Posted on 14 August 2010. Tags: ebook, free, pgce, Recommended Sites, resource, teacher training
The PGCE Survival Guide is a new free e-book created to support those who are about to start PGCE teacher-training courses. However, it is such a fantastic resource that it could be useful for all teachers.
The PGCE guide site explains more about the book:
“It’s full of useful and practical, hints, tips and advice from recent PGCE graduates and more experienced teachers covering every element of teacher training, from your first day at university, through the hectic world of placements (with lots of valuable teaching tips) to finding a job- we have it all covered!
You won’t find countless chapters about educational theory – just real tips and advice from real teachers that have been selected to help you during your teacher training.”
I mentioned the #pgcetips Twitter tag on Teaching News a few weeks ago. The contributions to this tag have been collated and added to the book too. In fact, the book has over 250 super useful hints and tips from the education community on twitter!
I wish that there was a book like this when I started my teacher training course many years ago! Tim Handley (and the many other contributors) have done a wonderful job of creating an extremely valuable resource for all teachers, so download a free copy of the book or buy a paper copy!
Posted in 1. Education News, Professional Development, Recommended Sites, Resources
Posted on 31 July 2010. Tags: 5. Links, News, Recommended Sites, summer

Here are some of the interesting education-related things that I’ve found during my summer break so far:
Google Teacher Academy UK
The first Google Teacher Academy UK event took place this week and it sounded like an amazing experience for those who were able to attend. Even if you couldn’t make it, lots of people have been sharing what happened via their blogs and Twitter accounts. Here are some ways to follow the event it you couldn’t go:
PGCE Tips:
Tom Henzley is aiming to create a free e-book containing tips for students starting a PGCE course. The book will contain contributions from people who post messages on Twitter using the hashtag #pgcetips. Here are some of the contributions so far:
- Be organised. Listen to and observe everything. Keep all bits of paper! (from @adambutterworth)
- Listen to advice, offer to help, don’t expect to be perfect – your mentor won’t expect you to be! (from @zaragozalass)
- Innovate… learn from school placements and write out your idea of what makes a good teacher… pick the best bits from others (from @dan_bowen)
Take a look at the other contributions by searching Twitter for #pgcetips and add some ideas of your own too. Lots of the ideas will be useful for practising teachers… not just PGCE students!
Other useful sites I’ve found:

Have you discovered any useful news / resources during the past few weeks?
Image – Underneath a Star
Posted in 1. Education News, Professional Development, Recommended Sites
Posted on 23 July 2010. Tags: break, summer, teaching news
I have now started my summer break from school so I will also be taking a break from the daily postings on Teaching News.
There will still be occasional updates over the next few weeks, but regular posts will not resume until September.
Have a wonderful summer break!
Mark
Image – Some Day My Prints Will Come
Posted in 4. Other Topics
Posted on 22 July 2010. Tags: audio, free, Music, sound effects, soundfx, Teaching Ideas
Alan McKinney from SoundScalpel has kindly contributed a large collection of sound effects to Teaching Ideas. You can download these sounds and use them in your classroom for:
- Adding atmosphere to lessons,
- Assemblies,
- School performances,
- Adding sound to children’s ICT / multimedia work,
- Addition to a school website / VLE.

www.teachingideas.co.uk/english/dramasoundeffects.htm
I’ve also recently discovered www.freesfx.co.uk which has lots of free sound effects which you can also use.

www.freesfx.co.uk
What are your favourite sound effect resources? How do you use them in the classroom?
Posted in Music, Teaching Ideas, Technology
Posted on 21 July 2010. Tags: ebook, interactive whiteboard, iwb, smartboard, tips, twitter
Stuart Ridout has started a useful collection of tips for teachers with interactive whiteboards in their classroom. The tips are all contributed by teachers using Twitter. Simply search for #iwbtips on Twitter to see the latest tips. Here are a small collection of the contributions so far:
- Make sure iwb is accessible-installed at a proper height or w/adjust mount. Tennis ball helps students with challenges touch screen (from EdTechieGeek).
- PLAY with your whiteboard, do not be afraid to explore and experiment (from psycho65).
- Take 5 mins every day to learn how to use an iwb tool and use it with your class, use 5 in one lesson at the end of the week (from Kevin McLaughlin).
- Ensure groups use the IWB for independent working bits in lessons; brainstorm, designing, google earth, presentations, etc (from Mark Robinson).
- Tchrs must remember that iwbs r about the kids not the teachers. Gr8 for group work/indep tasks.Avoid stand and deliver lessons (from Ann McDonald).

