What a start to 2019! I’m overjoyed to announce that I have been shortlisted in the Education category of the UK Blog Awards. I can’t
Favourite five from 2018
Since finishing school last week, Steph and I have been spending the holiday season with my family in Huddersfield (England). As I publish this post,
Merry Christmas, PLN! (2018)
Much like The Queen, I am in the habit of sharing my thoughts and feelings every Christmas. This blog post is my annual opportunity to
Nature inquiries with iNaturalist
iNaturalist is a fantastic site for identifying and appreciating living things in your area. The app is available on iOS and Android. When photographs of wildlife
Self-Organized Learning Environments (SOLE)
My first experience of Self-Organized Learning Environments (SOLE) was spontaneous. It was the beginning of November and so I was wearing a poppy. In Hong
Guest post: Introducing our YouTube channel ‘For Teachers’ (by Katie Tollitt)
This week, I would like to pass creative control over to my friend Katie Tollitt, creator of For Teachers YouTube channel. Like me, Katie is keen to
What are ‘soft’ skills and why do students need them more than ever?
In a recent workshop with Tania Lattanzio, she shared this video. As you watch it, consider its accompanying question: will our children be prepared? The
Please vote! UK Blog Awards 2019 #UKBA19
For the second year in a row, I’m delighted to announce that I have been nominated for a UK Blog Award in the (Individual) Education
Anti-Bullying Week 2018: five books to inspire empathy
With Anti-Bullying Week 2018 kicking off tomorrow (Monday 12th November) and Tuesday 13th marking World Kindness Day 2018, it seems like an ideal time to
Inspiring change through blogging
This week, it was a privilege to speak to grade six students at Canadian International School of Hong Kong. The students are inquiring into how
Sketchnoting: what, why and how?
I have been interested in sketchnoting since Carrie Baughcum‘s session at the Hive Summit. I have been sketchnoting myself, promoting it in class and learning
Why should teachers be connected and, specifically, why Twitter?
This was the question that I tweeted out last week. My aim was to gather a few quotes for my upcoming workshop. I’ll be facilitating
What are HyperDocs?
First of all, it is important to emphasise what HyperDocs are not. HyperDocs are not just digital worksheets. They are thoughtfully designed digital lessons that support
Taking action for Tanzania
I am thrilled to announce that my blog will support literacy and girls’ education in Tanzania. This collaboration with Room to Read was inspired by
EdTechTeam #ShekouSummit18
This weekend, I hopped over the border from Hong Kong into China for a weekend of learning at the EdTechTeam Shekou Summit (Shenzhen). Three years
Getting started with Flipgrid (now completely free!)
I briefly mentioned Flipgrid in my previous blog post and, since then, many teachers have been asking me about it. It deserves some elaboration and
Six ways for students to connect and collaborate globally
As we design our lessons, we should consider our learning intentions and choose the best tool(s) for the job. Sometimes that involves technology and sometimes
Guest post: How children experience creative writing (by Brett Healey)
Brett Healey is a Literacy Coach at Victoria Shanghai Academy in Hong Kong. He specialises in the teaching of writing which led him to complete
My advice for NQTs
The start of a new academic year is an exciting time but it can also be nerve-racking. It’s the final day of my summer break
#HiveSummit 2018 (part 2)
In last week’s blog post, I introduced the #HiveSummit and summarised the first four videos (featuring Michael Cohen, Carrie Baughcum, Rick Wormeli and Tara Martin).