Student Independence Introduction
April 13, 2015
District based PD
This session was designed to help all special education staff gain a better understanding of what student independence means and why it is so important. Administration shared the statistics and information they have gathered on the subject and discussed how these ideas will start to inform district decisions. The session ended with an extensive Q & A time as many were unsure about this new initiative the district is taking on. The time spent in this professional development served as the prompt to start collaborating and discussing how we can begin to foster student independence in our various roles and responsibilities. A "thought seed" was planted in my head so now I can be more aware and observant about where my students could be more independent and where support is still needed.
April 13, 2015
District based PD
This session was designed to help all special education staff gain a better understanding of what student independence means and why it is so important. Administration shared the statistics and information they have gathered on the subject and discussed how these ideas will start to inform district decisions. The session ended with an extensive Q & A time as many were unsure about this new initiative the district is taking on. The time spent in this professional development served as the prompt to start collaborating and discussing how we can begin to foster student independence in our various roles and responsibilities. A "thought seed" was planted in my head so now I can be more aware and observant about where my students could be more independent and where support is still needed.
Literacy for Students who are Deafblind
April 3, 2015
District based PD
Nancy Steele presented on literacy for students who are deafblind and how to alter activities to involve literacy. She introduced the group to the amazing website, Literacy for Children with Combined Vision and Hearing Loss. In addition she interacted with each team present to help give ideas and platforms to aid a specific student they were needing support on. A variety of strategies were discussed in depth such as how to implement successful experience books. I was not able to attend the session live so I watched the recorded session. This meant I was unable to ask questions or interact with the group however the information was still very helpful. Although I have used the literacy website, before she introduced me to some new features, such as the available webinars, that can continue to inform my learning about deafblindness.
April 3, 2015
District based PD
Nancy Steele presented on literacy for students who are deafblind and how to alter activities to involve literacy. She introduced the group to the amazing website, Literacy for Children with Combined Vision and Hearing Loss. In addition she interacted with each team present to help give ideas and platforms to aid a specific student they were needing support on. A variety of strategies were discussed in depth such as how to implement successful experience books. I was not able to attend the session live so I watched the recorded session. This meant I was unable to ask questions or interact with the group however the information was still very helpful. Although I have used the literacy website, before she introduced me to some new features, such as the available webinars, that can continue to inform my learning about deafblindness.
Let's Get Talking: Using ACC in the Classroom
February 20, 2015
District hosted PD
This course focused on strategies for the classroom and teaching methods to promote the use of core vocabulary across environments and throughout the school day. Participants engaged in several activities that taught the importance of core vocabulary and the use of descriptive teaching to elicit core vocabulary. The strategies presented covered a range of communicative abilities and can be applied to a variety of communication devices and programs. I attended this session because I am currently working with a student using a communication device in the school setting. This session was invaluable in order to figure out what words to target first to teach on AAC device and the impact the words we choose has in freeing them to talk in any situation versus situation dependent noun words. This was a large challenge to my perspective on vocabulary learning as I traditionally help support students in content or curriculum vocabulary which is considered fringe vocabulary. This type of vocabulary limits the user to talk only about that one subject and nothing else. This was one of the most useful and enjoyable professional developments of the school year.
February 20, 2015
District hosted PD
This course focused on strategies for the classroom and teaching methods to promote the use of core vocabulary across environments and throughout the school day. Participants engaged in several activities that taught the importance of core vocabulary and the use of descriptive teaching to elicit core vocabulary. The strategies presented covered a range of communicative abilities and can be applied to a variety of communication devices and programs. I attended this session because I am currently working with a student using a communication device in the school setting. This session was invaluable in order to figure out what words to target first to teach on AAC device and the impact the words we choose has in freeing them to talk in any situation versus situation dependent noun words. This was a large challenge to my perspective on vocabulary learning as I traditionally help support students in content or curriculum vocabulary which is considered fringe vocabulary. This type of vocabulary limits the user to talk only about that one subject and nothing else. This was one of the most useful and enjoyable professional developments of the school year.
Zones of Regulation
December 11, 2014
District hosted PD
The Zones of Regulation (2011) curriculum, comprises of lessons and activities designed by Leah Kuypers, M. A. Ed., OTR/L to help students gain skills in the area of self-regulation. The lessons and learning activities are designed to help the students recognize when they are in the different Zones (states of alertness/moods) as well as learn how to use strategies to regulate the Zone they are in. In addition to addressing self-regulation, students will be gaining an increased vocabulary of emotional terms, skills in reading facial expressions, perspective on how others see and react to their behavior, insight on events that trigger their behavior, calming and alerting strategies, and problem solving skills. I attended this session since several of my buildings are implementing this curriculum through their counseling lessons with students. It will be important for me to be able to support the vocabulary learning and use the same specific language to aid students in their self-regulation. I have personally seen this curriculum at work and was thankful for the more in depth view the professional development provided.
