How To...

There is something appealing about completing something in 5 steps. Displaying these 5 steps can be accomplished with a simple list, but check out how it is done using a mind map. Certain students may find this "big idea", visual approach very helpful. See for yourself at Paul Foreman's blog, Mind Map Inspiration.

"At Attention" vs. Topsy Turvy

Why do we demand that students face the front with eyes on the adult during a talk or lecture?  Read this post on Everyone Listens Differently and see if you change your expectations for attention.  The bottom line is, know your students.  Know what engages them.  Know what  "participation" looks like for them. 

I have a fourth grade student with autism.  His instructional assistant is a little perplexed by his listening style, but doesn't try to change it. "He'll sit leaning off the chair with his head upside down but when I ask him about what the teacher was saying, he knows it all."  As an OT, I recognize that his is getting needed vestibular input through the positional change in his head.  This can be quite alerting.  As a student of Tai Chi, I can hear my instructor say. "Everybody needs to spend some part of their day upside down."

I have another fourth grade boy with ADHD who struggles to stay focused in his seat.  He disrupts others by talking and moving around.  I asked him what would help him in class.  Without hesitation he said "a chair that swivels".  I had just visited the site The Third Teacher and read this passage:

‘Growing bodies have a natural need to move,’ explains Dr. Dieter Breithecker, Europe’s foremost expert on the relationship between ergonomic design in educational furniture and the physical development of school children. ‘Increased opportunities to move while seated, including rocking, swiveling, and rolling, improve blood flow and oxygen to the brain, thereby increasing attention and concentration levels.’

Idea # 22 fom the site is Swivel to Attention

Give students furniture that lets them twist and lean safely. The movement will increase their ability to concentrate.

My student knew what he needed.  There is a biological need behind it.  It is not just something "fun and frivolous". 

Know what  "participation" looks like for your students.

Bubblewrap...The Real Stuff or The iPhone App?

OTs love bubble wrap.  It is such a sensory experience...the feel, the sound, the excitement!  We tape a sheet at the entrance of our room with a sign saying "please pop".  Now the iphone has an app for that.


Why not use both?  It follows the UDL principle of multiple means of engagement!

Sweeping Off the Cobwebs of this Blog

Habits...they are good when they are established, but boy can they break down! I have gotten out of the "habit" of communicating with this blog, but I am jumping right back into it. I liken it to jumping into Walden Pond which I did yesterday - a bit chilly but invigorating!

I will start again with one thing I learned this morning on Twitter (I got this idea from my friend Karen Janowski over at her blog).

Today's find was an article on FLOW, especially as it relates to teenage learners. I think you will find it interesting!

Today is...

09/09/09

Here are some fun activities you can do in class today to celebrate the number nine. Thanks to Jen at Far-Out Links to Learning. I think I'll have my students take nine deep breaths to start off their morning.

Summer Ends

Summer is a valuable time for removing yourself from routine tasks and dreaming a bit. Where did your path lead you? Are your ready for the adventure of school?

I once asked the three year old daughter of friends how her parents were doing. She responded, "Same old, same old."

Really? How can anything in your life be "same old, same old" when you are only three? Can we describe our classrooms and work in school in a similar manner? Bring in your dreams, new designs and fresh approaches. Keep learning. Join twitter for your professional growth. Let the journey begin!

Classroom Jobs - Think Digital

As you set up your rooms this week, why not add digital jobs to your job chart? In addition to "line leader" and "table washer", add "homework helper". This student could explain the first math problem in the homework using Voicethread, providing support to any student who gets home and forgets the process to solve a problem. It is also helpful for parents to understand the steps of the homework...how often as parents do we hear, "That's not how we do it in school!" Check out this example.

What other "digital jobs "can you add to you class job list? Add a comment and I will create a post of all your ideas.

The Power of Our Hands

OTs have a fascination with hands. It is through our hands that we interact with the world around us. Our hands calm others, take in information, manipulate tools, create masterpieces and are a vehicle for our imagination. Recently we have limited our hands in school to pencils and books. Are our hands having even less a role in this digital age we live in? Watch Pattie Maes from the MIT Media Lab discuss new technology that uses our hands and natural gestures to interact with our environment.

Webspiration is Open for (Free) Business Again!

Now you can get a free account to My Webspiration, an online web mapping tool. They opened the site up to new users again, so go for it. MyWebspiration

UDL in the Skies OR Soaring Senses

My colleague Lindsay and I just completed teaching a course on "barrier-free learning", incorporating Universal Design for Learning principles (UDL). A key feature of UDL is offering multiple means of representation, expression and engagement. Watch this video to see how a flight attendant engaged his audience in a way that sparked the interest of his passengers and encouraged participation. Imagine bringing this into the classroom!