Image – IMG_0724
Stuart is planning to compile all of these tips into an e-book and I’ll post another update when news about this has been revealed. Why not share your own #iwbtips and have then added to the e-book?
Posted in Featured Articles, ICT, Technology
Posted on 19 July 2010. Tags: after school, club, design, DT, free, Offers
The Sorrell Foundation is launching the YOUNGDESIGNCLUB to give pupils and their teachers an exciting new resource to inform and stimulate knowledge and debate about design.
The YOUNGDESIGNCLUB is free to UK primary and secondary schools, to run in lunch breaks or as an after-school activity. Each meeting will focus on a piece of design from any discipline, providing a growing menu of over 100 design stories. They will be structured around presentations and supported by flexible resources, including print, film and audio materials and PowerPoint slides (available as downloads). This will be followed by a discussion, and the pupil members will have the opportunity to produce their own crit in response, the best of which will be published by the YOUNGDESIGNCLUB. There will also be an annual awards ceremony at Somerset House, London.

www.thesorrellfoundation.com/young_design_club.php
Are you a teacher interested in running the YOUNGDESIGNCLUB? To register your interest, please complete the online registration form. The club will begin in January 2011 and the Sorrell Foundation will contact you in September with detailed information.
Posted in DT, Offers, Resources
Posted on 18 July 2010. Tags: biodiversity, Competition, natural history museum
If your school or community group is doing something practical to conserve biodiversity, why not make a short news report about it and enter a competition from the Natural History Museum? The first prize is £500 for the winning group in each age category to visit to a local biodiversity site of special interest and class copies of a biodiversity book. Winners will be invited to a VIP event at the Natural History Museum to collect their prize and present their film. They will also go on a behind-the-scenes tour and meet a Museum scientist. Second prizes are class copies of a biodiversity book, free exhibition tickets and the opportunity to meet a Museum scientist.

www.biodiversityislife.net/?q=node/297
There are two entry categories; ages 7–11 years (Key Stage 2 or equivalent) and ages 11–14 years (Key Stage 3 or equivalent). Groups of up to 10 children should submit a short video, no longer than two and a half minutes, reporting on a local biodiversity project. Entries can be uploaded and viewed on the competition website and the closing date is 31 August 2010. Good luck!
Posted in Competition
Posted on 17 July 2010. Tags: bsf, degrees, pay, PE, sats, school buildings, school lunches, university
Here is another collection of links to the latest education news stories:

Image – Decus Et Tutamen

Image – Graduation Cake Guy
Posted in 1. Education News, Education Issues, PE
Posted on 16 July 2010. Tags: edtechroundup, ICT, meeting, Professional Development, Recommended Sites
Edtechroundup is a weekly online meeting between teachers and educators. It is open to all and the conversations take place via Flashmeeting. The discussions are about education and teaching with a particular focus on the use of ICT.

www.edtechroundup.com
You can find the links to future meetings on the Edtechroundup wiki. You can also watch / listen to the previous conversations there if you have missed any. There is also a Twitter page which allows you to keep up to date with the latest meetings and events. Why not take a look and get involved in the meetings yourself?
Posted in ICT, Professional Development, Recommended Sites
Posted on 12 July 2010. Tags: dvd, free, henry viii, History, tudors
A free giveaway of the History Channel’s documentary ‘Inside the Body of Henry VIII’ is available for teachers. The DVD explores life in Tudor Times and is aimed at upper KS2 children, although it also works well with secondary students.

Image – Henry VIII miniature
To receive your free copy, please email thepeoplespeak@iamtomorrow.co.uk by 17th July with ‘DVD King Henry Order’ in the subject line. Also include your name, school, school address, postcode and telephone number. Only 1000 copies are available and postage is free.
Posted in History, Offers