I love using videos in my classes and with the following tool I can even create my own interactive videos! With Educanon you can choose a video from the web (YouTube, Vimeo, or TeacherTube videos) and embed anything you like. You can  transform what is traditionally passive content into an active experience for students.http://www.educanon.com/You can: (1) Build. You can add questions, lesson information, paste a video or a url directly INTO any video.(2) Assign. You can create your class(es) and assign lessons.(3) Monitor. You can watch student progress in real-time, question-by-question.The following simple example I made for you is in preview mode (I didn't create my own class). In the actual student lesson, students cannot fast-forward or skip parts. Moreover, when they are asked to answer some questions, they can write in a blank space that you cannot see in the preview mode.Watch my example: An invitation to visit Britain:http://www.educanon.com/public/10011/23475I think Educanon it's perfect to create your own video lessons in flipped and blended learning environments.Try it!

March, 10th 2014 is the Commonwealth Day.What is the Commonwealth?Some information from the official site of the British Monarchy:http://www.royal.gov.uk/MonarchAndCommonwealth/TheCommonwealth/TheCommonwealth.aspxCommonwealth Day 2014. Events and celebrations:http://thecommonwealth.org/media/event/commonwealth-dayThe aim of the Commonwealth Day is to celebrate the unity, diversity and linkages of the modern Commonwealth and foster greater understanding of the Commonwealth’s achievements and role, particularly among young people.On that day, there is a celebration in Wenstminster Abbey, it is the biggest multi-faith celebration in the United Kingdom and  it features a mixture of testimonies, readings, hymns and musical performances. It is attended by HM Queen Elizabeth II, Head of the Commonwealth, politicians, High Commissioners, Commonwealth dignitaries and up to 200 other VIPs. It is also attended by over 1,000 schoolchildren. Celebrations at Wenstminster Abbey Commonwealth Theme for 2014: TeamCommonwealthTeam Commonwealth expresses a spirit of friendship and motivation towards the shared goals and values that exist between Commonwealth members. This enables them to work together to help one another create just and peaceful societies, achieve sustainable and inclusive social progress, advance democracy, and build economic resilience with prosperity in which all citizens can share.Now surf the following website, consult the timeline and write a brief summary about the Commonwealth history.http://thecommonwealth.org/our-history

Today I tried a very interesting tool. With Fakebook you can invent a profile of any historical or fictional character. Your result will be a Facebook-like page!You can add images, links, "friends", comments and "likes"! It's very interesting and students can have a lot of fun. They can create their own pages or comment yours.I think it could be very useful to study history or literature. I created the following brief example with my students. Some time ago we watched "The king's speech" about king George VI (http://thetravellingteachers.blogspot.it/2014/01/holocaust-memorial-day-january-27th.html), so the Fakebook page is about the period between king George V death and the outbreack of world war II.There are some quotes, original pictures and links to original videos, as well.Have fun!Fakebook: http://www.classtools.net/FB/1049-4XFSKp

This time I tried a fantastic tool to create animations.   GoAnimate is very fun! You can choose your characters, backgrounds, animations, music and voices! As regards the voices, you can record your own voice, upload a file or use the "text-to-speech" (you type in the words). Of course if you use the last option the result will sound more "robotic". http://goanimate.com/  In my example I could'nt use my microphone, so I typed in my dialogues.Anyway, the brief video I created gives the idea of the things you can do with this great tool! Click on the link below. Have fun!http://goanimate.com/videos/0rcV1JZ_xBL8?utm_source=linkshare&utm_medium=linkshare&utm_campaign=usercontent

The Kids Food Festival is a festival against childhood obesity. It takes place in New York. This year it took place on March 1st and 2nd in Bryant Park. http://kidsfoodfestival.com/about-us/our-mission This event focuses on educating families about making balanced food choices through fun and flavorful activities.The festivals goals: 1. Aid in the transformation to balanced eating habits through education and promotion of sensible food choices.2. Help reduce childhood obesity.3. Generate increased demand for wholesome and balanced options of food-related products through education, sampling, and exposure.4. Facilitate collaborations between families, communities, businesses, schools, and public and non-profit organizations.5. Support a charity that helps create a healthier food environment for kids. It's very important to have healthy habits!  American foodhttp://www.usconsulate.org.hk/pas/kids/food.htmFast food - Nutrional advicehttp://www.pamf.org/teen/health/nutrition/fastfood.html British food http://resources.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/food.htmlMediterranean diethttp://oldwayspt.org/programs/mediterranean-foods-alliance/what-mediterranean-diet The Mediterranean diet pyramidhttp://oldwayspt.org/resources/heritage-pyramids/mediterranean-pyramid/overviewNow it's quiz time! Is your fridge... healthy? http://www.healthyfridge.org/kids.htmlThis event helps in the fight against childhood obesity. Learn about the importance of achieving balance in food choices, through fun activities and sampling family-friendly foods. Get your forks ready for a weekend full of flavorful fun! Appetites of all ages will be satisfied! - See more at: http://kidsfoodfestival.com/#sthash.JqmlcGiG.dpuf

