It sounds like the start of a slapstick ‘whodunnit’ but the following is a true story. Not only is it all rather amusing but it’s also a useful reminder on how the internet has become a quick reference library full of (un)reliable sources. The story goes like this… My friend and colleague Robert Hunter, the pianist of… Read more »
Posts By: Stephen Wiles
Time for a student email watershed?
I’m worried. I’ve noticed a steadily increasing number of students sending me emails late into the night. Many of these are one-off late night panics: ‘Sir, I won’t be in your lesson tomorrow because..’. However, a significant minority are also from students asking for advice, requesting a worksheet or handing in work. At this point let me be… Read more »
The importance of converting your files to PDF
If you’ve created a document and sent it via email, there is no way you can be sure it will appear on the recipients device in exactly the same way as it appeared on your screen. That is unless you send it to them as as a PDF. Think of all those images you’ve painstakingly inserted into a Word… Read more »
Audacity: create and edit recordings with ease
Audacity is a free, easy to use and extremely powerful tool that enables teachers to create high quality recordings. Whether you’re wanting to create, edit or splice together a collection of recordings then this is the perfect software for you. At first glance the array of buttons, dials and plugins can seem a little overwhelming but this blog post takes you… Read more »
Socrative: A Beginner’s Guide
Socrative is a superb online resource to use in the classroom. Search Twitter, Google or chat with teachers from other schools – almost everyone will agree that it is one of the best apps/websites to use with students. What seems to be missing are some easy to follow, step-by-step instructions on how to get going with this great… Read more »
The Paperless Educator Challenge: weeks 3 & 4
28 days down, 54 to go. Another two weeks of the Paperless Educator Challenge are over and while I am still pleased that I haven’t written anything down or printed-out anything I’ve hit a few problems. Nothing serious, nothing making me want to give up the challenge but just some niggles that have made me realise that… Read more »
The Paperless Educator Challenge: weeks 1 & 2
Status: Good. 14 days down, 68 to go. These first two weeks of working without paper have actually been, much to my surprise, much easier than expected. The start of this challenge coincided with the start of the new school term. A period when it is seemingly traditional for an extra chunk of the rain-forest to be destroyed for… Read more »