Be a DOer, Not a Dreamer... Or Be Both

As award-winning writer and tv producer Shonda Rimes said to the 2014 graduating class of Dartmouth College, “Be a doer, not a dreamer,” I’m a doer.  I like solutions.  I like decisions.  I like to make decisions and try solutions and if they don’t work, I like to try a new solution.  I like to help other people make decisions and find solutions, and when I found myself “taking a break” from the only career I had ever known (teaching students with mild, moderate, and intensive disabilities), I had to DO something.  I found myself in a job that I found lackluster; something about doing the same reading interventions over and over with little technology integration didn’t thrill me.  While I have found ways to make it more entertaining for students, I still find the process a little dry.  I needed to DO something else.  I needed to DO something else that could integrate all students, all types of learners and DOers into the school community.

What I started DOING with my professional (and personal) learning network blossomed into a movement at Highland Drive Elementary School (grades K-3) in Brecksville, Ohio that I had never planned for or imagined.  Six to ten educators hanging out on the weekend at a community woodworking shop in the city moved to a “club” during lunch and recess time which then transformed into the Highland Drive makerspace (aka “the STEAM room”); an entire classroom space complete with a mini library of “makers” books like Ish by Peter H. Reynolds, The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes by Gary Rubinstein, Ada Twist, Scientist by Andrea Beaty, and the Smithsonian Maker Lab by Jack Challoner.  

Thanks to donations from parents and staff, a grant from the Brecksville-Broadview Heights Schools Foundation, and an additional grant from a group called the GPD Employee’s Foundation (an organization that provides grant money to Northeast and Central Ohio as well as Atlanta, Indianapolis, Louisville, Phoenix, and Seattle), our makerspace boasts three desktop computers, access to 14 iPads (shared with the Reading Intervention program), 15 LEGO Education WeDo Kits and accompanying software, scrapbook paper, pipe cleaners, scissors, glue, googly eyes, a LEGO wall, and more!  

The makerspace is used for every Thursday and Friday at lunch and recess for “Makers’ Club.”  With help from my reading co-teacher Sharon Wiesler, second and third grade students are invited to the makerspace to work on a “challenge” or “project” each week during their lunch and recess times. They follow the design process and start by identifying a problem.  They then take time to brainstorm and plan, create, and then evaluate what they’ve created.  The room is also open for teachers to sign up to bring their Kindergarten, first, second, or third grade classes in to complete science experiments or complete the “Project of the Week” on a daily basis.  With every project, we try to make sure that students are engaging in the design process while also learning how to share, collaborate, and solve problems with other students.

Projects have varied so far, in length and intensity, but have been largely successful. Problems we have worked to solve and projects we’ve done this year have included:

• Using marshmallows and toothpicks, design and build a phone stand for the teacher’s cell phone that is at least 6 inches tall and will hold it up off the table for at least 10 seconds.
• The weather is changing (discussion on seasons).  What happens to the animals when the weather gets colder in Northeast Ohio?  What can we do to help? (Bird feeders and houses were created and placed in our “Highland Island,” an animal and plant sanctuary at our school.)
• Plan for and create LEGO “robots” using the WeDo kits and software
• Using the available materials (cups, cotton balls, straws, pipe cleaners, string, tape, glue, and a few other items), create a carrier for a ping pong ball that will carry it down the zip line (fishing line) in 4 seconds or less.
• Learn to use hammers and screwdrivers along with other basic tools.
• Create “Sticky Slime” that hardens quickly, but softens again based on heat from your hands.
• Using ten straws and ten inches of plastic wrap, can you build a boat that can hold 25 pennies without sinking for X number of seconds?

In the fall, the makerspace teamed with the Kindergarten teachers at our school to plan “pumpkin investigations” that were then modified for each grade level to complete during the week before Halloween.  Students were able to describe the pumpkins, use synonyms, measure the pumpkins using standard and nonstandard measures, determine if the pumpkins would sink or float, estimate the weight and then weigh the pumpkins, touch the insides of the pumpkins and count seeds, sketch different kinds of pumpkins, smell the pumpkins AND even taste the roasted seeds of the pumpkins.  There were lots of sensory opportunities built in and even the students with moderate-intensive special needs took a trip to the makerspace for this adventure; exactly the purpose of this “multi-purpose” space.  Just as Lisha Kraft states in her article “The Way We Talk About Education Today Reflects Growth of the Maker Mindset” in Make Magazine on Oct. 17th, 2016, “As more and more educators see the limitations often set by a typical worksheet, and they utilize such strategies as, project-based learning, differentiated instruction, inquiry-based instruction, collaborative learning, and student-centered instruction, educational barriers will continue to crumble and disappear.”

