Conversations Episode 95 March 21, 2011

This week, Maria, Lisa and Sheila discussed the topic of acceptance of all students.  We talked about UDL and how that can help us accept differences among behavior, both social and academic.  

Chat:

11:29:51 Scott Shelhart (@kd9sr): Hi there!  What is the topic today?

11:30:50 Lisa Parisi: Different Strokes for Different Folks - UDL in action

11:30:57 Scott Shelhart (@kd9sr): cool!

11:30:58 MariaK: different strokes, for different folks - udl in practice

11:30:59 PeggyG: Hi Scott!

11:31:14 PeggyG: great topic! love talking about UDL!

11:32:21 PeggyG: we had a great webinar on Classroom 2.0 LIVE recently with Karen Janowski on UDL and resources to reach ALL learners :-)

11:33:19 Lisa Parisi: Welcome all

11:33:33 Scott Shelhart (@kd9sr): I better find my headset... I have some questions

11:33:50 Sheila: Welcome to Conversations!

11:34:15 PeggyG: I love the new Icecast feature on ETT! Don't have to choose which icon to use (per Jeff) and there is almost no lag in the audio. :-)

11:34:32 PeggyG: Hi jgates513 :-)

11:34:33 Scott Shelhart (@kd9sr): icecast better than ustream?

11:34:55 PeggyG: no video on icecast but if you're just listening to audio it's great

11:35:04 Sheila: Less bandwidth with no video.

11:35:10 PeggyG: exactly

11:35:17 Sheila: Maybe next time?

11:35:26 jgates513: not hearing anything on icecast. Should I be, at this point?

11:35:28 Scott Shelhart (@kd9sr): Reducing  lag is my main goal

11:36:01 PeggyG: This is the link for the recording with Karen Janowski--lots of great resources! http://live.classroom20.com/1/category/karenjanowski/1.html

11:36:22 PeggyG: Maria isn't using Icecast today because it's brand new on the site

11:36:29 MariaK: you bet me peggy - as usual. quick draw peggy with the fantastic trigger finger

11:36:36 PeggyG: :-)

11:36:48 Sheila: THanks PeggyG! She is an amazing resource! I want her to come to our school district and present.

11:37:03 PeggyG: I'm an eager learner but not a presenter :-)

11:37:20 Scott Shelhart (@kd9sr): So, it is 100% differentiation for 100% of the students? 

11:37:39 PeggyG: I think everything about UDL is valuable for all learners!

11:37:54 Scott Shelhart (@kd9sr): replace "differentiation" with "customization"

11:38:37 PeggyG: http://udltechtoolkit.wikispaces.com/ Link for the UDL Toolkit created by Karen Janowski and Joyce Valenza--it's fantastic!

11:38:54 PeggyG: you're going to miss your student teacher Lisa!!

11:39:47 edwin cesasr yauyo soto: hi

11:40:02 PeggyG: http://teachingeverystudent.blogspot.com/2008/09/its-not-about-tools-its... Karen's blog post: It's not about the tools; It's about the Possibilities--talks about differentiation and engagement

11:40:05 MariaK: hello

11:40:06 Sheila (again): Welcome to conversations.

11:40:53 MariaK: from Karen J Flexibility is embedded within the curriculum.

11:40:56 PeggyG: Hi Jackelin

11:41:17 PeggyG: Welcome everyone! We're talking about UDL today

11:41:27 JACKELIN M. TITO MENDOZA: HI KAREN

11:41:33 PeggyG: what a great story Lisa!!

11:42:29 JACKELIN M. TITO MENDOZA: HOW ARE YOU

11:43:41 PeggyG: those choices are so important!

11:45:14 connect2jamie: Good morning all!

11:45:38 Sheila (again): Morning!

11:51:23 Sheila (again): Welcome to Conversations!

11:52:16 PeggyG: I wish we could copy/paste here. I was using google translate too but couldn't paste it here :-(

11:52:44 Scott Shelhart (@kd9sr): had to paste translated text to a word doc, then drag into chat.

11:52:55 Sheila (again): :)

11:52:55 PeggyG: aha! thanks for the tip

11:53:49 PeggyG: that is such an awesome video Maria!

11:54:22 MariaK: http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/

11:54:57 PeggyG: everyone has a strength!

