Student Guide Corner

IMPORTANT : First, read The Homework Myth by Alfie Kohn.   If, after reading this book, homework is still considered necessary for learning, you will want to consider these alternatives. Many districts require assignment notebooks for scheduling homework and long-term assignments. For some students, a paper-based system works effectively. For other students, the assignment notebook provides unintended consequences as a method of frustration.  Not all students are able to independently record homework in an assignment notebook, for a variety of reasons (i.e. difficulty with pencil control, difficulty managing multiple paper materials, unable to use notebooks due to vision or physical disabilities) .   The paper IS the disability for these students. What are alternatives? Thinking creatively, and considering the ubiquitous technology available, here are a few options: 1.    Embed the assignments on the class webpage. Students (and parents) will know where i...

If you've ever heard me present, you've heard Twitter is the best professional development. Free, just-in-time, whenever, wherever and total access control. Well, Scott McLeod's blog post came across my reader tonight and it makes the case for Why Not Twitter better than I ever could. Here's an excerpt: Dear educator, if you were on Twitter yesterday, you might have found: this awesome reflection about working with a teacher on technology integration ; or these resources about �learning styles� and whether they�re a myth ; or this list of ideas about how to rethink awards ceremonies ; or this list of 100 free apps to check out for that new iPad you just bought ; or this update about the thousands of new online resources that PBS will provide you starting this fall ; or Read the rest of the post here to learn fifteen more things you missed and why you need to be part of the Twitter professional development experience. 

I love learning from the experiences of others. Cheryl Oakes shares an effective editing method she uses with her students with special needs at a high school in Maine. Check out her method here using Google Docs and add it to your editing repertoire. As Ira Socol states in Toolbelt Theory , we have a responsibility to allow students to explore the tools which will help them be successful beyond school. To withhold that information is a grave injustice. Are you still relying on teaching your traditional editing methods? Are they working for all your students? If not, now is the time to explore the methods in this post and the previous Rethinking Editing post . Thank you, Cheryl, for teaching me something new!

I've heard that refrain numerous times. "But... he doesn't want to be seen as different." It's usually uttered in response to specific technology recommendations offered during the IEP team process. The team typically nods their head in agreement; after all, it is a priority that the student completes school tasks in the same manner as their peers, or uses the same school tools as their friends.(Or is it?) Unfortunately, I realize another team is unaware of Universal Design for Learning principles.  If they understood UDL, they would appreciate the importance of offering MULTIPLE methods of engagement, presentation and expression. Instead, they are sticking to the "one size fits all" approach, an approach which fails to meet the needs of all learners. It's an approach that allows teams to agree, "He doesn't want to be seen as different." My challenge to the team is to change the culture, don't let the student be seen as different...

It's been almost three months since my last post. I've written hundreds in my head but none of them made it to the website. So, I'm starting with rethinking editing .  In my experience, editing is one of the least preferred activities for students. Many students believe since they've written it and used pre-writing strategies such as outlines or graphic organizers, then it must be good enough. Or, they've put so much energy into the first draft, they have nothing left for the revision process. Too often, they fail to see the value of editing to improve the quality of their written work. How are you teaching the editing process? Have you incorporated technology as part of your instruction? Technology allows new editing methods and strategies . Here's one I've been working on for some time. Technology Editing Method : a)     Disable spell and grammar check when the student is writing their initial draft so as not to interrupt the flow of ideas. Save the initi...

My attempt to follow through with a series, "Around the Web in 80 Days" was a major fail and I apologize to those who wanted to learn more about specific sites and tools. It's embarrassing that I offered something and then failed to deliver. I realized there are so many other blogs and wikis devoted to that type of posting and that's not where my passion lies. (Look at SpeechTechie , Free Technology for Teachers and Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day , among others, for daily resources and 21st Century Educational Technology and Learning for detailed information about topics.) Instead, my hope through my blog is to challenge thinking about how we educate struggling learners. Over the next few weeks, I will embark on a series about rethinking established and unquestioned educational practices. The first few posts will look at the use of assignment notebooks, the use of textbooks, and requiring all students to produce the same product to demonstrate what they hav...

One of the complaints often stated about the iPad is the difficulty or inability to create content. Fortunately, the thinking is evolving as new apps appear which address content creation. Why is that important for education? Two reasons. First, students who struggle with output due to, for example, handwriting issues, generating ideas, organizing written ideas, or slow processing, need choices so they can demonstrate knowledge in a manner that helps them see themselves as successful learners. Have you ever worked with students who shut down? Were they were so demoralized by their struggles to get their thoughts expressed in a paper-based format? For some students, school is a daily reminder of everything that is difficult for them. It's in their face; they can't escape it. Therefore, it's imperative we offer alternatives to tap into students' strengths. Some kids may prefer paper-based expression. Others may prefer a computer based solution using word processing softw...