tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9261438949255296962024-03-26T23:38:09.773-07:00the independent little bee...A little something for children with vision impairments and their families.Robbin Keating Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03878247692434026087noreply@blogger.comBlogger391125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-926143894925529696.post-9651312282045243502021-01-07T12:02:00.004-08:002021-01-07T12:25:11.074-08:00ECC Family Project: Grocery Shopping at a Food Bank<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKM64w6KbKQTmDUQBsJ_9FBOA_Z83B5dZvnTPhPbOb9QpvcC5o6RbCZTJt2Q_27ZJtzoVmoFp6sxpBSKz-BMhT1wUS-ImssqXG-YKdQKhKrXasR9X6LDaCXAl1UKkX67WGVJ7tRfbpm5a-/s1080/ECC+Family+Project+Food+bank.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="a graphic that says Expanded Core family project: grocery shopping for a food bank. Develop your child's Expanded Core skills and help the community together as a family. For children of all abilities & for families of all types." border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKM64w6KbKQTmDUQBsJ_9FBOA_Z83B5dZvnTPhPbOb9QpvcC5o6RbCZTJt2Q_27ZJtzoVmoFp6sxpBSKz-BMhT1wUS-ImssqXG-YKdQKhKrXasR9X6LDaCXAl1UKkX67WGVJ7tRfbpm5a-/w640-h640/ECC+Family+Project+Food+bank.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: start;">Then my teacher lightbulb switched on. I quickly saw all the ECC skills that could easily be infused into this idea and I knew that I had another family project for you. I have designed this idea for children of all abilities and families of all types. </div>Here's another great Expanded Core family project: grocery shopping for a food bank. I'll be honest, this is another idea that comes straight from my own life. I read an article about our local food banks and there was a profile about the families who are receiving their support. I was quite struck by this as it reminded me that for most of my childhood I was a recipient of support. I decided to look up their needed items. I made a commitment that every time I go grocery shopping this year, I will pick items to support the local food bank. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><u><br /></u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><u>Part one--food bank research </u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> As a family, look up your local food bank and learn about it. You can be as detailed as you need to meet your child where they are. Learn about what food banks are and what needs they have. I also encourage you to have your child call the food bank and conduct an interview. You will find out what specific needs your local bank has and it works conversation skills. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><ul><li> For moderate to typically developing students, have them use their tech skills and go online. Have them do the search on a device. I suggest a laptop so that everyone can read along with them (but you do what works for you!). </li><li>For symbolic level students, use real life simple pictures of a building. Use simplified language ("This is a food bank."). You can go to the site https://www.remove.bg/ and it will remove the background of a visually chaotic picture for free!</li></ul><div>Gather your information from your research. You can have your child be the speaker (they call the food bank), the researcher (they go online) or the secretary (they write the details and the shopping list). You can assign these responsibilities out to members of your family (this teaches career education). </div><div>Find the food bank address in your community. Have a quick discussion about the location of the food bank (after you researched the address). Consider these questions: is the food bank in a residential place? Is it in a strip mall? Go on a map and look at the street. Is it located on a busy street or main road or a side street? Does it have a stoplight controlled intersection. This quick discussion infuses orientation and mobility skills. </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1_zGS8Dpv3zzxB56ZrzXB7yF0t1n2NQwLjdZrDgkRI3-_ylLiyukQyBiW_WOeMwLWsbfrnSH0_WR7jxHuJYEVG_Um1cDqn9uEZKCRNNASgTioNI-lUzHQST1ZRldojKlIusMfttDL2Pt0/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A clipart of a woman in the grocery store holding a basket full of food" data-original-height="373" data-original-width="660" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1_zGS8Dpv3zzxB56ZrzXB7yF0t1n2NQwLjdZrDgkRI3-_ylLiyukQyBiW_WOeMwLWsbfrnSH0_WR7jxHuJYEVG_Um1cDqn9uEZKCRNNASgTioNI-lUzHQST1ZRldojKlIusMfttDL2Pt0/w640-h362/636047914661198701-ThinkstockPhotos-467612138.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><u>Part two-grocery shopping skills </u></b></div></div><div>You have two options for this part. You can go to the grocery store or you can order groceries online. </div><div>For both options, start with a grocery list. You can have this in Braille, large print or pictures. </div><div><ul><li>Option A:You can have a bit of fun with this part if you have the time. Start with your grocery list and play a type of the price is right with it. I do this a lot with students and it is super fun. Ask everyone to make a guess of how much items cost. This lets you know how much knowledge your child has about money skills. Then move onto grocery shopping. </li><li>Option B: get right to grocery shopping. For in person grocery shopping, infuse AT skills by using an app such as Seeing AI or Be My Eyes. Divide your family into teams and work on the list together. Do not just put your child at the back of the cart and drag them around the store. Keep your child actively participating by giving them a specific task. For symbolic level students, give them pictures of what they are looking for. Let them put the item in the cart. </li></ul><div>For online shopping, turn JAWS on so everyone knows what's going on. Your child may be inexperienced with online shopping so be partners in this effort. **If you feel overwhelmed, do this: think of one thing your child CAN do for this and one thing you STOP doing for this. It will give you some direction.