May Blogs (weeks thirteen through fifteen)

Weeks Twleve through Fourteen Blogs

Week Thirteen

What scares me the most is being so behind and feeling like I do not have enough time in the day to learn it all.  It takes longer to learn, being a digital immigrant.  I am learning to just deal with it and ask for help from others around me.  Soon I am sure I will be asking my six year old (or my two year old) for help.

Week Fourteen

After looking at our district's technology plan, I have already talked to my collegues about it.  we are bringing it up with our program supervisor, our site principal, and will take it to the superindentent as well for equal access for training for us and our kids.  We want specifics as to how it will be implemented.  (we are becoming a little pushy =) )

Week Fifteen

What things I will take from this class?  There is so much!!!

 I have already showed all my related service providers the website and we are cooridnating how to have additional websites (through google sites) for each provider.

I am going to relook and delve into the websites provided.  I have a collegues who is getting all the students who would have gone to county programs and she needs LOTS of resources on AT and ammunition to defned WHY she needs it.  I am working with her on the websites that have been given.

I am getting my website developed more, will be doing video podcasts for all the teachers in SDC at our site, and will be trying to video tape my parent trainings.  

I told my collegues about the "office" that you had and how we could have own office hours for consultation.  THEY WERE THRILLED!! We are going to develop our "offices" and have parents access us that way as well.

After looking at our technology plan and letting my collegues know what is in it, we are advocating for equal access and training not only to us, but for our students.  (The district hated  me before, now I am REALLY getting their feathers ruffled =) )

We are starting to collaborate on google docs and putting our data forms there.

I have LOVED this class.  I am already looking into the AT certificate.  Watch out San Ramon!! =)

Blog for 4/22/2009

Carol observed my website and commented that it looked good. Carol felt that my website was sophisticated and in depth.   The only drawback on the website was the link to my blog for my slippery fish video kept going to the blogger status page.

I will continue to build and work on my website.  Particularly I will figure out how to get my link to work effectively for my video podcasts.  I will be adding my newsletters within the month as well as future video podcasts.

4/15/2009 Blog and slippery fish video

Blog for 4/15/2009

How will I use these online resources for parent training, collaboration, and student learning?  

I will be using Google Docs for collaboration with all my related services staff and fellow SDC teachers.  We are writing an assistive technology grant through Autism Speaks and this will help greatly in refining the grant!

I plan to put my parent training on google docs for revisions and additions with my related service staff.

I am video podcasting all my songs and hand movements, trying to attach a link to them from my website so that parents and students can access it anytime.

I am looking at video taping my parent trainings and then importing them in a video cast format so parents who are not able to attend in person will have access to it.  I am looking at doing an online chat with families in regards to the parent training. I am trying to get it all together in a power point presentation for other teachers and paras.

I am looking at using different internet websites for the games and activities in collaboration with Speaking Dynamically Pro.  

I am planning to get involved in Classroom 2.0, TeacherWeb, and QIAT listerv.  I am going to look into listervs in the areas of preschool autism, assistive technology for preschoolers, and behavior analyst forums.

Blog for 4/8/2009

Blog: What 5 things have you learned so far this semester, why is it important to you, how are you currently use them, and how is supporting student development for information literacy?

1) Resources, resources, resources!  I have taken many of the websites and either incorporated them into my classroom or have collaborated with my collegues with them.

2) I learned how to do a website.  I will be incorporating my website for my families and will help with priming for the curriculum for the students.

3) I have learned how to do a podcast.  I will be using video podcasts to record all the hand movements of the songs that I use in class so students can see the movements prior to hearing the song.

4) I have learned about google docs.  This will be using this to collaborate with my collegues as we are developing data forms across the special day classes on our campuses.

5) I have learned more about assistive technology and what it means so that I can be more knowledgeable in IEP meetings.  I have already used this in some IEP meetings and will continue to make more accommodations/modifications on IEP's as I begin to understand more fully what each child needs in relation to assistive technology supports.

How has this helped with student literacy?  Now that I have a better understanding of assistive technology, I am able to make more of my curriculum more accessible and diverse to my students.  This in turn helps them to learn more.

Blog for 4/1/2009

How will you use graphic organizers for teaching, learning, and collaboration?  Why would the use of graphic organizers by both you, the teacher, and your students help improve learning?

Graphic Organizers would be helpful to visually (through icons more than words) show concepts better for my young preschoolers.  

Graphic organizers would be helpful for my staff to see during each area of the day what goals are being worked on.

Graphic organizers would be helpful with collaborating with staff to see how goals are going to be implemented and with whom.

Graphic organizers could help me be more organized in my lesson plans, show parents visually my thought process for a theme, and could help me generate new ideas.

Graphic organizers would help my students understand in more in depth the topics/themes that we use.  I could set up a good sorting activity based on the theme, categories, and picture/word matching games.

Blog for 3/18/2009

Which framework will you use, how will you use it, when, and why? 

I will use the Minnesota Form.  I will use it with a student that I am currently looking at a referral process for AT.  I want to have a complete picture before we start the actual referral and have the family understand why the AT referral is needed for their child.

I have his annual IEP coming up in a May.  I will start the process with my team and family so by the IEP we have a framework for the referral for next year.

I like the Minnesota Form because it is family friendly and very user friendly.  It puts the engima of Assistive Technology aside, and puts it in a way that makes sense to all who would use it.

Blog for 3/4/2009

What kind of "mark" will you leave on your students?

I want them to know that I expect the best from them and will help them reach their potential whatever that is.  My job is to help them find their wings.

Alongside my students, I work closely with parents.  I want to leave a mark on them as well as the teacher who looks for the potential in their child, an advocate for their child, and a helper/mentor in areas they need support in.