While I continue to take a break from teaching students with mild, moderate, and intensive special needs, Mrs. Wiesler and I encourage ALL students to both read and DO something every day.  Using the mindset “Create more than you consume,” we encourage students to use simple and recyclable materials to create while finding their own passions for learning.

Our Experience with the Global Read Aloud!

So, 4 weeks ago, we started the Global Read Aloud Project for 2011.

Rewind.

During the summer months, I sent the parents of my students a lengthy "Summer Newsletter" to describe some things that would be going on in our classroom ("Room 5," a resource room for students with moderate-intensive special needs) this year.  The newsletter contained information on the Global Read Aloud Project aka "The Flat Stanley Project."

I was unsure about participating in this project, but wanted to continue to find ways to teach my students some 21st Century Skills like collaboration, making global connections, and increased communication.  I saw this project on twitter, created by Pernille Ripp (@pernilleripp) and thought, "we could give that a try."

In the weeks leading up to the project, I checked the participant list and map repeatedly.  Would there be other special education classes participating?  Who would we "make connections" with?  Would our projects look small, less, or not up to par with those learning in a general education classroom?  Would we be able to create these projects, and how would I modify all these things to meet the individual needs of my students?

I'm not sure why I felt these uncertainties.  I should know by now that my kids ALWAYS stretch AND reach all expectations placed on them.  Why not raise the bar to have them stretch and even leap to meet it?

So, we dove in with Flat Stanley.  I wasn't sure, originally, about the book choice.  Would we understand this book seeing as though my students are so "literal" and do not relate well to "fantasy" stories?  But instead, I collected all the "Stanley" books around the elementaries in the district that I could find to show that Stanley is really quite a popular guy.  Then, I decided that we would do what we could in the interest of making this a fun and interesting project.  If the kids didn't like it, we would stop.  No harm, no foul.

On day 1, I introduced Flat Stanley and the "Flat Stanley Bag."   The "Flat Stanley Bag" contained a hard laminated "Stanley," Flat Stanley the chapter book, directions for parents, a digital camera (I bought at Target for only $40 for fear of losing/breaking it), and "Stanley's Adventure Notebook."  On Stanley's first day with us, we took lots of photos around the classroom and wrote our piece in the Adventure Notebook as an example of what the kids would do at home with Stanley.  Also on day 1, we looked through Stanley's original picture book and the chapter book.  We made some predictions and did some talking about real vs. make believe books.

On day 2, we gave the "Flat Stanley Bag" to our first of seven "Room 5 Friends" to take home for the week.  We also began to read chapter 1. 

As the days passed on, we read and reread chapters to make sure that we understood the main events.  Vocabulary in the story was changed so that I could ensure my students would understand the story (example, I changed the word "parcel" to "package.").  We spent the entire first week on chapter one and made the class book "Flat Stanley is as Flat as..."  Some students needed visual choices for this activity and others needed verbal choices.  Some students were able to generate an idea on their own and some needed to see examples of other students' work.  By the end of that week, Flat Stanley was as flat as a pancake, a hamburger, a mirror, an iPad, and an envelope.

Third graders with e-portfolios were blogging every other day about Stanley and his adventures.  They made predictions based on pictures and chapter titles and posted them on their Weebly sites.

By week 2, we were ready to see what would happen to Stanley next!  We read chapters 2 and 3, modified ideas we found online, and came up with a few original ideas.  We made some "life-size" paintings of Stanley, each child able to make color choices and paint choices on his/her own.  One third grader made his own "Flat Jaguar Stanley" and laughed and laughed at his own idea.  We also worked on another class book, "If I was Flat like Flat Stanley, I would..."  We had students helping others, being flat like an iPad, hiding in the gym with Flat Martin (our principal has his own flat life sized cut out), taking care of roosters, and riding on the school bus. 

