Exporting a 2 week timetable

As a fully paid up convert to all things google, and as someone who likes electronic solutions (preferably cloud based and synced across platforms and devices) my timetable has been annoying me for some time. 

What I've wanted is a quick way to get a 2 week timetable out of Sims and into either google (my choice) or outlook (what some people would prefer). A quick google will suggest this is not trivial, so I'm sharing here my own work around.

To be warned, it feels a little like this.

You haven't asked how, but I'm going to tell you anyway.  (I know there are people at school who will want to know).

1.  Type your timetable into excel.  You need certain column headings, but because I'm nice like that I'm just going to share my spreadsheet with you (Here - you'll need to download it and edit).  I've only typed in one fortnights worth of TT, the rest is called by an =C3 type cell.
The "Day" column is numbered 1 (for Monday of Week A) through to 10 (Friday week B).
The Start date column is then a vlookup.

2.  Copy all but the first column and then "paste Special - Values" into a new spreadsheet.  You may want to format the columns for date and time so that they look like dates and times.  Save this as a CSV file.

3.  Import into either Google Calendars, or into Outlook.


I've only done term 1 so far.  This is as my timetable may change early on (I blame the timetabler (me)).  To get term 2 in after half term, all I think I need to do is change the date attached to the value 1 on sheet 4, and re-copy / paste.


Feel free to tell me how much like nonsense all of the above is, and what the better way is....

Homework & blogging

As many of you know I set up a school departmental blog last week (thanks to everyone who helped give me dots all over my globe). Kids response has been broadly positive, but I still want them to write more and me to write less.

Ukedchat last week was about homework, and I also went on our County Maths Subject Leaders day. All of that conspired to set up the activity below...

I used the new Bowland PD module (The new resources look brilliant) about sharing, setting up the activity in a very similar way to the teacher on the video (but I had 30 children, not 14!).

Here's the activity...I then set the homework bearing in mind some of the comments from Thursday's UKEdchat.


(We use www.plannerlive.com for all our homeworks).

Here are the results...



I'm reasonably happy with the results. If you want to comment on my pedagogy, feel free to comment here.
If you want to comment on their results, Y9 would be so chuffed. That blog is at www.jbsmaths.blogspot.com

QR Codes - phase 4.

We had our Year 11 into Year 12 evening last night. An opportunity for year 11 to really find out about the choices they can make going into our sixth form.

It was an opportunity for me too. I've given up on pictures on display boards - I'll leave that to Art, and the other visual subjects. I've taken to using my big wide screen monitor on a shelf, and a flyer. We're always a popular subject - the maths sells itself.

Here's my slide show(I must get more into Prezi - this could look so good in there )...



The QR code just links to our VLE, where there is another copy of the presentation.
As you can see there is a little code in the corner of each page. We also produced a flyer with similar information on it for students to take away with them - this too had the same QR code, and (potentially controversially) the address of my school Twitter Account.


As you can see so far the QR code has had 7 hits - not a landslide response, but on the other hand, it may be 7 people accessing information that would not otherwise have done so.

#TwitterEducator

Firstly, can I apologise NOW for wrong use of apostrophes. When typing twitter #tags, if you want to pluralise (is that made up too?) the tag, you cannot just put s on the end or it becomes a new tag. Therefor here when I'm typing tags I'll stick to that convention.


I've really grown to like #ukedchat. It's a great way to network, but with more of a focus than your usual ongoing teacher chat. At the end of each week, there is usually a suggestion to BlastFollow all #ukedchat-ers. Blast Follow is a way to follow ALL people who post with a particular tag.

Then the other day there was the suggestion (I think from, but certainly blogged by @primarypete_) that we tweet #twittereducator, and then blastfollow that tag.

I wasn't convinced. I've found that twitter following is a bit like boiling a frog. You can keep up when you follow 12 people, and wonder how people keep up with 50. You get to 50, and thats fine, but how can people manage to follow 100? By 100, you're doing fine, but there are people who follow 500. And so on. I also tend to follow people with whom I've intereacted, either generally or through a tag such as #movemeon, #ukedchat, and recently #pgcetips.

I know at least one other tweep out there felt the same, as I saw their tweet on the matter, so I got to thinking a solution. Then it came to me - lists. If I set up a list of #twittereducator's I could keep an eye on their tweets, and then follow them if I liked what they said enough. The trick was going to be how to set up the list, as I knew no way (and nor did my pln or google) of turning a tag into a list.

