Education Weekly: iPads Become Learning Tools For Students With Disabilities

Teachers are finding ways to help students with disabilities communicate.  Students with severe speech difficulties (resulting in jumbled speech) are using iPads for communication.  These student draw a lot of negative attention from their peers because of their diverse needs.  These technology tools have not only helped these students communicate, but have drawn positive attention from their peers.  I have three students in my classroom with severe speech difficulties.  We use a Neo to help them communicate their desires and the students enjoy using this piece of technology.  To think a simple machine can make all the difference in positive communication for someone that has never experienced this.

ReadWriteWeb: Skype in the Classroom

I have not attempted or had the opportunity to use Skype with my students.  I know that some high school classes are utilizing this tool in their classrooms.  Students use it to connect with foreign exchange students that previously attended the school or the foreign exchange students use it to contact their families back home.  Some teachers have used it to bring guest authors into the classroom so students can interview them.  It has also been used for virtual field trips as well.  I think within a few years we will see this great resource in more and more classrooms.

Edutopia: Join the Movement to Transform Learning: A Guest Blog by George Lucus

George Lucus talks about how school is "locked in a time capsule" and a student will receive a diploma if "the student can spit back facts correctly."   Technology has changed learning drastically and if we continue to follow this old model for learning, it may begin to fail.  While textbooks are still being used as the main resources for teaching and presenting information, technology needs to enter the world of schools more rapidly.  Schools need to transform into the world of technology and one-on-one computing needs to continue to happen. We need to "personalize student learning" to meet the needs of our students.

Education Week: Value of College-Admissions Test-Prep Classes Unclear

I found this article to be very interesting, because there is so much emphasis on preparing for the ACT/SAT exams.  I remember myself trying to prepare for what I thought was the biggest test of my life.  The anxiety was unbearable and I felt like if I failed that I would never get into college.  The article talks about how much parents spend on tutors, prep courses, and/or prep materials.  They challenge that, this last chance attempt for preparation will probably not benefit students much if any at all.  The article also stressed that college entrance criteria is not solely based on this test, so parents and students need to put there focus on the whole "student package."

ReadWriteWeb: Twitter in the Classroom?

Another great tool that I wish I could use in my classroom.  It is great to see students truly motivated to learn.  There are so many great tools at our fingertips, yet it is discouraging not to be able to utilize them in our classrooms.

Edutopia: Differential Instruction Ignites Elementary School Learning

If only we had as much technology and training as this school is able to have.  Another problem our teachers face is that our common planning time across grade levels and subjects do not exist.  Due to cuts, teachers are asked to teacher multiple grade levels and subjects, which eliminates common planning time to collaborate.

Education Week: Psst! Anti-Bullying Quiets Playground Gossip, Study Finds

This article written by Sarah Sparks highlights that early intervention decreases the chances of bullying occurring in the future.  The article mentions that having anti-bullying programs help to reduce bullying within a school.  I can't walk down the halls in my school without seeing or hearing bullying.  What could be worse than the bullying itself?  Those teachers and students who ignore it!  Why does this happen?  I think students are afraid to stand up to the bullies because they do not want to be bullied themselves and as for teachers, there is no excuse.  Typically you hear a teacher say they don't step in because they don't know how to effectively handle the problem.  The hardest form of bullying to detect are those that spread hurtful rumors.  I wish all schools had anti-bullying programs, my school needs one.

ReadWriteWeb: A Watson Victory? This is About a Contest, Not Science

I didn't actually get to see the three day Jeopardy show, but after reading this article by Alex Williams, I watched some clips of the show.  It is amazing that IBM has created this machine, Watson, and they are going to offer it for university research.  New scientific advances emerge every year and it is truly amazing how they have used these advances in medicine, education, etc.  I do worry that these advances will change use as humans.  The more machines or robots can do for us, the lazier we may become.  I heard on the radio this morning that teenage obesity is on the rise.  Could it be because of these great technology devices we call video games.  Someday we may have robots doing all of the service jobs that humans do.  Instead of doctors we will be diagnosed by machines.  I am not sure I like where the future may be heading.

