Blog Posts Across Huddlemind.net

On the other side of the desk

My Head (principal) goes on and on about how we teachers are first and foremost academics, and that therefore we need to be continually seeking to learn new stuff. He's right, in many respects, although I disagree that we are all academics - many teachers get into teaching because they enjoy teaching, not because they're of an academic mind-set. But I know why he says that. I understand why he encourages us to keep learning. Firstly, once you're in the classroom as the teacher, it's easy to for… Continue

Posted by Nicole Masureik on July 3, 2008 at 1:00pm — 2 Comments

Sometimes we need an empty frame!

Sometimes we want to really listen. But, as someone once said, we are often not listening, but rather reloading! Well, I am again poaching one of the ideas off my own website, http://www.pixelpostcards.com to share here. This week we were on holiday. Family camp. This meant no-camera-dad-please. Or so I thought. So, I packed them away. On Tuesday morning I went fishing with my son. Long walk. No fish. Bonding time... And I learnt the value of… Continue

Posted by Igno van Niekerk on June 30, 2008 at 9:30am — No Comments

Emerge 2008

e/merge 2008 is a virtual conference on educational technology in Africa. It's on form the 7 - 18 July. It is an online conference so essentially the website is the conference venue...This is great as, essentially it allows you to view selected presentations, read conference papers, share useful resources, take part in debate, share best practices and network informally. It also might include associated face to face events in a number of cities... "e/merge 2008 is primarily for educational tec… Continue

Posted by Jeremy Setzer on June 26, 2008 at 1:38pm — No Comments

Kudos and pizza

This has been a week for feeling appreciated (which doesn't happen very often in education!) Firstly, a large percentage of my kids at school have come up to thank me specifically for something I've done - from helping them achieve well in the exams to teaching them this term, to being willing to answer their questions, to being gracious with them (!!). It's been fab! As a teacher, you get used to busting a gut with no reward (teaching is its own reward... apparently), and to being taken for gr… Continue

Posted by Nicole Masureik on June 24, 2008 at 10:57pm — No Comments

Neuroeducation

A bit of a mouthful, but apparently very good for you. We had a (VERY) short ProGro presentation yesterday by some staff who'd been on a course. I found it fascinating, because it linked in with what I already knew about VAK learning and Brain Gym. VAK stands for Visual, Auditory, Kinesthetic. Kids predominantly learn in one or tow of these three ways. As teachers, if we want to help our kids, we need to be teaching in such a way as to allow kinesthetic and visual learners to access the curric… Continue

Posted by Nicole Masureik on June 19, 2008 at 8:34pm — No Comments

Heartbreak

This morning I found out that my actions yesterday were the trigger for a mother pulling her son out of our school today. I am gutted. I feel utterly devastated. I know it's not my fault directly, and that clearly my actions were the last in a string of events, but it makes no difference to me. The boy in question was misbehaving, and so I disciplined him in an appropriate way. I was covering a lesson for an absent colleague. I had carefully explained the work, answered several questions regar… Continue

Posted by Nicole Masureik on June 19, 2008 at 8:02pm — 2 Comments

On Guides and Guards...and the little voice of criticism...

Fascinating. Just think about it. Who has been your most serious, most devastating critic in life? Probably you.

As I was out taking pictures one morning, there was a guard. I don't know what he was taking care of, but it made me think. If there's… Continue

Posted by Igno van Niekerk on June 18, 2008 at 11:28pm — No Comments

Emotion, reason and a stolen picture

I must just share that I stole this blog from my own blogpost (lazy), which you can visit for more... it's at http://www.photographerslife.blogspot.com Look at my daughter...

This picture was taken one morning after he… Continue

Posted by Igno van Niekerk on June 17, 2008 at 9:57am — 1 Comment

Three elements great schools have - or the earth wind and fire of education.

Yesterday, after work, I had the pleasure of taking pictures at Grey High School in Bloemfontein. A school with a brilliant reputation, a wonderful sense of heritage and, yes, wonderful kids. As I was wandering through the school grounds with a few kids, it struck me how confident these guys were. There was a sense of the enjoyment of a life without limitations, and I tried to dig a little deeper... Whenever I passed kids, they would get up and greet. A kind of discipline which one does not alwa… Continue

Posted by Igno van Niekerk on June 6, 2008 at 10:39pm — 3 Comments

On memory, motivation and mastering more than most...

