SKYPE

Technology has been on our side this week!! Hooray! As part of our Comenius week the children have been able to Skype our fellow countries each morning. For those of you like me who up until a few weeks ago hadn't heard of Skype, it's basically free video calling that can be done on your computer providing you have a webcam. The children have loved it, especially the juniors. I think the infants have been a bit overwhelmed by it all and become much quieter than normal when they see their image at the bottom of the screen. I think it's amazing that children from other countries can talk to each other at school and see what each is doing real time. When i was at school it was a good old fashioned pen and paper that allowed us to keep in touch with penpals. I wonder if i'd had the technology available today if i'd still be in touch with them now? I used to find it such a drag putting pen to paper. Eh oh, enough of reminicising. There has been a big increase in the use of the internet this week also, with each class looking up information on the country their class has been allocated. I'm amazed at how much my 7 year old has told me about Italy! Again, years ago it would have been a trip to the library or the encyclopedia britannica. Crikey how times change, and even i have to admit in this instance i think for the better. The information that children have available to them today is amazing, through ICT i believe  there are so many more learning opportunities open to them.
My little boy was on http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/ks1bitesize/ earlier. I couldn't believe how quick he was flying around the screen, without any support from myself. Quite amazing as he only goes on the computer a couple of times a week at most and not for a great deal of time. Their ability to grasp how to do things so quickly is mindblowing, but to him it's the norm. He can't understand it when i tell him i didn't have computers at school.
Well it's late now and i've got things to get ready for our open evening tomorrow. Roll on Friday and half term. Only 3 more days and i'll find out if my premier inn booking was done right! Hope so. To any of my readers i hope you have a fab half term and a well deserved break. TTFN