With computer coding now being regarded as a 21st century skill, there are lots of sites, activities and so on to teach and enhance understanding of coding. Some of these are aimed at students as young as 5!
Below are a couple of links to go back even further than using a computer to develop these skills - using no-tech board games. Check it out and see for yourself. Couple of games that have scored high on the reviews are: Code Monkey Island and Robot Turtles.
http://venturebeat.com/2014/06/03/12-games-that-teach-kids-to-code/
http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/2015/01/no-tech-board-games-that-teach-coding-skills-to-young-children
The site I took the second one from is called MindShift, and is one that I have linked on the blogroll on the right-hand side, and it is all about different ideas and thoughts on lots of subjects for teaching our students, not just computer coding.
Also, just thought I would point out that March 5th is World Read Aloud Day. Probably something worth celebrating, even a little, in your classrooms. And February 14th is Library Lovers Day - just saying!
Welcome back to everyone for 2015. I hope you all had a nice relaxing break with lots of time spent with family and friends and are all refreshed and ready to go. And a big welcome to all our new staff as well - looking forward to getting to know you all.
Well, here we go - the start of 2015 and a whole new year of opportunities for books, and reading. How awesome is that?
For the new staff - and a reminder for some of our previous staff - below is a list of some of what we can help you with. I put this list up each year, so if you go back through the posts, it is all there. Anything else? If there is something that you think we can help with, just come and have a chat. We have learned to be fairly good at pulling rabbits out of hats and we also like a challenge.
- Looking for a particular book or resource? Come and talk to us. We can organise an Inter-library-Loan or help you find where to purchase it.
- Resources: Books, DVDs, Magazines and Newspapers, iPad sets, Digital Cameras, Video Recorders, Computer Mice sets, Data Projectors, Teacher Reference, Board games, Chess sets, Kits........
- IWB area and a bank of computers, as well as laptops that are available to be booked for classes. The Library laptop trolley is only to be used in the Library area, however.
- Help with research, proofreading of assignments, suggestions for books to read - we are your people.
- A place to display your amazing class work.
- Collation of websites for subjects/classes
- Booking sheets for: Library areas, F Block Laptops, Headphones, Ipads.
Students have a 2 week borrowing period while staff have a month. For most of the resources, we can adjust the loaning period for whatever is needed - at least till the end of term. However, this doesn't include the AV materials - that is a 1 week loan period only.
The big deal for us this year is the new way of using the DVDs. No more borrowing a disk and playing it in your laptop..we have gone more upmarket and digital this year. Thanks to Kate and her brilliant ideas, most of the DVDs are now on the server, and by following a few simple steps you can play it through your laptop without ever having to borrow a DVD again. The school also now subscribes to TV4Ed so if there is a TV program that has been screened that you think would be handy with your class, please see me and I'll do my best to find it and and download it for you. (All legal and allowed!)
Wishing you all a fantastic school year with lots of READING involved. Now carry on being awesome.
