Switching off.

Woohoo! It's the Christmas holidays.

School is finished.

There is nothing urgent I have to do.

Finally, I can relax.

Do nothing.

I can switch off.

Totally.

Or can I?

If that were true, why do I keep doing work-type things?

In the last 2 days...

I've made storybirds.

I've updated my department's wiki with some students' work and an Xtranormal greeting for the homepage.

I've spent ages looking into how I can get KS4 to use their mobile telephones in class.

I've just taken a look at some homework my year 8 and year 9 students have emailed me and emailed my thanks and encouragement back.

I'm working on my yr13 Scheme of Work, reading Ripon Grammar School's MFL site (really excited about the new Year 10 & 11 listening exercises), having a look at Ashcombe School's MFL resources for some inspiration as I haven't visited for a while, and I've been reading all the updates on the blogs listed below.

And later this evening, I'm hoping to find some time to read a bit more of Geoff Petty's Evidence-Based Teaching.

Can a teacher ever switch off?

MFL Storybird wiki

As you all know I am a huge fan of storybird and I have blogged about what a fantastic resource it is on a few occasions now.

If you have read my previous posts on this subject, and there is really no reason why you should, you will know that stories written in languages other than English are not yet made public.

The good news is that Fiona Joyce has started a wiki to which half a dozen or so MFL teachers, myself included, have added their storybirds in French, Spanish and German.

Please visit the wiki and read the excellent work which has been submitted. There is some excellent material there. Use the stories in your teaching, or read them for your own amusement, and share them with your colleagues, family and friends.

Then, why not make and add your own storybirds, and join us.

It's not a cult, honest!