Friday, December 04, 2009

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!

Saturday, November 21, 2009

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!


Wednesday, September 09, 2009

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.

Wednesday, September 02, 2009

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!

Tuesday, September 01, 2009

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.

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

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.

Wednesday, June 03, 2009

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

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

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.

Friday, February 20, 2009

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/

Thursday, January 22, 2009

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!

Thursday, January 08, 2009

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