Week #3: The Art of Storytelling

              "A story can take you anywhere in your imagination--places a movie never can." My mother told me this from an early age. She explained to me that, movies limit the imagination of the viewer. While watching a movie, the viewer is watching another persons "take" on a story. But a written story does not have limits, the reader is free to interpret and "go" wherever the mind takes them.
            When I was a child, my mother was an avid reader. She was "famous" for reading novels within a day, or two. She also loved to read to my brother and I. It was a great bonding experience. As I grew older, I developed a love for reading and writing. I really understood what she meant by, "a book can take you places a movie can't." This has proven true each time I hear someone exclaim: "I liked the book better than the movie."
            This week in class we read a resource titled: "The Science of Storytelling." This resource states that telling/writing/reading a story "fires" up the brain better and faster than just stated facts bullet pointed in a text.
                  Pre-schoolers love nothing more than to sit at "circle time" and hear stories. This is also true when it comes to families at home. Reading to kids makes them smarter, while giving them a model and encouragement to become avid readers themselves.
                 There is definitely an "art" to the tradition of storytelling. School age children deserve to be read too, regardless of age.

Week #2: Advantages of Using Assistive Tech in Special Education

Technology in Education is expanding and users of ALL abilities need/deserve access to “user-friendly” applications. In the Education field, students have varying abilities—it is up to us, as educators, to direct students to technology that will help them not only in their education, but also when developing much needed life-skills.

              A great source for user friendly applications online are found through Google Chrome. Applications such as:

*Speech-to-text, the user is able to talk into a device (tablet, phone, computer, etc.) and the application produces the written words into sentences.

*Text-to-speech, this application allows the user to hear the words on the screen (of any website) through the speakers of their device.

*Dyslexia Friendly Chrome Extension Link, this application is for learners who have difficulties reading, or interpreting words/letters/symbols. The font is written in what’s called: “Open Dyslexic font.” This font is believed to help learners with Dyslexia read.

*Vimium, this application provides shortcuts on the keyboard for users who have difficulties navigating a mouse.

              The above assistive tech applications are important to learners of ALL abilities. I have worked predominately with Special Education Students; during my time working with students in the education setting. These students have shown not only interest, but success when using technology. It is incredible what students can do with technology when they are able to explore devices on their own. When educators incorporate learning technology into their daily lessons, it strengthens and increases the odds that the assistive tech is working.

              It is not uncommon for a child with reading deficits to show difficulty in their writing skills. When an educator gives that child access to assistive tech such as, “speech-to-text,” they give that child a tool for creating written assignments. The child’s creativity comes to life—it isn’t hindered by their reading difficulties.

              It is important for every child to know that they can succeed, and master a skill. Teaching/utilizing assistive tech gives children the tools they need for an advancing technological society.

             

Why I Want To Become A Teacher

Becoming a teacher has always been a dream of mine. As a child, my friends and I would play school. We would use my friend Crystal's garage as a school; we would set up chalk boards and "do/grade" assignments. It was always such a fun experience.
The sound of chalk on a chalk board has always caught my attention in a positive way. (Yes, I am "dating" myself. I grew up in the 90's and was able to experience the sound of chalk running across a chalk board, communicating the teacher's information.
My first "real" job was at a preschool/daycare; I worked my way up from teacher's assistant to lead teacher. I spent seven years at that preschool, but it was time for me to move onto to better pay/hours. I moved on to become a Para Educator. It was at Proviso Area For Exceptional Children that I learned that I had a passion for working/teaching students in Special Education.

First Post On Blogger

Hello Blogger! This is my first blog created through Blogger...