This blog post is a bit of a reply on Charles Cock's website and I share some thoughts on how we get learners engaged in different kinds of learning,... it's not scientific, just some hazy thoughts, but sometimes hazy thoughts can go a long way... What are the tools really great teachers use to engage their learners? Well, a few years ago, I had the benefit of doing a Management Course at the UFS. One of the subjects I dreaded most was Accounting. I never had it as a subject at school, have no… Continue

Posted by Igno van Niekerk on June 6, 2008 at 9:37pm — No Comments

Engaged e-learning

I am currently developing a course (on Moodle) called engaged e-learning. Really working hard at this at the moment. The plan is to mirror this course on a webpage as well after completion after which I will post the web address here. The plan is for it to be a "free educational site". Interesting debate in my own head on how "engaged learning" ties in with "action learning", but I think I've clarified for myself that they are not the same thing (although there are similarities)...I'll let you… Continue

Posted by Charles Cock on June 4, 2008 at 8:30am — 1 Comment

Who wants Hitler when you can have the Care bear teachers?

Some comments on my previous blog needs to be discussed. They are in essence what teaching is about. Nicole's comments touched my heart - about a class that just does not have the potential - and a teacher who earnestly want them to succeed. Firstly, great teachers always fight the battle, to believe in potential and to remain realistic. Damn, it's not easy, realism does not have boundaries, and neither does faith. And between these two boundary-less entities, you always find the teacher who car… Continue

Posted by Igno van Niekerk on May 29, 2008 at 9:51pm — 1 Comment

Alcohol induced terrors

On Wednesday we had a brilliant presentation by a research psychologist from a local private school (I'm going to try to protect this person's identity because I may want to some comments that aren't too positive about the school). It was a brilliant presentation! In summary: 1) The development of teenage brains makes them particularly susceptible to alcohol. 2) The effects of drinking in teenagers are completely dissimilar to those displayed by adults. (They do not slur their speech, lo… Continue

Posted by Nicole Masureik on May 29, 2008 at 6:20pm — 2 Comments

Any NGO's that could use some free assist/consult from overseas MBA's?

Do you know any NGOs in the Cape Town/Western Cape are that might benefit from bit of free energy, emotional and intellectual resource from members of a mature MBA class from a leading international business school visiting in September ? Please leave names contact or contact me jon@fosterpedley.com or 082 925 0991 - THANKS! Continue

Posted by Jon Foster-Pedley on May 28, 2008 at 1:00pm — No Comments

Is this the end of the world as we know it?

About three years ago, I bought a Photoshop Book by Martin Evening - fairly costly, I must say. Then Photoshop was upgraded and I bought the CS3 Book, as well as the Lightroom book. Problem with these books, training software skills, is that it's not always easy to sit with a book, upskilling yourself on the computer,... I have tried, but heck, it's not easy. Then this morning I watched a podcast with Martin Evening. And it dawned on me... The training of skills is easier, often better and more… Continue

Posted by Igno van Niekerk on May 27, 2008 at 9:15pm — No Comments

The evaluation of evaluation starts with the evaluation by the evaluated...

This weekend I was reading Mel Levin's "A mind at a time" once again. It seems that every time I have one of my kids tested for school-readiness, I find myself going back to the wise pediatrician. But something caught my eye that really would be interesting for all educators to use. Although this is a different context, the idea is for each student, when they hand in their assignments/worksheets etc, to give themselves a mark in the upper right-hand corner. This will show the student/learner, as… Continue

Posted by Igno van Niekerk on May 25, 2008 at 7:06pm — 1 Comment

Why we need more of Tinkie Winkie and La la, ...and really need to get fit in order to be able to sit

When Dave says "Dancing letters", I am with him all the way. (Refer to Dave Duarte's comment on my previous posting). My kids were taught shapes by looking at the heads of Tinkie-Winkie, Dipsy, La-La and Po. (For those who do not know, they are the Teletubbies). They learnt about animals from Barney, BJ and other dino's. (They did not learn a lot more from tv as otherwise they would become real screen agers, and I'm trying to balance life with tube-life - and that's no easy balance let me assure… Continue

Posted by Igno van Niekerk on May 23, 2008 at 7:22am — 2 Comments

Two Dangerous weapons - and why I am sorry I used them - go grab your green glitterglue pen!

When I was a young English teacher in a rural area, I tried really hard to assist the kids in making a success of their lives, follow their dreams and unleash their potential. It was so sad to see how many kids had already limited their own potential by labeling themselves as "unable" to do something, or "too poor to go to university" etc. It was many years later that I realize we all have a sort of inner "belief meter" which made us underestimate ourselves. Some people's meters go higher and th… Continue

Posted by Igno van Niekerk on May 21, 2008 at 7:26am — 5 Comments

Is ADD and ADHD not a knee jerk reaction to a dull educational system?