The Rapping Flight Attendant - Watch more Funny Videos

Using Winnie Dunn's classification of sensory patterns, I would identify this particular flight attendant as a "sensory seeker". He added increased sensory input to his typical routine to keep himself and the passengers more alert. Check out Winnie Dunn's book, Living Sensationally - Understanding your Senses to learn more about sensory patterns in everyday life.

Thanks to @rmbyrne for his blog post highlighting this video. Check out his blog Free Technology for Teachers for a wealth of resources at your fingertips.

Seeking Information

Would you be so kind to complete this short form if you work with students on the autism spectrum. We will share the results with you!

photo citation: http://www.flickr.com/photos/paulworthington/82648702/

Pros, No Cons @EduCon

I am so excited to be heading down to Philadelphia tomorrow for EduCon 2.1. It is a wonderful experience driven by these guiding principles:

1) Our schools must be inquiry-driven, thoughtful and empowering for all members
2) Our schools must be about co-creating -- together with our students -- the 21st Century Citizen
3) Technology must serve pedagogy, not the other way around.
4) Technology must enable students to research, create, communicate and collaborate
5) Learning can -- and must -- be networked.

If you are not there, you can attend virtually...session recordings will be embedded on the wiki pages. Take advantage of the learning!

Learn From the Animals

We've had our fair share of ice here in the Boston area recently. Yesterday the Boston Globe gave some tips on navigating safely on this slippery surface. Their main suggestion was to walk like a penguin. It is such a great visual image, isn't it? Although it looks funny, it's not as silly as it seems.

- Keep your knees loose and lower your center of gravity.
- Use a wide based gait with your feet pointed out slightly.
- Walk flat footed on troubled areas and take shorter steps.
- Extend your arms to the sides to keep your balance.

These few changes to your body mechanics may just keep you on your feet. Who wants to try managing on crutches or with your arm in a sling?

image by odolphie

Happiness - Pass it on!

photo by mathewlees

According to the Boston Globe this morning, the impact of your social network may be greater than you think. A study cited in the British Medical Journal found there are three degrees of influence when it comes to happiness. It ripples through your extended network of social contacts - as far as a friend of a friend of a friend. Now that you know you have the power to lift the mood of others, how will you show up at school today? Go out and spread the cheer! Let me know how it worked for you.

Read the full article.

Turning Trash Into Treasure

Occupational therapists see function in most objects.

7 am - picked up on curbside after spotting it on a morning run

9 am - new life as a movement tool to get students ready to learn

Changing Disabilities To Possibilities

My K12 Online Conference presentation, Changing Disabilities to Possibilities - Using the MacGyver Approach is coming up this week. Here is a peek at the 2 minute teaser.

Learn in the Comfort of Your Own Home or School

Are you listening to the conversations? Going on right now is a free online conference for k - 12 educators. Check it out at the K12 Online Conference 2008. Listen anytime, anywhere. Listen by yourself or with your colleagues. Grab that cup of coffee and chose from among 40 different presentations (all 20 minutes in length). Let me know which ones you enjoyed...

Making it Count!

On my previous post, Jeff Utecht left a comment which I rejected accidentally when I was moderating it. My only defense was that it was way too early in the morning and I didn't have enough coffee. At any rate, I copied the comment from my email and pasted it here...

The best part about moving parent communication online is that you can track who visits and reads the website. We never could do that when we sent the paper copy home in student backpacks. A great way to 'sell' teachers on moving to communicating digitally is to embed a stat counter on the site so they can see that people are visiting and reading.

I can't agree with him more. It is so motivating to see that people actually are reading what you put out.

I use clustrmaps as a quick visual. This world map gives you a global glimpse of who is stopping by your site. I also use stat counter. It gives me information I didn't know I wanted. I can see how many people visited on a given day, what cities they came from and how much time they spent on the site.  

Jeff suggests Google Analytics. It lets you know how many hits on your site are within your school boundaries, for example.

All these programs are free.  Yes, data is useful, motivating and fun!

Parent Collaboration - Reflection # 5

Collaborating with parents is so important. I often wonder how can we do a better job. I first came upon Parents as Partners website that covers the topic from head to toe. In addition to the website, they have a regular webcast with Ed Tech Talk. It broadcasts on the 1st and 3rd Monday of each month and shares best practices in engaging parents and teachers in conversations about families and schools. Check in Monday 9:00 pm EST. The hosts for the show are Lorna Costantini, Matt Montagne and Rhoda Cipparone.

Then I read Jeff Utecht's blog post on Parent Conmmunication: From Print to Digital. As teachers move from paper newsletters to online communication, he offers 5 great suggestions on how to communicate in a digital format.

One of our principal's goal this year is to reduce the amount of copies made in the school. I think this is a great first step!

photo citation: .p a n e.

Does Learning Stop After You Leave the Schoolyard - Reflection # 4

Does learning stop when the bell rings and your students leave the four walls of your classroom?

