TeachMeet Belfast 2012 – We are the people we have been waiting for…

‘Surround yourself with your tribe’ – Sir Ken Robinson from his inspirational book – Finding Your Element.

‘We are the people we have been waiting for.’ Heather at TeachMeet Belfast last night. It’s hard to choose which one of those quotes to begin with so I will put them both at the top of the page!

We did it… What began as a grand ambitious plan, floated on Twitter because of the people I had spoken to in Berlin and South Africa in 2010; then faded away into the ether of work  commitments only to be resurrected by Corinne’s kick on the rear end in September 2011 finally came to fruition on the 2nd of March with the first ever TeachMeet for Northern Ireland teachers when we met in Stranmillis College with a packed room!

TeachMeet came to Belfast on the back of some outstanding hard work and commitment from some wonderful people. Most of whom I met only twice on the journey to last night’s event. I think that the power of social networking through Twitter and Facebook was demonstrated to the best level when it all came together for us in the packed lecture theatre.

The enthusiasm for our event was overwhelming and we could feel the excitement and the buzz in the air – it was electric as attendees piled into the hall and we realised that we were running out of seats! At least we achieved that one goal – of not falling flat on our faces to an empty room. To see the room fill up as Daithi’s ‘hastily’ arranged, atmosphere setting, audio/visual display played out was truly fantastic. The excitement built, the random generators were prepared and they spat out Damien McHugh to give us a wonderful ‘atmosphere setting’ 7 minute presentation on a Murder Mystery day in his school. His humour, enthusiasm and light-hearted approach to his presentation sent us off on a fantastic evening of ideas, collaboration. inspiration and information that flew by in the blink of an eye.

It looked and felt so smooth, but like anything – for it to look so good, there are always people pulling the strings and it was all coming together as the event unfolded. The raffles built excitement, some of the prizes being truly superb! You could feel the buzz of anticipation in the air as the ‘Fruit Machine‘ churned and all eyes directed looking for the outcome – from Easter eggs to £600 ICT schemes -  we were like kids waiting for Christmas!

The dual screens worked a charm as there was always a constant Twitter feed using Visible Tweets to remind us that we weren’t just in the room. Seeing the tweets come in from all around Ireland and the UK just emphasised how wide we were broadcasting and how small the world is becoming. It also reminded us that people are interested, they want to know what’s going on and if they can’t make it physically they want to participate virtually. At one point there were 144 viewers watching the stream that was going out.

I think TeachMeet Belfast was a wonderful first advertisement for the creativity, collaboration and inspiration that is going on in our Northern Ireland classrooms. There were many there who weren’t teachers but had an interest in what is going on in our schools and I hope that they left with the feeling that things can be positive – that there are enough of us out there wanting to make a difference.

‘First advertisement?’ you ask. First usually means that there are more….

Even before the last attendee was leaving Stranmillis, all the talk was ‘when would the next one be?’ and ‘where would it be?’ So, yes, we will spread the word. The TeachMeet team are planning already. We are taking the feedback from the evaluations that people have been filling out for us and we will be making plans with them. Now that people see that we want to spread the word of collaboration and cooperation between schools, we hope that others want to join us and if last night’s reaction is anything to go by – we might be looking for a bigger venue!!!!

One final thought…

There is a definite ground swell of support for this type of event in Northern Ireland. What really made this obvious was the valuable support we received from our two principal backers – Microsoft Partners in Learning and Momentum.

Maybe we are the people THEY have been waiting for???

Playing the Game – Introducing Kodu

First Things, First

To download Kodu – you need to visit the Microsoft FUSE Labs Site. This page also gives you a good overview of the other software you will need on your PC. However, I have it running on quite an old VAIO, with XP installed (with all the latest updates) and it churns away quite well. If you are wanting to install on the C2K system you will need to ensure that the .NET and XNA software is up to date – a quick phone call should sort this out if needed as it can be quite an awkward download if attempting it yourself.

If you are doing this directly to the Xbox 360 – Kodu can be found on the ‘Live Marketplace.’

Getting to Grips

My first piece of advice would be to play about with the game yourself. There are some excellent examples that come with the download as well as examplar lesson plans and ideas. The best thing about these examples is that they can all be edited. This gives the children some great ideas as well as having the ability to see what is possible.