At the end of week 2, we planned to Skype with two different classes.  I was fearful about "skyping" with general education kids for fear that they would not understand... Another silly uncertainty!

Our two first graders and two kindergarten students "skyped" to Ms. Wilson's class in Atlanta, Georgia.  They shared our two class books and our life sized paintings.  Then, Ms. Wilson's small group of first graders asked some questions about our town and our weather.  We found out that it was "getting cold in Georiga.  It was almost 70 degrees!"  We laughed and shared that it would get to 38* that night in the Cleveland area!

Our 3 third grade students "skyped" to Mrs. Bond's third graders in Michigan!  Our third graders again shared the two class books and life sized paintings.  We also got to experience the joys of technology and practice our "waiting skills" while our Skype connection was a little shaky.

The last activity we did during week 2 was coloring our paper Stanley's and getting them ready to be mailed to our family and friends.  Some students mailed Stanley to siblings, aunts and uncles, and grandparents.  One student mailed his to our special education aide's son in the Marines is Missouri.  Another went to the home of our speech therapist, Miss K, and still another went to our friends in Ms. Dunsinger's Room in Cananda!

During week 3, we read a very long and detailed chapter 4.  We read this chapter up to 3 times depending on grade level to make sure we understood the main events.  We posted on blogs and created flat characters of ourselves!  Check out the flat versions of my students!

During week 4, we finished reading chapter 5 and our third grade friends created a Photo Story of the work we had completed.

Wait, the project was supposed to be over after week 4... But we didn't share our Flat Stanley Bag and Adventure Notebook yet!  And we didn't get our Flat Stanley's back from our family and friends yet!  And we didn't get to check out Ms. Dunsinger's kiddos blogs about our very own Flat Stanley!

Now, as I sit at home on this cold and windy Saturday night, I'm thinking, can we even finish this up in FIVE weeks?  Will we push it to SIX?  SEVEN?

And I thought this might not go well????  We LOVE Flat Stanley!!!

Another cool thing about this project is that I managed to convince another teacher in our school to participate.  I was hoping to convince more than one, but even getting one is such an accomplishment!  Mrs. Pagel and her second graders also participated in the Global Read Aloud project, posted projects on the Global Read Aloud wiki, created Photo Stories, created a Voice Thread, AND Skyped!!!  Oh, AND made a Wall Wisher, AND made life sized "flat" characters of some teachers around the building AND came to Buddy Read with us during week 3!  Thanks Mrs. Pagel!

WOW!

So, in essence, the point I am trying to get to with this blog- OUR KIDS CAN DO ANYTHING!

And, I'm still not sure if any other special education classes participated, but, next year, I am going to be sure to encourage them to!

We cannot wait until next year's GRA and look forward to making even more connections throughout the year!

(Note to skeptics: This project included reading comprehension, listening comprehension, reading fluency, problem solving, story elements, written expression, literary genres, making global connections, practicing social skills, addressing an envelope, writing a letter, blogging, fine motor skills, and communication!!!!)

Challenge Me with Chapter Books!

After reading the book Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper, I couldn't help but wonder...

What are my students thinking that they can't express to me?

Is our content watered down?  Are they wondering why we are learning similar concepts year after year, sometimes with the same trade book, the same Brain Pop Jr. video, the same SMARTboard lesson?

What have my third graders been trying to show me, or tell me, that I haven't been listening to?  Have I challenged them enough?

And so...

We started a new adventure.

Chapter books.

Chapter Book #1- Freckle Juice by Judy Blume. 

I wasn't fully prepared, but I was ready to learn as we went along.  I figured the kids would show me what they needed and I would adjust as we went along.  We started with predictions, a picture walk, an explanation of what a chapter book is, a reminder of what authors do, and how famous an author Judy Blume really is.  Homework included "Googling" Judy Blume and writing down other book titles and also rereading the chapters we read during the school day.

We also began to fill out a graphic organizer on EDU Glogster which can be found here-  http://morgank18.glogster.com/frecklejuice-graphic-organizer/

Then, as we read the first chapter and I prompted my friends to have "listening ears," to "keep listening," and to "listen for two more pages," I realized that perhaps we needed more visuals.  Why didn't this occur to me earlier?  I know my students are visual learners, they need visuals, right?  Yep.

