Until We Meet Again

Randy and Judith and Penny and I would like to thank all of you for your commitment and contributions to this course over the past three weeks. We have often commented how lucky we have felt to work with such a wonderful group of educators. We know you will continue to show your passion and dedication for the benefit of all the students you work with. Simply put, it has been an absolute pleasure to work with all of you.

We hope that you will keep in touch and use each other (and us) for support and resources. Feel free to send Naryn any articles or websites or ideas and she will link them to this class site. The "Different Lens" project will also be in its second year in SD 67 and we hope you will use the website for ideas. We would also love to have some "guest bloggers" next year, so if you had a successful lesson or an experience with a student who is at-risk then please let us know! We would love to include your story and strategies on the blog (it's all about sharing great ideas!!)

For now we will leave you with some thought provoking articles that are linked below. Good luck to all of you in September, and once again, thank you from all of us.

Randy, Judith, Penny and Naryn


Online Blogs/Articles/Videos 
(note: there are lots more under "resources")

Letting Go Of The Past
The Wejr Family Awards  (note: this is an IRONIC post!)
Building Community
Creating Motivation
10 Things I Can Learn From Primary Grade Teachers
Gone Fishing: Appreciating Student Strengths
The Importance of Idea Exchange
Ken Robinson #1 (Video)
Ken Robinson #2  (Video)
Ken Robinson #3  (Video)

Adaptations and Modifications with a Classroom Base

Today was spent completing numerous challenges to adapt actual classroom assignments and texts. The class finished with the task of filling in a Critical Activities Matrix to meet the needs of a specific student. Thanks to Shelley we had new whiteboards to use today :-)

Final Day Summary Power Point

We are definitely looking forward to everyone's Learning Journeys tomorrow!

Class Reviews

Today we covered the process of Full Class Reviews with collaboration between the classroom teacher and the Resource Teacher. Activities after the break included "Sort. Title. Defend" and "People Search".

Please read Chpt. 8 for tomorrow.

Co-Planning with an Inclusion Focus

Thanks to Jeff for coming in today. It was a great planning session with Karen and Erin and lots of input from the class. Don't forget to have chapters 9 & 10 read for tomorrow.

The Next Step

Today began with information about assessment strategies for more complex assignments and projects. We used sidewalk chalk to review key points and then began focusing on the "next step" for everyone in their learning journey. Next step plans will be mailed to each student on the date they request in the fall.

Please remember to read Chapters 9 & 10 by Wed.

Complex Assessment PPT

Using our Resources

Thanks again to Lindsay Anderson and Jindalee Webb for coming and speaking to the class today. I will link Lindsay's video or at least the freeze frames of the key points that included community building activities. If you would like to contact them, here are their email addresses:

landerson@summer.com
jwebb@summer.com

After Lindsay and Jindalee were finished we had a short discussion on comic life and the second half of the class focused on considering all the different types of resources that are available to help us meet the needs of a diverse population of learners.

The reading for the weekend is Chapter 4.  Some links to relevant blog posts are listed below (which are not required reading but worth considering at some point in the future). There will also be some more photos on soon to keep Austin happy :-)

Playing the "I Sit" Game

Some Blog Links:


The Wejr Family Awards (a great post that puts the learning journey into perspective-note: this is an ironic post)

Building Community 

Creating Motivation
10 Things I Can Learn From Primary Grade Teachers
Appreciating Student Strengths

Choice, Perspective and Student Strengths

Thanks to Ashleigh for coming and speaking to our class today. Other topics discussed were the importance of perspectives and finding ways to focus on student strengths and then to find a way to highlight those strengths and help the student use them to his or her advantage in school.

Teaching Beyond the Book (Teaching To Student Strengths)

Reading for Tonight: Please read chapter 5

Classroom Strategies

Flipping and Videos and QR codes, oh my! Thanks again to Scott Harkness for coming and speaking to us today.

Tonight please browse through the "Through a Different Lens" project blog and bring one thing to share about the blog tomorrow.

Different Lens Blog

Scott's Blog


Scott's Power Point on the Flipped Classroom

Assessment Ideas

Today we finished off the philosophy presentations, covered some ideas related to simple assessments to allow more options in class, and we started developing criteria as a group for the Learning Journey assignment. Finally we finished with what we'll call a "Video Jigsaw" activity (for lack of a better title at the moment.)

Let's take a bit of a reading break shall we? No chapter tonight, just a short blog entry:

Building Within the Box

Thanks to Erin, Karen, Kelsey and Shelley for sharing their philosophies today.

The Learning Journey

Wow! Such inspiring representations of your philosophies! Thank you so much to Julia, Doreen, Bronwen, Austin, and Sarah for presenting today. Looking forward to the rest tomorrow!

Reading for tonight is Chapter 2 in the text as well as the following assignment: (Please click on the link with your name)

Shelley & Doreen & Erin

Austin & Karen

Julia & Sarah **

Kelsey, Bronwen   (No link-paper copy of Carol Ann Tomlinson Article)


Task:

Tonight please watch or read the text that you and your partner/group have been given.

Tomorrow you will be asked to:

a) Summarize the MAIN idea of your text and give 3 key supporting details. **
b) Describe the TYPE of media that was used to get the message across (written text, video, graphic etc.) and give ONE description of a type of learner that this text might work for.
c) Describe one STRENGTH of each member of your group.

The above details will be recorded on a video camera, and the total video (including a,b, and c) can be no longer than 5 minutes.

You may use any resources in the classroom to make your video.

** Julia and Sarah your job is to summarize the main idea of the Video on Doodling and to give the main educational lesson from 3 of the comics (your choice which comics you choose)

Lessons from the Ozone

Great day today with Kim Ondrik. Her powerpoint will be posted soon! Thank you as well for your reflections from the week! We truly appreciate the depth of thought and perspective that you are bringing to the table.

A reminder that the following assignment is due this Monday July 9th:

Representation of Philosophy: Create a representation of your philosophy of inclusion in a medium other than writing for sharing with other students.  This representation must include three major/main ideas about your philosophy. Others will be attempting to determine the main ideas from your representation. Examples of different ways to represent your thinking will be shared during the first few classes.


Hopefully the activities over the week have given you some ideas for how you might choose to complete this assignment. Still, feel free to email either of us with questions.
randycranston@shaw.ca
nsearcy@summer.com


Finally: The reading for Monday is Chapter 3 in the Text (The Learning Journey)
Have a great weekend!!

School Culture/Creating A Caring School

Further work on how to create a culture of inclusion within a building, as well as further examination of  our own beliefs on inclusion.

Powerpoint: So What Do You Really Believe

Reading for tonight: Chapter 7: Building an Inclusive Culture in an Intermediate Classroom

Examining Our Values

Today involved a focus on the origins of our own beliefs, attitudes, and values (from our own experiences with school and family) as well as an introduction to developing an inclusive culture within a classroom and school. 

Readings for tomorrow (Thurs) Chapter 1 in text.

If you didn't hand in a reflection today then you should hand one in tomorrow. 

TED video on "The Power of Introverts" (Susan Cain)

Welcome!

Welcome to EDST 498 M Beyond Inclusion: A mindset, an attitude, influencing practice! Today's focus is to introduce the course and begin to examine our beliefs, attitudes, and values.

Please read before tomorrow (Wed):
Pages 6-9 in text.

Bring a high school yearbook tomorrow if you have one.

Click Here For Power Point on Reflection