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Did you know most of the incoming information to your brain is discarded after 15-20 seconds, unless it is relevant or interesting to you? Hopefully, you haven’t discarded this post yet! You don't want to miss out on learning how a snake can be comforting for some students or why a slice of lime can make a world of difference in the school cafeteria! All learners learn in different ways, relying on different senses. The more information is coming in through a variety of senses, the more likely it is that students will find some of it relevant or interesting. The following tips are to stimulate your creativity – how can you introduce new concepts or skills through a variety of senses? Or how can you meet some of your students sensory needs so they are able to find the information you are teaching to be relevant or interesting. VISION: * Consider using photographs instead of PCS or icons. Some students will relate more to actual photos for their visual schedules instead of other images. Make it even more engaging by having the student take the digital photos. * Comic formatted books can be very motivating for middle school students to read. An app for the iPad, Middle School Confidential: Be Confident in Who You Are addresses many subjects (i.e. liking who you are, not worrying about what others think, what to do when feeling stressed) that are on the minds of middle schoolers. HEARING: * Record social stories for student to listen to at listening center. Use Speech Journal app to combine recorded messages with your own images. * Incorporate music to help with classroom transitions. This can be as simple as playing instrumental music, or teaching the students songs to sing when changing activities. SMELL: * A friend made a weighted snake for her son to wear around his shoulders to give him sensory input. She added the sense of smell by sewing the snake out of one her old bed sheets. Her son loves the comfort of “smelling” his mom at school. * You’ve probably heard of cleaning your palate before courses at a formal dinner party. Did you know there is a way to clear the olfactory palate? How you ask? Put a cut up lime in a baggie and have your child smell it. This can be helpful if all of the smells in a school lunchroom are overwhelming. TASTE: * Some students love to explore objects by tasting them, chewing on them, and/or just putting them in their mouths. Instead of telling the students to stop this behavior, give them an alternative to chew on. It can be as simple as a piece of gum, or a piece of chew jewelry. * It is fun to connect traditional recipes when studying different countries or cultures. For students who have reading challenges, or students learning English as a second language it may be challenging for them to follow a written recipe. There are some visual cookbooks available, but many times they do not contain the recipe the student wants to make. An alternative is to take photos of a person preparing the desired dish and begin making a customized cookbook! TOUCH: * Teachers have been providing fidget items (i.e. squishy ball, Silly Putty, variety of fabrics, etc.) for students to use to help them regulate. Chances are there are probably other children in the class that could also benefit from having a fidget item. Go to your nearest dollar store and purchase a variety of fidget items so you have enough for whole class. Put the items in a tub, bucket, or other storage container and offer them to any student. * Continue providing math manipulatives so students can learn mathematics by doing mathematics. Even middle school students can benefit from having objects to help them move from the concrete to abstract levels of understanding. The brain is constantly looking for patterns; the use of manipulatives helps the student see the patterns. How else can you incorporate Sensational Senses in your lessons? Click on the speech bubble icon below to post a comment. – Charmaine www.visionsandvoicestogether.com
Ever see a sand blubber crab feed, animation of a playful poet's work, a view of the Grand Canyon from a 2 meter wide jet-propelled wearable wing, or a slo-mo Jello video? Me neither! Here is a collection of intriguing videos, sure to be hits with kids of all ages. They can be additions to science lessons, great story starters, or for sheer viewing delight! Click on the bold headline above for your viewing pleasure. Charmaine
Maybe it is okay that I haven't written a Bucket List yet. - Charmaine
A few weeks ago I posted some information about QR codes on my Facebook Page. https://www.facebook.com/VisionsandVoicesTogether Here are 40 more ideas on using QR codes in the classroom. They could be used for book reviews for library books, video tutorials for math problem solving, or fun scavenger hunts! Click on the headline above to see all of the ideas. Post additional ideas you have by clicking the speech bubble icon below. – Charmaine www.visionsandvoicestogether.com
It is distressing to continue to hear people being denied the opportunity to speak! A former student of mine has a strong advocate in his mother. Thank goodness! Years ago his mother introduced her son to facilitated communication. It became the one reliable way for him to express his needs and share his thoughts. As he grew older he has been able to type with the support of new people he developed relationships with. Imagine my surprise when I recently learned that his support staff have been directed by the agency's administrator to no longer use facilitated communication with him. It seems the administrator does not believe that he is independently typing, when he needs the support of someone touching his elbow. Instead of embracing the least dangerous assumption, that there is no harm in allowing this young man to continue to communicate through facilitated communication, they have in fact silenced his voice! Click on the headline of this article to learn more from people who have experienced the power of their voice. If you are a teacher, make sure every student in your building has a communication system and that he/she is supported to use it daily. If you are a parent, persist in your advocacy for your child to have the appropriate communication tools to speak their minds and actively participate in classrooms and communities. Communication is a right, not a privilege! - Charmaine