We were on Second Beach in Middletown, RI this summer when we discovered a sand dollar. We thought this was an odd find on such a northern beach. The kids started to wonder if sand dollars where indigenous to this area. Wikipedia and google were not available. Luckily a teenager had her cell phone and I had the place to get the answer, even on the beach...ChaCha.

Mobile Answers. Just call. Just text. Just ask. We did. Within a few minutes, we received a text message explaining that they could be found in shallow coastal waters anywhere in the world, as far north as Alaska. This prompted more questions. What animal lived inside? In a few minutes a text came back explaining they were Echinoids, spiny skinned creatures. Their relations included the sea lily, the sea cucumber, the star fish and the sea urchin. Several more questions were asked and answered. I marveled that learning could take place anywhere. Yes, sitting on a beach in Rhode Island, sparked by a curious find of a sand dollar.

The cell phone is a handy tool. Imagine being on a field trip to pick apples and someone wonders how many types of apples there are in North America. I have the answer...I just asked ChaCha. Now you try. It's free (standard text message fees apply).

Text 242242
Call 1.800.2CHACHA

Nature Lovers - Reflection #3

Summertime is a time to connect with nature. If you happen to be close to the water, you have daily reminders of this. I always know when sunrise and sunset is, as well as high and low tide. This creates a rhythm to the day that effects all that I do.

In the summer edition of Tufts Magazine, there was an article titled What’s lost when kids lose touch with nature? In it, W. George Scarlett talks about the disconnect with the natural world. No longer are kids let loose to play in the woods or to roam the outside. Instead, they are indoors connected to TV and video games or outdoors in organized sports. This alienation from nature is a new focus of research. Is there a connection to obesity and attention deficit disorder in children? Not so long ago, many classrooms had a room pet. This taught the students care taking and promoted wonder. I haven't seen one in years.

Howard Gardner has added naturalist intelligence to his list of multiple intelligences. Do you have a student who is "nature smart"? Take time to gaze at a spider web and observe critters outside the school yard. Write nature journals and embed nature in math problems. How can you connect nature to your classroom?

How Much Movement Do You Need? (Reflection # 2)

I realize that summer agrees with me. I get to be outdoors, in the light, for many hours. I get to move in many different ways: swim, bike, run and kayak. All in all, it makes for a happy, productive day.

How much movement does each individual student need? It will vary just as it does for adults. Granted, some are satisfied with what they get in the typical day: walking to specials, moving around the room to get materials and running around at recess. But we all know there are students who are natural movers. They demand a great amount of movement just to reach their threshold and stay on task. How are we providing this input for them beyond what is naturally available in the school day?

At Hosmer, we have power stations in the hallways to give a quick boost to students as they transition. In the classroom, students stand to work or sit on Movin' Sit cushions. Some children require motor breaks in which they are given 5 minutes to move on a scooter board, ride a roller racer, jump on a trampoline or run up and down the stairs.

What ideas do you have? How can we better accommodate these movers and make them more productive during the school day?

Experieincing Life as a Student (Reflection #1)

During the Building Learning Communities Conference this July, I kept my eyes and ears open to how it felt to participants attending a day long learning event. I noticed several things. As adults, we could choose our learning. We had a wealth of workshops available to pick from. People got up to leave if the workshop wasn't what they expected. Comments about the difficulty of sitting all day were heard throughout. Drinks and food were allowed into the sessions. And, people even chewed gum! At the end of the day, people were cooked.

Fast forward to our students. They sit at their desks a good portion of the day, everyday. Imagine if they could get up and walk out if the lesson wasn't meaningful to them. Do they have the opportunity to go to the bathroom or grab a drink? Are they able to "back channel" when the lesson is going on to extend their learning?

Besides the great learning that took place over several days at the BLC08 conference, I think many of us realized how hard it is to be a student!

photo citation torres21

Summer Reflections

There was a lot swimming around in my head this summer that never made it down to the page. I thought I would write five short blog posts about what I was thinking about.

Come for the Conversation

An international all-day "meetup" of educators interested in talking and learning about Web 2.0 technologies, will take place on Monday July 14th, at the Newton Marriott just before the start of the Building Learning Communities Conference. All are invited--whether you yourself blog, are just an educational blog reader, or even just want to hang out with an interesting group of people. The event is free. Hope to see you there!

Visit the wiki for more information.

Sitting Sensory Seekers

Keeping sensory seekers in their seat is not easy. We use a variety of solutions, from Move'n Sit cushions to wrapping Theraband around the desk legs. We schedule movement breaks and allow our students to stand to work. When touring colleges with my son and daughter over the past years, I noticed interesting chair options which provide movement and positional changes. I wondered why we don't have these in grades 1 - 12?