</div><div><br /></div><div>For both in person or online shopping, the payment section is a good place for your child to be actively engaged. You can use paper bills--more ideal for students who have multiple impairments or teach about using a card. I try to make sure that my students have both the card reader experience at a self- checkout and with a cashier. Go at a dead time so you don't feel rushed. </div><div><br /></div><div>Last but never least, do the best you can! I've had so many grand ideas fail miserably when executed in real time. The focus is a family activity that helps the community. Pay attention to how your child does--are they way off with prices? Do they seem to not have strong internet skills? Do they not know much about grocery stores? Make some notes. Then call your teacher of students with vision impairments or OM instructor to work a plan to develop these skills. Pay attention to yourself--how much did you really help your child during these activities? Did you overpower during the lesson? All children can do something. Step back and let them do things before you jump in to help (easier said than done!). </div><div>Can you imagine if just twenty families did this activity? We would help our local communities so much! </div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div><p></p>Robbin Keating Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03878247692434026087noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-926143894925529696.post-59473412616671233532020-12-19T09:24:00.001-08:002020-12-19T09:24:06.306-08:00Teach the Expanded Core Curriculum by Writing Letters to North Pole Friends<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT1eH8W_Gi8f8tbPtUh7covpXkeUhj7HSNfVaBP0sK8psjUiL7tnA8pswK6eZo0tkveptWmWBc1UzGUTte5DQgL5t9WDKpGlUehQLV-lBWoe2m-tqRH_f6zPpwFb39H0DSTZ6NPX0b9G_E/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="a graphic that has a big envelope that says Teach the ECC by writing to North Pole friends" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT1eH8W_Gi8f8tbPtUh7covpXkeUhj7HSNfVaBP0sK8psjUiL7tnA8pswK6eZo0tkveptWmWBc1UzGUTte5DQgL5t9WDKpGlUehQLV-lBWoe2m-tqRH_f6zPpwFb39H0DSTZ6NPX0b9G_E/" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Writing letters to Santa Claus is a very popular activity for this time of year. However, you can include a lot more kids and A LOT more Expanded Core skills if you put a twist on this popular activity and write letters to North Pole friends. <br />This twist give you a handful more opportunities for skills. Here are some ideas:<br />Learn about the post office and writing letters free matter for the blind</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Addressing envelopes (almost a lost art at this time)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Learn how to write a letter with a greeting and a closing. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Developing and practicing a signature. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Make choices about the friend you want to write to (I gave my students Santa, Rudolf or Frosty) and what you want to say or write to that person</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Teach about weather (what type of weather do you think the North Pole has?)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Writing to North Pole friends as opposed to just Santa means you can do letter correspondence into January (feel free to pick other North Pole friends).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Give different writing prompts (It doesn't just have to be about what you want for a holiday present--you can write about different things).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Literacy, literacy, literacy! Lots of of opportunities for literacy in a project like this.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc6IoIP7IYKECyvjrUgMaDPF4Omm8g7FF_nzGB4Tb0fJobbTsHI5OtnmHdy5Z-ckTK3j3Pkl8uiqe5gXv0uhmhyoMCZQZQ4kMARbWDnzdGGi2lQled3blhnujg4sXtTS5NB3FExoLXT0yn/s2048/IMG_2721.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="an image of a big red mailbox that says letters to the North Pole" border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc6IoIP7IYKECyvjrUgMaDPF4Omm8g7FF_nzGB4Tb0fJobbTsHI5OtnmHdy5Z-ckTK3j3Pkl8uiqe5gXv0uhmhyoMCZQZQ4kMARbWDnzdGGi2lQled3blhnujg4sXtTS5NB3FExoLXT0yn/w240-h320/IMG_2721.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I found these super cute mailboxes at Target (there's even a light in the outside). We set up the North Pole mailbox in the office with our secretary because that's where the mail is delivered at our school. However, if you are doing this virtual or just at home as a parent you can use your own mailbox. