withthepeeples-blog

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Universal Design for Learning (UDL)

Hey all!

Today I am going to talk about something called Universal Design and Universal design for learning. I know big confusing words, right? If you want to know what this is all about, then read my blog to find out more!!

Universal design simply put means that all products and environments are able to be used by everyone! Makes sense, right? Unfortunately this has not always been the case! There has been many laws, acts, and amendments put into place to make this happen! Some examples of these acts are Uniform Federal Accessibility Standard (UFAS), Americans with Disabilities Act, Technology Related Assistance for Individuals with Disabilities Act of 1988, and Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). 

There are 7 principles associated with UDL.

1. Equitable Use

2. Flexibility in Use

3. Simple and Intuitive Use

4. Perceptible Information

5. Tolerance for Error

6. Low Physical Effort

7. Size and Space for Approach and use

These 7 principles are the principles that teachers, like me, use everyday to make learning for everyone!

Another important aspect of UDL is assistive technology. Assistive technology is any tools or equipment that is used to improve capabilities of individuals with disabilities. 

Assistive Technology is very important because schools are required to provide this for children at no cost to the parents. The IEP team works to determine what is best for the child and should relate to the IEP goals and objectives. 

There can be a range of assistive technology in the classroom, so not all of it is expensive, which is the best part. This demonstrates that with a little bit of thinking and creativity a teacher can change how a student views learning entirely!!

Bye for now, 

-withthepeeps

retrieved from 

https://my.meredith.edu/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_27609_1&content_id=_689540_1

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Technology in the Classroom

Hi everyone its me again!

Today I want to tell you a little bit about legal and ethical use of technology in the classroom. Technology is becoming easier to use in the classroom, but unfortunately also easier to miss copyright laws too! It is vital that teacher remain ultra conscious of their actions because they are models for their students. Teachers often set the standard for their students so if a teacher copies and pastes an image without a citation, his/her students will do the same! So my fellow teachers..lets walk the talk! We cannot preach to our students about safe internet usage and legal and ethical technology without doing it ourselves!! 

Legal and ethical use of technology also spans over so many other areas. Has anyone else had movies shown in their classroom before? I remember growing up I was always shown movies in classes. Now, that is not as easy. Most movies have very big copyright laws that prohibit anyone showing a movie (even if you have bought it) to anyone if you are not at your house. This means that even if a teacher has a snip it of a great movie that connects perfectly to content he/she cannot show it to the class...or even two students for that matter. Pretty crazy stuff. Pretty crazy to think about how many times this is broken. More and more movies now are adopting this kind of a law, so teachers watch out! The best thing to do if you want to show a movie, talk to the principle and the county. The county might have already bought the rights to show this movie in a large scale. 

So, my friends, better safe to be sorry right? It is better to be on the side of caution because the lines get grey sometimes, and legal and ethical issues are not something to mess with!

for now

-withthepeeples

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What is SAMR

As many of you know from reading my previous blog post is I want to be a teacher! There is a big push for integrating technology in the classroom. This is a great idea, and growing up I did not have these opportunities! I am really excited to use a lot of technology to hep students learn in an engaging way! 

A model I will use to assist me in incorporating technology into my classroom is called “SAMR”. This is an acronym that models how to evaluate technology in the classroom. This model demonstrates levels of integration. Therefore, the first level is the most basic level, and the fourth level is a bit more complicated but can easily be done! For my fellow teachers this model is a lot like Bloom’s Taxonomy! 

The first level is the “S” level, or substitution. In this model a teacher can exchange or substitute a device or piece of technology for something kids would normally do on a piece of paper. One important thing to remember is that the task is the same but the tools to complete the task are different. For example a teacher can use an electronic exit ticket via a class Facebook or an email instead of the typical sticky notes!

