#ALSO feel free to comment on any errors in grammar/spelling/punctuation that you notice!!!

[sillygooseun]

okay so since i haven’t posted much recently, i have a lot to share bc i’m. Like That™️ :D

anyway so i work at a small newspaper stand and occasionally they’ll let me edit or write pieces for the article! anyway, the other day, i was talking to one of my coworkers (omg i sound so adult) about hair dye/styles, and how different hairstyle/hair color means you’re often treated differently. (basically this post here) and our editor happened to walk by and here some of what i was saying, and he goes “Hey, you’re really passionate about that. I like it! Write this down, because even if it doesn’t make it into the paper, I want it in my office.” so of course i was all like “Okay! I’ll get right to it then!” so anyway i just thought that since i shared that post i wanted to also share what i wrote (it didn’t end up in the paper, but he actually pinned it on his wall!!! i’m so so proud!)

WARNING IT IS REALLY LONG SO DO NOT READ IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO READ THROUGH A LONG ARTICLE!!!

Hair dye. One of the many wonders of our world. You can look the way you want, because you have the power to choose. I’ve always loved the idea of dyeing my hair, and I’ve been dyeing it since i was 13 years old. Something that I’ve learned along the way is that people tend to treat you differently based on your hair color. A lot of people like to say the phrase “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” Except for the fact that a lot of the time, the people saying this are only saying it for their benefit. It is an intrinsically human behaviour to judge and feel judged. Now, you may be reading this going “Well, that’s only some people, because I would never judge anyone!” But thats where you’re wrong, and you know it. When we see other people, oftentimes our first thought is something bad. For example; “She should get a nose job,” or “That color does not look good on her.” We all judge people, even if we don’t realise it, because we live in a society where it’s normal to do so. But if you don’t think judging people is a horrible thing to do, I’m sure you’re going to be convinced by the end of this article.

I’ve been pushed around all my life. By bigger, older people, by boys, by girls, by adults. And I’ve never felt as though it was a bad thing, because I was told that every kid my age goes through it. But when I found out this wasn’t true, I was furious. Rage can feel different sometimes, and this time it felt like betrayal. It also felt sad, and cruel. I couldn’t help but think, “Why didn’t they just tell me? Why didn’t they do anything?” I know now that they couldn’t. Or, perhaps “wouldn’t” is a better choice of word. When I found out that I was being pushed around more than others, I felt out of place, and unnatural. A month after I had turned 13, I decided to dye my hair a bright purple color. I was treated 10 times worse than I had been with my natural, brunette hair. So I continued to dye my hair every color under the sun, when I realised that it was useless. At 14, I dyed my hair platinum blonde. I was treated better than I was before. My hair grew out, and I kept it blonde until I was 16. I felt more confident, less unsure of who I am, or where my place was. But everyone seemed to put me in this box. My male teachers started dumbing down subjects for me when I asked a question. Boys at school (whom I’ve known for years) started telling me I couldn’t play football with them. I was told that I “dont even know who that is” when wearing a sports jersey. I got tired of being talked to as if I’m stupid and worthless.

My mom is someone who I’ve always been close to, always looked up to. My mom has red hair, and when I was 16, I dyed my hair the same shade as hers. As you should know, girls are a little more matured at 16. Well, a 16 year old with red hair is apparently a target for older men. I was stared at by men twice my age at the gas station, the grocery store, and I was suddenly more liked by boys at school. At the time I had thought it was a normal thing, that all girls go through this. When I was talking to my friend about it I realised this was something that wasn’t happening to her. I was confused, and angry with myself for not realising. I let the red fade out of my hair, and gave it some time to go back to its natural color.

My hair healed from the chemicals in the hair dye. I was not treated as bad as I was with colored hair, not talked to as dumb as I was with blonde hair, and not sexualised the way I was with red hair. I could simply be, and that was enough for a while. Until I got bored of being normal, and dyed it again. I was called “an attention seeker” by classmates, friends, and even family. I’ve learned now to ignore them, because even though my hair is different, I’m not. I want anyone with dyed hair to know that you are still you. Unless you’re not. Some people are changing and some aren’t, and that’s okay! I’m 18 now, with green hair, and suddenly I’m “cool” and “edgy.” I don’t care what people think I am, because I know who I am. And I hope that you, dear reader, can also someday know what it’s like to know who you are.

