Guang

A cross categorical teacher shared this video with me recently.  Just had time to watch it - pretty touching.  

Here is the YouTube link.

Here is a link about the short film.

If you have 14 minutes today, sit down and enjoy!

Video Modeling Fix-It

Yesterday, I encountered some technical difficulties finishing up a video model for a team.  The trouble came when I was trying to create a DVD from Flip video and also add additional footage I had taken from my iPhone.  I couldn't do it! I was also running into a wall trying to figure out how to get Flip footage loaded onto the student's iPad while also combining it with the QuickTime footage.  It was really too much thinking for something that is usually so easy. 

Solution?

I loaded both videos onto YOU TUBE!

I created an account for the student using their school email address and then loaded all the footage I wanted to use onto their channel.  

I made sure to mark each video private in settings and invited only his family and members of his school team to view the videos.  You need to remember to do this for each and every video you upload to maintain students' privacy.

As my final step, I put all the videos for this student into one playlist so that he could see himself doing all of his job with just one step (vs. having to select each of the three videos).  

Moral of the Story

Now, no matter what kind of format is used to create videos, this student can see them all in one central place - at school, at home, in the community .... the possibilities are endless.  

I know this felt like a duh moment to me, but I thought I would share in case any one out there was running into the same problem too.  Hope I'm not alone in this one!

Local iPad Success Story

On her blog Elvis Sightings, JoyMama recently wrote a comprehensive post outlining her daughter's experiences and success with the iPad.  

I particularly loved JoyMama's comparison between her daughter's use of a GoTalk, SpringBoard Lite and ProLoQuo2Go on the iPad.  She even gives a step-by-step list of what's required to include customized photos on the Go Talk vs. the iPad.  

Cherry on the top of the sundae?  Joy Mama also provides links at the bottom of her post to a PDF and a Google spreadsheet listing helpful apps.   

Michelle Garcia Winner's Latest Updates

Michelle Garcia Winner, prolific writer and creator of the Social Thinking curriculum, has had a fair number of updates to her blog in recent weeks.  I have included three that I felt were particularly helpful resources.  Two of the three posts include worksheets and a PDF for easy printing and use with students.

What Keeps Us Feeling Motivated?

DSM-5: My Thoughts

Managing Impulsivity through Self-Regulation

Blog Love: June!

Hope everyone is enjoying these last few days of school.  Even as we are wrapping up for the year, the ideas are still flowing in out there in the blog-o-sphere.  Here are my picks from Differentiation Daily from the last few weeks; hope they give you something to ponder by the pool this summer! 

Differentiation Daily

•  Create your own adventures: Leave it to Google!  Through Google Forms, you can now create your own adventure for students.  Bionic Teaching gives a nice run-down of how to make this happen on your own computer - definitely worth a try. 

• Water writing: At the very least, I will be doing this with my toddler this summer (who is OBSESSED with all things letters ... and also, coincidentally, water).  Try this for beginning literacy activities that need a little jolt of fun added to them! 

• Voice recording app roundup: OTs with Apps has created an updated list of apps that can be used for students who need assistance with oral reports, group discussions, formulating ideas on paper, etc etc.  Nice reference tool to get you kick-started in the fall or to help you wrap up finals!

• Writing center visual: LOVE this classroom visual for classroom writing.  So many students need a visual providing them with their choices for an instructional time, but this one gets even better with work samples!  Highly recommend this idea and the Teaching with Love and Laughter blog overall.

• Tap light fun: Hope King at Second Grade Shenanigans incorporates tap lights into activities for her students learning letter sounds.  Another great idea to help shake up the Daily 5 or other types of activities (e.g., independent work, learning about syllables, etc.).  

• Visual supports for math: Who hasn't tried to draw out a math concept for a student and failed miserably?  I have!  Mrs. Zimmerman at Mrs. Zimmerman's Learning Conservatory shows great examples of visuals she's created around her classroom for math rules and concepts.  This link with her chart examples is going straight into my bookmarks!