Special Education Curriculum for Today

I was so excited to start this blog.  I thought I would use it to communicate with other special educators.  I found that I did not receive as many comments as I thought I would.  I got very busy and just did not keep up with my blog.  Well, another year and another chance to give it a try.  Look to see some new posts soon.  Let’s try this together.  Julie

I was challenged by a friend to try Microsoft Photo story 3.  I went online and downloaded the FREE software and decided to see why my friend was so excited to use it in the classroom.  The program allows you to put pictures in order, alter the picture quality, add captions, add music and narrate the pictures to create a final movie.  This program would be awesome in the classroom.  This program would be helpful with creative writing, teaching the writing process and any project based assignment.  This program is very easy to use and just as easy to teach to others.  There are many great resources and examples on the web.  I have added just a few links but I challenge you to do a search of you own. Below is the link to download Microsoft Photo Story 3 and some websites with examples of student work and an online tutorial.  Give it a try and let me know what you think.

Link to download Photo Story 3 and Media Player: 

 http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=92755126-A008-49B3-B3F4-6F33852AF9C1&displaylang=en 

Great tutorial to walk you through the steps:

http://www.jakesonline.org/photostory.htm

Here is a link to some example that will give you a taste of Photo Story 3:

http://www.greece.k12.ny.us/task/photostory/ps3demos.htm

We will be in school on the dreaded Valentine’s Day.  Not that I don’t like the holiday but 500 middle schoolers with chocolate hearts and roses can be a little much. I always found that if you can’t beat em join em.  Here are a few ideas that you might want to try. 

1. Buy a bag of conversation hearts.  Use the sayings on the hearts for creative writing ideas.  The heart can be a writing prompt to get students thinking.  (I always talk about what is appropriate it write at school)

2.  Same bag of conversation hearts.  Students could write a silly letter using the friendly letter format.  The goal might be to use the pharse on the heart at least three times in the letter.

3.  The following site has a valentine legend story and writing activities.

http://www.abcteach.com/free/r/rc_valentine_legend.pdf

4.  The following is a RAFT that you can use to differentiate your Valentine’s Day writing assignments. Valentine’s Day RAFT

 If you have other tried and true ideas please let me know when you comment.  Also, if you try an idea let me know how it goes.  Just click on the word comment to drop me a line.  Have Fun!

The job market has changed and is continuing to change.  Do our students have the 21st century skills they need to be successful?  The job market is changing and we must change to prepare students for the future.  When I started teaching I didn’t know about blogging.   I would have never thought I would use a blog to communicate with other teachers.  I barely used e-mail to communicate then and now I would probably die if I didn’t check my e-mail several times a day.  Please look at this article and see what jumps out to you. http://www.quintcareers.com/job_skills_values.html

 One part of the article that stood out to me was the section about values.  For so long this was a dirty word in our public schools but now we are seeing how important it is to employers that they have people who are honest and have integrity.  They are looking for people who are confident and have positive attitudes.  I think quality teachers have always tried to add this into their curriculum but now we are seeing that it has to be part of the curriculum and not just an add on.

If you are a WV teacher looking for a website that has CSO correlated lesson plans, millons of ideas and is still user friendly…look no further.  The WVDE teach21 website has what you need.  Everytime I go to the site I find information that I overlooked the time before.  The unit plan section is full of lesson plans that are correlated with the new CSO’s.  The lessons are differentiated and a variety of formative and summative assessments are used.  They give you everything you need at the touch of your mouse.  Many of the schools have completed staff development on this site but I have found the best staff development is to just sit down and use it.  I just clicked away on the different links and found what was useful to me.  It takes a little time upfront to view the lessons but the time it saves you in the long run is worth it.  Please use the link below to see this awesome site.

http://wvde.state.wv.us/teach21

Do you notice that we are drawn to positive people?  Positive attitudes can just draw us in.  This can work the same way with students.  When setting limits with students state the positive first.  We often tell them what horrible consequence they are going to receive – they erupt and then we wonder why.  You set limits because you realize that you can’t force someone to act appropriately.  This can often lead to a power struggle which is never productive. Often hearing the negative first will cause the student to esculate.  You are offering the student choices, as well as stating the consequences of those choices.  It is also important to set limits that are simple/clear, resonable and enforceable.  For example, don’t tell a student that they will get 100 days of d-hall if you don’t plan on carrying this out.   My mom always said “That is not a threat it is a promise.”  That meant if she said it then it would happen.  We have to be the same way as teachers because students will figure out really quick if they can push us.  Plus, a threatening attitude just seems to scream “power struggle.” 

Resouce for this information:CPI Instructors manual

The five approaches to be used when co-teaching.

One Teach One Support

Parallel Teaching

Station Teaching

Alternative Teaching

Team Teaching

Co-Teaching Approaches – Powerpoint (click to view powerpoint)

My name is Julie Sayre.  I am starting my 9th year of teaching.  I am currently the KCS Special Education Curriculum Specialist for Secondary Schools.  I am excited about creating a blog that can be used by teachers.