December 11, 2014
District hosted PD
The Zones of Regulation (2011) curriculum, comprises of lessons and activities designed by Leah Kuypers, M. A. Ed., OTR/L to help students gain skills in the area of self-regulation. The lessons and learning activities are designed to help the students recognize when they are in the different Zones (states of alertness/moods) as well as learn how to use strategies to regulate the Zone they are in. In addition to addressing self-regulation, students will be gaining an increased vocabulary of emotional terms, skills in reading facial expressions, perspective on how others see and react to their behavior, insight on events that trigger their behavior, calming and alerting strategies, and problem solving skills. I attended this session since several of my buildings are implementing this curriculum through their counseling lessons with students. It will be important for me to be able to support the vocabulary learning and use the same specific language to aid students in their self-regulation. I have personally seen this curriculum at work and was thankful for the more in depth view the professional development provided.
Listen Up: 4 Lessons for Learning to Talk
October 17, 2014
Hosted at St Luke's North Hospital in Kansas City, MO
The Midwest Ear Institute's Pediatric Symposium 2014 included the following sessions: Listening Between the Sessions, Experience Books are the Best Books, Songs and Stories with Big Payoff, and Engaging, Extending and Expanding on Excellent Apps. This symposium featured Dave Sindrey, a well known Speech Language Pathologist, Auditory-Verbal Therapist, author, and resource developer. Participants learned more in-depth about experience books, implementing music into therapy, the traits of a good app, and what characteristics to look for when searching for apps. The information about choosing good apps made the largest difference in helping me to evaluate and reframe how I use apps with students. Especially as our department looks towards getting iPads, the information was helpful for looking at what apps we need, and how to decide which are the best ones. I believe having quality apps can truly impact student achievement and my professional work.
October 17, 2014
Hosted at St Luke's North Hospital in Kansas City, MO
The Midwest Ear Institute's Pediatric Symposium 2014 included the following sessions: Listening Between the Sessions, Experience Books are the Best Books, Songs and Stories with Big Payoff, and Engaging, Extending and Expanding on Excellent Apps. This symposium featured Dave Sindrey, a well known Speech Language Pathologist, Auditory-Verbal Therapist, author, and resource developer. Participants learned more in-depth about experience books, implementing music into therapy, the traits of a good app, and what characteristics to look for when searching for apps. The information about choosing good apps made the largest difference in helping me to evaluate and reframe how I use apps with students. Especially as our department looks towards getting iPads, the information was helpful for looking at what apps we need, and how to decide which are the best ones. I believe having quality apps can truly impact student achievement and my professional work.
Running a Professional Meeting and Writing a Professional Document
October 10, 2014
District based PD
Participants learned many hints for making an IEP meeting "flow". Discussion among participants centered around the importance of planning, pacing, and getting started on the right foot. Participants were then asked apply these ideas to given scenarios and to reflect on the cohesion in their IEPS in order to refine their skills in writing quality IEPs. Although this was a district mandated professional development I appreciate the time to collaborate with colleagues about writing IEPs. This is a challenging task we all face on a regular basis and it is helpful to compare how everyone approaches them and learn new strategies or wording from colleagues. These times of collaboration are some of the most helpful professional development time I have experienced.
October 10, 2014
District based PD
Participants learned many hints for making an IEP meeting "flow". Discussion among participants centered around the importance of planning, pacing, and getting started on the right foot. Participants were then asked apply these ideas to given scenarios and to reflect on the cohesion in their IEPS in order to refine their skills in writing quality IEPs. Although this was a district mandated professional development I appreciate the time to collaborate with colleagues about writing IEPs. This is a challenging task we all face on a regular basis and it is helpful to compare how everyone approaches them and learn new strategies or wording from colleagues. These times of collaboration are some of the most helpful professional development time I have experienced.
Working Together: Teaching Teams
April 14, 2014
DHH Department PD
Children with cochlear implants in general education settings require the support of a variety of professionals. Ideally these personnel work together as teams to help the children achieve maximal performance in the classroom; however, challenges await. This program for professionals was presented by Ashley Garber, a Speech Language Pathologist and Certified Auditory-Verbal Therapist, and explored barriers to optimal team function and considered means of addressing these issues. This webinar helped myself and my team identify some of the most common issues that occur in working with our teams, and brainstorm together based on the suggestions how to best handle these situations. I also walked away having strategies to increase communication with my teams, which is a consistent struggle since I am itinerant staff and not in the building with the other team members.
April 14, 2014
DHH Department PD
Children with cochlear implants in general education settings require the support of a variety of professionals. Ideally these personnel work together as teams to help the children achieve maximal performance in the classroom; however, challenges await. This program for professionals was presented by Ashley Garber, a Speech Language Pathologist and Certified Auditory-Verbal Therapist, and explored barriers to optimal team function and considered means of addressing these issues. This webinar helped myself and my team identify some of the most common issues that occur in working with our teams, and brainstorm together based on the suggestions how to best handle these situations. I also walked away having strategies to increase communication with my teams, which is a consistent struggle since I am itinerant staff and not in the building with the other team members.