This prompted us to create "notebooks."  We added pictures as we read each chapter to make the reading come to life, visually.  We also visually defined the characters, the setting, and some vocabulary.

We also decided that, after reading these short chapters, we should take smaller comprehension quizzes, rather than a summative quiz at the end of the book.  The quizzes were also visually based, using most of the same visuals created for our "notebooks."

Then, we started adding to our e-portfolios.

We added "Wordles" and some "Thinking Stems" that we wrote together in class, then typed individually.

As a final project, we created simple "portraits" of the main character, Andrew.

Lastly, we created a file folder to put in our "Independent Work" area to be able to maintain the vocabulary words we learned with this chapter book.

All in all, I think I learned some valuable lessons from my third graders with autism and Down syndrome here. 

First, USE VISUALS.


Second, REREAD AND REREAD AGAIN.


Third, REVIEW NEW VOCABULARY REPEATEDLY.

Fourth, THEY CAN DO IT!!!

Hooooooray for us!  We'll next be venturing into reading a chapter book on the Kindle for iPad App.  Wish us luck:?

Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper

Last night, I finished reading Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper, a book recommended to me at least 3 times in the last month.

A summary and Q&A with the author can be found here.

As I sometimes do, I want to share my feelings about this book, as it pertains to special needs. 

First, I have to acknowledge that this book is fiction.  And I was caught in the first chapter by a spunky 11 year old who has cerebral palsy and has never spoken a word.  I love her.  I know her.  I talk to her every single day. And yet, she told me so much in this book that I didn't know, that I should've known.

Second, I was unaware that this book was written for "younger readers" as I was reading it on my Kindle.  How awesome.  What a great way for students to understand differences in their classmates!

As much as I liked this book and feel it's a great read and a great step in the process of getting kids and adults alike to accept others and their similarities and differences, there are some things I think are lacking.

The author uses words like "handicapped" and "retard."  I know this is jargon and can possibly help kids relate, but I would have liked to see more discussion of how the 'r-word' is misused and hurts both a person and a family.  Words matter.  And a larger dialogue about these words could've made a difference.

I also would've liked more information about what happens in "H-5."  Melody makes it seem as though she can do anything she wants, play around, watch movies, and have free time in H-5 with the other kids with special needs.  The teacher in H-5 is never represented as a real teacher, nor is he/she ever seen as responsible for Melody's education, IEP, communication, goals, social situations, inclusion classes, aide assistance, or anything else.  The H-5 teacher is simply present.  Doing what?

I often find that "normal kids" wonder what happens in "that" room.  It would've been nice to have more description of the teacher, the classroom, the other students, the education that can and does take place in the classrooms like H-5.

And where was the principal? The Speech Therapist?  The Physical Therapist?  The Occupational Therapist?  The School Psychologist?  Melody's private speech therapist? The county communication specialist?   How could they have gone so long without getting Melody a communication device?  Why would it have taken so long to get her into Inclusion classes?  And why in the world would any of the teachers let Claire and Molly speak to or about Melody in the ways they did? 

So, there again, while I feel like this is a great book and a great way for kids to relate to their classmates with special needs, I'm not sure the author, who has the most extensive and impressive biography I've read in a long time, really did her homework on special education.  This is not an accurate portrayal of life in a public school setting under PL94-142. 

Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper= 4 out of 5 stars.

Reflections of Summer Vacation 2010

It's the night before school and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a...

Well, that's a lie.

The washing machine is running on overtime as my sister (a HS guidance counselor) and I are trying to do loads of laundry.  The dishwasher is buzzing because, well, you can't start the school year with a dirty kitchen.  The dog is on edge because he knows something is about to change.  The fridge is full of healthy lunch choices (because I vowed to stay away from the school lunch line this year).  The toenail polish is freshly drying and the meditation DVD is set and ready for a few hours from now.

It's the night before a new school year; my 8th school year as a teacher.

And I'm excited.  Or anxious.  Or excited and anxious...