However I did find a solution. If there's a better way, let me know. I created a new twitter account, called @tweetingeducatr. I wanted @twittereducator, obviously but you cannot have twitter in the name and you can only have 15 characters, so I now know!.

This account blastfollowed #twittereducator, and then using tweetdeck I copied all of the people into a list, which I now share. Rather than all following all of the tag, you can keep an eye on the list, and like me individually follow the ones you like the look of. My Tweetdeck columns are getting a little out of hand, now I have 3 accounts, but that's my problem! I don't anticipate tweeting from the new account very often, except maybe to remind people the list is there to follow if they want. If you like the idea, the list is here.

Could it be done differently? Is this useful? Let me know.

PS1. Here is @dughall's link - http://twitter.com/Tweetingeducatr/twittereducator/members

PS2. Here is the XKCD cartoon I'm reminded of when reading my post.

Academies - am I right to be worried?

I'll be honest and admit that I'm not sure about academies. I have a few worries.

One is about how it is being rushed through. I suspect the media are playing a but of a political game with this, but there is no doubt that this is being rushed for September. I'm slightly curious as to what the big rush is.

I'm also concerned for my local area (where I live, more than where I teach). We have 3 schools in town. 2 are officially outstanding, and well established. The third is offically satisfactory, with good featrues, and improving, as well as relatively new. It was also inspected quite early under the new framework, when they were being tougher.

It's the third school I'm worried for. It's the one my daughters ought to go to, asI'd like them to go to the most local school. If the other 2 become academies, and they do not, it is not going to do their reputation any good, and so they will continue to be the third choice for many in town.

With both these point in mind I sent a tweet to my local MP - I also RT'ed it under ukedchat, you may have seen it. I actually got a reply, which I'm impressed by, but am not sure where to go from here.

Why Google has been blocked

Copy of FAQ of Why Google has been blocked.

Having found out by chance that Google was to be blocked at school this morning, and only finding out by chance from a friend, I started emailing around school & County. This is a copy of the FAQ I got back. What I'm just as concerned by is that when I contacted school, it seemed that I was the first to know about this. I'll let you know how I get on in my campaign to get Google re-instated in school (for Staff & Students).

---

Frequently Asked Questions

Why has Google “search over SSL” been blocked.?

The Google’s Search over SLL” effectively by passes any filtering controls that schools / local authorities/ SWGfL has for the use of Google search engine. Typically the normal settings which schools would use are:

· Search term filtering - the ability to prevent certain words from being used when performing a search.

· Content filtering – the ability of SWGfL SafetyNet to dynamically read the results from a search and if inappropriate content is found in the results block the display of that page.

· Control the access to Goolge’s safe searching features so that individuals cannot select the “do not filter my search results”, options

Without these controls anyone using Google’s “search over SSL” has uncontrolled access to the search engine.

The beta version of Google’s “search over SLL” current searches, web pages, Videos, Books, News, Blogs, Updates and discussions. Please note that the video search also return thumbnail images which are not filtered.

You need to be aware that blocking https://www.google.com also prevents access to Google applications where you need to login to the service, for example Gmail.

Does this affect Google’s normal search?

No. All other Google search engines will work. e.g. http://www.google.com, http://www.google.co.uk etc

When was Google’s “search over SSL” Blocked ?

The decision to block Google’s “Search over SSL” was taken by Local Authorities and the SWGfL after consultation with experts in the field, Lawyers and Local Authority Staff. Emails were sent to Headteachers at schools in each Local Authority on the 8^th 9^th June 2010 explaining the decision. The Block came into effect on over the weekend 12^th 13^th June 2010

Are there any other implications of Blocking https://www.google.com ?

A side effect of the blocking is that it also blocks the ability to log in to Google applications such as Gmail. The SWGfL is investigation potential solutions and is in dialog with Google to try and find an alternative.

Can schools unblock Google’s “search over SSL”?

The short answer is “Yes”, however schools need to be fully aware of the implications in that unblocking https://www.google.com , basically gives any user in the school uncontrolled access to the search engine.

Schools can request to have https://www.google.com unblocked by

a.) Visiting the web page at .... completing the form
or if having difficulties by:

b.) Calling the SWGfL help desk

c.) Or your Local Authority support

SWGfL SafetyNet will be updates to enable schools to make these changes, planned for the week beginning 14^th June, but only for those schools using the latest version SWGfL SafetyNet . An update for the older version is planned for later in June.