I had some great comments from Nicole on my previous blog - thought I would pursue my argument (plea or just debate) a bit further... The big problem, I think, is that we are forcing kids to memorize more than ever - thanks to the information revolution there are more "stuff" than ever, and for some obscure reason, the "powers that be but should not be" believe that all this should still be memorized. Memory excercises are good, but in a google-world, I think we'll have to look at what is being… Continue

Posted by Igno van Niekerk on May 20, 2008 at 9:44pm — 2 Comments

Calling all Elders

I have 2 separate but related areas of interest. The first is the respect I feel for Entrepreneurs and the courage it takes to step out of "secure employment" and strike out on one's own. The other is in the transitions we men must make from boyhood to old age. There are 9, largely unsupported, transitions that a boy must make to mature manhood. 1. At 18 he becomes an “adult”. He can get his driver’s license, he can buy alcohol in a bar and bottle store, he can buy cigarettes, he can sign his… Continue

Posted by Alan Maguire on May 20, 2008 at 6:42pm — 7 Comments

Why do great teachers teach, what do they teach and what is greatness in teaching?

Maybe it's good to ask this question first. What makes great teachers? I think, - and that's merely a thought - no substance, no science - THAT IT HAS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with THE MARKS, which seems to be the BE ALL and END ALL in a strange world of Education. Who was your greatest teacher ever? ... Well, maybe it was not the person that gave you the best marks, led you to the best marks or guided you to pass when you should have failed. I believe great teachers MAKE A DIFFERENCE, but DIFF… Continue

Posted by Igno van Niekerk on May 19, 2008 at 10:02am — 2 Comments

DIfferent Education

I am quite amazed at the activites happening in my very own neighbourhood only after a very superficial scratching...I stopped by the Centre for Creative Education which offers Waldorf Teacher Training. (4 Victoria Road Plumstead). They also have a Waldorf school situated behind their beautiful Victorian premises, called the Khanyisa School for Supportive Learning (which is also a special type of Waldorf School -It could be one of a kind from my understanding). I spent a few hours chatting to th… Continue

Posted by Belisa Rodrigues on May 14, 2008 at 3:51pm — No Comments

Experiments in Design for Learning.Collaboration.Knowledge Creation

Every time I come onto Huddlemind.net the site gets a redesign :-/ [surely I should've outgrown the ADD by now!] In part it's because I'm testing new features and code seems inextricably linked with design in my mind. But the other is that I really believe that atmospherics matter. The environments in which we work, play, choose to hang out in, feel inspired in are integral to the quality of our experience. There's a BRILLIANT book worth diving into on a wintery afternoon "Design like you give a… Continue

Posted by Maximillian Kaizen on May 12, 2008 at 12:42am — 1 Comment

The power of networking

Yesterday my chess kids played a match against a school in Athlone. (Athlone is a mainly coloured area (mixed race) from a working class background, so definitely has a poorer socio-economic feel to it.) I was initially surprised to discover that it was the principal of this school who was their chess master, but then thought of our own principal who is the golfing master at our school. Before too long, the Athlone principal and I started talking shop. He told me that he's teaching the matrics… Continue

Posted by Nicole Masureik on May 10, 2008 at 12:29pm — 3 Comments

Do they WHAT??

So you know how you should never say 'never'? Well, I NEVER thought I would hear what I heard today. Today, in my matric class (A2 level for those in the UK; age 18 for those in the US since), we're doing revision for their exams, which start next week. (Yeah, our school do the mid-year exams REALLY early... for lots of good academic reasons, including that the annual play production rehearsals shouldn't clash with exams.) We were comparing and contrasting mitosis (ordinary cell division) and m… Continue

Posted by Nicole Masureik on May 8, 2008 at 8:45pm — 3 Comments

More intelligence

Ok, so another day has gone by, wet and rainy. Think i am getting addicted to informational interviews, I hurried after Varisty to peek into Educare organisation in Plumstead (around the corner from where I live), AMAZING. A whole different world in my neck of the woods. I met Milly, sweet lady, she showed me around the office space, and explained a bit about Educare's mission and origins. I was advised to make an appointment with Trevor, and will phone him tomorrow so I can have a longer chat… Continue

Posted by Belisa Rodrigues on May 6, 2008 at 8:10pm — 1 Comment

Intelligence out there

This is the first time iv written on a public blog. so let me start by introducing myself, my name is Belisa rodrigues, Im a Porra Saffer (portuguese south african), and am currently studying on the MBA programme at UCT. it has been a tough first semester, but am excited by the prospect of starting my second term with renewed vigor and energy. Today was a great energising day, it started out slowly with a career planning workshop at the GSB, which I left half way in favour of real world experei… Continue

Posted by Belisa Rodrigues on May 5, 2008 at 10:06pm — 4 Comments

Mindfulness Research Symposium - Wed 30 April

Jon Kabat-Zinn will be speaking at the Research Symposium tomorrow morning on the possibilities for multi-disciplinary research in the field of mindfulness at the Sports Science Institute. Tea and Coffee served at 8 for an 8.30 start. Parking at Kelvin from Kelvin Road entrance. No fee for participation. Continue

