Teaching and Traveling in Asia is what 2007 holds for me (Gail Casey).
I leave Melbourne with my husband John on 23rd Dec 2006 to travel and teach ESL in Asia. 12 months of learning from others and growing personally & professionally.
I have 12 months leave from teaching at Geelong High School, Victoria, Australia
Where to start? – Thailand then South Korea, then perhaps China!
“STORIES DEFINE
Who we are.
Where we have come from.
Where we are going. . . and
What we care about!
Stories give life!”
– Dana Atchley – http://www.nextexit.com/
I am a teacher at Geelong High School, Victoria, Australia and have been working on Digital Stories with students and teachers around the world for many years. My work has been based on the many ideas given from teams of teachers and the supporting hyperlinks listed on the variety of blogs connected to this blog. Digital Stories will continue to evolve as students stories unfold and teachers confidence grows.
Student stories make connections to images that they have collected in their lifetime. Their stories reflect who they are as people and make them aware of connections to the world around them. By listening and watching other student stories they learn that stories are the reflection of our experiences. Students develop an understanding of how stories teach us lessons about life, so when we tell stories, we attempt to make a point about something. Students enjoy and are very motivated when they explore ideas through blogs and digital media.
Many of my projects are based around students designing and producing a 1 to 3 minute digital story. Students story telling and listening not only helps the teller in the telling but it also helps the listener. Incorporating blogs allows a greater range of listers even across great distances of space and time. Students will find voice, confidence, and structure in their writing through digital stories.
Questions I pose to students:
Why and how do we remember stories?
What affects our ability to retain stories?
What do stories mean to us?
Our experiences shape our lives. To help students identify these we need to brainstorm our experiences. Some ideas may include:
My first memory….
The day I was so scared….
I remember being really happy when…
My Mum, My ………..
My first day at school….
The Story About Someone Important
Memorial Stories
The Story About an Event in My Life
Adventure Stories
Accomplishment Stories
The Story About a Place in My Life
Recovery Stories
Love Stories
(Peer coaching usually occurs throughout all phases of digital story telling. Without prompting students offer ideas and give feedback to each other. Students will genuinely be interested in stories of others and offer helpful suggestions.)
Through Digital Stories students explore many areas of learning and encounter the depth of multiliteracies.
