Melissa+K.

Working on learning how to do this! Still overwhelmed by everything out there and how to #|apply it all! Even though I am technically part of the digital age, I am not as comfortable as I would like to be with it.

Tammy Wooster - Weekly technology tech tips
Classroom 2.0 - Educators integrating technology (like Facebook) Richard Byrne - Free Technology for Teachers The Committed Sardine Edutopia - Can sign up for free e-mails

REFLECTION: I can't help but think of a quite my mom always says: "How do you eat an elephant?: One bite at a time." Feeling overwhelmed by the massive amount of technologies we were exposed to, I am reminded that change often happens slowly. I can't implement all of these things overnight, but I can do some of them well. That is the goal... to work on one thing at a time and do it well so that in a year or two I am much further along in this journey. This is one of the first classes that is truly motivating me to make lasting change in my teaching!

** 5 new technologies to try **
Using voice thread to record books for students to listen to or letting them record it.

Use extranormal for #|teach social stories so that they can be re-visited.

Figure out how to get the screen reader to work on the computer #|school computers... still frustrated by this!

[] Create your own flash cards!  Dragon #|Naturally Speaking for students to take speech to text (for my disgraphic students especially).

** 4 ideas to share with others **
Kagan strategies: Take off / touch down, inner/outer circle activity, others...

Create a Wiki for our team so that we can share #|websites more easily and have them year to year arranged by topic.

Nail activity (NAILS = Never Assume Impossibilities Learn Strategies) - Re-mediate and use #|teach different strategies! (Stop solely accommodating)

Eye activity for recognition networks.

** 3 principles of Universal Design for Learning **
Multiple means of representation Multiple means of expression, and Multiple means of engagement.

** 2 changes in your teaching to reach all learners in the Digital Age **
Being consistent about finding ways to implement the different technologies at least weekly. Having at least one item per week that can be saved and referred to for future use.

Allowing the students to guide my instruction better: Meaning that I am not going to be scared of the technology...Let them show me what they are working on and try to #|incorporate it and make it meaningful to instruction for them. 

** 1 BIG idea to implement “on Monday” **
Refusal to be scared by the overwhelming task! Starting small on something that I **really** didn't feel comfortable with before: To use the Wiki page as a way to document new info I find (and collaborate with others). Creating my own wiki for personal reasons as a way to connect with others about topics I am interested in (especially in support as we continue to pursue Foster Care). #|stuff (Since it is the last week of school and if I don't use this over the summer it is going to be gone out of my brain by August!).