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I provided students with three choices for their letters. Santa, Rudolf or Frosty. I whipped up these images on Canva. Notice that I used strong contrast for the pictures to make them friendly for low vision and CVI students. My amazing para took the next leg and put the tactile items on it. We LOVE the APH Carousel of Textures kit but you can also hit up a Joanns or Michaels for some tactile paper. She didn't do the whole picture tactile rather just the critical features of each to highlight them. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjToV5pQacEuKw4IgsCXjCyjY4Vd4EofmlWIlUwynTZFfUnMAUEsSMb3l4QpSgqSuCnQ3soBC8VIDFHhnI-NjGj_Lo7rzTEZrHHG8LCESY7b9fzAx1sWSuqgcaJscFfKnfIjYgFCT3hqv4T/s2048/IMG_2722.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="a green background with a simple Santa graphic where his beard is made from cotton balls" border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjToV5pQacEuKw4IgsCXjCyjY4Vd4EofmlWIlUwynTZFfUnMAUEsSMb3l4QpSgqSuCnQ3soBC8VIDFHhnI-NjGj_Lo7rzTEZrHHG8LCESY7b9fzAx1sWSuqgcaJscFfKnfIjYgFCT3hqv4T/w240-h320/IMG_2722.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ28Ut_y27-w9D50r65-TE3Axc6mBumLmmsp8tVSTV915JdYATaVvv2Ne-DWxbP58QVoxOdqBFs9xCZAzzjZD9J7kFqVe7r3J0pIZN7v64YuWy5JQF1R8f-5XTBbFmLHrFfxyviGsErJA7/s2048/IMG_2724.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="an image of a black background with a reindeer cartoon smiling with antlers and nose made tactile" border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ28Ut_y27-w9D50r65-TE3Axc6mBumLmmsp8tVSTV915JdYATaVvv2Ne-DWxbP58QVoxOdqBFs9xCZAzzjZD9J7kFqVe7r3J0pIZN7v64YuWy5JQF1R8f-5XTBbFmLHrFfxyviGsErJA7/w240-h320/IMG_2724.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwwuG0duYuTqAj_gJk4eVJYmYH9nXE1OoLOAtanuaMDzFconZZ-jlH4cBSuVwjlueZJG6A_Mz1XTV-p7doIga5v2IzAATCkU0k0BW-ar9ZNs3Q5lwT66qat-lJ6jtE0D0PlDjQfkBPMbHv/s2048/IMG_2725.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A green background with a while snowman wearing a hat and scarf with tactile on those parts" border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwwuG0duYuTqAj_gJk4eVJYmYH9nXE1OoLOAtanuaMDzFconZZ-jlH4cBSuVwjlueZJG6A_Mz1XTV-p7doIga5v2IzAATCkU0k0BW-ar9ZNs3Q5lwT66qat-lJ6jtE0D0PlDjQfkBPMbHv/w240-h320/IMG_2725.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Our students could write in any writing mode that worked for them (and then received a letter in return in that mode). We received letters in Braille, large print and pictures. Now this is the cool part, we had our high school students write the Braille replies. So if you are a teacher with older students, this could be a fun project that your high school students do for younger students on your caseload! </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGzi-0pK0xrumdewBbx2AEJ26DR54fdL2fUG72eiOna3fjo5Mjc0Xm1kAENFRe-4FoG4N0G5gc7O0ymIbRETB-tYZTnEmAeYZU2HNmM-TfkrZSmuAs3qAVzIuZkB-82deYVoCwMyo2Cw0H/s2048/IMG_2816+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="4 pages spread on a table each with a simple sentence and a picture from a student to Santa" border="0" data-original-height="2007" data-original-width="2048" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGzi-0pK0xrumdewBbx2AEJ26DR54fdL2fUG72eiOna3fjo5Mjc0Xm1kAENFRe-4FoG4N0G5gc7O0ymIbRETB-tYZTnEmAeYZU2HNmM-TfkrZSmuAs3qAVzIuZkB-82deYVoCwMyo2Cw0H/w320-h314/IMG_2816+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I wanted to include pictures of how we did the picture letters because sometimes that is tricky for folks to know how to do. The above picture is the letter from a student that uses pictures. There are Braille labels over the large print with large clear pictures. We returned his letter in the same format and signed it from Santa with the same Santa picture (plus tactile beard) as the signature. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihBi99vJTAap6NxnAAHOcLKArBh8PIzwP9yraVRTmybHicRZ_k2Uc3cz7hbzyXA_N3IZNYqt5itBfO8b5XL_Tyo4xR7oxAmBbSJkedRQT26H5_Ni34Srnp4h6MloIPbSDlh0mupgJ9OgYY/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="4 pages spread on a table each with a simple sentence and a picture as a reply from Santa. the santa picture has cotton balls on the beard." data-original-height="1629" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihBi99vJTAap6NxnAAHOcLKArBh8PIzwP9yraVRTmybHicRZ_k2Uc3cz7hbzyXA_N3IZNYqt5itBfO8b5XL_Tyo4xR7oxAmBbSJkedRQT26H5_Ni34Srnp4h6MloIPbSDlh0mupgJ9OgYY/" width="302" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Now we started this by writing letters to North Pole friends (again, I meant for this to be inclusive for students who do not celebrate Christmas) but can you see where you can keep this going in the new year? You can continue to use actual letters or you can keep practicing and learn how to transfer this to digital communication such as an email or have a lot of fun and move to Twitter!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Teachers, you can make this as a kit and send it to families and then work together virtually. Parents, you can do this in your home. It's an accessible activity that practically every child can participate in. Happy holidays! </div><br /><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br /> <p></p>Robbin Keating Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03878247692434026087noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-926143894925529696.post-10876109194452884962020-12-01T09:11:00.002-08:002020-12-01T09:11:10.094-08:00The Power of Theater and the Expanded Core Curriculum <p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiPKdN0sL6xWy0NkHbZJUWOtn5aI10ncD8rvbvpZdiIupvbMxOrP2oq6HegCHJsA5qqgx7wmmQuPSj7hhGrjir9vdjpC_UWDm9WtW3Pyhp-HcwkXUbRem1UnKrVv6b0LL0HQt9-aQE0GUc/s1080/Theater+%2526+ECC.