I am always amazed at how software developers and engineers can do their magic! I am thankful there are people who have the skills and knowledge to make these new assitive tech devices become a reality. These tools are being developed to assist people in their jobs, but also think of the possibilities of what students will be able to achieve with them! Click on the headline above to read the complete article. – Charmaine
I LOVE learning more about brain-based learning strategies. This blog always has terrific ideas! I even ordered some Good Readers posters from her. They will make great door prizes when I do workshops. I showed some parents the poster and they had a super idea to have their son customize it with a photo of himself. I suggested their son may want to explain the strategies in his own words and label the poster with his words. Click on the headline above and read the blog post to learn more. Teachers pick a few brain-based strategies to implement this fall! Parents, share these ideas with your child's teachers! – Charmaine
If you have a child who is receiving special education services, you're more than likely to be very involved with your child's school and teacher — including planning, reviewing, and assessing your child's educational program. These tips apply to parents of ALL children. Positive communication leads to more collaborative relationships. - Charmaine
Kagan specializes in staff development and educational resources for teachers. Visit our online store, magazine and message board � the leading authority on cooperative learning, classroom discipline and multiple intelligences. Many ideas and strategies are in each issue of the free Kagan Online Magazine. Great ways to start the school year with! - Charmaine
Kathie Snow is an incredible mentor for me, a dear friend, and visionary. Chances are you have read her article, People First Language. Make sure you bookmark her website to read over 150 free articles, order her popular book, Disability is Natural, and read stories from families and educators who have embraced a new way of thinking! – Charmaine
These puzzles and problem solving activities make me want to be back in the classroom working with kids! Each engaging activity can be used by students with a variety of math skills. I appreciate the emphasis on developing mathematical thinking and not just rote skills. There are instructional videos for grades K-12, recommended puzzles and apps, and much more! Thanks to iLearn Technology for sharing this site. - Charmaine
The 3Rs of Advocacy: Relationships, Relationships, Relationships
The relationships we develop and nurture make all the difference for our children/students! The tips in this article apply to relationships with school staff, medical personnel, and/or other service providers. There even are tips when relationships become strained. You can access the article here, http://www.visionsandvoicestogether.com/resources/advocacy – Charmaine
Click on the headline to view the video, showing students how fun learning can be. It also reminds teachers and parents to be detectives. Discover and build on students' interests and strengths. – Charmaine
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Great takeaways like: don't have all students sit on same type of chair, don't insist on handwriting, let kids use a "do not disturb" sign, offer choices for tech devices... Click on the headline above to get more useful takeaways! - Charmaine
Wrong on sooo Many Levels
First day of school at a respected high school. Students with significant support needs at this school spend part of their day in the special ed room, and a few periods in general education classrooms, where they’re usually assigned a para-educator or peer partner (a student without a disability). The special ed teacher has decided to provide training to the peer partners on the first day of school. She invites the peer partners into her classroom, and sends the students with disabilities into the hallway with coloring pages. What? High school students coloring? Yes, you read that correctly. One of the students with a disability angrily reported this situation to his mother when he arrived home that day. Initially, his mother shared his anger, but being a creative problem-solver, she gave her son a positive suggestion if/when something similar happened again: to bring his iPad to school and ask the teacher if he could use one of his academic apps instead of coloring. When I first heard about the demeaning treatment of the students with disabilities I was outraged! It’s an antiquated practice from decades ago when students with disabilities were mainstreamed in elementary general ed classes, isolated in the back of the room with coloring pages so they didn’t “bother” anyone. Dozens of thoughts were running through my head. How can this be occurring today with high school students? What must the students be feeling? How competent do you think the peer partners feel the students are? What was the thought process of the special education teacher? Why did she even have coloring pages available to pass out? How did she decide not to involve the students with disabilities in the peer partner training—shouldn’t they be the teachers for this training? What message does this send to the students coloring in the hall? What message does this send