I've been trying to reflect on what I've actually done this summer; laying in the sun, cleaning out the garage, reading fiction novels, doing yard work, watching reality TV shows, attending the Reform Symposium from the comfort of my own bed, visiting friends in Marblehead, walking for the Easter Seals Zoo Walk in July, walking in the Buddy Walk sponsored by the Upside of Downs of Greater Cleveland, playing with the dog, eating ice cream, building my PLN, consistently writing blog posts, learning loads of new technology that will fit nicely into my classroom, reading blogs, articles, and books about technology, web 2.0 tools, and special needs, exploring new teaching and assessment strategies, and trying to relax.

Here are my top 5 highlights from the summer of 2010:

1. I started to build a PLN.  This personal learning network is helping me to learn new things every single day.  I read their blogs.  I read their tweets.  I participate in discussions with them on Nings like the "Educator's PLN."  They are from all over the country and even the world.  And they are bringing new ideas to education every single day.  This year, on the days when I feel like my ideas are ridiculous and my beliefs about education are in the minority, I can sign on to Twitter or read these blogs, and know that I am not alone.  I can share ideas, borrow ideas, think through new strategies, and be part of a group that helps me grow.  I am so thankful to have found this world, these people, these blogs, these ideas...

2. The class swim party I had at my house was awesome.  I invited some students from past years, along with my class for the 2010-2011 school year.  In all, 10 of my students, past and present came, along with 9 of their siblings and at least 10 parents.  Our key club helpers also came, along with two of our special education aides.  My sister could not believe how many people were here!  We had so much fun!  The kids were so happy to swim and thought it was exciting to be at the "teacher's" house.  The parents got to chat, meet one another again, network with each other, see the other students, and catch up.  The new parents got to see how our classroom works and how supportive everyone is.  The principal even showed up!  It was a great night!

3.  I read two fantastic books this summer (I actually read 3, but only 2 were fantastic.)  House Rules by Jodi Picoult is one of the best books I've ever had the privilege of reading.  The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson was also a great book, much different than my usual read, and I can't wait for the movie!  I also wrote a blog post about House Rules...

4. I taught my dog to swim. (Well, it couldn't all be school related or intellectual, could it?)

5.  Thanks to the PLN that I've been working on, I've found some awesome blogs to read that inspire me.  First, the blog written by "Teacher Tom" is just incredible.  This man has ideas that I couldn't even dream about.  Imagine how he empowers students!  Another blog, "Irresistible Ideas for Play Based Learning" has helped take my lesson plans for this school year to a whole new level.  While I've read hundreds of blogs this summer and added at least 20 to my Google Reader, two more worth mentioning here are "What Ed Said" and "Connected Principals."  I, finally, got my boss to read the "Connected Principals" and he even thanked me for it (although he did note that he reads only 1/10th of the blogs that I actually tell him about).

So, I didn't take any grand vacations or any wild road trips this year, but I did gain a whole lot of knowledge.

I did, indeed, spend a lot of the summer working... My plan was to keep learning and working all summer so that I won't feel so stressed during the school year...

And if this plan works, it will all be worth it.

Maybe it was all worth it anyways...

House Rules by Jodi Picoult from a Teacher's Perspective...

Late last night I finished the book House Rules by Jodi Picoult.  As an Intervention Specialist who works with kids with moderate-intensive special needs (with the most common being autism currently), people have been asking me for weeks if I've read the book yet, if I've started it, if I've heard of it, what my thoughts are...

If I'd known then what I know now, I would've thrown down all the Twilight, Breaking Dawn, Chelsea Bang Bang books and headed right for my hard bound copy of the newest Jodi Picoult that was apparently burning a hole through my book shelf.

I knew two things about this book before reading it.  #1 The book is about a boy with Asperger's.  #2 Autism Speaks is a fan of both the book and the author.

I was skeptical, only because I know that often books or TV shows depicting kids with autism or Asperger's play on the stereotypes and the splinter skills and the kids who are prodigies or savants.  And not all kids with autism and Asperger's are savants.  In fact, of the kids I have ever known with autism or Asperger's, not one is a savant, or a prodigy.  They are all amazing and interesting and intriguing, and yet, none are the same.  None.  There's even a saying we have that says "If you've seen one kid with autism, you've seen ONE kid with autism."

