What separates a good teacher from a great teacher? Passion, love of learning, compassion, willingness…. sounds a lot like Marcellin’s teachings in the 21st Century….

You shouldn’t send teachers on conferences – we start having mad and controversial ideas. One great thing about this conference has been discovering just how highly regarded we are as an educational establishment – there are people out there who see us as the shining city on the hill…..I spoke to one teacher last night who’s worst day in education was the day she didn’t get a job at Joeys. Yet they seem to believe that we must be, we have to be, leaders and innovators in 21st century education. Are we? Would we honestly say we are? I know I’m not……….yet!

“You cannot teach another person directly you can only facilitate their learning” Do we always do this? Or do we try to stick ONLY to our programs and tick each box as we go? Our boys already know how to use so many technologies why are we not USING what they know and enjoy to help them learn? Maybe trust is an issue…. something to think about.

A structure becomes most rigid when under threat……..just saying!

Oh – and Marist education just got held up as a shining example of how to do it well

Great quote from Chris Betcher “Have I taught for twenty five years or for one year twenty five times”

And away we go – about to listen to a keynote speech from Chris Betcher – the ICT integrator at PLC. I get the impression that he’d be amazing in the classroom and what has impressed me about him so far this conference is his absolute statement that ICT is a teaching tool, not a teaching end. There are a few people here who are gadget crazy – but are lost for words when you talk to them about how to integrate gadgets in the classroom. I’m looking forward to another day of having my eyes further opened and I shall be shouting very loudly from monday morning onwards……..so no change there then!

Morning all…. we have come to day 2 and the final day of the conference. Chris Betcher is just about to start is key note speech. It is sure to be completely different from Steven Bradbury who I found to be utterly inspiring and think that Joeys boys would really relate to. This conference has been a huge eye-opener for me and I am SO excited that I have been here to see what our colleagues around Australia are doing in their classrooms. I think Joeys (although behind now) is set to LEAP into the future of teaching. We shouldnt be scared to fail only scared of what not trying may lead to.

The official learning of the day is nearly over and soon will be downtime before the “networking” barbeque. I was just tweeting to another attendee about the fact that my brain hurts – I need time to take this all on board and i think I’m going to swim around underwater in the lagoon for a while and hope the voices in my head stop. You could choose to be downhearted about what we haven’t yet managed to achieve – I’m choosing to get excited about what is yet to come. Now for the pool

I completely agree with Peter…. my head is really hurting from trying to listen and take in everything that is being said. I would LOVE 5 mins to process each session but its go go go…. fantastic information but WOW the possibilities are out of this world. I wish everyone at Joeys could be here to witness some of the greatness that is out there.

I’m in a session with a guy from Griffith University – he’s basically throwing great ICT ideas at us and it is like being hit with a tsunami of great information. As teachers we will never be able to take on board all this stuff – I guess we just need to find what works well for us and the students and be good at it. Jeez my brain hurts!!