Jelly’s Jottings

I’m ashamed that I didn’t blog, blog, blog regularly after the New Technology Residential at Stirling back in March. I’ve been learning, and starting to actually do, a lot since then so maybe I’ll have something to write about soon!

Bob Hill, who is becoming a blogger of some renown has been helping our new ICT staff tutors here in Dundee get their heads round the value and the mechanics of blogging – and it’s rubbed off onto me!

I suppose I’m a bit shy and the idea that I’m putting out stuff and expecting others to read and show any interest in it, is a bit uncharacteristic. I think to get past this, one has to just write for oneself and then any spark or exchange that comes of it is a bonus. If folk don’t like someone’s ramblings, well they hopefully will just not read again, rather than point out the writer’s failings!

Time to write/time to read is also a problem, but the possiblities of supportive feedback are worth a few moments.

 Over the months since this blog was begun, I have begun to get an idea of what my new (then) job is all about. I’m an ESO for ICT in secondary schools in Dundee. There have been so many people to hear of and meet, and so many places to look for information on our network. I really like the way schools are supported in Dundee. My last job was in a neighbouring authority to the west of here and it mainly tended (from my perspective anyway) to leave each school to its own devices.

Now the new term has begun and whereas when I first started I wasn’t sure how to spend my time, I find the days aren’t long enough. There are the mentors to welcome, the masterclassers to make feel valued, the Leadership for Learning participants to find, the meetings to set up, the trainings to book and organise. There’s GLOW to promote. ….and then there are all the IT skills I don’t have that I must develop, to try to emulate my fellow staff tutors who have computing department backgrounds! (I’m a chemistry teacher to trade!)

Well, this is enough for a first return to this blogging!!!! Wonder if I’ll manage to keep it up!