#my writing #hair dye #dyed hair #newspaper #empowerment #let me know if this is good i wanna be a journalist and this is the closest i can get for now :) #so someone tell me how i did thanks! #ALSO feel free to comment on any errors in grammar/spelling/punctuation that you notice!!!

[thatwritergirlsblog]

My Self-editing Process

Before you give your manuscript to anyone - critique partners, beta readers etc - you should go through a self-editing process first. Here’s mine:

Definitions

Developmental edits: deal with big-picture, plot aspects. Things about the actual story that may need to be changed

Style edits: this isn’t an official term, but I use it in this post to indicate edits that need to made to the actual writing style/prose of a scene

Line/copy edits: deal with in-line, small issues like grammar, word choice/sentence structure

proofread: checking for any spelling, spacing or sentence errors.

These aren’t necessarily the official definitions of the terms, but rather explanations of how I will be using these words in the rest of this post.

While Drafting

I keep a separate document titled “edit notes” while I’m drafting the manuscript. In this document, I jot down any developmental issues that I need to look at later.

In the manuscript document itself, I use the comments feature to indicate any style issues or scenes I may need to rewrite to improve the writing. I also highlight any line or copy edits I may need to make later on.

This helps a lot, since it lets me identify possible errors right away without having to slow my drafting process to give attention to them.

After drafting

Once I’ve finished my draft, I go through various editing steps

Fix the things you noted in your separate “edit notes” and your in-document comments. This is a great place to start with edits, since the problems have already been identified. Go through the list systematically and try to fix them.

Print the manuscript and do a careful read-through. Errors are spotted much easier in hard copy, but if you cannot print the manuscript, try to read it on a tablet/phone. During this thorough read-through, you’re going to highlight different errors in different colours. I use green for developmental, pink for style/rewrite, blue for consistency and yellow for line/copy. But, obviously, you can use whichever colours you want. The purpose of this is only to highlight errors. You can make notes in pencil, but it’s not necessary to come up with solutions/corrections just yet. Keep in mind that you may also notice more issues later on. This is just for getting started.

Now, start editing. Begin with the developmental edits - the things you highlighted in green. These are the edits that may change your book significantly and have ripple effects. So, this is where you start. All those developmental issues you highlighted... Go back to the electronic version of your manuscript and try to fix them. This is the most brutal part of the editing process. It’s difficult and it may take long. But it is very necessary.

Edit the style errors/that which you highlighted in blue. These edits may require some scenes to be rewritten completely, but it doesn’t take as much problem-solving brain power as developmental edits.

Now, move on to the line/copy edits - you highlighted them in yellow. This is probably going to be your easiest round of edits, since it just requires correcting line-level edits.

You will probably have come across some more things you’d like to change during this entire process. Now is the time to give attention to those.

Run an editing software/extension. Now that you’ve edited every error you could find, I would suggest using something like Grammarly/ProWritingAid on your manuscript. This will help identify overused words/phrases, inconsistencies in punctuation, weak sentences etc. Let the program highlight these for you and decide what you want to change. ProWritingAid has a great free, online editor that I highly recommend if you cannot afford to buy the full software package.

Now, use some other device to read through your manuscript a final time. You can print the whole thing again, but that’s expensive. So, I would recommend using a phone/tablet/e-reader - whatever you have available. Read through the entire manuscript again, checking for any errors/issues you may find. This is mainly for proofreading purposes, but you could spot big-picture problems as well. Correct them as you go along

This will not be the end of your editing process. You will probably still get critique partners and beta readers, who will give you feedback, based on which you’ll make more edits. Depending on your route of publication, you’ll also have to hire a professional editor/go through edits with your agent and editor.

There are many different ways to edit a manuscript. Each writer must find what works for them. This is merely what works for me, and I hope that it can help some of you out there who feel like you don’t even know where to start.

Reblog this post if you found these tips useful. Comment with what you would do differently. Follow me for similar content.

#writing #writer #write #writeblr #writeblr advice #writing tips #writing advice

[succeedly]

6 Tech Treasures for Special Ed Teachers (K-6)

Melissa Mann on episode 167 of the 10-Minute Teacher Podcast

From the Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis

Follow @coolcatteacher on Twitter

Special ed teacher Melissa Mann shares six of her favorite edtech tools for the special education classroom. From collecting data to parent communications to taking care of yourself, Melissa has something for every classroom (as well as a pretty cool pep talk!)