I personally feel that it is important for the children to have some self-guidance. They enjoy the tutorials without having to be dragged through them and can play around with the code and see what is possible. The tutorials introduce the menu system to the player in an easy to understand way. This simplicity is at the heart of the game -  and it permeates throughout the whole experience.

It’s Child’s Play!

It is important that the children are given a good session at getting to grips with the system – both playing and understanding the coding. I found that emphasising that the computer will not do anything unless the children tell it to is a good way of focusing the ideas. As well as this, we refer back to the programming that was done for the Pro-Bot robots – they only went where they were told. As children are surrounded by ‘intelligent’ machines, this is (maybe) a good way for them to regain control. By opening the game, the children can see all the commands in action and the effect they have on the characters.

In summary

Download Kodu from FUSE labs, along with applicable software.

Play the game yourself – see what the mechanics are and add enthusiasm to the process. It can be as simple or as complex as you want. You will find that regardless of your level of confidence, the children quickly move ahead!

Let the children play with the game – see what’s inside!

Complete the tutorials (they are excellent) as well as watching the tutorial videos.

Plan ahead – Where is the learning in the curriculum???

Do You, Should You, Kodu?

Dear Blog…

I’ve been neglecting you….

It would be fascinating to see how Adrian Mole would read to this generation if he was just starting out on his Diary adventures!

I am aware that I have been neglectful of my blog (unforgivable in these times) but I have been roused back into some level of correspondence with you due to the fact that I have begun reading 21st Century Boys: How Modern Life Is Driving Them Off The Rails And How We Can Get Them Back On Track by Sue Palmer. I am in the early stages but the opening pages are very thought-provoking so I am looking forward to delving deeper into what seems to be a fascinating study / observation.

Analogue Learning…

If you have read my pages before (and I humble thank you for taking the time to do so) you will be aware of my interest in introducing Game Based Learning into my classroom. There are already many more learned practitioners than I working in this medium (Tim Rylands for one) and I will be forever playing catch up but I feel that I am making enough inroads to be able to share some thoughts on the matter. I am very fortunate to have a principal who is willing to allow me to work in this medium with the children knowing that I am trying to improve engagement and interest in learning. So, again, I thank her and her (perceived) wisdom.

Thinking outside the Eggs Box (Sorry Ollie!)

Ollie Bray from Scotland is one of the pioneers of Game Based Learning in Britain. Having had worldwide success with his project of integrating Xbox360 and Guitar Hero into the classroom to encourage collaboration between primary and post-primary schools, Ollie has been advising the Scottish Government on the merits of Game Based Learning through the Consolarium project.  He is someone who makes me think (and if that means me being quiet for a while, there are a lot of people who would like to thanks him!). He also introduced me to the merits of using Kodu in class and, although initially suspicious, I have to say a big ‘Thank you’ for the introduction.

I have mentioned the use of Kodu on here before but haven’t gone into a lot of depth. Over the next few posts I intend to give you a brief outline of how I introduced Kodu into the classroom and the effect it had on some of the children and their learning. I hope to give you some ideas that you might want to consider trying out with your own class. Remember, we expect them to learn from their mistakes so we should also be prepared to make them!

Session 1 – No Computers!

The Wednesday afternoon classes are intended to give our children experience of a range of skills. We offer them Basketball, Netball, Gaelic Football, Dance/Drama and ICT.

I introduce the children to the concept of creating a game or a level within a game and what is involved – the thinking skills, collaboration, cooperation, etc. This is nicely done through the use of Portal and Portal 2, by Valve. This game is simple in its concept – yet mind-blowing complexity in its application. In a nut shell, players have to get from one side of a room to another using a ‘Portal’ gun. I hope the video above helps!

I sell the same concept to the children – transport an egg from one side of the classroom to the other using a Pro-Bot floor robot and K’nex construction rods. To build the excitement, I drop one of the eggs into a bowl to let them see it smash – the others are hard-boiled but they don’t know that! The Pro-bot has holes at each corner specifically designed to take K’nex rods. And so the teams of 4 from P5 to P7 set off to complete the challenge – over three 2 hour sessions. The teams have to design a cradle that will hold the egg securely in place while at the same time plotting a path from one door of my classroom to the other. Both tasks require a lot of cooperation and collaboration at the heart of their thinking skills – the corner-stone of cross-curricular skills. The children throw themselves whole-heartedly into the project to be the first to build the cradle successfully and navigate the simple path in the quickest time.

