I am struck by the differences in Paraná’s public/private schools compared to the public schools of New Zealand.  I teach in a public school, in fact, most students attend a public school for most if not all their schooling.

Since I have not taught in any other areas apart from Napier, I can not compare Paraná schools to anything but my own school and those that I have been lucky enough to teach or relieve in.

My own students back at TIS do not realise just how lucky they are with what is available in their own classroom.  I don´t think the teachers of my school or other New Zealand schools realise how lucky we are with the many resources that are provided for us in our schools.

I am so grateful for the school that I work in.  I am so grateful for the resources that I have.  I am so grateful for the technology that I have access to and I am so grateful for the opportunity to experience life in another country to make me realise just how grateful I am. When I return to my own school and classroom I will be reminding myself each day to take advantage of each and every opportunity I am presented with, to make the most of what I have and to forget about what I do not have.  I now have a far better understanding of what I take for granted and what others do not have access to.

I think the pictures speak for themselves.

After listing Favourite 5 in the Classroom of 2007, and reading several posts about others’ favourite apps, videos, tools, resources of 2007, I thought it would be a great idea to list 5 6 things (in no particular order) to try in the 2008 classroom from others’ favourites lists. There’s some on the list that we have dabbled with before in the classroom but in 2008 I’d really like to see them being used to their full potential.

1. Animoto (seeing the potential for students creating “hooks” for other students when summarizing/reflecting on, their learning)

2. Google Earth and Maps (seeing the potential for visually connecting our classroom with the world)

3. Flickr (love the potential of the visual design)

4. ToonDoo (can taste the potential for hooking in the boys)

5. PictureTrail (there’s that visual design potential again)

6. Sketchcast (imagining the potential for students to demonstrate mathematical knowledge)

What will you trying out in your classroom in 2008?

I need to say special thanks to my good friend Kim, because she contributed heavily to an “aha” moment when I realised that I’d been categorising my posts instead of tagging them. Doh!  So now I will be tagging all my posts and tidying up the categories!

^{_{Attribution:
Original Unedited Image: ‘trust love try focus grow‘
www.flickr.com/photos/60368684@N00/47910191}}

Apparently it started with Larry Ferlazzo’s “Best of the Year Lists“ but I was inspired to post by Langwitches and Dean Shareski’s recent posts about Top Stuff of 2007. It’s important for me to stress that there are so many apps, tools and various web2.0 resources out there that continue to amaze and delight me and make my role as an educator/motivator more exciting, more exhausting and definitely more rewarding than I could ever hope to put in one list!!

I wish I was as creative as Silvia and Dean when it comes to graphics but thank goodness I have myskitch!

1. VoiceThread – Love the simplicity, love the connectivity, love the interactiveness, love it, love it, love it!

2. Skitch.com This webservice works hand in hand with the Mac application Skitch to give you 1-click uploading of images for fast and fun image sharing (embedding codes provided). What really makes this app awesome is the ease at which you can capture an image, add writing, arrows, etc and embed it just as quickly on your blog/wiki etc.

3. Technospud Online Projects 4 Teachers – I am sure that I would not have forged such amazing online friendships, and been involved in fantastic Collaborative projects if it were not for Jen Wagner and the amazing work that she does for educators of all levels. Now there’s a technospudprojects ning too!

4. Wikispaces – Wikispaces rock! ‘Nuff said!

5. Edublogs / Learnerblogs – I love blogging and truely believe that the value of blogging in the classroom is worth the trials and tribulations of getting students blogging in the classroom. I could not have done it without Edublogs!

What’s your list of 5 favourites for 2007?