Paul Farrell: Still learning

Many of you will know that I am a little obsessed with my music and t he greatest asset I have in my musical travels is  amateurorchestras.org.uk .  I take my trumpet with me most places I go to. I have even been known to practise in car parks when the walls in my hotel room are too thin and rushed through a few scales in my car, outside many schools across the UK when I arrive too early.   This website is full of 100s of full orchestras, string orchestras, brass bands, wind bands, concert bands, and a category called miscellaneous which can include things such as flute groups, clarinet choirs and so on. There is also a map for you to browse for a group near you and It's a Google Map so it delights me to see someone using Google Tools for such a great purpose. As I travel around the country, I take a moment to search this website for local groups. I tend to go for Wind and Concert bands or big bands. I contact them, tell them I am in the area looking for a blow but that

OMG, I say OMG!! Those who know me will already know that I am a huge fan of all things Google. I think they offer a set of tools for schools that are second to none. The ease of use and the simple way to share and collaborate really enrich the experience for learners of all ages. I can't recommend them enough.  People may also know that I have a good list of Google qualifications; Educator Level 1 and 2, Google Education Trainer and an old G-Suite administration certification which is almost certainly out of date but I am still proud I have it because I am not the most technically minded person. There has been one qualification that has eluded me for a while and that is the Google Innovator - but not anymore. I am absolutely delighted that I can confirm that I am going to attend the Google Innovator Academy in London in July. I am so excited. Innovator is a year-long project to realise a solution to a problem that you hope will benefit the Google for Education Community.

When I work with the Jamboard, I recall the Steve Jobs quote: "Technology is nothing. What's important is that you have a faith in people, that they're basically good and smart, and if you give them tools, they'll do wonderful things with them." The Jamboard is the most amazing collaboration tool that was aimed squarely at the commercial market but it soon became clear that schools could epitomise Steve Job's quote and adopt this product for themselves. This board looks for all the world like an Interactive whiteboard but it is so much more than that. Ignore its appearance and try not to think of it as an Interactive Whiteboard. Here are some of the amazing things I have seen it used for: Explaining the significance of the elements of Plato's cave Explore the theme of Ambition in Macbeth early language adopters to read simple CVC words and then draw what they have read and vice versa creating a representation of the gestation of a human ch