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We are on track to *finally* get our BBC Micro:bits out to our Year 8s… this is how we are going to do it … and we are excited about the Grok Learning Quest challenges for after half term.

Our Digital Leaders are trained up using out 3 step programme www.gr8ict.com/bbc_microbit More

Using the Raspberry Pi in Code Clubs and the Curriculum – click to go to slides

“This session will provide an introduction to the Raspberry Pi and first-hand experience of setting up a Pi-Lab.  Then some thoughts on how it fits in with the KS3 curriculum as well as Code Clubs.  The second half of the session will be hands-on using a Raspberry Pi for an example KS3 lesson”.

Developing Digital Leaders to Support Computing – click to go to slides

“Digital Leaders can mean many things but this session will help you gain insights into how students can help you with implementing an effective computing curriculum.  You will be shown stages of developing Digital Leaders and given time to discuss and plan how you might develop their use in your school including running Code Clubs”.

Thanks you to everyone who has sponsored Matthew, Harry and I for our epic Way of the Roses ride this May.

https://crowdfunding.justgiving.com/chris-and-matthew-way-of-the-roses-2016

We raised £625 pounds towards Stan’s wheelchair (needing a total of £7000 – already half way there).
https://fundrazr.com/stanswheels

It was a lot tougher than we thought and here is the story in pictures.

Getting Bikes:
In August last year I decided to get fitter, and ordered a road bike on the cycle to work scheme. Needless to say, Matthew saw the bike in the garage a week before Christmas and decided that he would like to do some cycling too.  Onto Gumtree, and a trip to Leeds led this photo:

Here’s the map of the Way of the Roses:

Morecambe Bay to Pateley Bridge = 62 miles.  Pateley Bridge to York = 47 miles.  York to Bridlington = 61 miles.  170 miles in total.

My favourite quote from the official site is “The route is best done from West to East (Morecambe to Bridlington) for the greater chance of having the wind at your back”.  (Ha Ha for the Bridlington part… see later)

Training:
And here is the profile.

As you can see, we needed some practice on hills as they’re aren’t many in and around York . From January onwards I have managed a road every week, and Matthew and Harry built up their miles too in the weeks before. Helen’s friend Alison introduced us to the Wolds, and some fellow highwaymen from school showed that from Thixendale, the only way is up!

As well as hills, we also needed miles, so we did rides north of York too, and Skipton to Bolton Abbey, which involved reintroducing the towbar carrier:

     
Maintenance and Repair:
The ride from Thixendale presented our first puncture, and I spent the remaining training rides discovering what equipment was needed for punctures and maintaining bikes to make them as easy to ride as possible.  The boys got involved – with varying degrees of success…

I also highly rate this youtube video “How to clean a bicycle in about 15 minutes”.

Maps:
The day Matthew and I were due to ride the daffodil sportive, the weather was so bad that I spent the afternoon discovering how to create rides and transfer them to Google maps. See here.

Way of the Roses – Day 1
A huge thank you to Helen (and then John) for providing a support vehicle.  We set off from Morecambe at 10.00am.

Dave waited for us at Settle as we knew the hill was going to be steep … and it was… Matthew suffering bad cramp halfway up…

Once at the top of that bit, it stretched on a while further, but the ride the other side was wonderful:

The ride through to Grassington and Burnsall was still tough at times and we were glad of Dave’s help and support:

The ride up the hill beyond Appletreewick was really hard, and the ride towards Stump Cross caverns was the hardest.  We had almost run out of puff.

The boys really did not want to give up, and we finally made it down Greenhow Hill and into Pateley Bridge at 7.30pm.

Way of the Roses – Day 2

Angela joined us the next morning, with John providing car support, with us setting off and reaching Ripon… then pub lunch with the other Highwaymen and onto York.  Matthew then played cricket at York…

Way of the Roses – Day 3

Actually, the evening before:

The Met Office had introduced a couple of extra colours for the radar of the rainfall for this storm, and the winds were from the North and an average of 25mph.  The boys agreed to an early start the next morning:

We avoided the bad weather until 15 miles from Brid.  Then the rain was on us and we battled gusting head winds and driving rain.  At times the wind gusted at 47mph…

Click here for video:

This is where we knew we would finish, and when we did…

The others finished too…

And two new Highwayman rewarded for their hard work and their resilience:

Slide Show:

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“Digital Leaders in Primary and Secondary”
– Developing Young People as well as the Technology

Raspberry Pi – Hardware and Classroom Management

Link to worksheet for pelican crossing

Saturday evening at Morecambe Bay Hotel.
Then to Pateley Bridge = 62 miles.  Harefield Hall booked with their bunkhouse accomodation for Sunday night.
Pateley Bridge to York = 47 miles
York to Bridlington = 61 miles
170 miles in total.