The buzz of excitement that is generated in these first few classes is special! The children want to succeed – there is no fear of failure. This is a feeling that we, as teachers, would love to generate about all areas of learning that we undertake with the children but, in reality, of course it isn’t always like this. The groups want to learn how to do the task. They want to get involved and solve the problem. They enjoy the competition factor as well – looking for that edge over the other groups in the class. All these things add up to a wonderful introduction to GBL in my class, I feel.

Pro-Bots are programmed; instructions are recorded, edited (and edited again), on the computers; routes are measured and converted between units; eggs are measured in tiniest details; sturdy (and not so sturdy!) designs are crafted, changed and rebuilt to support the precious egg… and so on. The direct and indirect learning that takes place is great to see. After completing the task, the children then evaluate their learning using a FlipCam to record their thoughts and ideas. Again, I can not emphasise enough what a superb addition to the classroom these cameras are. Children want to record their thoughts to share with the class and, in turn, we can evaluate each others’ ideas and models.

I hope you find this a good introduction to GBL in my classroom and I will be following it with how the unit progressed throughout the term in the very near future. As always,  I would welcome any thoughts you might have on anything I post.

BTW – Kodu is a free download and is compatible with C2K(NI) systems. Some in that team see the value of initiative and are always willing to help so I, for one, won’t be giving the grief that I have in the past. A big ‘Thank You’ for your help – I won’t embarrass you if you are reading this but you know who you are!

To Follow:

Playing the Game – Kodu introduced

Outside the Game – Literacy and Numeracy Skills

Further Ideas for the classroom

Teaching Plans

Climb Every Mountain!

 

This summer I had the dubious honour of turning 40! According to many it’s the beginning of Middle Age and that slow descent into retirement – I, for one, don’t look at it that way… For me, it’s the next birthday after the 39th and the one before the 41st – no more, no less. However, to acknowledge this landmark I set myself a goal of cycling up Alpe d’Huez and its famous 21 hairpin bends. This is the most famous mountain on the Tour de France and just seeing it was a lifetime ambition – never mind tackling it on a bicycle! Accompanying me was my recently retired (and loving it) father who has a similar, if not more devoted, interest in cycling.

On the 11th August at 10-00am we set off on Le Grand Depart with about 50 other tourists and locals for the weekly tourist race. At 11-48am (and 43 seconds) we tumbled over the finishing line – joint second last but elated! A goal achieved, a sense of accomplishment obtained…

 

And?

The reason I begin with this little adventure is that I got thinking about goals and achievement of them for both ourselves and our young people (there’s not much else to concentrate on other than pain on the mountain). What is the mountain that we should be encouraging our children and ourselves to train for and, eventually, conquer?

I can’t do it!

Not the usual complaint of the child in class but the complaint of too many of our teachers when trying to introduce new technologies to the classroom. Many of our teachers are afraid of the same technology that our children are immersed in and, as a consequence, fluent in. Should this be? Surely we should be up to date with the same technology they are using on a daily basis so that we can understand better. As teachers, I feel, that we have a moral (besides legal) duty to give all of our children the best opportunities in life – regardless of background. How many of us use a dictionary to work out the meaning of a word we don’t understand but won’t sit down to learn how to use a piece of software that will make a child’s schooling a more enjoyable and interactive experience? Surely it is the same persistence required!

However, I am not blameless. I know that my enthusiasm for such tech and software can be daunting and intimidating to ‘newbies.’ So, as with the climb up L’Alpe D’huez I will take it slowly in future and encourage fellow teachers along instead of racing ahead and hoping that they catch up. I will be the tempo setter and guide the staff up their personal mountains and, hopefully, sail down the other side in a glorious descent!

The Children?

This will be my personal reminder to them that they can set achievable goals and be successful. Yes, it does take time and ‘training’ and persistence but isn’t that what is missing in today’s instant gratification society? Their ‘mountain’ can be simply mastering their tables or being as multimedia literate as possible by the time they leave my class. Whatever their ‘Golden Goal’ is, it should be something that is motivating enough to say ‘I did it! Now, what’s next?’

With a lot of technology, children don’t see this as the same mountain some adults do. To many of them, it’s just a new skill to be learnt and added to their ever-expanding repertoire. A bump, if you will, on the educational journey. Maybe it’s about time I turned some mountains back into mole-hills. (End of cycling metaphors!)

