Summer Vacation from School Schedule Only

cross posted at Techlearning.com

Some of us are FREE from school schedules during June, July and August, in the northern hemisphere. But this same idea will work year round, whenever you are not tied to your school or work schedule.

All of us can participate in reviewing and commenting on the Common Core Science Standards, including Science and Engineering. Then if you are so inclined, you can be on the ground floor of developing classroom connections, classroom lessons,  connections to English and Math standards,  and finally, connections to the Social Studies standards as well.
Why is this important? Many of us have education happen to us or happen around us. However, at this time, we can be instrumental in the R&D, the research and development of how the  Common Core Science Standards, including Science and Engineering, will impact our schools, our students and our lives.

I love the opening paragraph in the Framework for K-12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas, Reports Brief.

Science, engineering, and technology permeate every aspect of modern life. Some knowledge of science and engineering is required to understand and participate in many major public policy issues of today, as well as to make informed everyday decisions, such as selecting among alternate medical treatments or determining whether to buy an energy-efficient furnace.

Just that paragraph alone should have everyone running to download the FREE pdf on their tablet, or laptop, or desktop. This should be required reading for all communities of learners because without knowledge we are powerless to make effective decisions in this changing society and information age.

The framework is the first step in a process to inform state level decisions for improving science teaching and learning across the country. As of July 2012, 45 states and 3 territories have formally adopted the Common Core State Standards. If you are interested in specifics about the Common Core check out their Frequently Asked Questions. This is a comprehensive list of the most important talking points which will be informing the next generation of informed citizens as well as talented scientists.

There are 3 dimensions involved in the Framework. Dimension 1: Scientific and Engineering Practices, Dimension 2: Crosscutting Concepts that have Common Application Across Fields and Dimension 3: Core Ideas in Four Disciplinary Areas. All of this can be accomplished by introducing our earliest readers to non-fiction and providing the building blocks of this Framework throughout their K-12 school experiences.

What pleases me the most is that “throughout grades K-12 students should have the opportunity to carry out scientific investigations and engineering design projects related to the disciplinary core ideas”. This means that our students will practice scientific problem solving throughout their school years and NOT just read about great scientific ideas and solutions. Every day I am a scientist. Every day I must solve a problem. Every day I must be creative and look for patterns in order to find a solution. No longer should our students be asked questions with one answer. Rather our students should be smart about problem solving, trial and error, data management and collaborating to find their solutions.

Check out the Framework, we should all be thinking like a scientist, everyday.

Resources:
FAQ Common Core  http://www.corestandards.org/frequently-asked-questions
A Framework for K-12 Science Education  http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=13165

To list or not to list? It’s Summer in the Northern Hemisphere!

To list or not to list? It’s Summer in the Northern Hemisphere!    by Cheryl Oakes

Each summer as we near our solstice and the end of our school year, as we call it a wrap, we also begin asking each other, our students, our families, just what we will all be doing during the precious weeks away from a schedule and school.

I always ask myself, do I make a list or go with the unlist? A very famous movie titled, the Bucket List which was diligently carried around the world, had  the actors check off their most amazing activities from their Bucket List (the things they wanted to accomplish before they ‘kicked the bucket’. I even found a website Bucket List, a social network, for just that “way to kickstart your life goals.” ( who knew?)  I confess, I am not that lofty and that I plan to begin with my summer activities.

In this day and age of unconferences, I am going to go with the unlist and share with you my top 5 activities I am looking to accomplish this summer. Why 5? I can keep track of them on one hand.

• Cooking School- with my nephew
• Use Catchup (catchupmath.com)  math as a student would, so I can be knowledgeable about the online program I am asking my students to use.
• Create a way for my niece to “take a photography class”, 30 Days of Digital Do’s  with photography tasks for the young photographer. Join me for this activity.
• Read a real book, read a book on my ipad,  read a book on my iphone and have a virtual book talk with friends.
• Play outside every day with my puppy Seraphina and work in our  yard.

Why is this important to make an unlist? Even at an unconference there is a point in time where the participants list their interests or questions and begin sharing with others. My purpose is to challenge you (and myself)  and encourage you (and myself)  to reflect, and create your own vision,  then share your satisfactions later this summer as comments.

Happy Summer, Happy Unlist!

Thanks to Wes Fryer for this chance to guest blog. Although it was not on my unlist, it made my summer better!
cross posted at:
Speed of Creativity
Cheryl Oakes
Tech Learning

Resources
If you are really into photos try this Photo a Day http://365project.org/
Catchup Math

The Places You'll Go

The Places You’ll Go!

In the land of special education once a student turns 14-16 a significant part of Individual Education Planning focuses on something called a transition plan, where the team including parents, students, teachers and others’  who work with the student help direct the student through a series of activities designed to end up with the student making a choice about what they may want to do post high school and beyond! 


While we used to believe that post secondary college options were not for our Intellectually Disabled, today we know differently, and now we move on to promote this to others. 

A paragraph from the Community for Inclusion lays the groundwork for this journey, “Of all students with disabilities, those with intellectual disabilities have the poorest post-school outcomes. Until recently, the option of attending college, especially the opportunity to participate in typical coursework, has not been available to high school students with intellectual disabilities. The usual options for these students, especially those past the age of 18, have been limited to segregated life skills or community-based transition programs. Inclusive PSE  (post secondary education) options are beginning to replace such programs and have great potential to improve student outcomes.“


If you are familiar with planning transitions it should be easy to add college to your list of options and turn them into activities for your students. If you are unfamiliar with college as an option for your students with intellectual disabilities please check out the information from Thinkcollege.net  where you will be introduced to planning documents, webinars, research and journal articles. The best part of this informative website includes student videos about why they want to go to college. 