Edutopia: Should Students be Labeled as Gifted?

Labels are useful and harmful.  I hear students yelling down the hall "You're in the retard room" to a student who has a learning disability in math computation.  Or you may hear other labels like "Queer, stupid, special ed" being directed at particular students.  In education, using labels can be a helpful tool for instructing students with learning disabilities, behavioral problems, etc.  Even students who excel, need to have specialized programs that challenge them.  However, labels can be negative and I feel they are unnecessary.  As an educator, my job is to know the strengths of my students and provide them with the strategies to help them become successful.  We may find that one student needs more than another, but by using assessments (both formal and informal) we can measure the best way to help students.  Being a special education teacher, labels are tools we use to categorize student needs, but I think if we eliminate labels and focus on strengths and weaknesses, this would be a more powerful approach.   

Education Week: Facebook Keeps Class in When School is Out

I don't know about you but as a student I was thrilled to celebrate when we had a snow day.  Even as an educator, taking a break can be a relief.  Well an article written by Jenna Mink explains how some teachers continue to educate even when snow days occur.  Some educators in Warren County Public Schools take the opportunity to use Facebook to continue to instruct their students.  Granted these are students in AP courses and they are more than willing to continue the learning experience outside of the classroom, yet I say let kids be kids and enjoy the day off.

ReadWriteWeb: Education or Entrepreneurship: Do You Have To Make a Choice?

After reading this article by Audrey Watters and watching the video, I wonder if schools need to create alternative opportunities for some students.  There are just those students who will never be good at taking tests or passing certain subjects in school.  What is our response?  We just keep trying to teach them a different way and hope one day they will eventually "get it." I think we need to focus on student strengths and prepare them for what they do excel in and not what we want them to excel in.  The article stressed that maybe a path of education is not the right choice for some students rather a business opportunity may be the option for them.  Some students just have unique talents and need opportunities outside of the current education system to utilize them.

Edutopia: Do Colleagues Influence Your Performance?

After reading this poll by Sara Ring, it made me think about how much teachers affect the attitudes and performance within my own building.  There are not a lot of young, vibrant educators in my building.  In fact, most of the teachers have been teaching for 20+ years.  It is rather difficult for some of my colleagues to accept change and be willing to change.  They are set in their ways and their attitudes reflect that.  There are a handful of new educators in the building and when we bring in fresh, new ideas the more experienced staff speak boldly to try to discourage the idea altogether.  I have learned helpful strategies, lessons, and classroom management tips from these veteran teachers, but I just wish they would be more willing to learn from their new colleagues.

Education Weekly: School Misdemeanors

This article talks about how schools should be careful on how they handle school discipline and use suspensions rather than the courts.  What I have noticed in the years I have been teaching is that suspensions=sleep in late, play video games and one more day away from school (a place they already don't want to be).  So for some students getting suspened can appear to be a reward and not a consequence. While I believe consequences for behaviors need to start small, they also need to fit the behavior.  If a student's behavior is destruction of property, then maybe the court system is where they need to go.  When I was in school, the thought of suspension was enough to scare me because I knew that my consequences would continue at home with my parents.  There would not be sleeping in or playing games, instead my parents would have a whole list of chores to complete for the day.  So until suspensions have a different meaning for students and parents, they will continue to be ineffective.

ReadWriteWeb: The Importance of Teaching Digital Citizenship

After reading this article written by Audrey Watters it made me think about how we have failed our young technology users.  We have given them a tool to use but no training to go with it.  Before our youngsters are able to drive they must take a Drivers Education Course.  We wouldn't just hand them the keys and say "go for it!"  Why don't we provide kids with training on how to use a computers properly or any other digital device?  Cyberbullying exists and while we can't stop it from ever happening we can teach our younsters how to use a computer with respect to others.  Schools and parents often warn students of the dangers from predators online, by teaching kids not to give out personal information, etc.  So I think teaching digital citizenship classes should be the starting point when allowing kids to have access to computers.  We need to teach kids not to be bullies!

