Getting Things Done Post –CEP 810

The five stages are:

1. Collect
2. Process
3. Organize
4. Review
5. Do

                When I am collecting and organizing information, I use post its. I love to be able to cross things off a list. I like to have my post its placed on my desktop calendar so I can tear them away as I process, organize, review, and do the required tasks.  I sometimes place information in my phone as well. I organize calendar events, and to do lists and post them to my Google calendar. This helps me to stay organized and to keep a timeline in mind when completing tasks. Although it is helpful to use computers so I do not lose the tasks I have it can be difficult because I am constantly on the go with students, staff, and parents.

                When it comes to tasks that are on a timeline based, I am able to collect the information and post it to my Google so I know when it is due. I tend to post things sooner than they are due so I can have a reminder to get it done.  The process was pretty easy to do the first time. I found that I tend to complete some of these tasks naturally. Being in special education, we operate on this type of model. There is the need to collect the information about the students we are testing or servicing, we process whether the information is pertinent to the case, and decide what we have to do with the student in the area of evaluation. We organize the information and the timeline for when students are due. Then we review weekly to figure out where we are on our calendar. Finally, we complete the process with an IEP (individualized education program/plan).

                I do think this process has and will help me. It helps to keep me organized and on top of my tasks. I work in a field that has a lot to do with the law. If I do not follow the timelines, I am in trouble. This process helps keep my school and me out of trouble. I will definitely continue this process.

Social Networking – CEP 810

                Social Networking has become a huge resource for teachers around the world. As a special education teacher, I find it very hard to teach my students abstract concepts, and concepts for which I do not have the proper materials. With the use of Yutube, Twitter, Facebook, and more I am able to get ideas on how to teach these concepts.  I am able to provide my students with a visual that can teach my students more than I ever could. In the past year, I was able to complete a pig lung dissection with the help of Youtube. I had completed this procedure before, but with the help of Youtube, I was able to reteach myself, while showing my students the correct protocol for completing this lab.

Pig lung disection

                Social networking has made my life easier. There are concepts that I have to teach that I cannot remember. I can use my social networks to find the answers to the questions I have. Not only that, if I do not understand one explanation of a concept, there are a few more explanations that are present in different ways. I can also use blogs to provide a communication portal for parents and teachers. Instead of having to write in planners, call home, or send letters; I am able to use my blog to post homework, provide links to educational enriching websites, and keep parents informed of upcoming events.

                For my students, I am so excited to allow them the opportunity to research things they never could before. I can engage my students with vivid pictures and sounds. They can speak with students who are across the world, and still stay in their own classroom. A world has been opened that was never available during my grade school education. I am also excited to be able to teach my students responsibility and thinking skills where these networks are concerned. My students are able to see all the possibilities for each network, as well as learning to be critical of the information put on the web. They can learn to be responsible when posting information on the web, and being careful of who they are talking with.

RSS Lab Response

RSS Lab Respose

                    

I used the Google reader to start the RSS process. It was simple and easy to use. It did have some features that were confusing. I struggled to share information. I appreciate the fact that Google connects my blog, calendar, documents, and reader in this process. It makes it easier to find my necessary information. It is also nice to only have to remember one user name and one password.

I subscribed to many special education feeds. Most of my job focuses on new laws and requirements for special education. I need to stay up to date on the new rules and regulations, especially because my job has to do with the “legal” ramifications of education. If there is a slip up on my end, my school and I could pay dearly. I found tracking a lot of these feeds was not very time consuming. The blogs only had posts every couple of days. The news feeds, however, were a little overwhelming. They could have new information every couple of hours or even every twenty minutes. Most of the time, the information on the feed did not connect from day to day. There is new information on every feed.

It was interesting that some of the feeds did not have new information every day. The department of education only had new information every few days. The Michigan Department of Education did have information posted more often. I know the amount of posts for the educational feeds depend on what is happening in the world of education from day to day. I find it surprising, however, that there are so few things that are new or relevant happening every day. Despite this, having fewer posts to read will make it easier to keep up to date with all the new information. I will be more likely to read the information more thoroughly when there are fewer posts.

Some of the feeds I am following will be helpful with the instructional part of my classroom. The New York Times feed will help me find new books for my students to read. It can be challenging to filter through all the new authors inside the bookstores and online. This feed will limit some of the choices for me, and will provide me with more best-selling books of all levels. This will be especially useful with so many students of differing reading levels.

The blog I responded to was a special education blog. The blogs focus is on special education laws, topics, and hot button issues. One of the most interesting posts was regarding ipads for students with autism. This technology would be great for students in special education classrooms. The only concern comes with financial issues for schools and the liability that the programs and tools will add to parents and school systems. There are many issues that need to be considered when providing $500 or more of technology to students who consistently lose their homework, pencils, and textbooks. After working in an inner city school, I find these tools to be great opportunities for my students. However, I have concerns for the families who do not have the funds to replace these items if they are broken or misplaced.

In general, I find this tool to be very useful. I was very concerned with my lack of knowledge of what was going on in the world of education. I am happy to know that I can find all that information in one spot now instead of having to search for it. Searching the internet for information can be very time consuming and taxing. It is hard to find the exact information and websites that I see as reliable and valid. I am excited to use this program in my professional career.

RSS Post

http://blog.foxspecialedlaw.com/2011/12/the-ipad-and-its-many-uses-for-students-with-autism.html

RSS Post Information

                 My post to the special education blog. The topic was students with autism receiving ipads for the classroom. Although I think it is a wonderful idea, there are many issues tha would need to be considered. Finaces and liability if the technology is broken are just a couple of things that need to be considered by all school systems.

After looking at the blog again, the creaters had erased my post. I had fortunately captured the image on jing and it is displayed in the link below.