Today’s Sponsor: WriQ from Texthelp is a new FREE Add-on for Google Docs that helps teachers easily assess student writing and track progress over time by automatically scoring students’ spelling, punctuation, and grammar errors. It also incorporates rubrics so teachers can provide meaningful, qualitative feedback to encourage the writing journey.

This handy free Google Docs add-on tracks things like: time spent writing, spelling-grammar-and punctuation error rates and pulls it into a clear graphical view in your teacher dashboard. To learn more about Wriq go to http://ift.tt/2y91EpU

Listen Now

Listen to the show on iTunes or Stitcher

Stream by clicking here.

Below is an enhanced transcript, modified for your reading pleasure. All comments in the shaded green box are my own. For guests and hyperlinks to resources, scroll down.

***

Enhanced Transcript

Six Tech Treasures for Special Ed Teachers (K-6)

Shownotes: http://ift.tt/2yBPf0v Tuesday, October 10, 2017

Vicki: Today we’re talking with K-6 Special Ed Teacher Melissa Mann @mnmann, and we’re going to have some Tech Treasures for special ed teachers.

So, Melissa, where do we start?

Melissa: Well, the tech tools I’ve pulled out right now are a mixture of tech tools that teachers can use for data collection and also for students.

Special Ed Treasure #1: Google Keep

So we’ll just start with one for the teachers. My new favorite right now is Google Keep.

See my video tutorial: Researching a Topic with Google Keep

Listen to: How to Use Google Keep in the Classroom episode #72 with Crystal Koenig

I’m still learning some of what Google Keep can do, but a lot of times teachers were in and out of other teachers’ classrooms. Nobody really wants to carry the Chromebook or a laptop with you. Google Keep is an app that works off of a phone. For your Google account, you can take pictures of maybe a work sample of something you need to store for a student.

You can add To-Do Lists; maybe you notice something behavior issue that maybe you need to share with somebody, and keep data collection on with that and keep everything organized into one.

It’s also one to show the students as they start to organize researching. Maybe our students that can’t write down a website that they found something at, but they can go and add it to their Google Keep if you’re a Google school, and start building their research that they can go back and look at later. So it’s also an organization tool for the older students that may need some organizational help that they can use.

Vicki: Fantastic. We did a whole Ed Tech Tool Tuesday some time ago, so I will include that in the Shownotes.

OK, what’s your next one, Melissa?

Special Ed Treasure #2: Remind

Melissa: The next one I have is Remind. When Remind first came out, it was just about sending out things to parents, using for like an announcement type thing.

Note: I use Bloomz and they have the same function. I’ve written about Bloomz before.

But then about three years ago, they added a chat option. What I like about the chat option is that teachers don’t want to give out a cell phone number to parents or anything, but you can build a Remind group, and parents will have access to text you to have a conversation. It works really good for reminding parents about meetings that we have.

You know, a lot of times a kid with an exceptionality has a lot of, “I had a bad morning,” and the teacher needs to know about it. Well, the general ed teacher may not have a chance to check an e-mail or that kind of thing, but the parent can send something to the collaborative teacher, the special ed educator, through the Remind on the chat option, and we can go check on that student right then.

Vicki: Love that.

Melissa: You know, it’s a good way to keep in contact, especially about doctor’s appointments that they may have, things like that. It’s a record of the conversation. So I like that for the data.

Vicki: I love that, too. I use one called Bloomz, which does something very similar, so having that private way to chat but not use the cell phone is just a lifesaver, isn’t it?

Melissa: Yes, it is. These parents are with their kids for seven or eight hours of a day at least. We have them more awake than they do. This is a way for them to know that they can get a hold of us if they need to. I’ve just found a lot of times that it eases the minds of the special ed parent… because you know they know their child better than we do. When you have that open line of communication, it just opens up that way. There’s that trust that’s building.

Special Ed Treasure #3: Google Voice Typing

Vicki: Yeah. So important. OK, what’s our third?

Melissa: Google Docs has added a voice typing in there now. It’s something that any student can pull up. It’s up in the toolbar.

I have found a lot of times some of our kids have trouble with typing, or it may take them a while. It’s that processing thing, and they can’t sit there. They know what they want to say, but trying to get it out on paper is difficult. If you have mic capability or a headset, they can be able to write their paper using the voice typing option.

A lot of our students with physical handicaps – CP or something like that – may have trouble with the typing. But they can speak and tell you what they want to say. So this is an option for them to still be able to participate in the general ed curriculum and not feel like they’re not getting to have full access to everything.