I also wonder sometimes about Autism Speaks.  While I think they are doing AMAZING things and participate in the yearly Walk Now for Autism in Cleveland and donate regularly, I also wonder if they are on the wrong side of the argument, if any.  Do I subscribe to the "Cure Autism" side?  Or do I subscribe to the world where there are people with autism and people who are "neurotypical" and neither is bad or wrong and neither should be changed or fixed?  I straddle the fence on so many of the issues dealing with autism...

So again, I began this book, House Rules, with skepticism.

The book is set in a small town in Vermont, as told from the perspective of 5 different characters, Jacob, an 18 year old boy with Asperger's syndrome; Theo, Jacob's 15 year old brother; Emma, Jacob and Theo's mother; Rich, the Townsend, Vermont detective; and Oliver, a lawyer who is new to the small town.

Of all the fiction AND nonfiction books I've read about Asperger's, this may be the truest to life.  This book may have the best descriptions, show the best emotions, and tell the best "story" of Asperger's that I've ever been able to read.

And as a teacher, I can only know the story and the feelings from one perspective, and I am just so curious, all the time, about the other side, the parents' side.  And this book shed so much light on that side.

...while also telling a great story.  A controversial story.  A story that was, at times, a little hard for me to read.  It was hard to swallow.  It was a struggle to see some of these words on the pages.

One of the hardest parts of this book, for me, was the incessant use of the "R" word that also runs rampant in our society today.  This word, "retard," hurts me to the core.  This word that is so loosely thrown around is used by teenagers and by adults and by people who give no thought to what or whom they are referring.  And it hurts me.  And I always wonder, if a teacher can feel this actual pain, how does a parent feel?  A brother?  A grandmother?

This next part, that I'd like to quote from the book, seems to take a scene and actively describe the way society still feels about people with special needs.  This one simple scene in a book shows me that people like me still have so much work to do.

House Rules page 422- From the perspective of "Rich" the detective:
"The running joke among those of us sequestered for the trial involved the sensory break room.  If the defendant can get some special accommodations, why not the witnesses?  Me, I want a Chinese food take-out room.  I tell this to the DA when she comes to let me know that I'm testifying next...."
"... I'm only half kidding.  I mean, if the court was willing to bend over backward for Jacob Hunt's Asperger's syndrome, how long will it be before this is used as a precedent by some career criminal who insists that going to jail will inflame his claustrophobia?  I'm all for equality, but not when it erodes the system."

Hmph.  I almost can't put words to my feelings after reading that.

And then, later on, a paragraph that means everything to me~

House Rules page 482- Jacob is speaking in court-
"When I first got my diagnosis, my mother was relieved, because she saw it as something that would be helpful.  I mean, teachers don't look at kids who are reading eight grade levels above where they should be and doing complex mathematical proofs in third grade and think they need special help, even if they are being teased all the time.  The diagnosis helped me get an IEP, which was great, but it also changed things in a bad way." Jacob shrugs.  "I guess I expected it to be like this other girl in my grade who has a port-wine stain on half her face.  People go right up to her and ask about it, and she says it's a birthmark and that it doesn't hurt.  End of story.  No one ever asks if they can catch it like a virus, or doesn't want to play with her because of it.  But you tell someone you're autistic, and half the time they talk louder to you, like you might be deaf.  And the few things that I used to get credit for- like being smart, or having a really excellent memory- were all of a sudden just things that made me even more weird."  He was quiet for a moment, and then turns.  "I'm not autistic.  I have autism.  I also have brown hair and flat feet.  So, I don't understand why I'm always 'the kid with Asperger's.'"

It's clear that we've got so much work to do.  But maybe, just maybe, books like House Rules, are a great starting place for the general population who wouldn't ordinarily educate themselves on the intricacies of a syndrome that can change a family, a school, a community...