Edutopia: Should Students be Graded on Social and Emotional Learning?

After reading the responses posted on this topic, it made me think a lot about my own classroom.  A great majority of my students lack the social skills they need to be successful in the middle school environment.  Do I feel that graded them on their social or emotional learning is the answer, no, but I do think these areas do need to be assessed.  As I look to the future for my students, I worry that their lack of social skills will have a huge impact on their ability to land or keep a job.  If students are not being taught these skills at home, then shouldn't the schools take the opportunity to step in and try to provide them with helpful strategies?  Schools are forced to focus on academics, but I feel these things go hand and hand.

Education Weekly: Should Teachers Have the Right to Bear Arms?

After reviewing the discussion forum, I realized how much this topic affects me on a personal level. Recently, my life was verbally threaten (as well as other students in my classroom) by another student.  There was even a detailed plan of how he was going to carry out his actions.  Legally, I discovered that I have no rights as a teacher and I can not take any action to protect myself or my other students.  Other than a short-term suspension, the student was allowed to return to the school and my classroom.  I am not able to have this student searched before entering the school and no actions can be taken until he/she brings a weapon or follows through with the threat (need to have probable cause).
My job as a teacher is to educate my students as well as provide them with a safe environment to learn.  I don't feel like I am able to provide my students with a safe environment to learn when students are aloud to make threats to shoot others.  Do I agree that staff should have the option to carry a concealed weapon in school, no, but I think the consequences for verbal threats should not be taken lightly.  Teachers should have the right to have students searched (at minimum) if they make verbal threats to harm others. 
  

ReadWriteWeb: Cellphones in the Classroom: Distraction or Tool?

After reading the article written by Audrey Watters about the concern of cellphones in the classroom, it made me think about the debate happening in our building over YouTube videos.  Teachers have been longing for the use of technology tools in their classrooms and a majority of the teachers in my building want to be able to access these resources for instructional purposes.  YouTube has been blocked for both teachers and students along with many other controversial sites on the Web.  Within our building teachers have been granted permission to use YouTube as an educational resources, but they will be responsible for monitoring student access.  While I am extremely excited to have this tool at my fingertips, I am also nervous about the liability to protect my students from the dangers it could bring.  So the idea of allowing cellphones at school may be a scary concept for educators.  While there are many potential uses for them in the classroom (calendar for homework documentation or calculator use, etc.), I feel the potential risks (privacy from photos, texting distractions, bullying, etc.) at this point out weigh the positives.

Edutopia: Learning Style

There has been huge debate over exercise and academics.  After having a Professional Development day this past Friday, I can relate to students needing movement to stay focused.  As an adult it is difficult to sit in a chair for hours and pay attention to the learning topic or discussion for the day.  So our students need to have time built in their day to release as well.  According to a survey conducted by Sara Bernard most people would agree that physical activity improves student focus.  Not every student has the opportunity or desire to have physical education as part of their daily curriculum, so it is up to the teachers to incorporate physical movement into their daily routine.  This may be an easy task for elementary teachers, so secondary teachers may have more of a challenge in front of them.  We have four elementary schools for our district and each of them have added exercise in their morning routine for students.  Does anyone have suggestions for secondary educators?

Education Week: School Start Times

It seems like the older we get or the busier our lives get, we get less sleep.  How many of us would benefit from just one more hour of lying in our warm, comfortable beds?  According to an article titled, "Canadian Schools Finds Later Start Times Means Better Grades" by Trish Crawford, they feel later start times are important for increasing academic growth.  In theory this sounds like a great solution, soI ask myself why don't we try this here?  While I think data could show that young adults are alert and eager to learn later in the day versus first thing in the morning, I still don't think this is the answer.  Even as an adult, if I know that I can sleep in an extra hour or two, I end up going to bed an hour or two later.  So if we push school start times back, I think this will just justify young teenagers to stay up a couple of extra hours playing video games.  I think we need to hold parents accountable for poor sleeping habits and turn off those video games!