Challenging Times

 

Today I revisited a lesson that I have done a number of times in my classroom. You know that you are becoming an institution in a school when older siblings prime younger ones for ‘The Card Lesson.’

The Thinking

I have always been very adamant that children who leave my class have a sense of their responsibility to society, especially in Northern Ireland where I hope we don’t repeat the mistakes of the past (lefty liberal, that I am!). To this end I like to explore symbols of Northern Ireland in my class in a neutral, open environment. This is a very interesting unit and runs parallel to a small ‘situation’ I give the children to work out.

The Set-Up

Without warning, my children come into class to find a playing card on their desk. They are told that the card is not to be touched until I give permission. They are then told that they will either turn-up a black or red card.

‘Under no circumstances do you want a red card,’ I begin. This is followed by me explaining, at great length, that those who receive a red card will have an awful day, while the rest will be allowed free time to do what they want – art, computer time, etc. After more exposition where the expectation is heightened, each table is asked to turn their cards over and if a child turns over a red card, they are to leave the class immediately and wait for me in a resource room that we access through another door in the classroom.

I’m sure that you can appreciate the atmosphere in the classroom as table-by-table, children turn cards to discover their fate!

Strong Children

By now, I hope that you realise that the cards are primed for certain children. I choose children who wouldn’t naturally get into trouble or who I think have the strength of character that I need. The door to the resource room which the children exit to, has very large vision panels, enabling the class to see me speaking to the children I have chosen. They stand with their backs to the class while their peers can see, but not hear, my very angry and bitter facial expressions that I pull as I tell these 4 or 5 kids that I need them to act miserably for me as I ‘punish’ them by making them sit in corners, facing walls, while around them the rest of the class are enjoying themselves.

This takes massive amounts of trust between me and my ‘volunteers’ and it is always given as they enjoy being conspirators in the deceit!

Who’s Brave Enough?

After returning to class I am quite spiteful to my conspirators: making their lives a misery; speaking in very angry tones to them; etc. All the while I’m the best in the world to the other children, getting them to relax and enjoy themselves.
And I wait…
I wait for those in my class who don’t like the set-up to complain to me! Surely, this situation is so wrong that something has to be done about it?
And I wait…
Inevitably there are a lot of rumblings around the classroom about how it isn’t fair or that the children involved haven’t done anything wrong and never have.
And I wait…

The First Time

Today, for the first time I was actually challenged about my behaviour by a number of girls in the class. They were so nervous that the spokesperson was actually shaking when speaking to me and the other girls weren’t too far behind!

This was exactly the result I wanted but it was built on false foundations as, last week, I told them about some of our ex-pupils who had stood up to a situation in their new schools. However, they did it to me and I was delighted. I managed to deflect them to see how they would cope with being dismissed. So, what did they do? They embarked on an unofficial, low-key strike!

Wonderful, absolutely wonderful! The girls didn’t think I had noticed but I did see that they refused to participate in any of the activities by just sitting in their seats, arms folded, not talking to anyone. I was, and still am, so proud of them for this but I couldn’t let them see that I had acknowledged their resistance.

Relief

After about 40 minutes of this ‘charade’  I broke the news to the rest of the class that it was all a set-up and that my ‘volunteers’ had been in on the prank all along. The release of emotion was almost palpable as those children who were struggling with the situation now had relief from their inner struggle! We then had a class discussion (not ‘Circle Time’ which I despise – too artificial in my eyes) where we all faced up to what had happened.

Where Were You When We Needed You?

My boys and girls, this year, have been a remarkable class for their inclusion considering the extremities of abilities in the class. They look out for each other, make sure that nobody is left out and generally display a very caring attitude to each other.

So, why didn’t they all complain at my change in behaviour? Fear? Loyalty? Relief? Revenge?

All these emotions and more came out as we found out why they were prepared to let my behaviour continue. Fear that they might have to sit in the corner if they complained; Loyalty to (Fear off?) me as the class teacher as such behaviour is totally out of character; Being overcome by relief that they didn’t get a red card and so took the opportunity to enjoy the free time; Taking delight in the misfortune of others and revelling in the way they were being treated (very, very rare – but there!)

Learning?

I apologise for the length of the explanation of the activity but, I’m sure you can appreciate, it does need some explaining. The turn of a card decided the fate for five children this morning – it wasn’t their fault.