11:55:21 PeggyG: http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/animalschool/animalschool.swf

11:55:32 PeggyG: direct link to the video-starts playing immediately

11:55:58 Sheila (again): THanks Peggy for the headsup

11:57:09 PeggyG: there are so many school rules that are not appropriate for all kids! hats are a perfect example--especially in AZ where kids need to be protected from the sun

11:59:33 Sheila: In Iceland, you are not allowed to wear outside shoes inside. Makes sense to me. Can wear slippers :)

12:00:36 PeggyG: Teacher shared this on listserv this week: Case #2 - 5th grader - very low reader - special ed.  He desperately wanted to read the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books.  I hooked him up with the books and the audio books.  He took them home and read all 5 books over the weekend. This is a kid who "doesn't like to read."  He came back and asked for the last book 2 more times.  A month ago - or so - he told me that he had read the entire book by himself and he "didn't miss any words."  It wouldn't have been possible without the audio books.  He did pass his state reading assessment

12:01:22 PeggyG: I agree Sheila about Iceland :-)

12:02:07 PeggyG: fidget toys :-) love the term and great idea!

12:02:08 connect2jamie: I'm a big believer in audiobooks. My own daughter needed them. She's in college and doing great now--she just couldn't read what all the other kids in her class could in 4th-5th grades. She listened and read and it bridged the gap for her.

12:02:54 PeggyG: I am too @connect2jamie!

12:03:44 connect2jamie: just spent a huge amt of $ in my library for audiobooks. My asst is slightly annoyed w/ me b/c they're kind of a pain to deal with. LOL!

12:03:54 PeggyG: why a pain?

12:04:08 PeggyG: do you have headsets?

12:05:27 PeggyG: some teachers think it's cheating and not fair to let some kids listen to books when others are required to read them--that's the attitude that needs to change

12:06:06 stephenveliz: Not quite the same as watching the movie in place of reading the book.

12:06:29 connect2jamie: There's more processing that we have to do w/ audiobooks that the vendors do withour books, plus, we have to check that all the CDs are returned, and track them down when one is missing. And she worries that they'll be scratched, etc. It's just "other" stuff that you don't have to worry about with books. But it's not about us. It's about what kids need. So I figure she'll get over it! :)

12:06:35 PeggyG: Thomas Jefferson: There is nothing more unequal than the equal treatment of unequal people.

12:06:40 Scott Shelhart (@kd9sr): So, what does UDL "look like"?   Can every teacher do it successfully?

12:07:05 stephenveliz: Blog link?

12:07:14 PeggyG: aha @connect2jamie--management kinds of issues

12:07:33 PeggyG: blog link for what?

12:08:15 Sheila (again): Good quote!

12:08:26 Lisa Parisi: lisaslingo.blogspot.com

12:08:26 connect2jamie: We buy earbuds from Follett--$1.16 each. Right now I'm just giving them away, but next yr we're adding them to the student supplies list.

12:08:31 Sheila (again): Am going to use it with admins about teachers. ;)

12:08:33 Scott Shelhart (@kd9sr): UDL seems intuitive to all of us here in the echo chamber, but how do we help other teachers understand UDL?

12:08:36 PeggyG: you have to drag the url-can't copy/paste

12:08:37 stephenveliz: thanks.

12:08:53 MariaK: http://udltechtoolkit.wikispaces.com/ - also fantastic resource for UDL

12:09:25 PeggyG: show them the UDL Toolkit Scott. They all understand that they are responsible for teaching all learners regardless of handicapping conditions or special needs

12:10:42 stephenveliz: jamie - we added headphones to our supply list this year

12:11:05 stephenveliz: difficult to get them to carry them in binders, etc.

12:11:53 PeggyG: http://www.cast.org/teachingeverystudent/ CAST is another fantastic resource for UDL

12:12:18 PeggyG: :-)

12:14:13 PeggyG: http://www.learnerslink.com/curriculum.htm  "Differentiating Instruction-One Size Doesn't Fit All-Effective Strategies to Improve Student Performance"

12:14:41 Scott Shelhart (@kd9sr): ...so UDL helps the child learn in the way that fits the best.   But what happens next year?  If next year's teacher is 'old-school', has a year of UDL in my classroom helped or hurt the child?

12:14:45 PeggyG: that site has links to all subject areas related to differentiating

12:15:20 Sheila (again): Hopefully, it gives the child a voice of reason of what works for him/her

12:15:27 PeggyG: @Scott-they may need parents to advocate for them next year to let the teacher know what their child needs

12:15:59 PeggyG: doesn't have to be called UDL-may scare the teacher but they understand that sometimes kids need alternative ways to learn

12:17:37 stephenveliz: Used to worried about letting my classroom get "out-of-control" - now worried that someone will walk into a silent room

12:17:48 PeggyG: great point stephenveliz

12:18:29 MariaK: http://www.amazon.com/Stockmar-Modeling-Beeswax-Assorted-Sheets/dp/B000S...