Posted by Chris Breen on April 29, 2008 at 7:21am — No Comments

Quick notes on the conference

I thoroughly enjoyed the Regenesys conference, also because I got to run-around and play photographer but something more about that in a second. As far as the presentations are concerned I'll try to make the time to write up a decent blog post of my impressions but a quick li… Continue

Posted by André Clements on April 20, 2008 at 8:00pm — No Comments

Jon Kabat-Zinn's workshops on Mindfulness

Mindfulness - a state of conscious awareness. Much of our waking life is spent in anticipation of some forthcoming event - the meeting we are going to, the holiday we are planning, and we allow very little time for the here and now. We may be walking on a beach or sitting in conversation with friends, yet our attention is elsewhere. A powerful way to slow the pace of the life we lead is to take moments during the day when we bring ourselves into direct awareness of where we are, how we are feel… Continue

Posted by Alan Maguire on April 15, 2008 at 5:22pm — 1 Comment

Hello, Huddlemind!

I write a blog over on Blogger, mainly to keep family overseas in the know, but also because it's a lot easier than keeping a journal (which I used to do for years and years) - I've discovered that I'm losing the ability to write legibly and quickly (but my typing speed is around 80 wpm). If you're interested in knowing more about me, then you can check it out: http://nix-grim.blogspot.com. From time to time, I write about educational stuff, and when I do, I'll try to remember to post it here t… Continue

Posted by Nicole Masureik on April 8, 2008 at 8:30pm — No Comments

What's the point of who owns the fish?

Just a quick 1st post to testdrive my HuddleMind blog... The 'who owns the fish?' riddle is popularly attributed to Albert Einstein who allegedly claimed that only 2% of the population would be able to answer the riddle. To the best of my knowledge neither has been reliably verified. Typically the ability to solve the riddle is purported to reflect on intelligence, which misses the point entirely - in as much as there is a point to be found in getting down to a little process of elimination. T… Continue

Posted by André Clements on April 6, 2008 at 11:40pm — 2 Comments

Wishful Thinking

Today a colleague sent me a link to the Wishful Thinking blog (from poet and business coach Mark McGuinness), so (instead of working) I spent most of the morning reading his free e-book Time Management for Creative People. Most of the information is already out there in some form, but he's a good writer, and that makes a difference. He publishes another free e-book I haven't y… Continue

Posted by Dave Everitt on April 2, 2008 at 4:05pm — 6 Comments

Change, Gestalt and the Wilderness

As a Gestalt therapist and facilitator I am interested not just in the process of therapeutic change in individuals, but also in the broader process of personal growth. Also, I am interested in how the Gestalt way of facilitating greater awareness can be applied to groups, teams and organisations. Over the past few years I have been drawn to the idea that the process of change can be greatly enhanced and facilitated by working in the natural environment. More specifically in wilderness envirome… Continue

Posted by Paul Morris on March 21, 2008 at 2:02pm — 2 Comments

Why talented people leave organisations (from Marcus Buckingham)

Largest studies undertaken by the Gallup Organization. Why do talented employees leave companies? Come to think of it. This is almost 100% true. Read below & find out the answer. Early this year, Arun, an old friend who is a senior software designer, got an offer from a prestigious international firm to work in its India operations developing specialized software. He was thrilled by the offer. He had heard a lot about the CEO of this company, a charismatic man often quoted in the b… Continue

Posted by Louise van Rhyn on March 15, 2008 at 6:45pm — 1 Comment

Open Access Books on the Digital Media and Learning from MIT

The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Series on Digital Media and Learning examines the effect of digital media tools on how people learn, network, communicate, and play, and how growing up with these tools may affect peoples sense of self, how they express themselves, and their ability to learn, exercise judgment, and think systematically. Thanks to the generous support of the MacArt… Continue

Posted by Dave Duarte on March 13, 2008 at 10:02am — No Comments

Kabissa.org: Time To Get Online

While doing my usual browse through Muti this morning, I came across an article referencing Kabissa.org , stating that it had a new design. Kabissa seems like a super initiative to promote technology as a revolutionary force for change in Africa. It connects organizations that use technology to dri… Continue

Posted by Dave Duarte on March 12, 2008 at 10:01am — No Comments

Tom Peters on Education and Creativity

Continue

Posted by Dave Duarte on March 11, 2008 at 6:57pm — 4 Comments

The Basic Fundamentals of Success

One of my favourite quotes is by Jim Rohn:

"Success is neither magical nor mysterious. Success is the natural consequence of consistently applying the basic fundamentals".

It got me thinking about everything that I do, and realising that the sustainability of any success comes down to having good habits in place. This applies, especially to company culture.

We consider Huddlemind somewhat of a "Lab", so we giv… Continue

Posted by Dave Duarte on February 6, 2008 at 9:00am — 1 Comment

Blog Posts Across Huddlemind.net

Latest Blog Posts

Most Popular Blog Posts

Blog Topics by Tags

Monthly Archives

2008

Events