Special Ed Treasure #4: Seesaw

Vicki: It’s so empowering when you teach kids how to voice type. OK, what’s our fourth?

Melissa: Seesaw is another one I’ve learned about over the last year or so, and it’s an online portfolio.

That’s for like our self-contained teachers that deal with the more sever exceptionalities. They have to deal with a lot of times portfolio things. They may have to take videos or look at snapshots and things like that.

The great thing about Seesaw is that it works on multiple devices for the student to add to it. So your paraprofessional could be working on a skill. Say the child makes it and does accuracy, she can add stuff into the Seesaw. It’s a good way to keep up with the data, the videos of things all in one location and have multiple people adding to it.

Vicki: Such collaboration happens when you’re focusing. It just makes life easier.

Melissa: Yes.

Special Ed Treasure #5: Read and Write for Google Chrome

Vicki: OK, what’s our next?

Melissa: Read and Write for Google Chrome. That’s one that I feel like that’s one that some teachers know about, but they don’t realize that teachers get it for free.

If you go through the tech tips… A lot of times I’ll Google “Read and Write for Google Chrome for Teachers,” and there’s a way for teachers to register for that extension for free. So they full access, they get the full toolbar when they’re in their Google account.

So that gives you a voice typing option in there.

There’s the playback fluency option, so the student can be recording themselves reading and then send you the recording.

There’s highlighting options.

There’s a vocabulary builder that’s included in that. The vocabulary builder will also pull things from a document you’ve created, and it will add the picture to go with it as well as a study note. I like that for those students who may not be at the point where they can just do the abstract with just the words, and they still need a concrete picture or visual of what it is that you are asking them to do. So it gives a lot of different options for that.

Vicki: Melissa, I totally agree with you on that one. That’s actually one of my Top 15 Google Chrome Extensions, and I’ll include a link to that. That is such an incredible tool to help with all students. Oh, but especially with those with special needs.

Special Ed Treasure #6: Twitter and #spedEDchat

OK, do you have any others for us?

Melissa: Twitter’s one that I really use. It’s not something that I’m looking into as a student tool. But a lot of times, even though special ed teachers collaborate all day, we talk to the general ed teachers… we are the only ones that really know what we do.

And there’s an incredible Tuesday Nights #spedEDchat that takes place. Just connecting with other special ed teachers across the country kind of gives you that sense of – especially during paperwork season when you’ve got everything coming down on top of you – just knowing that somebody else feels that way too, sometimes, outside of your own building, kinds of helps you go, “OK. We can do this. We can get through this again.” And so just reaching out and having that PLN, having those connections that you can do.

Maybe you need a tech tool for something, and you haven’t been able to find it yet. Putting that out on Twitter so that somebody else that may know about it, they can go, “Hey, try this.” And that’s a kind of way to get just another resource as well.

Selecting Apps Depends on Your Student’s Needs

Vicki: So, Melissa, you’ve given us lots of tools. Do you think that there’s just one that just shines out above all of the rest? Like it completely transformed everything for you?

Melissa: You have to know the students. You have to see their abilities to exactly know what the tech tool is that you need to do.

That’s why it makes it such a treasure box of things because what works for this student may not work for this student. This app may be what unlocks the thing that this student needs, and then you’ve got to find another app that this student can use.

And there are so many tools out there. There are so many different things. And my LiveBinder that I have to all of my… some Symbaloos I’ve created and things that I’ve done when I do webinars for Simple K-12… where we’ve looked at different interactive resources, more of like just websites and links and things. So that’s an option to check out too, because I didn’t just want to give websites out today.

Vicki: So we have certainly gotten a treasure box from Melissa today. We have gotten these tech treasures for special ed teachers.

Encouragement for Special Education Teachers

Melissa, could you give us a 30-second pep talk for special ed teachers and how technology can help them?

Melissa: Technology’s going to make your life easier because of the paperwork load that we have to do, but one thing …. It’s also going to help you with aself-caree technique. From reaching out to you. From Twitter, from staying organized, from communicating with parents.

It’s also something that’s going to help empower you as a teacher. The biggest thing to keep in mind, of just as a pep talk in general, to special ed teachers are… You are that voice for that student. Even though they may not tell the general ed teacher what’s going on, you’re the one that can read their face. You’re the one that knows what’s going on.

As Angela Maiers always says, “You’re the one reminding them that they matter, that they have something to contribute.” So every student is in that school for a reason. Every student has a piece to the puzzle.