Edutopia: Have Students Sketch to Kill the Prewriting Jitters

I can't say enough about WRITING.  This is a huge weakness for my students and for myself.  Being a special education teacher, most of my students are reading below grade level and therefore their writing abilities mimic their reading scores.  This article written by Todd Finley discusses a pre-writing strategy teachers can do to help struggling writers overcome "what" to write about.  The article suggest having students sketch out a picture to help with the "blank-page-syndrome."   I have used this strategy before in my classroom and for some it was a great tool to help them focus on a specific topic or a starting point.  Some helpful hints noted in the article were:  model an example first and to ask questions about the students pictures to get them ready to write. 

Read Write Web: A Future Without Personal History

This article written by a 16 year-old boy named Michael Moore-Jones talks about his experiences with technology.  A life full of Facebook messages, IMs, Skype, Twitter ....and so on.  He highlights how his generation's form of communication has always been using some type of digital medium. I couldn't imagine never writing a letter to a loved one.  As technology continues to grow and expand, will this replace our ability to communicate with others socially?  There is something to be said about making a personal connection with another person with face-to-face interaction.  While communication via email, IM, or texting may be faster, picking up the phone or connecting face-to-face builds trust.  If you ask me, there is no substitute for personal communication.  

Education Week: YouTube Video

After reviewing the article in Education Week titled "Alabama Student Punished for YouTube Video" by the Associated Press it made me view the advances in technology as a negative change.  Just when I begin to think that the power of technology is amazing, you hear another story about how the use of technology was abused and another person's privacy was invaded.  Technology has brought many great things to this world including advances in medicine, education, and modern day convenience of paying bills online or chatting with someone around the world.  Yet, technology has also brought negative influences into the lives of individuals and allowing students to use this tool within the learning environment can be extremely challenging.  Like many other tools, you have to teach young learners how to use it in a positive way and warn them of the negative effects. 

Edutopia: Development

I found the article written by Maurice Elias titled "Social, Emotional, and Character Development:  The Heart of Student Learning" helpful in justifying the struggles of at-risk students.  As teachers we feel the pressures that are placed upon us from the world to make sure every young adult has equal opportunities to become successful.  The ever so increasing demands of teaching content continue to increase as we continue to push more and more academic pressures on young learners.  As an educator, my job is to provide a fun and safe learning environment while implementing instruction that encourages students to develop and grow within their academic potential.  The question then becomes, how can teachers do their jobs when the basic needs of students have not been met in the home?  On a daily basis, students enter the academic arena without breakfast, clean clothes, a warm bed to sleep in, or a safe home environment.  If students' emotional and physical needs are ignored then learning will continue to take a back seat to education.  The solution to guarantee a chance for an equal opportunity for all learners is to first balance (equalize) their physical, emotional, and social needs first.

Read Write Web: Infinite Family's EzNet

After reading the article by Curt Hopkins titled "Virtual Mentoring Lessons the Burden on Kids in South America" it reminded me that there are so many kind-hearted people in the world.  When listening to the news, especially the recent events in Tucson, Arizona, you capitalize on the evil events that happen around the world.  Too often those events are highlighted and are given too much attention while those positive experiences are ignored.  The Infinite Family's EzNet is a tool used to strengthen and build positive relationships with trained mentors.  It provides South African teens with opportunities to share favorable experiences both socially and academically.  As I take what I have learned from this article into my teaching experience, I have to remind myself that my students view me as their mentor.  Their experiences in my classroom need to be productive and useful.  As I continue to invite technology into the classroom arena, I have to remind myself to not give up and seek support from my mentors and fellow colleagues.