What happens when a user tries to access https://www.google.com when it is blocked ?

For most users there will not be a filtering messages, users will see a browser message explaining that the pages was not available.

Some Scenarios with advice following the blocking of Google’s “search over SSL”

1. School requires access to Google search engines

Impact: Low.
Schools will be protected using SWGfL SafetyNet as before. The search engine http://www.google.com, and http://www.google.co.uk are still operational

2. Some members of staff need to continue to use Gmail and/or other Google applications requiring you to log in.

Impact: Medium.
The blocking of https://www.google.com will prevent staff from logging into Gmail and other Google applications. Schools are asked to consider the use these services and if required then schools are able to make use of the staff proxy functionality. This feature of SWGfL SafetyNet enables members of staff to have a username and password that allows unfiltered access to the Internet from certain dedicated computers in the school and consequently access to https://www.google.com whilst other users remain blocked.

3. Staff and pupils require access to Gmail and other Google applications requiring you to log in to access the service

Impact: High.
The blocking of https://www.google.com will prevent access to the Google applications. Schools will need to consider the implications for unblocking https://www.google.com for the whole school and the processes they will put in place to monitor pupils access of the Googles search over SLL” . It is recommended that any school considering this option contacts their Local Authority for advice.

The SWGfL have made available a web page to request that Google’s “search over SSL” is made available to the school, and consequently access to Gmail and other Google applications .

Web Page .....

Dodgy Statistics - or am I being oversensitive.

I need a little help. I am a Statistician by nature, so sometimes get a little oversensitive when it comes to analysing stats - I get ... wound up? irritated? ... by dodgy stats.

Here's the latest, and you can tell me if I'm right, or if I need to shut up and get on with it.

Last years Y13 did an exit questionnaire, for ALIS. It asked them all about what teaching styles they experienced in each subject that they studied. For example ...
"Presentation of a topic by the teacher" or.../
" Practical Work (Using apparatus or Making things)."
... and so on. There were 22 catagories.

Students rate each one from 1 to 6, on the follwoing measure..
1 = never or almost never
2 = about once a term
3 = about once a month
4 = about once a fortnight
5 = about twice a week
6 = about once a lesson.

Scores for all students in each subject (sample size = 7 in my case, but that's another gripe) were then averaged (arithmetic mean for fellow stats types), and these published and compared with national figures.

Here's the problem(s).
1. My Preparing Essays scores was 1.29 (1+1/7). This means that one student thought we prepared essays about once a term. I haven't prepared an essay since my PGCE in 1996. This is a lack of awareness by the students that sheds doubt on all responses.

2. If 4 students respond "Never" and 3 respond "once a lesson" then the average is 22/7 = 3.14 which appears to be once a month despite the fact that NOT ONE STUDENT said once a month. Surely the mode (most common) response of "Never" is more appropriate?

Please help me out with this one?!

I've sort of been blogging for years...

I've only just realised I've been writing a blog for some time, but never realised it. Let me explain...

I'm in my 9th year at my current school, having been originally appointed as 2nd in Maths. At that time my wife was part time at another local school, and a common complaint was that she felt she didn't always know what was going on in the department. At that point I realised there was a danger that all of the team of which I was a part of could be kept better informed.

That was the birth of the "Monday Morning Maths Memo". Shortened to M4 to save space on the paper, and generally called "Maths Notes", or even just "Notes".

It has a very similar layout week to week, with diary dates, meeting agendas for the week (Monday is our meeting day, so that works quite well), and a few key points, for example in the run up to KS4 modules it will have a bit about the admin for the day, or whatever. I upload it to our VLE on Sunday night, so any part timers not in Mondays can read it before their first day of the week if they want to.SLT get a copy too, so they know what we are doing / talking about, as do the TA's linked to the department and our department admin support.

What I've also tried to do, however, is share some of my ethos or ideas through notes. Some of the time it will be a blatant (but always accredited) copy and paste from the NCETM's Mathemapedia, or other places (don't worry - I'll ask before I pinch any of your blogs). Some of the time it'll be based on something I've read, or seen, or an idea. What it boils down to is that I have been writing something that could be called a blog (except that its not online).

I'd recommend all #newleaders start something like this; it's a good way of bringing a new team with you.