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involver blog

Twitter Updates for 2009-10-04

  • @infernaldepart Google Docs are nice and simple. If you want something more sophisticated have a look at http://www.LimeSurvey.org @limesurvey #
  • @kathleensorrell Let me know if you want to bounce around any ideas, or if you're feeling stuck. in reply to kathleensorrell #
  • @moodlefairy If you're able to share how you're doing those student voice questionnaires we'd love to put free guides up on involver.org.uk #
  • RT @jimknightmp: speaking of Vermaelen, am I the only one who thinks he deserves a song at the Emirates to the tune of Delilah? #

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Slovakia Day 2

Hello all.

Day 2 was interesting.

Out and about in Kosice plus some fun cultural activities, and AMAZING Italian cheese (grana padano) and Slovakian sausage.

The main event  was the visit a secondary technical school in Kosice. We had a tour of the school, and the countries who are participating in the project explained their projects – and what was happening with student voice in their countries –  to the students.

We met the school council, which is one of the best in the region. Importantly, it had the support of the Headteacher and all staff. Here is a video of the activity and the Slovak group presenting their work:

Rest of the day involved: meeting new people, discussing ideas, walking, drinking, cheese, bowling, and a spot of karaoke (in Slovak).  Interesting stuff!

Day 3 is down to business. Discussing the evaluation of the project, and how it shall be reflected in a final publication. Report to follow!

Greg

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Slovakia Day 1

A street in Kosice, thanks to http://www.flickr.com/photos/anteros/2337095972/

A street in Kosice

Had a great day 1 at the Slovakia ‘It’s your choice, use your voice’ conference.

Very interesting people from here, as well as Italy. Greece arrives tonight.

Also interesting to discuss the comparisons in progress with student voice.

In the UK, the idea behind student voice is pretty much considered a good one (just not a lot of people do it well), whereas in Slovakia the whole idea of genuine representative democracy is much newer, and far less popular. There really are  a whole different set of challenges.

Anyway, due to a long day, some lovely home made wine, I’ve not got much more to offer. Better prep my speech for tomorrow, and sign off.

More updates to come….

Greg

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involver blog Resources

Some cool tools from the BBC

Choose from four different visual tools on the BBC's Pinball site
Choose from four different visual tools on the BBC's Pinball site

A teacher on Twitter (@dannynic) pointed this out today:

bbc.co.uk/pinball

It’s four great little tools for decision-making and coming up with creative ideas:

  • Firing out ideas
  • Making quick decisions
  • Mixing up ideas
  • Playing with images

I just had a little play with them and it seems to me they could be great tools to use in your school council meeting or action group, especially if you’ve got an interactive whiteboard.

Have a go!

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Resources

A whole bloomin’ class council scheme of work!

This is brilliant: our first resource shared by a teacher and it’s an absolute corker! Chloe Doherty gave us this scheme of work she wrote for her year team last year.  She wanted to get class councils off the ground as she recognised without them the school and year councils didn’t really mean much.

This resource has a series of lesson/session plans and a bundle of resources to go with them. Any resources not included in the download below (such as the Boundaries Cards) can be downloaded from involver.org.uk.

As this is a resource written by a teacher and used in her school, I’ve left it just as she gave it to me, other than putting it all in to one document and adding a contents page.

Print or download (’save’) this resource using the ‘More’ button.

Tutorial Activities Class Council SoW

Chloe wrote this last year when she was Head of Drama at Kingsmead School and a Year 8 form tutor. She’s now Head of Drama at Southgate School.  She’s also my fiancée, so all my banging on about student voice and class councils obviously wore her down as she wrote and ran this without any help from me. She sent it to us through the ‘Upload‘ page and it was honestly the first time I’d seen it! I could get all gooey about how she constantly amazes me, but I’ll spare you that.

Kingsmead
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Where we’re at..

So having spent the last few weeks meeting people, working hard, and running around using all my oyster card money, Asher has pulled together the various projects that we’re working on here – www.involver.org.uk/projects. A good list, and we’re really pleased with our progress so far.

All this, while also trying to develop the website (Asher) and build the business plan (me). And helping schools and local authorities with their pupil voice and school councils. Tiring work, and long hours! I really feel like we need:

Unlikely.

Anyway. The business plan is very important – we have to make sure that all these projects (present and future) fit into a wider picture. We also – for ourselves – need to be clear about how involver should run, and where the money is going to come from.

We’re going to be working with primary and secondary pupils to put the business plan together – we want young people to be involved in how the organisation looks at the start.

So this is what we’re at…. get in touch if you’d like to get involved!

Greg

PS. What would you do with an extra hour in the day?