Technology is wonderful. It’s great. But you, the special ed teacher, are the greatest resource for those kids. As one of my favorite TED Talks from Rita Pierson says, “Every child deserves a champion.” So use what you have and be that champion for the students.

And then connect with others to find the resources that you need, through the podcasts like you’re listening to today, or Twitter chats, or just reaching out, you know connecting within your own school or your own school system. Just knowing that you’re making a difference.

Vicki: Teachers, you are so important.

There is a precious special needs boy at my church. I went up to him. He doesn’t really have good eye contact, but I went up to him the other night and I patted him on the back.

He didn’t look at me, but he called my name.

And I cried.

Because you are that voice. You are so important.

And when you make that connection, that is truly priceless. And I’m just so proud of all of you for listening and trying to improve.

You know, that’s who teachers are. That’s who we are.

This has been such a great topic, and I hope that you’ll take some of these tools and take it to heart and really be the voice for those kids.

Transcribed by Kymberli Mulford

Bio as submitted

Melissa Mann is a special education teacher with the Madison County School System. She has taught both self-contained and collaborative students in grades Kindergarten through 6th grade. Melissa is dual certified in Elementary Education and Special Education. She also has a Master’s in School Counseling and is a certified school counselor.

Melissa presented at ISTE in 2015, and she has presented for the past eight years at Alabama’s state technology conference and at various local conferences. Melissa is also a trainer with Simple K-12. Her portfolio can be found at : http://www.bit.ly/TechTreasures

Twitter: @mnmann

Disclosure of Material Connection: This is a “sponsored podcast episode.” The company who sponsored it compensated me via cash payment, gift, or something else of value to include a reference to their product. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I believe will be good for my readers and are from companies I can recommend. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.) This company has no impact on the editorial content of the show.

The post 6 Tech Treasures for Special Ed Teachers (K-6) appeared first on Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis @coolcatteacher helping educators be excellent every day. Meow!

6 Tech Treasures for Special Ed Teachers (K-6) published first on http://ift.tt/2jn9f0m

[athena29stone]

6 Tech Treasures for Special Ed Teachers (K-6)

Melissa Mann on episode 167 of the 10-Minute Teacher Podcast

From the Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis

Follow @coolcatteacher on Twitter

Special ed teacher Melissa Mann shares six of her favorite edtech tools for the special education classroom. From collecting data to parent communications to taking care of yourself, Melissa has something for every classroom (as well as a pretty cool pep talk!)

Today’s Sponsor: WriQ from Texthelp is a new FREE Add-on for Google Docs that helps teachers easily assess student writing and track progress over time by automatically scoring students’ spelling, punctuation, and grammar errors. It also incorporates rubrics so teachers can provide meaningful, qualitative feedback to encourage the writing journey.

This handy free Google Docs add-on tracks things like: time spent writing, spelling-grammar-and punctuation error rates and pulls it into a clear graphical view in your teacher dashboard. To learn more about Wriq go to www.texthelp.com/wriq

Listen Now

Listen to the show on iTunes or Stitcher

Stream by clicking here.

Below is an enhanced transcript, modified for your reading pleasure. All comments in the shaded green box are my own. For guests and hyperlinks to resources, scroll down.

***

Enhanced Transcript

Six Tech Treasures for Special Ed Teachers (K-6)

Shownotes: www.coolcatteacher.com/e167 Tuesday, October 10, 2017

Vicki: Today we’re talking with K-6 Special Ed Teacher Melissa Mann @mnmann, and we’re going to have some Tech Treasures for special ed teachers.

So, Melissa, where do we start?

Melissa: Well, the tech tools I’ve pulled out right now are a mixture of tech tools that teachers can use for data collection and also for students.

Special Ed Treasure #1: Google Keep

So we’ll just start with one for the teachers. My new favorite right now is Google Keep.

See my video tutorial: Researching a Topic with Google Keep

Listen to: How to Use Google Keep in the Classroom episode #72 with Crystal Koenig

I’m still learning some of what Google Keep can do, but a lot of times teachers were in and out of other teachers’ classrooms. Nobody really wants to carry the Chromebook or a laptop with you. Google Keep is an app that works off of a phone. For your Google account, you can take pictures of maybe a work sample of something you need to store for a student.

You can add To-Do Lists; maybe you notice something behavior issue that maybe you need to share with somebody, and keep data collection on with that and keep everything organized into one.