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiPKdN0sL6xWy0NkHbZJUWOtn5aI10ncD8rvbvpZdiIupvbMxOrP2oq6HegCHJsA5qqgx7wmmQuPSj7hhGrjir9vdjpC_UWDm9WtW3Pyhp-HcwkXUbRem1UnKrVv6b0LL0HQt9-aQE0GUc/s16000/Theater+%2526+ECC.png" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A graphic that reads The Power of Theater and the Expanded Core Curriculum for students with vision impairments. A new blog series for youth with vision impairments with Blind Ambition's Frankie Ann Marcille. <br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-f2892b9b-7fff-9326-4234-829764384f52"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As a visually impaired adult now working towards developing a career in teaching the Expanded Core Curriculum, I have thought a lot about what the most meaningful experiences were throughout my teenage years. I’ve thought about experiences that gave me real time, true to life opportunities to learn valuable lessons in the ECC. One such experience was my time participating in theatre.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I first started participating in theatre when I was just two years old. My parents signed me up for dance classes and let’s just say-that was it! I fell in love. I have never stopped dancing. From there my passion only continued to grow when I performed in my first musical at age six. I continued performing, participating in at least two shows per year with my various schools, dance studios, etc. from elementary school through high school. I even went on to major in Theatre for my undergraduate degree.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Looking back, I realize how much the arts did for me as a child/teenager with a vision impairment. Participating in theatre/dance programs taught me discipline and advocacy. Because I was the only person in all of my programs with a vision impairment, it was up to me to let my instructors know what I needed and work with them to find a solution as to how I could best participate. They taught me confidence and self determination. Theatre showed me how I could be confident in myself and my abilities as a woman with a vision impairment. I felt like if I could get on stage and perform for crowds of people, I could stand up and tell people about my vision/ I could engage with others in meaningful discussions about my future and my dreams. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Most practically though- theatre helped me to understand basic social interaction skills. There was so much that I realized I didn’t understand as a person with a vision impairment. I didn’t realize I didn’t make eye contact. I didn’t realize sometimes that my facial expressions said more to others and I often missed seeing other’s facial expressions and picking up on subtle cues. However, theatre helped me to work on these skills. Because of this, I have come up with a new way to teach social interaction as a part of the ECC.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I have put together a curriculum of social interaction based theatre games to help other blind and visually impaired students to learn these same skills in a way that is more than just educational. This curriculum is emotional, engaging, true to life, and did I mention...FUN!! I am so excited to share some of them with you here on “The Independent LIttle Bee”! Keep an eye out and until then…</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Stay Ambitious!</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Frankie Ann</span></p><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div></span>Robbin Keating Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03878247692434026087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-926143894925529696.post-31227755663997093912020-11-15T16:40:00.002-08:002020-11-15T16:40:26.282-08:00Teach the Expanded Core Curriculum with a Murder Mystery Party <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoQnrsnGSMDNiVQQS-3ZquUP7tVpTTXDI1Zn3a8b23AbqDDQ7Ynw93LhbQddpGeJiYMaRw-XHrhsK1Ca8e03npNgBs9EVxwQpUdVz02MmzMp_bbkgfGvFPqCxB9pZyGzgTsZjwjMbs2S9_/s1500/Teach+the+Expanded+Core+Curriculum.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Graphic that features Gatsby era clipart that says Teach the Expanded Core with a Murder Mystery Party" border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoQnrsnGSMDNiVQQS-3ZquUP7tVpTTXDI1Zn3a8b23AbqDDQ7Ynw93LhbQddpGeJiYMaRw-XHrhsK1Ca8e03npNgBs9EVxwQpUdVz02MmzMp_bbkgfGvFPqCxB9pZyGzgTsZjwjMbs2S9_/w426-h640/Teach+the+Expanded+Core+Curriculum.png" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We have new ways of teaching in today's world. This is exciting because it is empowering us to find new meaningful ways to teach the Expanded Core. My new favorite activity? A murder mystery! Yasssss, it was awesome! Murder mystery parties are fantastic for teaching the Expanded Core because it really pushes our students to ask questions, pay attention to details and work on their problem solving skills. </div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioUGxOtnyAwCa6zZZpm22rcc854FpmtlemQthaDj9FOLmJSKW5bPsrRihR_6aOL2mUaxExcUQ2-Xg-TigG_IRSNXRwKk_BfmBCBvnUsBtvowU695pWQSJErrIwfND2p1V2xYxT68q_c6oB/s2048/IMG_2570.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A female student reads the Braille clue" border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioUGxOtnyAwCa6zZZpm22rcc854FpmtlemQthaDj9FOLmJSKW5bPsrRihR_6aOL2mUaxExcUQ2-Xg-TigG_IRSNXRwKk_BfmBCBvnUsBtvowU695pWQSJErrIwfND2p1V2xYxT68q_c6oB/w300-h400/IMG_2570.