Mr P's ICT blog - Tech to raise standards!

Having previously blogged about Christmas Adverts, in particular, the John Lewis Ad, it was only inevitable I would do the same with their latest effort: With my new website - MrPICT.com , I have put together a whole topic page looking at creative ways to explore the advert: The first two ideas are COMPLETELY FREE. Just click the picture above and add your email address to download all the comprehension questions linked to the advert. What I have tried to do with this topic page is show how you can challenge children and show progression with certain tasks in computing. In my class, we have been looking at ideas 12-15. I wanted to share the outcome to this: My class were made up when John Lewis themselves commented on their work: For step-by-step tutorials for how to do this with your class, sign up to MrPICT.com for just £3.50 a month. You can subscribe annually and save £5. Alternatively, you can sign up for a whole school licence meaning ever...

Towards the end of the academic year, my Year 4 class were learning all about the Stone Age. Part of the topic focused on learning about how Stone Age houses evolved as the lifestyle changed for people. One of the activities the pupils were challenged with was to try and sell a Neolithic House. Using a range of apps, the pupils were able to bring their writing to life in a creative and purposeful way. Check out an example here: For step-by-step tutorial guides, make sure you subscribe to MrPICT.com . My new website where you can access all of my CPD online.  We have now started to add topic pages, with a series of videos with specific ideas to enhance learning in that topic.  We have created one for the topic of the Stone Age, click the picture to see everything we have posted:

I recently discovered a bit of a game changer when it comes to accessing engaging texts to use in class, see the video here: It has inspired an incredible English project where we deconstructed the model text from the film before writing and performing our own audio descriptions over one of my favourite clips from Infinity War. Here is an example of the finished efforts from our pupils: There are so many possible ways in which this idea can be adapted to different films with audio descriptions. If you're interested in more detailed tutorials to create this, sign up to MrPICT.com. Over the past couple of weeks, I have added the option to subscribe directly through the website. There is also the option to subscribe as a school so your whole staff can access all the training videos and content. The subscriptions options are: Individual Teachers: £3.50 a month through Facebook - Click Here Individual Teachers: £3.50 a month through the website or subscribe an...

Today with Year 2 we were continuing out work on Money in maths. Rather than the suggested lesson from the scheme which involved a lot of time being spent printing, cutting out and photocopying. I decided to do something different instead: View this post on Instagram I had a great day in school today working with Year 2 looking at Money in maths. Using technology, I was able to create a lesson in a fraction of the time which worked brilliantly without any printing, cutting out or photocopying. I am not suggesting teachers do this all the time, but the key for me in balance and when the tech can help us #worksmarternotharder we need to embrace it. I have posted a step-by-step tutorial of the lesson for the supporters of my page. Sign up here - facebook.com/becomesupporter/ictwithmrp A post shared by Lee Parkinson (@ict_mrp) on Jan 31, 2019 at 12:53pm PST The lesson worked fantastically well and the children were able to ac...

A few months ago, Facebook gave me the opportunity to launch a supporter aspect to my page. For £3.50 a month, teachers can subscribe to receive the following benefits: This platform, for me, is a way to bring my CPD training in schools online. I regularly receive messages from teachers saying that they would love to attend one of my CPD and Inset sessions, however, due to one reason or the other (location, school not allowing them to go etc) they can't make it. It gives teachers the opportunity to take ownership of their own professional development. I honestly think that the best resource in the classroom is the teacher and I want this platform to be a way teachers can build confidence in knowledge to best make use of the technology in their classroom. So far, it has been amazing to have so many people sign up and the feedback has been so positive, especially when you see teachers using the ideas and sharing the incredible work from their pupils. Over the ...

As much as I love technology, I will always talk about the importance of reading on my CPD sessions. It really annoys me when people like to blame technology as a reason why children don't read as much. We like to blame technology for a number of things but for me, it comes down to choices. I hope through this blog and my social media pages, I demonstrate how, when used effectively, it can transform teaching and learning. Unfortunately, I think too many of us make the wrong choices with technology. When pictures like this appear on my social feeds, it does wind me up because they both can be valuable and certainly enhance each other: For me, technology can enhance the reading experience allowing pupils to explore texts in more creative ways. This is something I wanted to promote in my yearly Christmas video. For the past 9 years, I always treat my pupils to a silly video at the end of our annual talent show. To see what I have produced previously - CLICK ...

I was so made up to receive an email recently by the team from @TeachPrimary  and @TeachWire  letting me know that I had won their first SOCIAL MEDIA SAVIOUR award: I just wanted to say a massive thank you to everyone who voted. The competition was based purely on whoever received the most votes which means so much. It is wonderful to be recognised for something I put a lot of time and effort into.  People often ask me how I do it: be a Dad, lead training all over the UK, teach, run the social media platforms, and I have to be honest it is hard. I sometimes don't prioritise my time properly and can struggle to switch off. However to know the impact my training and social media channels is having on teachers and classrooms all over the world is something very special. To receive messages from teachers saying that using ideas from my blog or training has produced the best writing or work they've seen, makes all the the hard work worth it. To now be recognised...