It’s also one to show the students as they start to organize researching. Maybe our students that can’t write down a website that they found something at, but they can go and add it to their Google Keep if you’re a Google school, and start building their research that they can go back and look at later. So it’s also an organization tool for the older students that may need some organizational help that they can use.

Vicki: Fantastic. We did a whole Ed Tech Tool Tuesday some time ago, so I will include that in the Shownotes.

OK, what’s your next one, Melissa?

Special Ed Treasure #2: Remind

Melissa: The next one I have is Remind. When Remind first came out, it was just about sending out things to parents, using for like an announcement type thing.

Note: I use Bloomz and they have the same function. I’ve written about Bloomz before.

But then about three years ago, they added a chat option. What I like about the chat option is that teachers don’t want to give out a cell phone number to parents or anything, but you can build a Remind group, and parents will have access to text you to have a conversation. It works really good for reminding parents about meetings that we have.

You know, a lot of times a kid with an exceptionality has a lot of, “I had a bad morning,” and the teacher needs to know about it. Well, the general ed teacher may not have a chance to check an e-mail or that kind of thing, but the parent can send something to the collaborative teacher, the special ed educator, through the Remind on the chat option, and we can go check on that student right then.

Vicki: Love that.

Melissa: You know, it’s a good way to keep in contact, especially about doctor’s appointments that they may have, things like that. It’s a record of the conversation. So I like that for the data.

Vicki: I love that, too. I use one called Bloomz, which does something very similar, so having that private way to chat but not use the cell phone is just a lifesaver, isn’t it?

Melissa: Yes, it is. These parents are with their kids for seven or eight hours of a day at least. We have them more awake than they do. This is a way for them to know that they can get a hold of us if they need to. I’ve just found a lot of times that it eases the minds of the special ed parent… because you know they know their child better than we do. When you have that open line of communication, it just opens up that way. There’s that trust that’s building.

Special Ed Treasure #3: Google Voice Typing

Vicki: Yeah. So important. OK, what’s our third?

Melissa: Google Docs has added a voice typing in there now. It’s something that any student can pull up. It’s up in the toolbar.

I have found a lot of times some of our kids have trouble with typing, or it may take them a while. It’s that processing thing, and they can’t sit there. They know what they want to say, but trying to get it out on paper is difficult. If you have mic capability or a headset, they can be able to write their paper using the voice typing option.

A lot of our students with physical handicaps – CP or something like that – may have trouble with the typing. But they can speak and tell you what they want to say. So this is an option for them to still be able to participate in the general ed curriculum and not feel like they’re not getting to have full access to everything.

Special Ed Treasure #4: Seesaw

Vicki: It’s so empowering when you teach kids how to voice type. OK, what’s our fourth?

Melissa: Seesaw is another one I’ve learned about over the last year or so, and it’s an online portfolio.

That’s for like our self-contained teachers that deal with the more sever exceptionalities. They have to deal with a lot of times portfolio things. They may have to take videos or look at snapshots and things like that.

The great thing about Seesaw is that it works on multiple devices for the student to add to it. So your paraprofessional could be working on a skill. Say the child makes it and does accuracy, she can add stuff into the Seesaw. It’s a good way to keep up with the data, the videos of things all in one location and have multiple people adding to it.

Vicki: Such collaboration happens when you’re focusing. It just makes life easier.

Melissa: Yes.

Special Ed Treasure #5: Read and Write for Google Chrome

Vicki: OK, what’s our next?

Melissa: Read and Write for Google Chrome. That’s one that I feel like that’s one that some teachers know about, but they don’t realize that teachers get it for free.

If you go through the tech tips… A lot of times I’ll Google “Read and Write for Google Chrome for Teachers,” and there’s a way for teachers to register for that extension for free. So they full access, they get the full toolbar when they’re in their Google account.

So that gives you a voice typing option in there.

There’s the playback fluency option, so the student can be recording themselves reading and then send you the recording.

There’s highlighting options.

There’s a vocabulary builder that’s included in that. The vocabulary builder will also pull things from a document you’ve created, and it will add the picture to go with it as well as a study note. I like that for those students who may not be at the point where they can just do the abstract with just the words, and they still need a concrete picture or visual of what it is that you are asking them to do. So it gives a lot of different options for that.

Vicki: Melissa, I totally agree with you on that one. That’s actually one of my Top 15 Google Chrome Extensions, and I’ll include a link to that. That is such an incredible tool to help with all students. Oh, but especially with those with special needs.

