I have just finished reading a very impressive review of ‘Alice in Sunderland’ by Bryan Talbot – Thanks to Joy Lawn

As part of my background research I found a Google book about Bryan. I usually restrict myself to Full View books but even though this one was Limited View (ie the ENTIRE book is not available on-line) this one was so good I added it to my library anyway.

And here it is embedded in this post…

Now I just need to figure out how to stop the script embedding books I have previously featured !

Any suggestions?
Note Added 11/4/09 - this site http://code.google.com/apis/books/docs/preview-wizard.html provides more customized scripts

• Why do you blog with your students? What are your intentions? Have your intentions changed over time?
• Draw on your experiences both good and bad of student blogging. What have you done to overcome obstacles?
• Point to some other blogs of note either of students blogging or about students blogging. Would you recommend any particular blogs for others to read?
• Do you have any tips or tricks to share with educators just starting out or wanting to start a blog with their students?

These are great starter questions and I advise teachers who are blogging to drop by the Blogging Course to read the advice of experienced blogging teachers. Unfortunately I am no longer in a classroom and haven’t blogged with students since 2007 but am hoping that will change in the near future.

A couple of contacts who review for Fiction Focus, a publication reviewing Young Adult fiction resources for teachers and librarians, have asked for a ‘voice’ for their students – somewhere they can publish their thoughts about the books they like (or don’t like), to share their opinions with a world-wide audience. I am hoping I can get through the ‘red-tape’ of Acceptable Use Policies, Intellectual Property, online privacy … and negotiate the technology hurdles of access rights and permissions … and can get Principals and parents at the schools to agree to trial a student group blog.

Watch this space for further developments

… and just because I can … here’s a short video from Rachel Boyd in New Zealand about blogging with kids.

Douglas Adams
English humorist & science fiction novelist (1952 – 2001)

I blame a very busy start to the year at work for my belated re-enty to the blogsphere. I fully intended keeping my New Year’s Resolution to resume posting (with re-newed enthusiasm) but…better late than never.

Thanks to Tomaz Lasic – for tagging me for the 7 things you don’t know about me meme – and Kerrie Smith – for her untiring commitment to helping others – see the EdNA Blogging Corner – for prompting me to ‘have another go’.

So here I am – perhaps not as enthused as I hoped to be but definitely committed – I’ve replied to the forum at the Blogging Corner, submitted a post for the Blogging Carnival, subscribed via rss and added my details to the wiki. That just leaves 7 things you didn’t know about me.

1. I enjoy cross-stitching – but don’t have much time now. I completed this sampler 20 years ago!
2. The most enjoyable – and challenging – years of my teaching career were spent working with PEAC [Primary Extension and Academic Challenge] students.
3. My first serious foray into web based publication was EAGER [DETWA's new and improved version] but the original still exists [It was designed to fit onto a floppy disc - remember them? - so it could be sent to schools with dodgy 'net connections.] This was early in 2000.
4. On February 1st this year I will have been married for 34 years – to the same man!
5. I have just decided that because I am now going to blog regularly I will have to become an edublogs supporter [I can't stand the ads!]
6. I have a genuine fear of hairy spiders. Redbacks are OK – they’re not hairy!
7. I quite enjoy ignoring rules – so I’m not going to name 7 people to continue this meme [See John Connell's blog post on the exponential]