But neither is it the fault of someone being born Jewish and suffering in the second World War. It isn’t the fault of someone being born a different colour and being enslaved / imprisoned for it. It isn’t the fault of someone being a Catholic or Protestant and being discriminated / beaten / killed because of it. Nor is it the fault of  the child preyed upon by the adult. But this is what happens in our society – it’s all around us and a reality in too many lives. If no-one speaks up, who will say that it is wrong?

I want the children to speak up about my behaviour because it’s wrong and shouldn’t happen. One day, hopefully, I will get reported to the principal (who is fully aware of what is happening at the time, by the way, primed to take the knock on the door) and someone will speak up against the wrong going on in our microcosm of society in our classroom that morning.

Finally

I will follow-up the activity with a viewing of ‘The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas’ to give the children an insight to what happens on a grander scale and what the consequences of human behaviour can ultimately be.

One thing, however, that needs to be revisited is the guilt of those children who wanted to challenge the behaviour, felt they couldn’t, but regret not taking the final step…

 

 

 

Post-Script

Four of the five children chosen this morning have older siblings who have been in my class. Ironically, they were all aware that I had done this before so I was fortunate (clever?) in choosing them! Now, I have to think of something different for next year…

The Residential

So, as I sit here and type this entry, my class and I are currently on the second evening of our four night residential visit to England. This is the fourth year that the trip has happened and I thought I might share some thoughts regarding such visits.

‘Why would you do that?’
The most common comment made regarding this annual visit. We fly over from Belfast on the Monday, visit Alton Towers on the Tuesday and Thursday; with a visit to the ‘ThinkTank’ science centre sandwiched in-between.
For most of the children, this is a major event in their lives – spending 5 days away from their families in a different country. However, what a wonderful opportunity to mature and gain an excellent sense of your own independence!

‘What learning opportunities do the children get?’
As well as the more obvious science activities in ‘ThinkTank’ and the tenuous physics being taught through them study of roller coasters (ahem!) the opportunities the visit gives the children are outstanding:

- Independence. As already alluded to, this is a great chance for the children to develop their own character and confidence in being away from the family unit. What better way to develop their character before transition to post-primary than to share this common bond in being away together?

- Budget setting. My children are given £20 spending money each day from which they have to buy their lunch as well as any treats or novelties they might want. There is also a visit to a shopping centre on the last day so they are encouraged to put money aside to gain the main benefit from that experience. It is amazing how quickly their mental maths skills develop while working out of they can afford that picture from ‘Oblivion!’

- Self-management. Having to keep rooms tidy, share common dorm space, make their beds, today away breakfast utensils, clean up shower rooms, re-pack a suitcase, ensure compliance with air-travel rules, budget for their lunch, eat healthily instead of choosing the easy fast-food option, work to a timetable in the mornings and afternoons…

This is just a short list from the top of my head but, even then, it lends itself very nicely to illustrating the ‘real-life’ learning that goes on while here. Many of these experiences are so vital in our busy world.

In Conclusion
There are many more reasons that I should list to illustrate the value of this time away but would begin to sound ‘preachy.’ However, each year I don’t have a line of volunteer teachers willing to take my place on the trip (though the assistants usually shine!) and I think that it’s a shame.
To share this experience with the children is, many times, a pleasure though it is hard work but the children deserve to see that there are adults who will go that extra mile for them so that they can look back on their school days and have at least one shining memory.

Minimise the risks and ensure that you have as much control as possible over proceedings – never putting your children in unnecessary risky situations. About the only things I can’t control this week are the piloting of the plane, the driving of the coach and the weather!

We are lucky to be able to stay in Smallwood Manor, Uttoxeter, where we are the only group in the premises during our stay. I heartily recommend them for their kindness to our children and staff over the years – nothing is ever too much trouble!

Don’t overpack and you will save money! We only allowed the children to take hand luggage on the flight and it was surprising how much money we saved – over £80 compared to last year when we allowed the children to check in hold luggage. Again, more life skills in operation.

The power of ‘Twitter, gives the parents live updates of their children’s experiences through commentaries and photo/video uploads. It also relieves a lot of stress and anxieties on both parties.

Finally, give your children the benefit of the doubt – they might surprise you! We currently have pupils away with us whom other schools effectively refused to accept and they have been stars.

Analogue Learning With Digital Resources – Part 2

I’ve been meaning to update the site with a follow-up to the previous post. This time it is to do with using the Nintendo DS in the classroom – specifically with the ‘game’ ‘Maths Training.’

