Learning Outside the Classroom October 4, 2008
Posted by smartley in Uncategorized. add a commentA new resource has been created to give ideas for providing high quality experiences outside the classroom. This can be found on the Learning Outside the Classroom website.
In addition Sacred Space part of the new REonline website for RE practitioners, provides inspiring ideas for quality RE and spiritual development in sacred space.
There are a series of case studies together with some advice to prevent withdrawal from visits. There is also a booking form to hire banners and order bookmarks to raise the profile of LOtC in sacred space if holding a conference event.
Blogging in RE is alive and well …. June 13, 2008
Posted by admin in Uncategorized. add a comment…. and positively thriving at Nodehill Middle School, Newport, Isle of Wight. Take a look at some of the great things that are happening there and get some ideas for setting up a blog for your RE department! You can also go there from the sidebar widget.
Also have a look at the St Thomas More RE blog. It’s great to see RE flourishing in the world of blog!
Boring, irrelevant RE?
Posted by smartley in Uncategorized. add a commentHave you got students (or parents) who ask why it is necessary to study RE? Check out this YouTube video!
Podcasting in RE June 8, 2007
Posted by admin in Uncategorized. add a commentEither click here, or on the orange icon in the sidebar to listen to the Bible Heroes podcast created by Year 6 pupils at St Francis of Assisi VA Primary School in Ingleby Barwick (link to school website). Click on Episode 1.
Link works with Internet Explorer 7.
To listen to this podcast with iTunes:
Open iTunes>Advanced>Subscribe to podcast. In the window which opens, copy this URL:
http://www.podiumpodcasting.com/~182439/Y6atSTF210607000355/rss.xml
and paste it into the iTunes URL window.
The eight Year Six pupils I was working with, had chosen the theme of Bible Heroes. They first listened to a podcast in the role of “audio critics”, selecting elements which they thought were good, but also made comments about where there was room to improve.
Pupils worked in pairs to write their scripts, then loaded these into the Podium software to rehearse and record. The ease of use of the software meant that the children could concentrate on their speaking and listening skills, practising and performing until they were satisfied with the result. They also evaluated each other’s podcasts and made useful points to improve the quality.
When asked at the end what they had learned from the experience, they made comments such as:
- it made me realise how important deadlines are
- you need to work as a team
- it’s important to speak slowly and clearly
- you have to make it sound interesting
- you have to be responsible, otherwise it doesn’t work
- it makes you think about what you are going to say and how you say it
During the remaining weeks of the summer term, these eight “podders” are now going to teach podcasting to Year 5 pupils and so pass on the expertise they have learned.
If you want to know more about what podcasting is or read some ideas for how it can be used in RE, then click to watch this slideshow. (You can see a larger version by clicking on the SlideShare icon.