Using storyboards can help us to easily transmit any idea, even the most complex, to our students. Storyboards or comics could make it easier to explain events or processes and could help students remember details and put them on a timeline. I have to say that I really had fun! StoryboardThat is a really enjoyable tool to create your own comics!http://www.storyboardthat.com/ This is my short example: Click on the link below to enlarge the image: http://sbt.blob.core.windows.net/storyboards/robertamartino/school-rules.pngI've also tried Make Beliefs Comics.  http://www.makebeliefscomix.com/ Click on the following link to open my strip.http://www.makebeliefscomix.com/Comix/?comix_id=49325928C1233233Lastly I tried Zimmer Twins to create animated strips. It's fantastic!http://www.zimmertwins.com/splashHere you can see my example: http://www.zimmertwins.com/node/1447552I think it would be very useful to make our students create their own storyboards, too. For example, instead of writing only words they could insert drawings to create their reports or summaries.Moreover, by allowing students to use digital tools we can teach them  technological skills that will be very important for their future.

St. Patrick's Day is a religious holiday celebrated on March 17th.  On that day, that falls during Lent, people traditionally attend church in the morning and celebrate in the afternoon. Lenten prohibitions against the consumption of meat were waived and people would dance, drink and feast! The traditional St. Patrick meal consists of Irish bacon and cabbage. The shamrock is a symbol of St. Patrick Day and Ireland in general. It was a sacred plant in ancient Ireland because it symbolized the rebirth of spring.  When St. Patrick came to Ireland he used the Shamrock to symbolize the meaning of the church's teaching on the Trinity.   Can you find any other symbolsof St. Patrick Day? Use the following link:  http://blnds.co/1bD0G52 You can even take a quiz! Here you can have some information about St. Patrick history: http://www.history.com/topics/st-patricks-day  Here you can find videos, typical Irish songs with lyrics, news about St Patrick's parades and Ireland in general:http://st-patricks-day.com/Watch the following video about 10 fantastic facts about St. Patrick Day! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijs-S4g4eCs#aid=P-l8Rgamh1AHow to celebrate St. Patrick's Day like an Irishman...

Teacher quality is the most important within-school factor affecting student performance,  teachers play a key role in creating quality education systems and good learners. So it's very important to be constantly up-to-date. Read the following articles from Edutopia:"Why Is Teacher Development Important?: Because Students Deserve the Best"http://www.edutopia.org/teacher-development-introduction"Teacher Development Research Review: Keys to Educator Success"http://www.edutopia.org/teacher-development-research-keys-successI had a wonderful experience last July in Cambridge. I took a course at Bell Teacher Campus about new technologies in the classroom. This blog was born from that experience! And now I want to share some of those moments with you... Watch my video  clicking on the link below (it's only 6 minutes long)! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lehN4fg8bds&feature=youtu.be"Erasmus plus" opportunities for European teachers:http://www.welcomeurope.com/european-funds/erasmus-813+713.html  http://www.erasmuspluscourses.com/?gclid=CNinopzAjb0CFSQXwwod6iUAug

All the world's a stage,And all the men and women merely players;They have their exits and their entrances,And one man in his time plays many parts,His acts being seven ages.William Shakespeare, As You Like It Act 2, scene 7, 139-143  As an English teacher, I have to say that theatre activities really capture the attention of the students. Students can listen to English mother-tongue actors speaking in a quasi-real language situation. Every year at my school our students have the chance to attend theatre performances played by native English speakers. After the show, the actors organize a workshop with some games and give the students the opportunity to interact with them.These shows are very important because they allow interaction in the target language, the assimilation of a whole range of pronunciation in a contextualized and interactive way and the contextualized acquisition of new vocabulary and structure.And, most of all, the students have a lot of fun! Watch our VIDEO!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWzhI7Dra30&feature=youtu.beA BIG... TO ALL THE ACTORS AND ALL OUR STUDENTS!

The International Day of Happiness was established by the United Nations General Assembly on 28 June 2012. It is celebrated throughout the world on 20th March. The General Assembly,[…] Conscious that the pursuit of happiness is a fundamental human goal,[…] Recognizing also the need for a more inclusive, equitable and balanced approach to economic growth that promotes sustainable development, poverty eradication, happiness and the well-being of all peoples, Decides to proclaim 20 March the International Day of Happiness, Invites all Member States, organizations of the United Nations system and other international and regional organizations, as well as civil society, including non-governmental organizations and individuals, to observe the International Day of Happiness in an appropriate manner, including through education and public awareness-raising activities[…] To learn more click on the following links: http://www.un.org/en/events/happinessday/ http://www.dayofhappiness.net/#context  And now sing along with Pharrel Williams ... because we're happy! What about you?What makes you happy?How do you usually feel?Why do you feel so?Where do you usually feel happier?When do you feel happier?Who makes you feel happy?You can write a report, take or choose a picture that symbolizes happiness for you, write a poem or draw a picture.