Every kid needs a champion | Rita Pierson

I recently attending a conference called Challenging Behaviours in Youth, and this is one of the videos the facilitator started the day off with. As I listened to Rita speak, I felt as if she succinctly said everything we should know about the key to supporting all learners in the classroom- and that is to make them know that they are worthy and have potential. Some of our students are used to a school experience where they are constantly reminded of what they cannot do...either overtly from teachers and peers or from internally as they struggle to complete work. By the time they reach secondary school, they have likely assumed their roles as "the dumb kid" so strongly that it seems impossible to shake. That is where we come in. Dedicated, caring educators who know that every child needs somebody in their corner. Somebody who knows their story, acknowledges their struggles, and works to find a solution.

584 Assignment 6 & 8: Thoughts on AAC and Specialized Equipment

 Happy Sunday!

I hope everyone is enjoying the sunshine we are enjoying this weekend (before the rain descends upon us starting tomorrow). Over the last couple days- in between sitting outside soaking up these rays- I've been exploring the array of AACs and Specialized Equipment listed on the EDPD 584 website. Overall, I am completely amazed by the technological options available to learners with various impairments! It is almost futuristic/sci-fi to me to think that one can access all options on their desktop using only their eyes, but I am so happy to see that the ability to communicate, complete schoolwork, and simple daily tasks are being made more and more accessible to anyone.

Here are a couple highlights I took away from exploring these tools:

Radio Aids for Hearing Technology: To see how well these hearing-impaired students are able to integrate into mainstream school is fantastic. I went to school with a classmate named Kate who was almost completely deaf, and during class she would have to get the teacher to put on a headset and fiddle around with the sound/frequency before beginning the lesson. I'm so happy to see that just over a decade later, technology has been modified and refined to make the process even smoother and seamless.  Not only that, but the ability to connect to a mobile phone via Bluetooth makes for even more accessibility in terms of day-to-day communication. Cell phones were just hitting the scene at that time so this wouldn't have been an option yet, but if it HAD been- I'm sure Kate would have appreciated it! :)

Tobii Software for Alternative Computer Access: Wow. Just wow. I cannot believe how cool these software packages are! Besides the essential functions of being able to create/answer simple questions and commands, I was so impressed to see that somebody like Lianna can essentially create a diary where she can add comments, schoolwork, and photos. I also like how the customization allows for her to add things like her birthday, school information- it is no longer a completely uniform program. I was also happy to see that programs like Tobii ATI and PCEye allow for users to work on their computers (and online) in a completely self-sufficient way. It is always important to remember that each of these users are individuals that deserve the same privileges we enjoy- and one of those things is independence. For an individual confined to a wheelchair, they are dependent on help with so many things in their day-to-day activities...and this allows them control, privacy, and independence in one instance of their lives. To be able to make our own decisions and have control over our own bodies is something many of us take for granted, and these leaps in technology have allowed those without that luxury to gain part of that freedom back.

Lingering Questions...

• One thing I still don't fully understand is how eye-tracking software actually ensures that it picks up the letter/word/image that you are meaning to focus on. When I think about my own computer habits, I feel like I am constantly scanning all around my screen at any given time. If the tracker is following the user's cornea to find out what button they want to select, how does it do that if the user is looking at several buttons? Do you have to focus on a button for at least 2 seconds to let the software know to implement it? I'm going to keep poking around online to see if I can figure out the exact technological nitty gritty for how that part works-- but regardless it's still an impressive function.
• My other question about all of these impressive tools is how financially accessible they are to school districts- and how prevalent they are in BC schools. I have seen iPad functions similar to Boardmaker being used with students on the autism spectrum (that are nonverbal), and it definitely helps with allowing them to communicate their needs through picture symbols and text-to-speech functions. However, besides that I haven't seen anything like Tobii PCEye or Intellikeys. 

I'm sure the companies that produce these products have wholesale pricing for school districts wanting to implement them in their schools, but are they available at a realistic district budgeting price? And how much training is required to learn not only how to use, but to teach students how to use them? Does anyone work in a district where these tools are easily accessible?

 Feel free to give me any feedback about your own experiences below!

EDPD 584 Assignment 1: Universal Design for Learning

I haven't forayed into the world of Prezi in quite some time, so I chose this platform for my first assignment as a re-introduction to it! I tried to summarize the key ideas/concepts that I gathered from the readings and videos for this topic, and also add in a few examples from my experience with a UDL approach. I am certainly an advocate for that framework, and I am happy to see that it is becoming more commonplace in our schools. I also included a short video from Ken Robinson to leave the idea of educational reform on your minds, as I think that reform is (part) of what could help lead us into a more UDL-centric approach to learning in schools.

200 countries, 200 years, 4 minutes.

