Ex-pupil on Dancing On Ice

Laura Hamilton | Photos | Dancing on Ice 2011 - ITV.com

Was rather amused to find out an ex-pupil is to be a 'celeb' on ITV's Dancing On Ice (see link above). I believe she's had some success as a children's TV presenter and at school always took the lead in the Christmas School Productions.

However, I'm also led to believe that she never admits she went to the school she did, and lists her 6th form school as her place of education. Never be ashamed to admit where you're from Laura!

My first REAL LIFE Teachmeet

I've viewed the streaming, I've participated online, but I've never actually been to a Teachmeet in person. I'm really excited to be attending Teachmeet Learning Without Frontiers 2011 (#tmlwf). It's part of the Learning Without Frontiers Conference taking place in London over the next week.

I FB'd my sister in law and said "Clear your diary - we're going to a geekoid event on Sunday!"

Once I'd explained what it was, she was more than happy to come. We only need to get the overground to London Bridge, the tube to Moorgate, then walk a little way to The Brewery in EC1. (After, there's a social in The Elbow Room, Shoreditch, but I'm not sure about that bit yet.......)

It's billed as a 'fancy dress' event, but I won't be dressing up! I'm not the creative type, and have NO idea what on earth I'd go as, so I'm going to blend into the background in civvies!

Looking at the line-up of those who have signed up to present, I think it's going to be a great couple of hours. Some of the more inspirational people whose blogs I read, and have contact with on Twitter, are set to present. Should be enlightening and maybe put a rocket up me to get on and do something inspiring too!

Learning Without Frontiers: The Sunday Service

Learning Without Frontiers: Schedule for Sunday January 9 @ London, England

One evening, whilst watching the Gadget Show (or was it whilst looking through Twitter?), Jason Bradbury talked about an upcoming event called "The Sunday Service". It was to be part of the Learning Without Frontiers Conference 2011. His participation was to be the live filming of an exciting TV show called the Dot Robot Show, based on his books of the same name, and you had to sign up online to get tickets.

"I'll have a bit of that" I thought. The family love Jason Bradbury and his work, so I thought they'd enjoy it too. Might be good for a lazy Sunday after Christmas!

I read through the programme of events after signing up, and realised there's going to be a Teachmeet in London as part of the day. Sod the Dot Robot Show! I'm going to the Teachmeet! I've wanted to attend one in person for ages - as opposed to online participation - and here was an ideal opportunity.

There's a couple of other events I'd like to get to too, if I can. (Well there's loads, but I don't think I'll be getting up there too early.) I want to visit the MirandaMod 'unconference' and the Pecha Kucha style event called "There's an App for that!".

Feeling quite proud of my efforts

I keep wanting to read my first assignment. I'm sure it's not vanity, but pride that keeps making me turn the pages! In fact, I've turned them so much it doesn't look half as nice as it did when it was first printed.

(Still, I keep hoping it's good enough to get a 'pass' grade, but I won't know for ages!)

I took a pic of the front cover and posted it on my FB and twitter and got lots of comments from friends about how impressive it looks, and how clever I must be!

I'm of course grounded enough to know that a pretty looking binding does not guarantee the quality of the contents, so had to add 'let's hope it's what they are after....' to my post.

BUT. Two people in my life have read it properly (as opposed to looking at a picture of a pretty binding) and they have both been very positive about the contents.

The first is sister-in-law. She said (via email):

I really loved your essay Laura, it reminded me of one of our books you and I like to read, a perspective that allows the reader to participate on a journey...keep up the fabulous work...maybe consider a PHD!!!

I asked her if she was just being nice, but was adamant she wasn't.


The second is someone who works at the LA. She commented on my writing style and said 'engaging' is a very apt word (the word used on my presentation feedback). She said that whilst reading, you go through the ups and downs in the text and want to know what happens next.


I feel on top of the world with these really positive comments, but in reality, it's just a waiting game until I get the ACTUAL grade of the assignment.

It's in the post

I put the finishing touches to my Word document last night (the absolute 11th hour), including bibliography, title page, word count and headings for the appendices.

All that was left was to print the actual assignment, photocopy the content for the appendices, arrange it all in order, get it bound in some format, and get myself to the Post Office to send it via next day delivery so it would definitely arrive guaranteed on time for the 6th January 2011.

The repographics room at school did a wonderful job of getting it all ready for me, so I left school at lunch to pop to the Post Office.

First, I'd forgotten where the Post Office was! I work near where I live, so it's not like I don't know the area! They'd just moved the Post Office in to a local branch of W.H. Smith and I'd forgotten that!

When I got there, the queue was wrapped right around the shop! It is the first working day after New Year, so the world and his wife was in there!

Well I didn't have time to wait, so I returned to school, and later, after school, and after a Staff Meeting, I went to a different Post Office to send it.

£6.70 it cost me to send two copies of the assignment and a USB stick with an electronic version on! To be honest though, it could have cost twice as much and I still would have sent it the same way (Special Delivery) just to have the peace of mind of knowing it was going to get there on time.

It's done now - nothing more I can do.

I'm pretty much done

I didn't quite get my assignment finished by New Year's Eve, but I think I'm done!

I've written 2997 words (we had to stick to less than 3000) and I've written about what I think the assignment is about (with one eye on the marking criteria). I just hope that I have interpreted it correctly. I've added various quotes (enough I hope) and referenced correctly using APA style. I have a bibliography and header pages for my appendices.

Now I just pray that repographics will photocopy all the things I want them to, and bind my assignment in some way without the required 24 hours notice! Then I can send it off!

On my way to writing an assignment!

After yesterday's difficulties, I decided today to just get lots down on paper (well, in Word anyway) and worry about the quotes after. That way, at least I have the bones of an assignment and I can find relevant references to go with whatever I write.

I've done well, I think. I have a lot of words written (probably too many after I add in quotes) but I have something to work with.

Tomorrow is New Year's Eve. I want it done by then so that the next few days can be used for other school things I need to do.