to the peer partners or other students walking down the hall? I debated about using the word wrong in the title of this article. That’s not a word I use very often. Should I change it to inappropriate, or something else? No, wrong is the correct word to use. It’s wrong to give students a demeaning task to do. It’s wrong to send the students out of the room and not participate in the peer partner training. It’s wrong to assume students with disabilities can’t tell people what they need and don’t need. It’s wrong to perpetuate the myth that students with significant support needs are unable to do age-appropriate work. Teachers: carefully consider what students are asked to do in your school. Parents: how can you help your children learn to speak for themselves? Click on the speech bubble icon in bottom right hand corner and share your thoughts! Stay in touch and get all of my posts: click on the blue Follow button in the top right hand corner. – Charmaine www.visionsandvoicestogether.com
We have all read the back to school tips and transition tips...I've written articles on this...but I didn't think about telling a student using a wheelchair to make sure his principal didn't purposely deactivate the automatic door switch for the school's front door. I didn't include ideas on how to make sure your son or daughter has a buddy to walk down the hall the first day and how to deal with peers rolling their eyes at you. I didn't share with parents how to make sure your district understands transportation is a related service for qualified students and parents aren't just asking for it for convenience. I didn't think to share with high school special education teachers that having juniors in high school go into the hall and color a coloring page, while she/he trained peer partners would not be a researched best practice. I forgot to let parents know that there are schools where students are not allowed to have accommodations unless they have an IEP. I didn't think to give parents a heads-up that they need a back-up plan for when their first grader gets suspended the first weeks of school. I didn't think to help the single mom know how to react when after the first day of school the staff is complaining about how much support her child needs, and how they can't keep doing that. I think next year my fall newsletter will be different! – Charmaine www.visionsandvoicestogether.com
Many eyes are on the Colorado lawsuit concerning the state's school finance system, Lobato v. State of Colorado. The plaintiffs contend that the there is not a "thorough and uniform system of free public schools throughtout the state", as required by the state constitution. Last week Linda Darling-Hammond, a national education expert testified for the plaintiffs. Click on the headline to read some of her comments on funding, educator collaboration, differentiated instruction, test scores, and other education issues. - Charmaine
I say when you are offered the opportunity to give input, go for it! Wed., Aug. 24th you'll have a unique opportunity to twitter with the Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan! Not into twittering? You can also access the Town Hall meeting next week on the Education Department's ustream channel. – Charmaine
A wealth of information, examples, strategies, and resources about Differentiated Instruction! One of my favorite parts is under the Theory tab. There is a graphic organizer and when you click on each part of the organizer it will open in a new page with additional information. Try it! - Charmaine
Children Need to Pick Their Passions
Our son Dylan is a talented boylesque dancer in a local burlesque troope. Now, was this a goal we had for Dylan when he was younger...no...it was not even a goal we had for him when he was older. But as parents we always told our three children to find a passion and pursue it. I do laugh though, thinking of what the school team would have thought when we were writing transition goals, if we had said, "Dylan wants to be a boylesque dancer!" I wonder what measurable goals they woud have written for that employment ambition. Now, you may be wondering how in the world did this all come about. My husband is still trying to figure this out too. Two years ago Dylan went to a burlesque show for 18+ year olds. Like many other young men in the audience he loved it! That evening he told my husband and I he wanted to dance on that stage one day. Dylan has a way of achieving the goals he sets for himself. He found out he could take a 6 week burlesque dance course and join the troope. Was he ever excited! Dylan took the class and my husband and I learned about a whole other world. I learned how to sew "break-away" shirts for him, my husband was often the chauffeur for the classes and practices, and we both learned about the art form of burlesque. What was most impressive was how all the other dancers welcomed Dylan and included him! They all presumed he was capable and had no questions about him being able to rock the crowd, after all , his stage name is D Rock. He is a valued member, participates in parades and other community events with the troope, goes to birthday and holiday celebrations with his new friends, and of course enjoys performing! Dylan's self-confidence has blossomed, he is learning more about choreographing and dancing, has a new vibrant group of friends...and most importantly, is pursuing his passion! What more could parents ask for? – Charmaine www.visionsandvoicestogether.com
Will there be more than a "slap on the wrist" for South Carolina's Department of Education? The Education Week's blog states that 162 million dollars have been cut from the South Carolina's special education budget since the 2008-2009 school year. It makes you wonder how this has affected the students with disabilities in South Carolina! - Charmaine
My Child at an IEP Meeting?
