Kent 4.0

Well !! What a fantastic four weeks in Kent working in 20 schools across the county on a vast variety of Textease curriculum contexts.

Firstly some thanks .... to Mandy Barrow for keeping me in line and coordinating the whole thing with James Watson of Softease; secondly to all of the schools who hosted events during the four weeks and who were so attentive and considerate to my needs; thirdly to the ranks of the Kent Advisory service who came along and supported the sessions and helped out with ideas and contexts; and lastly to the teachers for their enthusiasm and good nature as well as their over-riding professionalism which came through to me time and time again.

The sessions were meant to be fast-paced and exciting ( I do hope that they were) and to provide insights that 'got people going' and wanting for more. Now it is up to the excellent Kent 'Hands-On Support' team to help and nurture atendees over the next months.

The idea was that schools attending could opt to receive a full version of the Textease Studio CT free for the next six months so that, within each school context, teachers would be able to explore it within their own environment. Altogether I count that about sixty schools have taken up this offer and should soon receive the full software ( if they haven't already). If by some chance you were missed or you attended a session and would like to take part in this offer, please let me know.

Don't forget the vast amount of resources support you on the Kent Ngfl web site and those also available on the Softease site.

Finally, and again, my thanks to everyone who made my trips down into Kent so interesting and enjoyable ...

Kent 3.2

What a fantastic session ... teachers really getting to grips with the ideas of excitement and enjoyment that can be derived from Textease Paint and seeing how it interfaces with Movies to make 'stop-frame animation'. People can really get carried away !!

Another group worked on data handling and experienced the whole gambit from sorting with Venn diagrams, through branching databases and spreadsheets to 'multi-user' flat file data handling and interrogation .... certainly a packed program.

It never ceases to amaze me the enthusiasm teachers can conjure up for materials which are going to excite their children. A privilege to work with them.

Kent 3.1

Aren't teachers excitable? The group I was with in East Peckham last evening certainly were and the 'hands on' session looking - in the afternoon - at how Textease Turtle and Draw can support work in mathematics and - later - how Presenter can support work in literacy, certainly opened eyes to potential.

It is always the case in sessions like this when they are 'mixed ability' in terms of software knowledge that there is a variable rate of learning. On the Kent Teachers' Blog pretty well everyone said that they had had a great time but they were aware that they now needed to capitalise on this input and explore for themselves. Some felt they needed supported exploration and that is where Mandy Barrow, a 'hands on support' consultant for Kent comes in. It is her remit to follow up intorductory sessions like this with 'in school', personal sessions delving more deaply into curriculum contexts.

There is an amazing amount of support on the Kent NGFL web site and Mandy can be contacted at mandy.barrow@kent.gov.uk

Kent 2.3 - Thursday 14th June

Another in the Kent series ... this time in Faversham with the whole of the host school taking the opportunity to discover how Textease Studio CT could be used to support the work of the New Framework for Literacy and Mathematics.

Read what they thought of the session here.

Kent 2.2

A wonderful day with some really exciting and excitable teachers exploring the use of Textease and Textease Presenter to support work within the new Framework and later fun with Textease Paint and Movies.

Super to work with teachers who can see the potential and place it in their experience and their classroom setting.

Creative people too !!!

If you want to find out what they said about the session, read it on the Kent Teachers' Blog