As an educator building transition plans for my students, I have a vision that all my students will take a college class at our local community college while they are still in high school, dual enrollment. What I have learned since becoming familiar with Thinkcollege.net is that all of my students can continue with a customized college experience once they graduate from high school and are no longer considered as a dual enrollment student. Dual enrollment will help them get their foot in the door and a customized college program will keep them there. The benefits of our students with ID continuing in a college program include:  “... that students with intellectual disabilities who had some type of PSE experience were much more likely to obtain competitive employment, required fewer supports, and earned higher wages. Additionally, students had increased self-esteem and expanded social networks that included students without disabilities, and all involved had overall higher expectations for these students.”

Planning for our special education students will keep them on the road towards being a lifelong learner. It is exciting to be involved with new options for our students and their families.





Resources:
For Families: http://www.thinkcollege.net/for-families/for-families
For Students: http://www.thinkcollege.net/for-students/for-students
For Professionals: http://www.thinkcollege.net/for-professionals/for-professionals

• http://www.wrightslaw.com/info/trans.index.htm
• http://www.greatschools.org/special-education/health/873-transition-planning-for-students-with-ieps.gs
• http://www.communityinclusion.org/article.php?article_id=178

Includes articles, videos, and procedures ,past webinarshttp://www.thinkcollege.net/trainings-past
 cross posted Techlearning.com

Think college

College options for people with cognitive challenges.
Http://www.thinkcollege.net

Colleges can be inclusive as possible. It is simply the right thing to do!
Higher education opportunity act 2008 implemented 2010
Definition of a student with intellectual disability
Model demonstration
National coordination

Work study for student.
Think college for intellectual disability
WHO were covered with IDEA
HEOA

Why is college important for ID?
26% more likely to leave with vocational
58% of students with disability had goal for college
11% of students with ID had a goal to attend college
Coordinating center at UMASS Boston
Check out office of special education programs previous directors who championed this.
Three kinds of programs STRIVE U is a segregated program
Pathway to college
Traditional - matriculated through a program
Non matriculated alternate - plan for the student with a job in mind
High Aspirations

Under higher Ed act authorized by financial aid meets the requirements- must work with financial aid office
Full access to course catalogue
Partial or limited access
No access all specially designed

Kinds of PSE experiences
Dual enrollment
Duly enrollment via a program on a college campus to serve ID/DD
Individuals accessing college options
TPPSID. Transition and post secondary for students with intellectual disabilities
Grant money
5 year cycle for funding
However use the lessons learned
Many TPPSID programs are serving autistic and asperger syndrome students

We can make a college experience available to more students

Give kids inclusive classrooms
Give them the technology

Unless kids have been exposed to algebra they may have a hard time with accuplacer test
73% of Maine students enrolling in community colleges are taking remedial classes in English and Math.
Madeleine Will quote

Interactives on thinkcollege.net for middle and high schoolers
Deb Gilmer Syntiro

Univ of Vermont
Many schools in MA

Discovery employment

.05% of people ever get off Social Security.
So , best to look at customized employment.
People are always hiring. Just need to convince you there is a person to fill your needs
Looking for a opportunity for a career or a job. Give our students a career not job.
Solve. One person one job. Wages at or above minimum wage.
Discover and describe a job. Find the unmet need at the job.
Employment specialist course is a 40 hour course anyone can take. One week in Augusta , 250.00. VA commonwealth offers it.
This economic potential is good for the community .
Do you know all the businesses on your main street? Make it your job to know
This.
This is a 40 hour course. Meet the individual in their home. Where they are comfortable. See people doing certain tasks. Find the ideal conditions for
Employment.
Really allows a student to follow
Their dreams and have a successful career.
Customized employment allows us to capitalize on strengths of individual
Everybody can work!
If a day
Program , day program, costs 22,,000 per year, let's
Take
Half and invest in a career.

Employment for all

Customized employment. Streamed on website http://www.employmentformewds.org

Customized work for the person
Many self employed .
Discovery is the foundation for customized work. Where the person is considered not the disability
Process of discovery takes about 80 weeks to complete
People look less disabled when they are at work.
Discovery is not person centered planning
It is different.

Employment First

Integrated community- based employment as a priority for state funding. Same wage expectations for all. Dreams for your child. What are you doing to work towards your goal. Specific items to put on a checklist. (to check off at each IEP) There is a Maine transition network. Employment First across the country TN WA CA IN MN GA ND WI MI KS OH
What is happening in ME?
Alliance for full participation.
What is the progression what is our score , what is the plan, number of changes
Legislative and statutory change attitudes funding and how system responds and provides services.
Youth with disabilities leaving HS must have an opportunity and expectation and supports to enter the workforce
Adults too
Educators and parents must share the vision and gain the knowledge and skill necessary to realize the vision.
We have too many life skills isolated classes with the outcome is a job

What will it take to re- tool our services and plans?
Customized employment where individuals now are fully supported with income and insurance.
Educators need to understand the school to work transition intricacies.
Engage with schools so firmly making a plan for after school employment

APSE is a state organization for employment
Http://www.apse.org

Allianceforfullparticipation.org

We have talked transition for so long and we are still so bad with it, check out Florida

Idea, go to Chamber of Commerce to find out what jobs are not being filled

Ask your student, what do you want to be doing the year after you get out of HS? Make it part of the transition plan.

Teach self advocacy to students and parents.
Post school success!!!
Extent kids participate in gen Ed
After school activities, band, sports, drama,
After school and summer employment

Look at the place kids want to work with the kid,

Personal relationship with employers and student, ask student lots of questions.

Educators must not only have college night but must have transition to work meetings with VR and other agencies