I regularly receive messages from teachers saying that they would love to attend one of my CPD and Inset sessions, however, due to one reason or the other (location, school not allowing them to go etc) they can't make it. I have been thinking for a while about trying to create some sort of online platform where teachers can access more detailed CPD content. I have and always will share content for free through this blog and my social media pages. However, I always need to strike the right balance as to make sure I don't give too much away for free as this often backfires in loss of work in schools and also a number of people who then take the ideas, rip them off and make money on the back of it. About a week ago, Facebook introduced Fan Subscriptions. Followers of my facebook page can subscribe for £3.50 a month and receive exclusive content. CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE I've decided to give this a go, to hopefully support more teachers in their journey to utilise tec...

As many of us are gearing up for the start of another academic year, I thought I would share some useful ideas and resources that will have you hitting the ground running in September. You can watch the video here: Links to the ideas mentioned: Taking Teaching Back  Blackfish Project  Designing websites  Music for Comprehension   ReadWritePerform.com

The response to the first Taking Teaching Back Episode has been amazing! Thank you so much to everyone who took the time to watch it. The comments have been great and it has been so encouraging to hear of teachers who have taken the discussion into school and are actively looking at ways to change what they were doing in a way to help reduce workload. This is EXACTLY what I wanted from these videos. So here is Episode 2 and this one looks at one of the biggest reasons for the workload crisis in schools which is... FEAR. As always, please let me know what you think. In case you missed Episode 1, here it is:

Ok, so I am a little late to the party! Seesaw introduced activities a good few months ago, but I've only just got around to really investigating this fantastic addition to what is my favourite app to use in the classroom. I recently blogged my top 5 apps of 2017 . Seesaw was at the top of my list. For me, this app is a no-brainer for the primary classroom. The endless benefits for how it can enhance teaching and learning, save teachers time and money and embed key digital literacy skills for your pupils has meant it has become the app I use most and one I regularly share on my training sessions. I have recently been contacted by a number of teachers who have been told by their local authority that they can no longer use Seesaw as it will not comply with the new GDPR guidelines that will take effect in May 2018. I contacted Seesaw about this and this was their response: GDPR goes into effect in the EU in May 2018 and Seesaw is preparing to be compliant with it. If y...

I had a wonderful time on Saturday at The District CofE Primary School at the second Reading Rocks conference. I want to thank Heather and the staff for all their hard work organising a fantastic event. I was very lucky to be able to host a workshop all about ReadWritePerform . You can see my workshop and how the RWP approach works: I was also very lucky to be interviewed as part of  @RussellPrue 's live radio broadcast. You can listen to the interview here: It was nice to have the opportunity to sit and listen to other inspiring keynotes and drop into  @SmithSmm 's brilliant workshop. What was great how the messages from the keynotes and workshop I attended complimented the key messages from my workshop.

Recently, I was interviewed for the fantastic Education On Fire podcast. In the interview, I was asked about my journey into the consultancy world, my views on technology in the classroom and the importance of teaching digital literacy. I want to thank Mark  for the opportunity. The interview was split into two parts (I must waffle) and the first part is now available. Please click the link below to listen. I would love to know your thoughts about the discussion we had. Make sure you subscribe to the podcast as it has some amazing insights and conversations from some amazing classroom practitioners.

I am very excited and honoured to see that my blog has been nominated for the UK Blog Awards 2017. This will be the third year my blog has been nominated. In the previous two years, I have made it to the shortlist and narrowly missed out on the top prize! This year, I would love to go one step further! But I NEED YOUR HELP! The next part of the process is the public vote, so I need as many people as possible to vote for my blog. I have been nominated for three categories: Education, Digital and Technology and Vlogger! So if you have found any ideas or inspiration through the blog, or found some of the videos and vlogs funny, please take a minute to click the links and vote. I really really appreciate it! Please click here to vote for Education and Digital & Technology Categories Please click here for the Vlogging Category Thank you so much for the continued support! It means an awful lot! Fingers crossed, I can make the shortlist again!

For a couple of years, I have been visiting schools all over the country and beyond. I have noticed a growing trend in many schools and it is the workload teachers are dealing with. I may jest about it on my training days however there is a crucial issue facing our profession. The DfE recognise it and have done their own research. You can read the report here.  It is clearly having a massive impact on recruitment and retention of teachers. Teachers in England 87% know at least one person who has left the profession due to workload in the last two years. 90% have considered leaving the profession themselves in the last two years. 96% say that workload has a negative impact on personal life. (National Union of Teachers, 2014) I have been teaching for over a decade and the workload has never been as heavy as it is now. I don't even see it having a massive impact on learning. I recently looked at some writing from my class a few years ago and compared it to writing comp...

Pokémon GO was released on 14th July 2016 by the end of the day, I had already had tweets and messages asking about how I would use it in class. If you have followed the blog you will know I am a massive fan of using video games as a stimulus in class through my Camouflage Learning approach. Pokémon GO is another engaging game that joins the list alongside Angry Birds, Temple Run , Minecraft and Kinectimals as games that can inspire some quality writing in class. What this blog post isn't going to be is a list of ideas for using the game; people have already beat me to it. I have already seen some great blogs about the potential of the game as a stimulus in class. Here are some I have enjoyed reading: Ways to use Pokemon Go in the classroom 14 REASONS WHY POKEMON GO IS THE FUTURE OF LEARNING Pokemon Go in the Classroom 14 ways to bring Pokemon Go into the classroom. Pokemon GO for Education Why all teachers should play Pokemon Go How EdTech should react to the next ...