I saw this on Whitney's blog and wanted to share it-  thanks for posting this! :)

Four-day weeks? Classes year-round? Hmm...

Hello there, all my class-less friends...
(tee hee, get it?! Because we dont have classes this week! Sorry- bad joke I know.)

Just wanted to throw this article up on here that was in the Tyee a few weeks ago for you all to check out- it discusses the B.C school districts modifying school calendars to assist both student achievement and tight budgets.

Some school districts have already tried some of these tactics (like the 4-day school week), with mixed results. For the Gulf Island district, in which the students have to commute on ferries every day to and from school, the 4-day week has been very successful.  On the other hand, the Coast Mountains school district tried the 4-day approach, but then switched back due to a number of concerns.

Check out the article here to read more of the pros/cons...and let me know what you think!
Would you like to teach longer days, but only 4 of them per week?
Or get one month off in the winter rather than two in the summer?

"You are a mentor- do not disappoint."

On the last day of my 2-week observation, I had the opportunity to attend an Educators Against Racism Conference that was being held at my school.  The set-up for the conference was comprised of a keynote speaker, a morning workshop then afternoon workshop.  The keynote was Staff Sergeant Baltej Dhillon, who was the first turbaned Sikh police officer with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.  He gave a talk on racism in the classroom and how we as educators can work to combat it.  The two workshops I attended for the day were "Working with Aboriginal Youth" and "Poverty as a Classroom Issue".  In the first workshop, we first discussed what life was like for Aboriginal people prior to contact, and how we should try and integrate those ways of knowing in various ways within the classroom.  We also discussed the issues that are plaguing Aboriginal education in the Canadian school system; the instructor showed us a video on Residential Schools, and we then discussed how this event (and similar oppressions) are the roots of many social problems that affect the Aboriginal students we will work with.  In the second workshop, we discussed the various factors that constitute poverty, how to spot students that are living it in your classroom, and some ideas/resources on how you can make their school life an enriching experience- even an escape from the realities of home. 

The conference was extremely enriching as I got a chance to explore some issues that will be of the utmost importance in our classrooms. Listening to Sgt. Dhillon speak about his experiences with racism and prejudice in school (and how it continued throughout his career) made me realize how prevalent it is and how we as educators need to vigilant as to making sure our classrooms remain a place of tolerance and respect.  In the Aboriginal workshop, I picked up some great tips and approaches for supporting those students in the classroom while keeping in mind the social factors that affect many of them.  Our instructor gave us some techniques of how to adopt Indigenous cultural practices into the classroom, as well as reminding us that we have to work to change the mindset of school itself for many Indigenous families- as school has not been a positive experience for many.  In the poverty workshop, I received a number of fantastic resources that not only explain the various factors that constitute poverty among students, but ideas/approaches on how teachers can assist in making learning easier and more accessible to those that are struggling. 



Sgt. Dhillon



I went up to Sgt. Dhillon after his presentation and asked him what he thought was a best approach to encourage multicultural tolerance in the classroom- whether it be Indigenous, Sikh, Chinese, etc.  He told me that the most important tool we can use is the very thing we are supposed to be giving students- knowledge. If you have students of diverse cultures in your classroom (which we no doubt will), give that student a chance to explain their culture/beliefs in a way so that the other students understand.  Take field trips to cultural sites, bring in cultural foods,  or have guest speakers; there are a variety of approaches to both teaching and learning that you could use to expand the knowledge of the students so that they become more tolerant individuals. "When it comes down to it", he said, " we are all human and when dialogue is made- we look past the externalities." 

NOTE: The title of this post were the final words about teaching I heard from Sgt. Dhillon in his keynote speech.

Some Food for Thought on a Saturday Night...

I wanted to post an idea my Social Studies prof discussed on Friday in class, mostly because I found it so incredibly interesting!

Before we launched into presentations, he gave a quick talk about the hypocrisy of using candy and grades to motivate students in the classroom.  He asked us to consider this: is that kind of material motivation really needed? Here is the one point he said that really stuck in my head:

“The idea that we have to lure people to learn suggests that learning isn’t a natural state.”

   He suggested that rather than motivation in material form, we should be recognizing and celebrating the good in all of our students- and that recognition will have an even greater effect on their desire and self-motivation to do well.  This idea has really intrigued me because I can certainly see his point of view: By recognizing all student achievement- even if it is something as simple as that student having a postive attitude in class- we can continue to make that student want to be in the classroom and want to keep learning.

   On the other hand, isn’t a huge part of development (at least in an educational aspect) based on positive/negative reinforcement that in turn teaches effective behavior? (Wow, I sound like our psychology textbook...)  And if we don’t have material means (such as grades) to motivate, how do we hold onto certain students who just dont have any self-motivation or desire to learn (at least in high school)?

Those are just a couple points for each side, I know there are more...so feel free to add your thoughts on the subject!