This new blogging task isn’t for the students, it’s for the parents! This is a great way for parents to have a look at and get involved with their child’s online life. Although, having introduced it as a “parent task” I’d be more than happy for any close, concerned relative of the students to get involved with our blogs. Parents (grandparents, aunts, uncles…), you can either write a post or comment on your child’s blog (I’m sure they won’t mind if you ask them nicely) or leave a comment on this one. The post could be about yourselves, your work, a special moment from your own school life, an event from your past, a hobby, pastime or skill, in fact anything you like. It could even be to do with a news story, something which may spark some thoughts for the students. Perhaps, if you migrated to Australia, you could tell us about where you came from. A comment on this blog would also be welcome. Before you start, however, make sure you first ask your child about our strict safety and commenting rules. Good luck and have fun!

Blogs are an awesome tool for many reasons, especially if you’re a teacher. One of the greatest assets for the teacher (or any reader) is that we get to learn a little about the personal life of the blogger and just recently that became even more poignant. One of our students has agreed to share her own, very personal story and it’s one I hope you’ll share along with us as I’m sure you’ll find it interesting and informative. Check out Shona’s story and leave a comment if you wish.

This week we tackled some of the most complex topics ever and had an incredible time doing it. Our studies of My Place introduced us to the topic of the Vietnam War. If that wasn’t complex enough, we first had to develop an understanding of the differences between communism and capitalism and the political conflicts that led to the escalation of the war. I’d have to admit that when I introduced the discussion I wasn’t sure how it would go or how the students would react. However, I needn’t have worried – the students were eager to learn and they fuelled the most engaged and lively classroom discussion I’ve ever participated in. For a teacher, there’s nothing more rewarding (yes, we’re easily pleased). A surprising bonus were the parents who spoke to me the following day to say how their child went home and continued the discussion with them. Even Better!

There were no photos for this activity, so I’ve been a little self-indulgent and below is an old one of me stepping into one of the tunnels used during the Vietnam War.

Abseiling, a visit to a police station, horse racing, rugby, our assembly, these are just some of the incredible topics the students from LA14 have been writing about. It’s been an absolutely fascinating few weeks in the  world of blogging, but now it’s time to get down to the more serious side of our blogging – the Blogging Tasks. Our second task is a bit of fun and gives a little direction to those bloggers beginning to run short of ideas.

Some song lyrics, for whatever reason, strike a chord in our minds and end up having an impact, or at least stay in our memory. This line from Big Country’s hit In A Big Country has always stayed in my mind:

“I’m not expecting to grow flowers in the desert,

But I can live and breathe and see the sun in wintertime.”

I’ve never been a particular fan of their music, but when I first heard these lines they just made such an impact they’re still in my mind. Maybe it was because they convey a message that I can totally relate to, almost like a personal philosophy, one in which we need to appreciate the everyday riches in our lives rather than striving for something unattainable or unreal. Other songs have stuck too, but these lyrics are more meaningful than most. The task for LA14 this time is to tell the world about a song or some lines from a song that, for whatever reason, have stayed with you. What are the words? What do they mean to you?

This task is also open to any parents who wish to share their favourite lyrics or meaningful song.

I look forward to your completed tasks

It’s only week 5, but the students are already blogging away, so much so that I’m having trouble keeping up with them all. Some of the students have naturally taken to it more than others and are using their blog let the world know about who they are and the things they like to do – all whilst remaining safe online. The blogs also give me more of an insight into the writing ability of the students than I could get from their class work alone.

Some of the most enthusiastic bloggers (and ones well worth a visit) are Claire, Imogen, Emily, Taylah, Samantha and Hannah. An extra mention must go to Jordan who not only has a great blog, but was also the first to get a podcast online. Also, Kiara who wrote an incredible post on her visit to the local police station. I’ve been extremely pleased with the new LA14 bloggers.

On Wednesday, LA14 had our class assembly with our friends in LA15. We performed a song and got dressed up in cultural outfits. It was an amazing performance by the students, one which was thoroughly enjoyed by parents and teachers. To read a more detailed account check out Imogen’s blog.

During our in-class Art activities we looked at the way light can be used to create great images. The students took their selfies with the iPads and opened them in one of our favourite apps, Brushes. The students then looked at the way light can be isolated on the face and used to create a great visual effect. They used the app to paint over the light areas (although this proved to be very tricky). Part of our learning was to develop an understanding of the use of layers in image manipulation applications. The students created layers and worked on them, rather than the photo itself. They finally chose some colours and painted the layer beneath their painted face. As I’m sure you’ll agree, the results were amazing.

We’re only just dipping our toes into week three and we already seem to be charging along at full speed. Week two was a bit of a slog, but only because of the run of exceptionally hot days – thank goodness for air-con! We’ve now begun our studies with the fabulous ABC series My Place which will help us to integrate our English, Humanities and Health studies. The first episode allowed us to study character traits, examine the events around The Stolen Generation and discuss how we would feel if we were one of the characters and had to handle a particular situation. We also began our theme tunes which will be used to introduce our podcasts. I only hope our (my) energy holds out!

This post is especially for our new students.

Now the blogs have been created it’s about time we started moving things along. Hopefully, by the end of week 3, it would be great to see all the blogs with a set theme, header, background and greeting. Also, an initial post to welcome people to your blog would be a great idea, or, if you feel ready, a post on a topic you feel is worth sharing with the world. Don’t forget, all posts and images need to adhere to our strict code of conduct and safety. The writing has to be clear and accurate and the images must either be your own or licensed for re-use. Good luck and have fun!

One of the major focuses of blogs for me is to give the students the opportunity to practice online safety and security. Lessons, discussions, videos and activities are all important aspects of a comprehensive online education, but being able to practice the skills being taught gives the students invaluable experience and allows us, as teachers and parents, to see exactly just how clued up the students are. It’s okay to “talk the talk”, but we need to see our charges “walk the walk”. For me it begins with the header on this blog. As you can see, we all created mask to cover our identity, a somewhat symbolic gesture, but an important starting point in getting the message across and developing a greater sense of privacy and personal safety.

I’m sure this group of students will be just as safe and secure as all our previous bloggers – they’ve already made an awesome start!