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I know you are excited about this idea but are you wondering where to even start? Don't recreate the wheel on this one. We bought a murder mystery game and then went to work on infusing ECC. We bought ours from Red Herring Games. Ours was The Great Spatsby: <a href="https://www.red-herring-games.com/events/murder-at-great-spatsby/">https://www.red-herring-games.com/events/murder-at-great-spatsby/</a>. Yes, they have virtual games, too!!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Step one is to get the game. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Step two: identify what you need to pre-teach. I can't stress this enough--we have to create the best conditions for learning. This often means pre-teaching so our students have an idea of what's going to happen or to plot their move. We did three pre-teach sessions. These sessions focused on The Gatsby era of US history. We focused on the "backstory" of the setting of our game. For example, we discussed the impact of the stock market crash, the Great Depression, opulence and wealth in the elite class, etc. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwD2w7bjW4_P5a_rqdVvFjFpcbrHPMpFgAF0uYIHh42EEElOC_4mhh454xbDGxRVoh_uYRhQlaxsU4vkQ78YELe_7MplVTnUaPsM5RbkGHsPCahkT-61C3dPpuWZofxmywuLiLurgXt14s/s2048/IMG_2591.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="a clue that is a tray with a wine bottle and two glasses" border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwD2w7bjW4_P5a_rqdVvFjFpcbrHPMpFgAF0uYIHh42EEElOC_4mhh454xbDGxRVoh_uYRhQlaxsU4vkQ78YELe_7MplVTnUaPsM5RbkGHsPCahkT-61C3dPpuWZofxmywuLiLurgXt14s/w300-h400/IMG_2591.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Step three: accessibility. We made sure all of our clues were tactile, Braille copies of anything in print and large print tags on things. Accessibility wasn't just having things in accessible form. We did this in a vintage hotel so the setting was spot on, the characters were in dress and character. Pretty much everything that was visual was brought to life and accessible. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5NOCE-7c8xdHYFpI6cF2PJA68HpBYhf2a2oezyZ9JT9CPudrpyOj8tXpSrSpfShI2b3HZ9D_HBIVTIgqw-_cWymtcDhnbnJMHNF2zCwnt37cl80CHs0uF7u2slvgZtUvsbmUijXDKsUzE/s2048/IMG_2587.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="a clue that is a doctor bag with a large print label attaached to it" border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5NOCE-7c8xdHYFpI6cF2PJA68HpBYhf2a2oezyZ9JT9CPudrpyOj8tXpSrSpfShI2b3HZ9D_HBIVTIgqw-_cWymtcDhnbnJMHNF2zCwnt37cl80CHs0uF7u2slvgZtUvsbmUijXDKsUzE/w300-h400/IMG_2587.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPqK2wM_pmcvmKEvJYDQJy89hwBttGgo0CczJLnr6yVkUjzNxOgcZw3gDBaE-JXbciE6vN6Bdoewauhvw9cwM_oaaU7UJupqUzketYsF-k0YBR1A8oAEAYkwFvtoL2h8eFpAF3NULHdTCK/s2048/IMG_4420.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="an image of a scene from the party where the students interview a woman dressed as a flapper who stands at a table with "the body" covered by a sheet." border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPqK2wM_pmcvmKEvJYDQJy89hwBttGgo0CczJLnr6yVkUjzNxOgcZw3gDBaE-JXbciE6vN6Bdoewauhvw9cwM_oaaU7UJupqUzketYsF-k0YBR1A8oAEAYkwFvtoL2h8eFpAF3NULHdTCK/w480-h640/IMG_4420.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Step four: characters. The characters were the essence of the party! They had to be spot on. Fortunately, Red Herring games comes with scripts which made a lot of this possible. We roped in fun people from our school including our superintendent (she's the maid) and our campus director (pictured next to her). We also included our college transition students in the fun. They worked on their part with the coaching of Frankie Ann (from Blind Ambition who blogs here on The Bee). </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdbantciHwxg0t1_6sna0af_j1O-DtT68kICai8hZinjTLKlWk9vedc5-CfOKQYFv3aslCTQFNn-kMWdP_CbxOCTxVxgPzed7ODFHt3uwUfX4OH5PKxiK50Od40do-AQcgIla9-8hQy6aX/s1936/IMG_2580.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A collage of six pictures featuring the six characters from the murder mystery party such as the maid, the inspector, etc" border="0" data-original-height="1936" data-original-width="1936" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdbantciHwxg0t1_6sna0af_j1O-DtT68kICai8hZinjTLKlWk9vedc5-CfOKQYFv3aslCTQFNn-kMWdP_CbxOCTxVxgPzed7ODFHt3uwUfX4OH5PKxiK50Od40do-AQcgIla9-8hQy6aX/w640-h640/IMG_2580.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Step five: TIME. We provided support on asking good questions, how to evaluate details and facts and then provided students time to work this out as groups. Oh man, can you see all the Expanded Core skills?? They are literally ooozing out of this idea! There were so many skills that we intentionally planned/infused for. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We ended with light refreshments and a fun social gathering as we learned from Inspector Dina Tracy (aka Robbin) who the culprit was (it was the maid!). And just in case you were wondering how we pulled this off during Covid, everyone wore masks, practiced social distance as much as possible, temp checks and lot of cleaning. Check out videos of our fun night on 9MoreThanCore on Instagram. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">By the way, this was so awesome that this is our new annual October event! </div><br /><p></p>Robbin Keating Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03878247692434026087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-926143894925529696.post-10908273633873058922020-08-26T10:32:00.007-07:002020-08-26T10:32:52.534-07:00ECC Chill Pill Lesson<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgirewAV-l1zFxpYLzwiWwJ_ntbICEBtVd5n1QfYCehQIJ083WDEeWNOvn98wdZjFYSgUZSuBzj5Nxy_hy4k7J9E6o7G4AgTgJscPhinJQsjYzeDdGTPWHnjqZQ_eonGU4BqSb2kJZLkQJO/s1080/ECC+Pharmacy.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A graphic that says ECC Chill Pill Lesson: Put a ECC twist on a popular activity" border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgirewAV-l1zFxpYLzwiWwJ_ntbICEBtVd5n1QfYCehQIJ083WDEeWNOvn98wdZjFYSgUZSuBzj5Nxy_hy4k7J9E6o7G4AgTgJscPhinJQsjYzeDdGTPWHnjqZQ_eonGU4BqSb2kJZLkQJO/w640-h640/ECC+Pharmacy.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Happy back to school friends! I know it is crazy right now but we can still provide meaningful Expanded Core instruction for our students. Check out this fun idea: make chill pills with students. Huh? I'm sure you have seen this fun idea floating around on Pinterest or other craft places. You can take this fun idea and infuse a TON of ECC learning and skills practice for students of various abilities. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7YIAiwpjMgw2l7dDQvvqaFKb1dMJcO3Rm1TrEBs0iGBLyqQklIb-zuoiUFEr9Wo17r7x9L1ZoEcbjMt1TOWHRXt7LUPNZXq21jezimHNwzjGGzTsO_GZbgZW-0fHVa4jv_n8gvHdHvkgA/s2048/IMG_2350.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A close up of the ECC chill pill bottle with the label that explains how you will become happy when taking the pills" border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7YIAiwpjMgw2l7dDQvvqaFKb1dMJcO3Rm1TrEBs0iGBLyqQklIb-zuoiUFEr9Wo17r7x9L1ZoEcbjMt1TOWHRXt7LUPNZXq21jezimHNwzjGGzTsO_GZbgZW-0fHVa4jv_n8gvHdHvkgA/w480-h640/IMG_2350.png" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> I referenced our ECC assessments (you should do this, too!)<br />Here's a few of my ideas of how you can infuse ECC learning:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Community learning: </b>what is a pharmacy? learn about employees that work there--what are their titles? Research different types of pharmacies and locations. Plot a bus/walking route. What are items you can get a pharmacy? Over the counter vs prescription? Safety measures with medication</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Social/emotional: </b>review why someone would need to take a "chill pill", what does it mean to "chill out". You can review emotions and healthy ways to manage them and express them. I also like to do a mental health toolbox where students learn different ways to manage mental health and then select ideas to build their own coping skills. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Independent living skills: </b>how do you manage your personal medication? Hygiene is another great topic at this time. How do you open and store medication safely? Use technology to read medication labels. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1EsMjmjcBD9LKQxs6InzUUdxfF1eino0pTQ3KoI5f1HrxwW2H-q_htTIFC3gCIxtbST4-Di7cZRLEGlrh3Ek0Fu4v4AQoBcxqzDde6v5TcbFFbxxf-0r39twa2Y1sprVWcBqNI-7PhOR0/s2048/IMG_2351.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A pic of the ECC Chill Pill bottle and a small bottle of hand sanitizer" border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1946" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1EsMjmjcBD9LKQxs6InzUUdxfF1eino0pTQ3KoI5f1HrxwW2H-q_htTIFC3gCIxtbST4-Di7cZRLEGlrh3Ek0Fu4v4AQoBcxqzDde6v5TcbFFbxxf-0r39twa2Y1sprVWcBqNI-7PhOR0/w608-h640/IMG_2351.png" width="608" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Now it's important to remind you that you want to have intentional, meaningful instruction so ponder how you will present this and work through material with students. Don't shove all this information into one lesson! The bonus part is the actual chill pills. We used a mix of Skittles and M&Ms. Another bonus ILS is to review favorite snacks, prices, location of these items, etc. Allow students to mix it up and select their own "pill combinations". </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGSBidKtb3oOO_A0KE9RBj7jLV7zj17Yk_hAO9-PDipNgV6aX_V2TKxx1MyhwytRcmwZXaoNVQ-Ww6Rgm3nV1aavO6gS0qJyku2oCcPTm0khXwUE3C7xZAbRkx8O7mk-69oHSe6zEQ8p8n/s2048/IMG_2352.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A top view of the bottle with the lid off so you can see the candy inside." border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGSBidKtb3oOO_A0KE9RBj7jLV7zj17Yk_hAO9-PDipNgV6aX_V2TKxx1MyhwytRcmwZXaoNVQ-Ww6Rgm3nV1aavO6gS0qJyku2oCcPTm0khXwUE3C7xZAbRkx8O7mk-69oHSe6zEQ8p8n/w480-h640/IMG_2352.png" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">These make great gifts for others. You may have to stuff them with pre-packaged candies for Covid safety but all in all, it will still work. Last but not least, the label lesson! Teach students what is on a prescription label. We had print and then Braille labels for students. Big shout out to my secretary who assembled these ones! She did a great job. Our students loved them. They were part of our back to school for our residential students. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Would you like the label to make your own? I'm happy to share! Email me at robbin.keating@gmail.com and I'll get you the template. </div><br /> <p></p>Robbin Keating Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03878247692434026087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-926143894925529696.post-55345498770029027602020-05-03T20:24:00.000-07:002020-05-03T20:24:36.576-07:00ECC Family Project 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUkqEEvKoQwUPWml1597-DIHyv1p0eSxpSeliib4JYMU0DxNCcULjYEJBwT2Yor3ijTtrkIGeGaSfc6RsYA_gS0kI-yEtYNU8YscXN6W-IYppRR0E3IzzGd8lJiaPmurt9i4j7W-BKu-Ya/s1600/ECC+Family+Project_.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Image that says ECC Family Project: Make 3 ingredient popsicles " border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUkqEEvKoQwUPWml1597-DIHyv1p0eSxpSeliib4JYMU0DxNCcULjYEJBwT2Yor3ijTtrkIGeGaSfc6RsYA_gS0kI-yEtYNU8YscXN6W-IYppRR0E3IzzGd8lJiaPmurt9i4j7W-BKu-Ya/s1600/ECC+Family+Project_.png" title="" /></a></div>