More resources:
Autism Speaks
Autism Speaks- Official Blog- Talking with Best Selling Author Jodi Picoult About House Rules
Spread the Word to End the Word
Autism Today
Kids Together, Inc.
Skill Building Buddies

Other great books about special needs in story format: 
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time by Mark Haddon
Road Map To Holland by Jennifer Graf Groneberg
Thinking in Pictures by Temple Grandin
Born on a Blue Day by Daniel Tammet

An Ever Growing Special Needs Book List

House Rules by Jodi Picoult


My Friend Henry by Nuala Gardner


Born on a Blue Day by Daniel Tammet



Thinking In Pictures by Temple Grandin

The ADHD Autism Connection by Diane M. Kennedy

The Out of Sync Child by Carol Kranowitz

The Out of Sync Child Has Fun by Carol Kranowitz

The Roadmap to Holland by Jennifer Graf Groneberg

Ten Things Every Child With Autism Wishes You Knew by Ellen Notbohm

Ten Things Every Child With Autism Wishes Their Teacher Knew by Ellen Notbohm

The Memory Keeper’s Daughter by K. Edwards

Louder Than Words by Jenny McCarthy

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time by Mark Haddon

Send in the Idiots by Kamran Nazeer

My Stroke of Insight by Jill Bolte Taylor P.h.D.

Turning Best Practices Into Daily Practices

This was, by far, the best presentation of the two day Ohio Conference for Classroom and Special Education Teachers in January of 2010. This presentation “Turning Best Practices into Daily Practices” was given by Anne Beninghoff. Anne is an internationally recognized consultant and trainer with more than 25 years of experience. She has published several books and videos and focuses on creative and practical solutions for effectively including students with diverse learning needs.
Not only did Anne give real and practical information, but she also shared the names and publications where the research for this information is published. Anne covered these 9 Best Practices: Increasing Participation, Focusing Attention, Identifying Similarities and Differences, Using Non-linguistic Representations, Making Connections, Determining Importance, Strengthening Memory, Summarizing, and Challenging Thinking.

An example of turning “Making Connections” into a daily practice- Lighting Up the Brain- Get a large chart paper. Draw a large brain (oval with lines throughout) on the chart paper. Ask students to gather around the large brain on the floor. Give each student a marker. Ask students a question to tap prior knowledge (example: What do you already know about the Solar System?). Students write something they already know about the Solar System in the brain on the paper. Teacher gets glow in the dark paint (Michaels, JoAnns, Pat Catans). Teacher puts paint next to each fact that the students already knew about the Solar System. Turn off the lights and see the brain light up! (This is after discussing with the class that when you make connections in class, you “zap” your brain with electricity.) Students can literally see how their connections (prior knowledge) make their brain light up (glow in the dark paint).

An example of “Strengthening Memory” as a daily practice- Spelling Shapes- There are 5 memory paths. Two of the memory paths are semantic memory (word based, used most in schools, hardest to access) and episodic memory (location-driven, easiest to access). In order to use both of these memory paths to learn new spelling words, try this. Hand out a graphic (an example could be a stick figure person). Tell the class the first new spelling word (an example could be the word ’squish.’) Ask- Where should we place the word ’squish’ on this picture? Students may suggest to the put the word ’squish’ under the foot of the stick figure person. Tell the class that the next spelling word is ‘queen.’ Students may suggest to draw a crown on the person and place the word ‘queen’ inside. This method continues for the rest of the words. The students can then take the drawing/spelling words home to study.

MANY other strategies were discussed and I can share them upon request.

My Stroke of Insight by Jill Bolte Taylor P.h.D.

My Stroke of Insight: A Brain Scientist's Personal Journey by Jill Bolte Taylor, P.h.D.

I've been meaning to read this book for over a year now. It was suggested by another daughter of a stroke survivor. I wasn't ready to read it until now.

This book was incredible. For the first half of the book, I didn't want to stop reading. Hearing the accounts of this woman from her own perspective; the things her brain was experiencing were communicated so well that I had couldn't put the book down. I could hear this woman, this brain scientist, speaking to me directly.

And while I read the book to get some insight into what had occurred with my dad's previous strokes, I began to wonder, "I wonder if these thoughts could be similar to those of a person with autism. The communication is there, but it won't come out. The brain is working and the intellect is there, but it can't be communicated to the outside world." The frustration that could cause!

And as I continued through the second half of the book, I became more and more interested in brain research.

Next book about the brain: The Essential Difference: The Truth About the Male & Female Brain by Simon Baron-Cohen