Tool 11

1. Some of my favorite tools are Google docs, Diggo, Drop Box, and Go Animate.  I will use Go Animate with my students to created social stories to model appropriate behavior in and out of class.  Social stories are a very valuable tool we use in my classroom.  Go Animate will be a fun and new way to make them.

2. Currently, I already incorporate new technology in my class when I can, however I did discover new tools and new ways to use them.  My students have many learning challenges and technology always helped create an environment that facilitated their learning. 

3. The one thing that surprised me was how much technology the district makes available for us to use in our classrooms.  It is good that the district has embraced all these new tools to help our students learn.  Our students use these tools at home and in the community on a daily basis therefore it is  only natural that we incorporate  them in the classroom to facilitate their leaning.

Tool 10

1.  Three things that I want to make sure that my students understand about being good digital citizens are: 

Good digital citizenship is essential in their learning process because it keeps them safe.

They are responsible for all their activities online.

If activities by a student violate the SBISD Acceptable Use Policy it will be addressed as indicated in the student handbook. 

2. I would use the video on Brainpop Jr. because my students are already familiar with the characters and it will keep their attention better.

3. I would first model what a good digital citizen was and then role play with my students’ proper behavior vs. inappropriate behavior online.

4. Parents are advised of digital citizenship at the beginning of the semester in the syllabus.  I will also talk to my parents about how we will be using technology in classroom and let them know that we monitor all the students when they go online.

Tool 9

1.   It is important to tie the technology to the objective because students use technology devices very frequently at home to play video games.  Students need to know these devices can also be used to support learning in and out of the classroom.

2.  We should hold students accountable for the stations/centers because the stations and centers are important tools for learning.  They teach students how to interact with all the new tools and technology available to them.  They can also teach them how to work and collaborated with others.

3. I liked Tutpup and Learning Games for Kids. I could use these as stations to reinforced skills I am working on with my students.  They could also be good reinforcement activities  on task behavior and proper behavior in my classroom.  My students are monitored  all time so therefore, they will be held accountable by being on task at these stations.

4. I found ABA Flash Cards – Emotions and Count TV. I could use ABA Flash Cards with my social studies/social skills lessons on identifying emotions and how emotions affect us.  I could use Count TV in my math rotations as an independent task to give my students more practice with counting. 

5. Many of my students use a token system to help them stay on task and complete their work or task in class.  Once they earn all their tokens they are allowed to have a reward.  I can use the I pad as a reward for them. With all the apps it can be reinforcing, fun and educational at the same time.

Tool 8

1. I learned how to download apps.
2. I learned how to sync apps to iPads.
3. I learned how to operate the notebook.

I plan to manage the devices in the classroom by:

1.   Having students and parents read, sign and return the SBISD AUP policy found in the SBISD Student Handbook.

2.    Creating general technology guidelines for how I and my Paras will use the devices when interacting with our students.

3.    Developing rules and procedures charging and taking care of the devices.

4.    Make sure that all devices are accounted for each day.

Tool 7

1.            After visiting the resources above, design a collaborative project with another classroom.

2.            Post the following about the project:

a.            Content objective: Content will be to brainstorming with other LS/Apple teachers to created strategies and techniques to help students with autism control behavior to facilitated learning in the classroom. 

b.            When you plan to implement: I would like to begin work on it within the first 9 weeks of the new school year

c.            What tool(s) you plan to use: Google docs/Skype/ Wallwisher

d.            A brief description of the project (plan - two or three sentences): The project will be used to help brainstorm ideas to help teach students with Autism how to decrease and control behavior in the classroom.  The object would be to teach our students how to self-regulate their behavior to create a better learning environment for them.

e.            If you need to find another classroom - We can begin networking with other classrooms right here! I plan to discuss my idea with LS/Apple teachers at our first Staff Development.

Tool 6

I used Poll Everywhere to created a simple poll for students to vote on what book they would like to read today.  Poll Everywhere is used to get feedback and survey student topics for content discussion.  It supports student engagement by giving them multiple ways to answer the polls.