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I quite possibly think that this new series is becoming my favorite during this quarantine time. Why? Because I am a mom and I know first-hand how hard it is to manage life! This is a project that kiddos with multiple impairments or typically developing can do with their siblings. </div>
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You only need THREE ingredients and a popsicle mold--easy peasy! I bought these molds in the Dollar Spot at Target awhile back. You can also probably find them at Dollar Tree or order them for a minimal cost. My youngest (she's 6 years old) did the project with minimal support from me. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv6N29yLTbhsNXluf60tzZAi30jfqPPAIdnfRpUKcUsmSfRFVH3rUm-2ksmO_P_elnYaXRyXlRCJ4JMmhNua5_8b3WBWVFjXeg1ZJIiNt3r61n8YhX12uxX-Ie2FYT8RsQ9fb21UTNXRHe/s1600/IMG_2891+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="a girl smiles and holds a Jell-o box as she mixes ingredients" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv6N29yLTbhsNXluf60tzZAi30jfqPPAIdnfRpUKcUsmSfRFVH3rUm-2ksmO_P_elnYaXRyXlRCJ4JMmhNua5_8b3WBWVFjXeg1ZJIiNt3r61n8YhX12uxX-Ie2FYT8RsQ9fb21UTNXRHe/s1600/IMG_2891+2.JPG" title="" /></a></div>
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The other bonus? It wasn't a marathon long project. We were done (including set up, preparation and clean up) in 15 minutes. Boom! The recipe was a find from Pinterest. Here it is: <a href="http://poofycheeks.com/2014/06/jell-o-popsicle-recipe/">http://poofycheeks.com/2014/06/jell-o-popsicle-recipe/.</a> Now that we have discovered this one, Pinterest has been awesome to find me a dozen more variations. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPP5lYsxG1qyVAp5-Z-qWK7vhnv48sqCpeZ-PzWr76pQE59t-LpsUf5uZuTrsQpWNlGpXHTUg_ajvy2NkYWKdc1yvVezdjAYCEI0gCNIDpTFjnPbBUIIBuKO7QIdmTyNSinSPa1b04LONm/s1600/IMG_2893.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="a side view of a girl pouring liquid mix into molds" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPP5lYsxG1qyVAp5-Z-qWK7vhnv48sqCpeZ-PzWr76pQE59t-LpsUf5uZuTrsQpWNlGpXHTUg_ajvy2NkYWKdc1yvVezdjAYCEI0gCNIDpTFjnPbBUIIBuKO7QIdmTyNSinSPa1b04LONm/s1600/IMG_2893.JPG" title="" /></a></div>
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A couple of important notes for maximizing your total Expanded Core learning: </div>
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1. Your child is the one who should be in charge of the set up & clean up (not just the actual cooking). They should pull out the pot for the water, measuring cup, bowl and spoon. This is the part that may take a few extra minutes if they are new to the kitchen scene. Don't do this part with siblings as they tend to be well meaning but give away the answers. Normally I would suggest that your child also buy the Jell-O but we are in a new normal here. Have a quick (seriously--QUICK) discussion on the different flavors of Jell-O if they are new to Jell-O. Talk about the cost (Jell-O and store brand is cheap!).</div>
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2. Consider contrast. Notice that I selected dark blue. It is easy to see. If your child has no vision, consider using a tray with all of the ingredients to keep things organized. </div>
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3. If your child has limitations such as multiple impairments, think about how they can actively participate. That's different than being totally independent. Can they hold the box? Open it? Can they stir? You can discuss hot and cold, empty and full concepts easily. Are they very limited with their hands? No worries--go hand-under-hand with them. Not sure how? Watch this super quick and awesome video: <a href="https://www.wsdsonline.org/hand-under-hand/">https://www.wsdsonline.org/hand-under-hand/</a> (watch Daniel Makes A Smoothie). </div>
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4. Let them use the stove! The easiest thing you can do on a stove is boil water. Highlight how you know water is boiling without seeing it. You can hear it! </div>
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5. Put your child in charge of cleaning up! That includes wiping down the counter. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijdceNiScsZ8q3S-bvuftQRLAaB0Gnuu1eHTTPGM5KtNn1JXajaPOZPqy6ZexC7amcoNYHGK3WhKDskpwwZSFn4MkjAbXtRIcWA77v2vbq24t_smPuKWfIpWirI1mZtww1HSYGJvITv_nk/s1600/IMG_2894.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="a close up of a girl's hand as she uses a small measuring cup to pour liquid into mold" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijdceNiScsZ8q3S-bvuftQRLAaB0Gnuu1eHTTPGM5KtNn1JXajaPOZPqy6ZexC7amcoNYHGK3WhKDskpwwZSFn4MkjAbXtRIcWA77v2vbq24t_smPuKWfIpWirI1mZtww1HSYGJvITv_nk/s1600/IMG_2894.JPG" title="" /></a></div>