12:18:51 PeggyG: cool Maria!! modeling beeswax!

12:19:25 Lisa Parisi: I like it.

12:19:43 Scott Shelhart (@kd9sr): and it doesn't roll away when dropped

12:19:50 connect2jamie: @stephen what age students do you work with? I'm at elementary, and we're thinking teachers will keep track of the earbuds for the primary students. Don't know abt older kids. Actually, most of them have earbuds at home anyway by 4th-5th gr.

12:19:53 PeggyG: I used to hand out "goop" for teachers to squeeze during faculty meetings :-) Great de-stresser! like beeswax :-)

12:21:37 PeggyG: Lisa-take the playdough to your next faculty meeting :-)

12:22:09 Lisa Parisi: Peggy, my faculty already thinks I'm crazy.  I don't need to prove it.

12:22:13 Lisa Parisi: :)

12:22:15 PeggyG: :-)

12:23:17 PeggyG: I found that most kids are very good about "tuning out" outbursts from Asperger kids or Tourette's Syndrome kids. They can be very accepting and tolerant

12:23:27 Lisa Parisi: It's true, Peggy.

12:23:45 Scott Shelhart (@kd9sr): Have you tried a stand-up desk or table?  Something like a tall cafe table?

12:23:52 PeggyG: don't "hide" the disability but teach tolerance and understanding

12:25:22 Kelly Jurkowski: in my room we talk about the idea that "fair" does not mean the "same"

12:26:18 PeggyG: you can't afford to sacrifice entire years of learning for these kids!

12:27:25 Scott Shelhart (@kd9sr): everyone needs a pressure-relief valve. 

12:27:35 PeggyG: for sure!!

12:27:35 connect2jamie: Hopefully they DID work with him @lisa

12:27:46 PeggyG: that is such a sad story Lisa!

12:28:03 connect2jamie: Oh my. So frustrating

12:28:18 PeggyG: they are breaking the law by violating the IEP! you can't discipline/suspend for behavior on their IEP

12:28:45 Lisa Parisi: They can, Peggy, when he is a danger to others.  Throwing chairs is a danger.

12:28:54 connect2jamie: yes, that's right @lisa

12:29:01 PeggyG: allowing him to throw chairs is not on the IEP

12:29:27 PeggyG: I'm referring to specific behaviors or activities you must provide for them to be successful

12:29:52 PeggyG: Courage to Teach is a great book!

12:29:52 Lisa Parisi: It was not in his IEP just in the notes. 

12:30:08 PeggyG: too bad

12:30:43 PeggyG: http://www.amazon.com/Courage-Teach-Exploring-Landscape-Anniversary/dp/0...

12:30:51 PeggyG: Link for Courage to Teach

12:31:50 MariaK: http://www.couragerenewal.org/parker -more on courage to teach from Parker J. Palmer

12:32:12 PeggyG: they will learn that! we had a Tourette's child that both of his parents were also Tourette's and his dad was a very successful judge

12:32:20 Scott Shelhart (@kd9sr): Cheaper here...  http://www.alibris.com/booksearch?mtype=B&keyword=The+Courage+to+Teach&h...

12:32:58 connect2jamie: good point--our curriculum is so prescriptive and lock-step that it's frustrating

12:33:10 PeggyG: maybe cheaper Scott but have to pay for shipping. Shipping is free for me on Amazon with Prime :-)

12:33:40 connect2jamie: LOVE Amazon prime! :)

12:33:47 PeggyG: me too!

12:34:04 PeggyG: you have all done a fantastic job of making the case for differentiation and UDL!

12:34:09 connect2jamie: Thanks everyone! Interesting discussion as usual!

12:34:11 stephenveliz: Thanks.  My first one.  I'll be back.

12:34:23 PeggyG: Great conversation, as always!

12:34:25 Scott Shelhart (@kd9sr): free shipping for many items at alibris

12:34:41 Sheila (again): Thanks for coming!

12:34:46 connect2jamie: Yes @stephen! This is always an hour that I look forward to each week!

12:34:49 Scott Shelhart (@kd9sr): But I do like my free Amazon prime!

12:34:58 PeggyG: I saw that option Scott-if you buy several books from one vendor you are eligible for free shipping--I think

12:35:06 Lisa Parisi: http://ettconversations.blogspot.com/

12:35:49 Lisa Parisi: Bye