Our son Dylan, who happens to have Down syndrome attended his first special education planning meeting when he was six weeks old. He has attended every meeting since. When he was very young we had the IEP meetings in our living room. Dylan could be playing there with his toys/dogs while we had the meeting. It gave the school folks a chance to see Dylan in his home environment, see what he was interested in, saw how we intereacted with him, etc. When he was in kindergarten we started having the IEP meetings in his classroom. Again, he could be reading books/playing at the centers while the meeting went on. We started asking him to answer some questions during the meeting – what he liked about school, what was easy for him to do, what was more difficult, who some of his friends were. As he got a little older the school's conference room became the location for the IEP meetings. Dylan had more input in the meeting and started sitting at the head of the table. He started the meeing by introducing people, discussing his strengths and interests, talking about what his past goals were, if he met them, and what new goals he wanted to work on. Why did we think it was important for Dylan to attend these meetings at such a young age? Our family wanted to remind the school staff we were talking about a real, whole person, not a file of reports. Since these meetings were about Dylan, we believed he needed to be there! Students learn important self-advocacy skills and the tone of the IEP meeting is much more positive when students attend. Just as parents can invite others to the IEP meeting, your son or daughter could invite friends that know him/her to the meeting. It can be very comforting to have others your age there, in that room full of adults. I encourage parents to have their child start attending their IEP meetings. It is helpful to discuss with your child what topics will be discussed at the meeting and plan what input they would like to add. Some families have their children make a PowerPoint or video tape of what they would like to add to the discussion and show it at the IEP meeting. Other families will have their children bring photos showing what their interests/strengths/goals are. Dylan is 22 years old now. He audited classes at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs for four years. As a college student he already had experience speaking up for the accommodations he needed. As a young man with Down syndrome, he has grown up knowing it is important to speak up for himself–priceless! – Charmaine, a proud mom www.visionsandvoicestogether.com
Interested in quality resources for both parents and teachers? The Advocacy Institute offers print materials, webinars, CDs, and more. You can also sign up for their free newsletter. I recommend their Deluxe Webinar DVD collection. There are over 40 webinars you can listen to, at your convenience - for only $40.00. The topics include special education issues, but also universal design for learning, gifted education, Response to Intervention, understanding assessments, and many more. - Charmaine
Here are a variety of presentations about Differentiated Instruction (DI) from slideshare. They can be used for professional development or to help explain what DI is to families. I encourage you to check out other presentations on a wide variety of topics available on slideshare! – Charmaine
The Jack Johnson song, Better Together is the ring tone on my cell phone for my husband’s calls. And this sentiment can apply to all of us working together in the new school year! What can you do—as a teacher, parent, student, administrator, or service provider—to be “better together”? Better Together: August issue of my Visions and Voices Together newsletter. Click on bold title above to read the article and newsletter. – Charmaine www.visionsandvoicestogether.com
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