Melville Intermediate - Speaking Maori in Russia

Today I became aware of two very, very special videos.

As you know we have been busy completing our work on Maori Mihi and publishing them online. We've had some wonderful feedback and the students are very pleased by this but our friends from Lyudmila's Classroom in Kransnoyarskiykray Kray, Russia have been learning - they have posted two videos, based on our work in New Zealand - its really amazing to think that work that we have produced from one side of the world has had an influence on students on the other side of the world. This interaction is hugely important for everyone involved and when the students view this video Monday morning I am sure that they will be completely blown away. This is Nikita's video!

Melville Intermediate - International Music

Mr Lamshed's Boy Class at Hackam East School in Adelaide, Australia class continues to amaze me with the creative, innovative and superb teaching idea's that they come up with. In their sites latest post two of the students Sam and James have recorded a famous New Zealand song - Pokarekare Ana, they've recorded it using Garageband and place it on site for people to listen. It's a maverlous effort and the quality of the recording sounds fantastic!

While we're following a singing theme if you have visited the other side of the world today (well it is the other side of the world for New Zealand pretty much, another of the blogs that I alwas loved visiting it 'At the Firepalce' in Abanskaya, Russia. It's an innovative blog that really gives students in New Zealand an opportunity to explore schooling from another perspective. Yesterday they posted a 'Song of Cheburashka'. We were playing in class in Hamilton, New Zealand on Friday and students were singing along, and doing a form of dance in time to the music. Its one of those opportunities for everyone to make the world a smaller place and share the world with our students. Yes that is a picture from the School playground in Russia!

While were on the subject of music and international links its also another time to mention my all time favourite blog - Mr C's class from Noel Elementary School in the USA. There's always innovative approach to lessons and work. Recently they were cleaning a group of 45 records that one of the students Saul found. The whole process has been documented on the class blog. It is work that inspires me every time I visit and where I get a huge amount of ideas from. You can check out his wondeful site by clicking here.