The next level is the “A” level which stands for augmentation. This level goes beyond the substitution level. In this level the teacher changes and makes the technology they are already using better. There is a lot of easy ways to do this, especially with current technology. Kids love things like emojis and bitmojos. These are two easy ways to enhance emotions. Instead of having a boring google doc. Now imagine it with emojis and cool fonts and lots of color. Which do you think kids would learn from more? Which one do you think kids would be more excited about? Yeah the second one!!

The third level is the “M” level. The “M” stands for modification. This level focuses on task redesign. This level tries to get students to think at a higher level than the previous two levels. The teacher is still using technology, but doing it differently. This level focuses on collaboration. One example of how to use this level of SAMR in the classroom is to have children make a brochure and present it instead of having a paper or a quiz. 

The final level of this model is the “R” level which stands for redefinition. This level is the hardest level to reach, but it can easily be done. The goal is not to use this level in every lesson, but to aim to use it one time per semester. This makes it more doable. This level focuses on synthesis and evaluation. One way to do this in a classroom is to connect to another classroom. As a teacher you can have another class to be pen pals with and work on a project together via google doc. It is a great way to expose children to others who are not like them. 

Do you think this is something you could do in your classroom? I know I can see myself doing it! 

Bye for now

-withthepeeps

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The Peeples’ Teacher

Good evening all my Peeples!

Welcome to my first blog post! My name is Kaitlyn Peeples and I am a junior at Meredith College! Oh yeah, that all girls school with boy hours? Yeah, I go there and let me be the first to tell you, it is the most amazing school a girl can dream of. Sorry boys, it is just too good for you!

How does one even find a little slice of heaven called Meredith College?

More importantly, how does one find the department of education at Meredith College? Is it something you are destined for? Is it something that can be stumbled upon?

My journey begins when I moved to North Carolina when I was four years old. I moved to Cary, NC with my little brother and my two parents. I have lived here my entire life, and during this time have gained two more brothers and a sister. As I grew up with my big family I have always been an active part of their life. I would like to think of myself as a second mom to them, and a mentor of some sorts. Most importantly, anyone who knows me will know that my sister is my best friend, even though we are eleven years apart!

Being a part of a big family has provided me with ample opportunities to begin my dream job as an educator from moment one.

First, I have had to learn how to be a leader in my family. This is something that is important for me, as I set an example for my siblings. I will carry this with me as a set an example for my future students. The important thing to know about a teacher is that they spend more time with children than their own parents do! (shocking right!!!) Therefore, it is critical that teachers walk the talk! It is simply not efficient enough to tell students what to do, you have to lead by example! I mean, come on, how many children listen the fist time they are told to do something..not many. In my experience children are very observant and really watch what their peers do. As I grew up I always tried to set the example to my little siblings, and that has prompted me to be a better teacher.

In addition, I have learned from some of the best about how to be a good teacher. I have had bad teachers in my past, but also some fantastic teachers. I have learned from their mistakes and successes. I will never forget one of my favorite teachers who got into a garbage can full of water in a wet suit to demonstrate volume and displacement. Okay, let me back up. This teacher was trying to explain displacement of water to a very confused class. Instead of being upset that her class did not understand the lesson the fist time, she created a memorable experience. This teacher got into a trashcan full of water and we directly saw that water rise, which helped us understand displacement and volume clearly. This little experiment got me hooked, and this was the moment I remember that I knew I would be a teacher. This teacher has inspired me to be persistent and creative with my lesson plans. To this day this teacher is one of my favorite teachers ever. She, like many others in my life have set an example on how to be a good teacher. Now, when I create my lesson plans, I think back to her often and contemplate how to make my lesson more interesting and memorable!

Sure, the journey has not been an easy one. I would be a liar if I tried to convince you otherwise. However, this path has been so rewarding. I have seen that light bulb go off and the smile emerge on their little faces. That moment is what all teachers strive for. That moment is when the exhaustion pays off. That moment is when teachers know they are making an impact. That moment is what teachers LIVE FOR! That moment is what I strive for in my future endeavors as a teacher.

Being a teacher is not easy, but how many people can say they have the opportunity to change lives every day?

Until next time,

Kaitlyn Peeples