Resolution Solution Linky Party
Amanda Madden over at Teaching Maddeness is hosting a terrific linky party to encourage bloggers to choose (and stick to) New Year's resolutions! I thought I would join in with some resolutions of my own. Here goes:
School
1. I like to have one-on-one conversations with my students to learn how they're doing and what really interests them, so that I can make motivational books, worksheets, books, etc. But it always seems like there's a time crunch, and there are a few kids that I just don't get to because they're really shy or hard to approach. I'm resolving to start the New Year off by finding out a little more about those hard-to-reach kids. I think in the end it will be very beneficial for everyone.
2. My second resolution is to help my four lowest students to learn their numbers to 20. Sometimes I feel like I've already explored every option, but the truth is we know that there's always something else that we can try.
Personal
3. I have a difficult time relaxing. I always feel guilty on weekdays if I'm not doing schoolwork all night. My New Year's resolution is to take one hour a day to listen to a book, or watch an episode of "Chopped" or "Cupcake Wars" - these are my two new favorite shows! :-) They describe everything really well, and being blind, some TV shows are hard to watch.
Hi Sharon - thank you for the sweet comment on my blog - I'm following your blog and love your great ideas and perspective!
ReplyDeleteTo answer your question, I have - and have had in the past - several students who have various degrees of visual impairment. I actually was going to get a student this year with total blindness, but he ended up going to a different classroom. My most severely visually impaired student this year has (corrected) vision enough to be functional in the classroom, but unfortunately his glasses have been lost for most of the school year, which obviously has been a major struggle for us and for him! He uses a light box for many table/individual work tasks, which helps quite a lot. Mobility-wise even his uncorrected vision is functional. I'd love to hear any other suggestions or ideas from you!
Happy New Year!
Kara
Spedventures
Kara, when I was going through elementary school I was only legally blind, and there were 3 things that were really hard for me: dittos, art, and gym. For dittos and any worksheets, I would always suggest black-on-white because it's the highest contrast. Likewise for manipulatives, if you give him a black piece of construction paper and use white manipulatives, it would also be very helpful. One of the reasons I didn't like art so much was that it was always coloring, even up to 8th grade (I went to a regular school). I often wished we could do something with tiles or clay - I think I would've done much better with that. I think gym would have been more fun if the other students could've had an opportunity to wear blindfolds and to experience what it would be like to play baseball, dodge ball, etc. with a disability. Now there's so much adaptive equipment, though, so I would think that schools today could have balls with bells in them, and other beeping equipment.
DeleteI hope this helps, and thank you for becoming a follower!
Sharon
Thanks so much for your response, Sharon! Since I am in an all-special ed school, I am lucky to have an adaptive art class and adaptive PE class my students go to! I love the idea of the black construction paper with all-white manipulatives. I think that would help him so much - and such a simple idea, too! I have noticed that he struggles with placement of items. For example, if he has to place a manipulative or game piece on a specific place on a worksheet or playing mat, he can often select the correct piece, but cannot find where it is supposed to go. I've found if I outline the options of placement in thick black marker he is more able to find the correct one. Thanks again!
DeleteKara
Thanks for linking up, Sharon! I love the realistic commitment to one-hour a day for purely something you enjoy!
ReplyDeleteAmanda
Teaching Maddeness
Thanks Amanda. I'm really going to try to stick to that hour to relax. I think it will make me happier every day when I go in to school.
DeleteSharon