This piece of software for the Nintendo DS is designed to encourage users to develop mental maths skills through a series of daily tests and tracked scores. The ‘game’ is in the same category as the popular ‘Brain Training’ series of games but doesn’t have the variety of activities that are in these games. This was important as I wanted the consoles and games to focus on developing the chiildren’s numeracy skills. As well as this there are a number of practice tests to help the user between the daily exercises. I bought this for my daughter to use on her DS and when I saw what it acutally offered, I spoke to my supportive principal and we eventually purchased 10 DS systems with 10 copies of the game. These are available to our teachers for when they want to use them for their mental maths activities – specifically in smaller groups. They are also being used by our Numeracy support teacher to encourage children who attend her classes.

So, why?

All but 4 of the children in our primary 5-7 classes have the Nintendo DS system in one form or another. This means that there is an interface available that the children do not need practice in (as well as the teachers!) as they have day-to-day experience. For those unfamiliar with the system, there are two screens – the bottom one being a touch screen that operates via a stylus. I felt that we had a ready-made attractive interface for the children that would also encourage participation.

The main issue was educating the parents in the use of the system and the software. It wasn’t simply ‘playing games’ as many of them feared. Surprisingly, many of them did have the DS and so were familiar with what it had to offer. Therefore, the integration of the system into school was easier than we had foreseen, thankfully.

The interface is straight-forward and very easy to navigate with the user being given three options at the opening screen – ‘Daily Test’ ‘Kageyama Method’ and ‘Practice Exercises.’

One thing I really like about the game is the option to create users (up to 3) and that it takes account of the user being left or right handed. In school, we created just two users and named them ‘left-handed’ and ‘right-handed’ meaning that the children just selected the user that reflected their use of hand to input their answers using the touch screen and stylus through handwriting recognition. This meant, though, that we do not record the users daily test scores or track development in tests. However, we feel that the daily practice tests are enough and it does leave one user per system for the children attending numeracy recovery classes if the teacher feels that she wants to use this feature.

Daily Test

As mentioned above, we do not use this in school but encourage the children who have the sytem at home to keep a record of their scores. It comprises of a series of daily ‘tests’ that are subsequently recorded and tracked as daily scores. Anyone familiar with the ‘Brain Training’ will know this scheme.

Kageyama Method

This consists of a variety of ‘cells’ – much like a tables hundred square where the operation is in the top left corner with appropriate numbers along the top and down the left hand side. The children then race against the clock to input as many correct answers as possible. This ranges from simple 10 cells through 30, 50 and eventually 100 cells for the children to tackle. This can be done and the scores recorded for classroom ‘league table’ or (which is highly popular) the DS consoles can link via their own wireless settings and the children can race each other to be first finished. You can imagine how popular this is with the children and we encourage them to participate against each other in this way.

Practice Tests

This gets the biggest use in our school due to the large variety of tasks that can be practised. I have included a link below to the series of tasks that I distributed to our teachers.

The practice tests are arranged in a  series of tabs and each one is timed. Recording this time in a spreadsheet is an excellent way for the children to track their performance in different areas as well as seeing practical data handling in action through the use of the spreadsheet. (I used this to great effect in the Microsoft Innovative Teachers Conference in Cape Town recently. It was fantastic to watch as adults got completely absorbed in trying to beat each others’ times and, so, be ‘top dog.’ Also, it was remarkable to watch how adults collapsed under the pressure of trying to recall their tables under the gaze of a watching audience! My children, in class, had a great time trying to beat the times recorded by adults from all around the world.)

The skills range from flash cards encouraging counting within 10, through number bonds within 10 and 20 to practice in repeated addition(up to 5 digits); tables recall and long multiplication! As you can see, a complete range of mental skills that can be used in the classroom and throughout the age range in school.

One point to raise is cost. We purchased original DS consoles that didn’t have the camera interface. There were two reasons for this – one was the issues being raised around children having unregulated access to the cameras that the DSi had. Secondly, the DS console was much cheaper for what we wanted! I see, now, that this can be picked up for as little as £50 second-hand.

I am also lucky to have a good relationship with my local GAME store and the manager there helped source the required number of games and consoles for me.

If you are interested, the link below will take you to the range of operations that can be used in the DS system. Please do let me know what you think!

DS Skills