At the wonderful FCIS (Florida Conference of Independent Schools) conference, many of our faculty were able to attend one of the best learning events I have ever witnessed, 3 amazing hours with Luis Perez, Apple Distinguished Educator and accessibility evangelist. Luis is one of those rare educators who has the knack of making everything he speaks about relatable. You cannot leave one of his workshops without feeling that it is imperative for you to implement and educate your students and parents on accessibility features. Apple, of course, is the king of accessibility. It is part of their DNA and Luis showed us over 3 hours just how important these accessibility features are to learning. It is all about equity not equality. After the conference, I had a chance to read Luis's book,Zoom In. While this book is intended for teachers who may work with students with low vision, I found it to be a tremendous inspiration to use with all students. In Zoom In, you will find a wealth of material that will change our perspective on how you present everything. I highly recommend reading it and rethinking everything from how you write on the board, to classroom decorations to handouts and presentations. It is truly an opening book. At NBPS, we have a school within our school called Lighthouse Point Academy, for students with mild to moderate learning disabilities. We also have about 350 students from around the world who speak over 42 different languages. So accessibility is a game changer for us. I thought our August PD addressed this area, but Luis's session was so powerful. It was truly his influence which inspired our faculty to really pay attention to this issue and I cannot thank him enough.
From the FCIS program with my highlights :)
Several months prior, we had once again included an overview of the accessibilty features available on the iPad and on our Mac computers. We crammed a lot into 45 minutes but what we did differently this year is that we also met one on one with every student and parent as part of our iPad distribution over the summer. Each appointment was about an hour where most of that time was dedicated to showing off these accessibility features. Parents are our partners in learning so it made perfect sense to include them in this communication. During these appointments we mainly focused on three areas of iPad accessibility: read to me feature, dictation and visibility. Parents were amazed to see that they could use these features on their iPhones as well. It was a win win situation for all.
Although spooks and goblins are fast approaching, there is nothing scary about today’s tip: SAMR
Think of SAMR as a guide to help you elevate your game. Given the huge investment we put into technology, coupled with the fact that our students today learn differently, we need to both take advantage of the fab tech tools at our fingertips and teach in a way that really targets today’s learners. SAMR stands for Substitution, Augmentation, Modification Redefinition. Watch the quick student/teacher video below (thanks to the brilliance of Rich Colosi):
I like the metaphor of SAMR as the swimming pool versus the ladder (Carl Hooker - you are brilliant!). Even if you are the world’s biggest techie, you will still have some of your work “below the line” (the low end of the pool), however, if you feel that all or most of your work is “below the line”, then it is time to step up your game. I know, I know – you’re saying to yourself - “Oh Joan, it’s so easy for you! I have a hard time learning those tools. I don’t have any time to learn.”
Hello, it is NOT easy for me. I worked very hard to learn how to use technology in my classroom. I taught math, language arts, and history for a long time in the 2nd largest public middle school in Connecticut. I spent a lot of time going to conferences, taking classes, spending time on Twitter, visiting colleague’s classrooms, learning from my students, anything I could do to develop the best learning environment in my classroom so that I could properly prepare my students for this brave new world. IT WAS NOT EASY! You must be willing to invest the time.
We have one-on-one help available anytime. We are happy to team teach. Twitter is 24/7 free PD. You have colleagues all around you (and around the world) who are learning. When will you find the time? When will it become a priority? Learning how to implement technology is not easy but once you are in, you are hooked. Really learning how to use technology, to work on becoming digitally fluent, is key for your own personal survival. Soon your entire home will be “smart”, people you love will expect you to be able to communicate using certain tools, you will need to make appointments, shop, watch entertainment, all with using more sophisticated technology. Take that first step toward teaching “above the line”. You have a whole support team here ready to cheer you on. Make some time to learn about our fabulous databases. Get some coverage and go visit some of your colleagues. I am blessed as on walkthroughs, I get to see classrooms in action from PreK-12 – there is a lot of AMAZING stuff going on. People are generous here – take advantage and make time. You are worth it. Your students are worth it.
Here’s some inspiration: Teaching is both a science and an art, and many teachers around the world spend endless hours perfecting their professional practice. At TEDActive 2013, a few teachers from the United States offer some tricks of the trade they've learned (and continue to hone) along the way.
Here’s a home grown example in Laura Fitzpatrick’s 1st Grade classroom:
(yes, those are 1st graders making their own QR codes).
Be inspired. Ghandi had it right: Be the change you want to see in the world. It’s not easy, but it is worth it.
Do you remember January 27, 2010? I do. The famous keynote when Jobs announced the iPad. I felt like it was the device that schools had been waiting for. It was not a cheap netbook. Or a heavy, clunky tablet computer. It was an honest-to-God "magical" and "revolutionary" device. It is incredible to me when I think how much this device has afforded us in teaching and learning. The iPad breaks down barriers that blocked technophobe teachers from truly integrating tech into their classrooms. There is something so friendly about the iPad. The touch capabilities build an intimate relationship between the user and the device. Somehow, a lot of the fear is taken away. I have seen teachers pick up this device and with little instruction, begin using it right away as opposed to the introduction of a laptop. Children take to it right away. They seem to have a natural understanding of navigation and gestures. iPads have become so commonplace today that I think we forget what it was like pre-iPad. The ease, portability, speed, freedom and almost unlimited potential of this device are outstanding. Jobs was right, the iPad is magical and revolutionary. It has and will continue to shape teaching, learning, publishing, creating, and communication in ways we cannot even fathom yet. Now, teachers send photos or videos home every day to parents. Students of all ages create stories, individually or collaboratively, with ease and share them with each other, parents or around the world. Whether it's Book Creator, iMovie, Puppet Pals or any of the dozens of apps available, our students and teachers are creating and stretching beyond the boundaries of their classrooms. As our school begins to weigh the best way to address the digital book market, it is incredibly exciting to see how books are developing in ways we never considered to address all types of learners. Accessibility is only part of the wonderful developments that are available now. Teachers have the ability to create their own textbooks, thanks to iBooks Authoring tool. The rich media embedded in books brings learning to life in ways that I thought were only possible in futuristic movies. The future is here now and it is a very exciting one. Thanks, Steve.
