Data collection is a pain, let’s just get that out there. It’s a necessary evil, but sometimes I find that teachers collect data only because they have to in order to be able to report progress every grading period. What if we would collect data and analyze it along the way? If we take a look at what is working and what isn’t to adjust instruction, PLUS share the data, we […]
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08
Apr
2018
Easy DATA Collection with a TWIST!
When I was working as an SLP doing group language activities for early childhood students with a developmental delay, the only way I could get them to sit still and pay attention for 20-30 minutes was to engage them in a multi-sensory experience. Some of my favorite activities involved actual books or stories I invented. One activity I base on the book, The Napping House, by Audrey Wood. I brought […]
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27
Feb
2018
The Best Resource Room Ever UPDATED!
About 4 years ago I asked one of the teachers I work with if she would share with our viewers how she organized her room with structure and visual supports for her students with resource services. That video to date has had over 56,000 views! Now, Chloe Diedam has a new and much larger classroom space that she has organized like a pro! She has created a peaceful, functional, and […]
Read moreWhen I first heard of these top ten influence factors for student achievement, I was actually surprised at which ones rated the highest and which ones I would have rated higher. I was also surprised at which ones were rated the lowest especially just how low student mobility was rated. I would have thought that our transient students would be at a higher risk for negative influence on student achievement […]
Read moreI don’t know about you, but I work best if I have all the tools I need for my work close at hand. I hate doing something twice. I hate needing to stop any forward motion toward a goal just to fix something, to look for the right equipment, to gather the right materials….whatever. When I’m in the groove, I just want to keep going. Part of my need for […]
Read moreOnce again, reading comprehension is that part of reading that seems to be the last frontier. We all need to make sure that we are presenting all of the components of reading comprehension if we expect students to fully understand what they are reading. Teaching students how to use their schema plus evidence in a story to form an inference can actually be a lot of fun. Take a look […]
Read moreI’ve been talking a lot about that window of opportunity for language development that the literature tells us happens for students on the autism spectrum between the ages of 3 and 5. I’ve also share with you a tool for assessing where students are with their social skills (The Denver Early Start Curriculum Checklist) so today I want to share a resource that can be used with our young students […]
Read moreWhen I was working as an SLP, it always seemed to me that if I finally got my schedule right, I still ended up with students who had different articulation goals who were all grouped together. UGH! I always wondered why I couldn’t just once get a group who all need just the /r/ sound!! A therapist’s dream. Today’s video was inspired by my past frustrations with this grouping problem. […]
Read moreIsn’t it amazing how every time you turn around, there is something new and exciting that is being developed, designed, invented. I spent a lot of time in the office this summer and one day the principal in my building asked me if I saw the new Professional Learning Community room. He took me to this former PTO space and showed me this great area for collaborating, planning and learning […]
Read moreI’m always looking for foundation pieces that can help teachers with a scope and sequence in a solid curriculum. I feel that when you have a tool like this, teachers feel more confident with filling in the gaps and showing great progress. I recently had a conversation with one of our literacy instructors who mentioned to me that teachers typically send struggling readers to her asking for her help without […]
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