Well, thanks to a flickr group I belong to, I recenty saw an interesting chair used in schools. The Zumo Rocker from Virco offers us another way to embed movement naturally. It stands out from the typical line of school furniture because it provides moderated range of movement for the antsy student. The rocker chair comes in seat heights from 13" - 18" to accommodate students from preschool to high school. Do you know anyone that needs to move to learn? Here is another option!

Have A Stress Free Week

We love bubble wrap. We have it taped to the wall for finger warm ups. We put it on the floor to practice jumping or to get re-energized. Now, we can use it on the computer as well. Someone in my twitter network asked for sites to "de-stress during testing week". One response was FreeRice, which we have written about in a previous post. Another suggestion was The Original Virtual Bubble Wrap. This online bubble wrap site is just plain fun. Thanks to mswecker for passing this on. We are in the middle of MCAS testing here in Massachusetts. Popping a few bubbles may come in handy.

After MCAS is over next week, there still are the potential applications for students. It is a great training tool for point and clicking with the mouse. You get such a satisfying "pop" each time you click on a bubble. If you have students who can only guide the mouse with their arm movement (no clicking yet), use the manic mode. It will continuously click as you move the mouse over the bubbles.

I feel calmer already!

Sit Back and Enjoy the Show

One thing I hate when I search for images is scrolling to the bottom and clicking "next" to get to the following page. "Scroll, click, scroll, click...look, I have 17 more pages in this search. I hope I find something soon!"

A couple of months age I discovered PicLens, a free extension to your browser (works with Firefox, Safari and Internet Explorer). I am now treated to a continuous flow of the images as I roll my mouse to the right or left of the screen. I feel like I am sitting in a movie theater!

PicLens instantly transforms your browser into a full-screen, 3D experience for enjoying photos and videos across the web. With one click, PicLens makes online media come to life via an immersive presentation that goes beyond the confines of the traditional browser.

Why mundanely click through online photo galleries or squint at thumbnails? Get PicLens now, and discover what online rich media was meant to be.

Classroom and student applications:

• Present a set of images on a specific topic in an appealing visual manner to the whole class. Assemble images of the Civil War for a middle school history class. Gather images of butterflies for second graders who are observing the chrysalis stage in class.
  
• Help students quickly find an image they need without having to change pages.
  
• Upload photos from a recent field trip to Flickr and view at your own pace.
  

What other ideas do you have for school and classroom uses?

Give PicLens a try!

Just Read The Words...Or Listen Too

In the last post I tried a new application that gives you the option to hear the text. Some of us may not have needed it, some may have found it helpful while some may have found it essential.

We have students who cannot access text for a variety of reasons. Low vision and reading challenges are two common ones. But what about the student with attention difficulties? What about the student with sensory processing issues who does not register sensory input unless it is enhanced? Hearing and seeing allows for a multisensory approach that improves attention and helps some students to "notice" salient information. Perhaps you have students who are auditory learners. Hearing is the best channel to receive and retain information.

We can provide adult support to read the material for these students. This fosters dependence. As occupational therapists, we are always aiming for independence, however.

We can let our students struggle. Just read the words some may say. Easier said than done for certain students. They may eventually do it, but what have they missed in the process?

Now, thanks to the web 2.0 world we live in, there is an easy solution...and it's free. ReadTheWords is a web based service that assists people with written material. They do this by using TTS Technology, or Text To Speech Technology. It was created to assist students with learning disabilities with their studies, by means of auditory learning and auditory processing. The developers quickly learned that it was being used by many others for a variety of purposes. It has proved to be a great example of universal design because it accommodates a wide spectrum of users in their daily lives.

There is nothing to download and you can access this service online from any computer, anywhere. Once the text is converted, it does not have to sit on your computer. Students can take their reading on the go by adding it to their ipod or mp3 player. This keeps the information at the student's fingertips, at their desk in school or available at home for studying and review. ReadTheWords provides 15 voices to choose from and you can control the pitch and speed of the voices according to your preference. They read English, Spanish and French.

We want to make the information easily available to our students. We don't want them to run a marathon each time they need information. How exhausting and tiring would that be? The Boston Marathon is coming up, by the way. It is a commendable accomplishment, but not something you do on a daily basis!

photo citation: Benimoto

Viva Le Differance

I cringe when I walk into a classroom and all the desks are the same height. Yes, they look ordered and they line up so well. Once you add the students, however, the problem begins. You see, kids come in all different sizes.

Our students do not do well with a cookie cutter approach. One size does not fit all. Watch this short video, Animal School, to appreciate different learning styles. I first discovered this video on Karen Janowski's blog, Teaching Every Student. In the past several weeks, it kept coming to my attention (my niece identified with the kangaroo, a parent passed on the link to us at school, a workshop used it in the presentation and someone in my twitter network mentioned it in the conversation).

It's time I passed it on to you!