of naughty madness)
Students creating the curriculum and helping the school to embrace change.

We are looking forward to January. Our first department meeting will be in a tea room Winking smile

Comments

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David Rogers

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