Learning At the Kitchen Bench

It's no secret that Twitter is an amazing platform for teacher discussion and sharing.  By chance today I got caught into two separate hashtags.

The first was #leaderchatnz, at 9am this morning.  Paul Sibson, a Christchurch principal, holds these Thursday chats. There is always something that makes you think.  This is was my reflection moment:

The second chat was at 12pm - #fledchat - one I wouldn't normally see as it's Thursday afternoon and one of my busiest days at school; but I'm on sick leave this week.  What made me stop and engage, was the topic: "Minecraft in the Classroom".  It was interesting to see what these Florida educators would think about Minecraft's use. It looks like their situation is similar to ours. Some teachers are exploring Minecraft as a learning plafform and asking why those using it, are using it. A lot of educators are feeling timid about trying it out.  Yet others are annoyed because their school districts have banned Minecraft and social media in their schools.

I feel lucky that we have got the opportunity at Mokoia Intermediate to give it a go. We want teachers to try new technologies if they can see that student engagement in learning increases. The first step is to give it a go.  The second is to show those around you that it is worth the effort.