Detailed distances here: “The route is best done from West to East (Morecambe to Bridlington) for the greater chance of having the wind at your back. This way you’ll be tackling the steeper climbs, but enjoying longer down hills. The steepest and longest climbs lie between Settle and Brimham Rocks and the hill out of Settle presents the greatest challenge.
Unfortunately, going down Greenhow Hill has caught a few cyclists out and NYCC and Sustrans have produced a leaflet to let you know what lies in store. Have a look at this video too – please don’t underestimate this demanding hill and remember that descending in the wet can impair your braking.”

Click the image to go to the slides:

Still managing at least one ride a week.  Just purchased Polar FT7M heart rate meter, with Matthew using the HT1 transmitter and I have bought a Polar H7 Bluetooth 4.0 Heart Rate Sensor Set so that I can view the sensor on my wrist without having to have my iphone out of my pocket.  I do have a Quad Lock Bike Kit but don’t want to be fitting my iphone to it every time I go out.

The kit works fine – heart rate shows on the wrist-watch-like FT7 and my iPhone 5 adds my heart rate to the Analysis link on Strava:

And, lastly a mention for http://www.mymodernmet.com/profiles/blogs/stephen-lund-gps-doodles

From a nearby University:

When introducing programming, we usually follow the usual path below:

– Simple statements (eg output)
– Variables and expressions [including data types – keep it simple eg 4 (int, float/decimal, string, Boolean)]. Could include constants
– Flow control : Selection(if .. else), Iteration(for, while).
– Basic data structure – arrays
– Functions/procedures

This should meet the KS3 requirements for programmes of study.
“use two or more programming languages, at least one of which is textual, to solve a variety of computational problems; make appropriate use of data structures [for example, lists, tables or arrays]; design and develop modular programs that use procedures or functions”

I have suggested on #teacher5aday that it would be good to share monthly progress, so here are my efforts.

#exercise
Goal 1: Improve my cycling to enjoy the Coast to Coast “Way of the Roses” in May 2016

My goal is my standard circuit once a week and this I have achieved.  Matthew is using his bike frequently with friends and he and one of them have committed to joining the Coast to Coast ride too.  We have two other rides booked and I have instigated a talk by a nutrutionist to the group too.

I feel much fitter as a result of the regular rides.

Goal 2: Achieve resistance exercises and stretches at least twice a week

I have bought dumb-bells and done two sessions so far.  Not finding the motivation as easy for these …

Goal 3: Improve my diet to feel better and lose weight.

Tried several recipes from the lean in 15 book.  Having the protein shakes after exercise.  Still drinking too much alcohol but onto green teas and no danishes or tea with processed sugar in. Started losing weight…

#learning
Goal 4: Become competent and confident with using the zone system for printing monochrome photos with gloss and matte paper.

Attended the Yorkshire Monochrome Group and the first BCC monochrome session having done 2 prints.  Booked a tutorial for Weds and then Photo Show in March.

#notice
Goal 5: Conscious competence with noticing positively what people do around me …
Trying to do this more for the boys…

#connect
Goal 6: Connect more frequently with friends in/out of clubs but more contact with non-local friends too.
Making sure I ring friends at weekends.
Gave a #teacher5aday to staff at school.
Attended the #teacher5aday talk at BETT. Regularly reading #teacher5aday on twitter and encouraging monthly reviews.

#volunteer
Goal 7: One chore a day extra than usual.
Making sure Helen sits down more, but disappointing that the chronic fatigue is not getting better very quickly at all.

Overall, I am so glad to have noticed #teacher5aday on twitter, as it has encouraged me to share with more people and to increase my commitment.  I am inviting others to give it a go too.

My work in progress
#wellbeing5aday Presentation
Blank set #teacher5aday slides for you to use