Building A Rich Vocabulary
April 03, 2014
DHH Department PD
For students to understand what they are reading, they need to read fluently and understand the meaning of the words they encounter in their reading. Research has demonstrated that vocabulary, along with fluency, are major factors in students' reading comprehension and that many students have not achieved sufficient mastery in these areas. In the webinar, Dr. Timothy Rasinski shared his thoughts and practical ideas for making vocabulary instruction engaging and effective. This webinar provided me with some great new ideas on how to approach vocabulary in fun game style situations for both groups and individual students. These ideas included word harvesting, word games, word building, and word patterns. One of my favorite ideas he shared was what he calls word ladders. It is a great activity in changing words one letter at a time and tying the first and last words together, which could both be vocabulary words! I address vocabulary goals with a majority of my students. It is something I work on everyday and it is difficult to think of new ways to introduce, practice, and test vocabulary knowledge. It is very easy for students to get bored and uninterested in the continual process of learning vocabulary. Some of these knew ideas have helped me reengage some students in learning vocabulary and to continue their progress on their goals.
April 03, 2014
DHH Department PD
For students to understand what they are reading, they need to read fluently and understand the meaning of the words they encounter in their reading. Research has demonstrated that vocabulary, along with fluency, are major factors in students' reading comprehension and that many students have not achieved sufficient mastery in these areas. In the webinar, Dr. Timothy Rasinski shared his thoughts and practical ideas for making vocabulary instruction engaging and effective. This webinar provided me with some great new ideas on how to approach vocabulary in fun game style situations for both groups and individual students. These ideas included word harvesting, word games, word building, and word patterns. One of my favorite ideas he shared was what he calls word ladders. It is a great activity in changing words one letter at a time and tying the first and last words together, which could both be vocabulary words! I address vocabulary goals with a majority of my students. It is something I work on everyday and it is difficult to think of new ways to introduce, practice, and test vocabulary knowledge. It is very easy for students to get bored and uninterested in the continual process of learning vocabulary. Some of these knew ideas have helped me reengage some students in learning vocabulary and to continue their progress on their goals.
Teaching Children with Hearing Loss to Listen and Talk: Activities Toolbox
October 24, 2013
DHH Department PD
Most of us have a large caseload consisting of children in different age groups an at different skill levels. Planning and preparation to achieve multiple objectives in each session for each of these children can be a daunting task. However, it doesn't have to be. In this workshop, participants learned how to streamline planning and preparation using standard "toolsets" to achieve both effectiveness and efficiency in intervention. By creating a "toolbox" of my own I have created a set of materials I have access to and what I can use on a regular basis. The challenge was to then use what I had to repurpose them in such a way as to best support my students goals. This perspective required creativity and planning time. However, this system has been successful for me with multiple students.
October 24, 2013
DHH Department PD
Most of us have a large caseload consisting of children in different age groups an at different skill levels. Planning and preparation to achieve multiple objectives in each session for each of these children can be a daunting task. However, it doesn't have to be. In this workshop, participants learned how to streamline planning and preparation using standard "toolsets" to achieve both effectiveness and efficiency in intervention. By creating a "toolbox" of my own I have created a set of materials I have access to and what I can use on a regular basis. The challenge was to then use what I had to repurpose them in such a way as to best support my students goals. This perspective required creativity and planning time. However, this system has been successful for me with multiple students.
Networking for Education and Disabilities Night
September 12, 2013
Community Meetup in Kansas City, KS
Matthew Braun, MA, CCC-SLP, Speech-Language Pathologist and LEND Training Coordinator at the Center for Child Health and Development presented on Strength Based Practices, and what that means. It was followed up with discussion and collaboration with professionals and parents about application at the system, practice, and training level. Language continues to have a large impact on students and their family. Our choice of words and how we explain our students both in official and unofficial communication and documentation paints a picture of the student either in a positive or negative light. It is partial fault of the system for our negative language to prove deficities in students, however, there are always opportunities to reinforce the positive strengths of students. This was a reminder session to continue to strive to use positive language that could create a better parent teacher relationship and even teacher student relationship. I have seen this language shift help students realize they do have strengths and weaknesses, and that their strengths should be celebrated.
September 12, 2013
Community Meetup in Kansas City, KS
Matthew Braun, MA, CCC-SLP, Speech-Language Pathologist and LEND Training Coordinator at the Center for Child Health and Development presented on Strength Based Practices, and what that means. It was followed up with discussion and collaboration with professionals and parents about application at the system, practice, and training level. Language continues to have a large impact on students and their family. Our choice of words and how we explain our students both in official and unofficial communication and documentation paints a picture of the student either in a positive or negative light. It is partial fault of the system for our negative language to prove deficities in students, however, there are always opportunities to reinforce the positive strengths of students. This was a reminder session to continue to strive to use positive language that could create a better parent teacher relationship and even teacher student relationship. I have seen this language shift help students realize they do have strengths and weaknesses, and that their strengths should be celebrated.