I also used Wallwisher and created a wall about a favorite memory from the summer.

http://wallwisher.com/wall/r66o7j0asq

Wallwisher could be a very good tool to get students involved in lessons and share their thought and ideas with the class.  They can also create their own walls to ask other students questions.

I think these tools could be very useful in the classroom to give little quizzes to check for understanding on a topic.  You can also use them to get all students involved in the lessons.

Tool 5

Tool 5

hill2s's Animation by hill2s on GoAnimate

Video Maker - Powered by GoAnimate.

1.) Above is a short video on the proper way to enter a classroom for a student social needs. Many of my students struggle in social situations with teachers and peers.  I think Go Animate could be a good tool to make social stories for my students to help them with social interactions. You will also notice a lot of repetition with the student and teachers name.  Some of my students also struggle with identifying teachers, peers or objects by name. So we try to repeat names as much a possible in our social stories. 

2.) http://www.makebeliefscomix.

com/Comix/?comix_id=


27181359C761196  This is a link to a comic strip I made with Make Beliefs Comix. I used it to make a social story to help a student when they get upset. It models steps to help the student regain control to help them calm down.

3.) I think these tools can be very helpful in modeling proper behavior in different situations in school and in the community. My student needs lots of repetition with these skills and modeling is a good tool to help them. I can also use these tool with my students to create social situations and have them decide what the characters should say and do in the stories.

Tool 4

1.) I created a document listing Apple and Life Skills staff information to share with our new staff member.  The document will helper get to know who she will working with and how to contact them.

2.) I crated a new school year questioner to help my team see what goals we want to accomplish this year with our class rooms and what things we might collaborate on the year with our classes together. I shared them with my team members.

3)Google docs is a very good tool for people to collaborate and created things together. I think me and my team will benefit from using it this year to plan and organize work and activities for our classes. For my class Google docs will be more benefit to the staff  then the students at this time.  It will help the staff be more organized so they can work more efficiently with the students and be more effective.

Tool 3

This video defines the various types of autism and aspergers syndrome,  The gentleman presenting the video is 24 and is diagnosed with Aspergers Syndrome.  He has posted many videos on his page on youtube talking about different challenges people with Autism face.  He also gives you an idea of how they see and experiences the world.

This is an animated video that describes some of the different characteristics of Autism to 

promote Autism awareness. 

When using copyrighted materials only use as much as you need.  Are you re purposing the materials will the use advertise the materials and benefit the original creator.

Dropbox could be a very useful tool for teacher to share files with their students.  I will have to see how I can use it in my classroom with my students. 

Tool 2

I guess I am guilty of being a lurkers (read or observe without contributing) I usually read a lot of article and blogs and all the comments the readers leave, but never comment on them myself.  But after reading Cool Cat Teacher Blog I think I will do my best to get involved in the conversations and try contribute some of my knowledge.  I do agree that people need to be mindful  when they comment and try to stay professional.   I made one  comment on Jennifer Lester's blog today and plan to make more soon.


I singed up for a Diigo account.  I am following Jennifer Lester and I also joined the Diigo Autism Teacher group.  I also signed up for Google Reader as well.  I am following the Learning Disabilities blog (http://learningdisabilities.about.com/b/), Special Education and Learning Differences
(http://blog.pcieducation.com/) and Technology Integration in Education (Technology Impact on Schools)

I think participation in a PLN is gonging to be very beneficial to me.  It will allow me to connect with other professional in my filed that I can learn from and give me new insight in how to better teach my students.  Just today I found a few sites and blogs that I think will be very helpful to me this year.

I plan on visiting the Teaching Children with Special Needs site (http://specialneeds.achievement-products.com). I hope this site will offer me some new strategies to help me  be a better teacher to help my students.

Well 1 tool down 10 more to go.  Tool 1 was easy with the help of the videos.