Cup Of Tea With A Teacher Podcast - Episode 4

Cup of Tea Episode 4

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Paddy: Hello, you're listening to Cup of Tea with a Teacher. I'm Paddy and I'm Rachel and today we are going to be talking about Easter, which is just around the corner, the Premiere's Reading Challenge, and a bunch of other good stuff, all in the time it takes to have a cup of tea. But Rachel, let's talk about what's been happening in the library. And last episode, you were heading off to camp. How was that?

Rachel: Oh, it was fantastic. We had perfect weather. I had a great bunch of kids. Where did you go? We went down to the Colo River. So it's called Camp Somerset. and we had a brilliant, team leader for my group. We're in tents, so it's proper camping and it was just, yeah, really good fun activities and a really nice week of disconnecting from technology.

Paddy: Fantastic - I love a good camp out, but Easter's just around the corner and I do love a good Easter egg as well. I'm pretty easy going. What's happening on the website and what's happening in your library for Easter?

Rachel: So, we've got a special Easter display that we've just put up, but trying to keep it inclusive. we're just coming out of Ramadan, so we have got a display that includes that. And I really wanted to include some stuff about Passover, but when I went to check, we don't actually have any Passover books in my library so I'm going to be looking into that and trying to readdress it. If anybody knows of any really good ones, please let me know. We don't have a large Jewish community at my school, but I just want to make sure that we're including everybody.

When I stopped to reflect on it - Ramadan, you basically don't eat between dawn and dusk for a month. Passover, you don't eat anything leavened for a week and Easter is all about giving chocolate. So I know which one of those three I am into.

Paddy: Look, hats off to anyone who does that fasting thing. I don't eat, from the time I go to sleep until the time I wake up. That's pretty much my limit.

Rachel: I've been trying to do it till eleven and it's hit and miss.

Paddy: So, Easter is just around the corner and we have a ton of great fun activities on Learn From Play. Tell us about those Rachel.

Rachel: So we have activities for the Easter Hat-astrophe, which is all about an Easter hat parade that goes awry.

We also have a book, under a troll title and that's all about the real Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy and those sort of things.

We used to have some Sudokus on the site, which actually when we changed to the new platform we took down, I'm actually going to attach those to this podcast. So if anybody wants those, there's a really easy one and there's a much harder one, which are just great activity for kids to get them critically thinking and get them playing games and puzzles and that sort of thing with Easter imagery for a cut and paste Sudoku. So make sure that you jump on to the transcript of this podcast to grab those activities.

Paddy: Fantastic and Premier's Reading Challenge is just around the corner.

Rachel: Yeah, so that kicked off about three weeks ago, I think. It does go through all the way to August, so you've got plenty of time to log in your books. But I just wanted to give you a heads up that they've changed everyone's passwords. I accidentally reset my school's passwords last year, which was quite a headache, but they have gone ahead and reset everybody's passwords this year, so if you weren't aware of that, just a heads up. So if you issue them to your students and they just keep reusing them every year as ours previously did, then you're going to have to reissue those.

Paddy: Okay - and the shortlist is out?

Rachel: Yes, it is. It's now a week old. We are going to, on Learn From Play, cover activities for pretty much all of those. They are in the pipeline, so please check on the site regularly We release three activities per week, so they are definitely going to be coming hot and fast.

Paddy: So we're all very excited that Easter is just around the corner, but of course, for one of the great reasons being that it's school holidays again, just around the corner. Looking forward to having a break. What about you, Rachel?

Rachel: Absolutely, I can't wait. It has been a huge term because we started a week before school. We will have had a 12-week term and I am well and truly ready for a rest, although when I say a rest, it's a rest from school. I'll be working on new Bloomsmath activities, we'll be getting these shortlisted books, all the activities made and I will just be focusing on getting the site up to date.

Paddy: In the meantime, there is always tea and coffee. So, if you have enjoyed your cup of tea or cup of coffee during this little episode, then go get yourself a refresh and enjoy your day. From Rachel and myself you have been listening to Cup of Tea with a Teacher, Rachel McCann and Paddy McCann, and we'll talk to you next time. See you later.