Special Ed Treasure #6: Twitter and #spedEDchat

OK, do you have any others for us?

Melissa: Twitter’s one that I really use. It’s not something that I’m looking into as a student tool. But a lot of times, even though special ed teachers collaborate all day, we talk to the general ed teachers… we are the only ones that really know what we do.

And there’s an incredible Tuesday Nights #spedEDchat that takes place. Just connecting with other special ed teachers across the country kind of gives you that sense of – especially during paperwork season when you’ve got everything coming down on top of you – just knowing that somebody else feels that way too, sometimes, outside of your own building, kinds of helps you go, “OK. We can do this. We can get through this again.” And so just reaching out and having that PLN, having those connections that you can do.

Maybe you need a tech tool for something, and you haven’t been able to find it yet. Putting that out on Twitter so that somebody else that may know about it, they can go, “Hey, try this.” And that’s a kind of way to get just another resource as well.

Selecting Apps Depends on Your Student’s Needs

Vicki: So, Melissa, you’ve given us lots of tools. Do you think that there’s just one that just shines out above all of the rest? Like it completely transformed everything for you?

Melissa: You have to know the students. You have to see their abilities to exactly know what the tech tool is that you need to do.

That’s why it makes it such a treasure box of things because what works for this student may not work for this student. This app may be what unlocks the thing that this student needs, and then you’ve got to find another app that this student can use.

And there are so many tools out there. There are so many different things. And my LiveBinder that I have to all of my… some Symbaloos I’ve created and things that I’ve done when I do webinars for Simple K-12… where we’ve looked at different interactive resources, more of like just websites and links and things. So that’s an option to check out too, because I didn’t just want to give websites out today.

Vicki: So we have certainly gotten a treasure box from Melissa today. We have gotten these tech treasures for special ed teachers.

Encouragement for Special Education Teachers

Melissa, could you give us a 30-second pep talk for special ed teachers and how technology can help them?

Melissa: Technology’s going to make your life easier because of the paperwork load that we have to do, but one thing …. It’s also going to help you with aself-caree technique. From reaching out to you. From Twitter, from staying organized, from communicating with parents.

It’s also something that’s going to help empower you as a teacher. The biggest thing to keep in mind, of just as a pep talk in general, to special ed teachers are… You are that voice for that student. Even though they may not tell the general ed teacher what’s going on, you’re the one that can read their face. You’re the one that knows what’s going on.

As Angela Maiers always says, “You’re the one reminding them that they matter, that they have something to contribute.” So every student is in that school for a reason. Every student has a piece to the puzzle.

Technology is wonderful. It’s great. But you, the special ed teacher, are the greatest resource for those kids. As one of my favorite TED Talks from Rita Pierson says, “Every child deserves a champion.” So use what you have and be that champion for the students.

And then connect with others to find the resources that you need, through the podcasts like you’re listening to today, or Twitter chats, or just reaching out, you know connecting within your own school or your own school system. Just knowing that you’re making a difference.

Vicki: Teachers, you are so important.

There is a precious special needs boy at my church. I went up to him. He doesn’t really have good eye contact, but I went up to him the other night and I patted him on the back.

He didn’t look at me, but he called my name.

And I cried.

Because you are that voice. You are so important.

And when you make that connection, that is truly priceless. And I’m just so proud of all of you for listening and trying to improve.

You know, that’s who teachers are. That’s who we are.

This has been such a great topic, and I hope that you’ll take some of these tools and take it to heart and really be the voice for those kids.

Transcribed by Kymberli Mulford

Bio as submitted

Melissa Mann is a special education teacher with the Madison County School System. She has taught both self-contained and collaborative students in grades Kindergarten through 6th grade. Melissa is dual certified in Elementary Education and Special Education. She also has a Master’s in School Counseling and is a certified school counselor.

Melissa presented at ISTE in 2015, and she has presented for the past eight years at Alabama’s state technology conference and at various local conferences. Melissa is also a trainer with Simple K-12. Her portfolio can be found at : www.bit.ly/TechTreasures

Twitter: @mnmann

Disclosure of Material Connection: This is a “sponsored podcast episode.” The company who sponsored it compensated me via cash payment, gift, or something else of value to include a reference to their product. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I believe will be good for my readers and are from companies I can recommend. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.) This company has no impact on the editorial content of the show.

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