Would you let your child read an adults only book? Do you let your child use the internet unsupervised? Do you know what they are doing while online?

For the latest information on all things technological relevant to your children click on this link. Clicks.

It is important as parents of technologically aware children that you learn as much as you can about the worlds they access.

This site has some excellent information for you. Also if you scroll down the sidebar of this blog you will find further information about keeping your children safe in a cyberworld.

This is a huge conference where over 13 000 people come to learn about the latest trends in technology.

People meet other people and talk a lot but mostly teachers spend time going to lessons and learning.

We’ve learned about;

• how powerful Google is as a web based engine for searching the Internet and that it helps focus and then organise your searching
• iphones and ipod touches and what great learning tools they can be in the classroom
• all sorts of amazing Apps from web 2.0
• literacy and how it’s so much more than reading and writing and how it is nearly impossible to test using old test formats
• making the classroom a happy and fun place to be
• what students think about the way they are being taught and how they would like to be taught using technology
• the importance of the web as a place for publication
• the new web, web 3.0

Young people’s abuse of the web has hit the headlines on more than one occasion this week.

Unfortunately the technology and the ready access to it has come under fire.

The NSW Department of Education and Training has several very good sites, one and two which give parents advice about how they can support their children in the responsible and ethical use of the Internet and web 2.0 tools.

The Australian Federal Government also offers sound advice on how to use the internet as the positive and powerful tool it is. There is a great Internet Safety site for primary students called Cyberquoll.

There are also some fine international sites, especially from the UK, such as Thinkuknow.

Click on the links above to find out about how as parents you can support your child in the development of a responsible attitude towards the internet, web 2.0 tools and technology.

Students in our school absolutely love science and especially doing all sorts of interesting activities inspired by those we do with the CSIRO Lab on Legs Program.

This term the theme is Force and Motion and all classes have learned heaps about these concepts.

Do you know some even sat on a chair of 500 nails, others lifted someone twice their weight and so the exctiing activities went on.

The ALLSTARS and the Clever Cookies have great pictures to share.

The Solar Boat Challenge is about to start. This is a program run in conjunction with the University of NSW. Miss McIntosh is organising the Challenge for interested Stag 3 students.

The National Solar Champions, Belmore Boys High School are providing advice and materials to our novice boat builders.

The Solar Boats will be judged according to the following:

1. How well the boat goes in the actual race on 5 September.
2. The presentation of the boat.
3. The journey by the team as they develop their boat will be recorded on a blog. This will consist of a log book, photos of stages of building, materials etc.

The conference featured Will Richardson an American educator who leads the world in thinking and providing practical advice on how to use the Web 2.0.

(If you aren’t sure about what Web 2.0 is click on the blue link and view a video which explains it.)

Mrs Pericles and Mrs Dyer had the pleasure of presenting work done by our students at the Network Literacy Conference organised by Syba.

Their presentation was designed to show the teachers present that while it was hard work using web 2.0 and technology with students the experience and the results are worth it.

Mrs Pericles (in the red hat) has been recognised by the NSW DET and Microsoft for her outstanding work with Technology.

Mrs Pericles a self avowed techno moron was recognised on November 13 at a presentation by Virginia Judge MLA in the presence of the Director General of Education Mr Michael Coutts-Trotter and other members of the State Executive Service.

Mrs Pericles has worked closley with her students as they have learned how to best use technology and Web 2.0 tools to communicate with the world. She has also led the teachers at the school to understand how to use these tools to best effect in their classrooms.

Congratulations to a very fine teacher who is rapidly developing a world wide reputation as a leading 21st century educator.

We are all so very proud of you!!!!