My SLICT Diary
by Di O'Grady, Pennington Infants School, New Forest

My week really began on Sunday afternoon when I decided to look at my SLICT file. I had ignored the advice to take the Friday after the course to gather my thoughts and so I began. Attacking my action plan I went into a state of panic; filling in forms designed by others is not my preferred style of organisation. Once I realised that just putting my thoughts on the grid would give me a good starting point for the week ahead I relaxed. After a few minutes my rational mind kicked in and I had filled out my action plan, in draft form, before the call to Sunday dinner.

Had I failed already? Using a pencil!

Monday

I had felt the need to attend the SLICT course to put my ICT thinking in order. I had an informed, knowledgeable, enthusiastic ICT co-ordinator but leaving overall direction to your ICT co-ordinator, however talented, will not allow it to become embedded into the whole school ethos. Input from the SLICT team, talking with colleagues and visiting ‘e’ schools had certainly made me realise that it is not whether a school has ICT, but what it does with it that counts. “Keep you head down, she’s been on a course,” was the hidden greeting behind the “did you have a good time?” that greeted me. I made time to do a strategic ICT walk around school, this looked nothing like John Cleese in Monty Python, but it felt like it, I was about to take bigger steps and faster than I had planned before the course began.

I arranged to meet with my deputy and ICT manager the following day.

Tuesday

Our school is in the process of going for the Naacemark. We have a Naace team, involving staff, T.As, Governors and a parent; they meet on a regular basis. What I needed to do was to put together a short, strategic paper to support my action plan; this could then be shared with all the interested parties. No time to do this before the meeting with my deputy and ICT manager.

We met over lunch and at first I did all the talking. I started with my personal vision. I wanted to see ICT – anytime / anyplace / anywhere. Children get only one school education and they deserve the best that we can give. ICT can support personalised learning and customised teaching, where we play to the children’s strengths and preferred learning styles. ICT is well placed to promote visual literacy and VAK learning styles. The meeting went well. Were they humouring me? My action plan was discussed and before the end of the day support notes for T.As were in place in the staffroom and a skills questionnaire was in the process of being adapted for our school. Course notes and questionnaire were both provided from colleagues on the SLICT course.

Wednesday

I met with my T.As and discussed the skills questionnaire. I am very lucky to have such a competent team of support staff. I knew that whatever we decided over the next few weeks would be adapted to support the various learning groups within school. Year one also wanted a new printer, my first expenditure!

Thursday

Part of our school ICT provision includes a wonderful web cam in a bird box. Last year we had wonderful results, text book stuff, this year the camera was full of water and the cable to the computer was broken. Sorting this out was on my action list. This needed urgent action. I was so involved with strategic thinking that I failed to notice my ICT manager arranging with eco-watch for replacement kit. My strategic position became clear as I held the ladder while my ICT manager climbed up to reach the box and sort things out. The school caretaker also came up trumps offering electrical expertise and a power drill. How do you provide for ‘good will’ in a strategic plan? This is not just about ICT it’s about whole school ethos and the need to look beyond the infrastructure and to focus on what we really want for the children. The evening meeting with the governors provided me with another opportunity to report back on the SLICT programme. I needed support for my spending plans, more interactive whiteboards, digital cameras and Digiblues. I was well aware that the infrastructure needed to be in place to enable the strategic position I was championing to evolve. They were behind me all the way and after a long, valuable discussion on health and safety issues they gave the go-ahead for my financial needs.

Friday

We have a Naace meeting next week; I need to write my position paper!

Today's focus is with our group of Pyramid Heads. When we originally thought about doing the SLICT training we agreed that we would gain more from it if we went as a Pyramid group. In the end, six of us went together. This will form a powerful network group for future development and training. The more we can support each other and share our expertise, the better it will be for the children.

The last word

I am well aware that I have focused this week on teaching and learning and I also need to articulate my vision for Administration / Management and Personal Productivity. The main issue with ICT is the more I learn about it the more I want, and I want it to work first time. I want the future and I want it now! I can recommend this course to anyone but will I ever be allowed to go on a course again?

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