Just keep swimming....Just keep swimming

Just like Dory from "Finding Nemo" we need to just keep swimming. Time is flying by right now and I didn't realize how long it has been since I last posted. Things in my world are going amazingly well.  Usually the time between Thanksgiving and Winter Break drag on, but this year even the kids mentioned how quickly the time is going. Last month, OETC was looking for pictures of students using technology. Of course I shared pictures of my students working on various projects. It was so cool to see my students on Pinterest and their Facebook page. I love sharing what my students are doing in the classroom.

Students have been busy using the book creator app to create the How To Book's using one of the apps on their iPads. Now we are getting ready for a Cookies, Coco and Coding Festival next week. I have my students creating games using their iPad. I can't wait to show off what they have created. It all started with the "Hour of Code" initiative. Being that I teach a technology based course and see the benefits of technology with my students with special needs, I felt it was important to set aside the time in my room to make this happen. They students started out with researching the idea behind the hour of code, explaining why it is important and then they began to work on their coding for their games. I can't wait for my preview day to see what they create.

I need to remember just like Dory to "Keep Swimming" because the world of IEP writing is ever changing. This past week we received notification about the changes to the read aloud accommodation for my students. I'm baffled and confused about some of the information out there and don't know how to change things for my students. I will continue to do what is best for my students because after all this they are students and not just test scores.

Going from hitting the brick wall to backing away from it

Technology has been an amazing part of my classroom. Aside from the iPad classes, I also teach 3 resource room classes. Each resource room has 2 different grade levels at the same time. So looking at the schedule I may only “teach” 5 classes but 3 of the classes have 2 grades in them. I typically loop with my students at least part of their middle school experience. I love watching them grow, getting to know their personalities and also their families. The first time I get my kiddos it is often a rough go for the first few weeks, usually I have a lot of faith in being able to get them where they need to be but for some reason early this year, I didn’t have the usual confidence.

I finally came to the conclusion that I was spoiled for the past 3 years. They made AMAZING growth. By the time they left me in 8th grade, the state of Ohio saw them as proficient on their OAA. Some of them made 20 points worth of growth, others made closer to 50 points growth. Last year we were reading Edgar Allen Poe and the reality was that I would not be able to do it with this group of students. I was crushed as I felt last year was amazing, we read and understood text that I never thought I could do in the resource room.

This year started and I would ask questions, the kiddos looked at me like I had 6 heads. I felt that I was knocking my head against a brick wall (and some days I actually was) I realized that the issue was not with the kids but with me. I was still wishing and hoping that I would be able to use the same short stories and have the same levels of understanding. Once I realized that we needed to change, I had to set the wheels in motion.

I have one individual who can do the short stories and have the same understanding, but the rest of them should be met individually or in partner groups. Two of the young ladies might have the abilities but really lack the confidence to speak out loud in class or look people in the eye. Before I can even start to “teach” reading I need to boost their confidence.

I decided to teach them individually. Luckily I have only 4 students in the class and I learned how to make a mastery unit with Schoology. Between Schoology and Google Slides, I was able to converse and build a presentation with one young lady on point of view in writing. She has even begun to preview the short story “Charles” by Shirley Jackson. She is going to be my pilot student on the mastery folders. If they work well (and I think they would) I have a few other ideas. Might take me all year but I think this should work well for the kiddos. After all they are the reason I’m there.

Being in a resource room I love seeing any success that we can get from a student. I wished the state would see the students through my eyes and not just as a test score. With all the changes to evaluations and testing, it becomes harder and harder to see even the smallest success in a positive light, in my mind I have to refuse this as sometimes this is where my students land and they have worked their hardest to get there.