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I have to admit that I was a little nervous about how my little one was going to pour the mix into the containers. I have a small one cup measuring cup. We simply dunked the cup in the mix and then poured it. She did it all by herself. ECC bonus skills: pouring! No vision? No worries! Don't let your child put their finger in (we do discourage it but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do). Try having them feel the outside of the container while they pour. The water is hot and you can feel it fill up the container. BEFORE they pour have them indicate with their finger where the top of the mold is. This way you know that they know where the top is. </div>
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Freeze for a few hours and enjoy! I didn't add as much sugar as the recipe called for but you can do whatever works for your family. NOTE: for kids with multiple impairments, really play up the temperature aspects of this. There are repeated opportunities to talk about hot and cold. You could easily make a new recipe with a new flavor each week. Once you master these, you can rank up and try the fruit ones with fresh fruit and coconut milk. Go for it! </div>
<br />Robbin Keating Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03878247692434026087noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-926143894925529696.post-71548147845351113662020-04-15T14:46:00.000-07:002020-04-15T14:46:18.682-07:00Expanded Core Family Project <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSMMRh-c8sDuW_cYvJgghrgfbDLiHfqgk34il41avxJCMxETAbWO1sQUIAKWqRijxKodzbw6c7Hequpj5ENjJwFKG0M7Ad9zGNj4sDiJlWuNv6JqhEtTG5_SuxUM4HcQfg_JPhaOY3MhCU/s1600/Expanded+Core+FAMILY+Project_.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="a graphic that gives the tips--text in post " border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSMMRh-c8sDuW_cYvJgghrgfbDLiHfqgk34il41avxJCMxETAbWO1sQUIAKWqRijxKodzbw6c7Hequpj5ENjJwFKG0M7Ad9zGNj4sDiJlWuNv6JqhEtTG5_SuxUM4HcQfg_JPhaOY3MhCU/s1600/Expanded+Core+FAMILY+Project_.png" title="ECC Family Project" /></a></div>
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Hi everyone, here is a quick and easy Expanded Core FAMILY activity! Make sunshine cards for patients in the hospital. I got this idea because it dawned on me that people weren't easily able to visit loved ones who are sick. The great thing about the ECC is that sooooo many ideas match ECC skills. Here's a fun and easy way that the whole family can do an activity together that also gives you a ton of ECC learning. <br />Below is the text from post: </div>
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<span class="JsGRdQ" style="text-align: start; text-size-adjust: auto;">Get a pack of cards. Tip:</span><span class="JsGRdQ white-space-prewrap" style="text-align: start; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> </span><span class="JsGRdQ" style="text-align: start; text-size-adjust: auto;">I used some blank cards from Dollar Tree (only 50 cents a card!)</span><span class="JsGRdQ white-space-prewrap" style="text-align: start; text-size-adjust: auto;"></span></div>
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ECC spotlight: </div>
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talk about the price of cards, purpose of cards, location of cards in a store</div>
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<span class="JsGRdQ" style="text-size-adjust: auto;">Research thoughtful messages for cards. Type or print messages for cards.</span><span class="JsGRdQ white-space-prewrap" style="text-size-adjust: auto;"></span></div>
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ECC spotlight: </div>
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use assistive tech to do research for messages. practice typing skills!</div>
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<span class="JsGRdQ" style="text-size-adjust: auto;">Call a local hospital to find out how you can drop off cards.</span><span class="JsGRdQ white-space-prewrap" style="text-size-adjust: auto;"></span></div>
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ECC spotlight: </div>
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research the address of the hospital--discuss landmarks, find out if there is a bus route or careers at a hospital </div>
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<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha9uIs5RYoDcJEeEIyUE78WPhX3DEm34PSAicHgAUQEJYxtY1elBYvR-OgqrADtzCAw1LxvmObTCDv_Vz-U6AMcIDbnQCKHP8aaL75MDcUutBDBNOrH31LPJ6NwjVusm2jQ498fE7aZIUz/s1600/IMG_2506.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="an image of lunchbox notes and stickers " border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha9uIs5RYoDcJEeEIyUE78WPhX3DEm34PSAicHgAUQEJYxtY1elBYvR-OgqrADtzCAw1LxvmObTCDv_Vz-U6AMcIDbnQCKHP8aaL75MDcUutBDBNOrH31LPJ6NwjVusm2jQ498fE7aZIUz/s1600/IMG_2506.jpg" title="Notes & stickers" /></a></div>
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We also bought some sticker since we knew that there were some kids who would receive this. We downloaded free lunchbox notes from Pinterest. Note: We put these items into a bag. Our original thought was to put them inside the cards but since we wanted every item to be safe for patients, we put them in a bag with a post-it for hospital staff to put inside cards after they were finished with their quarantine.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPtsJbkOqiKTXI970EiLhQNlc_xG3SEKS0nbAt-rTLNwPTIbJiGcMdGf8dwJ7gjfEIQFQGrjnX57BabO-0r_tLZ9xTywXYhdzkUlwjsww9z-bfAfi8lvLGaZg1pjwL__QeZbwmh0Z40wTu/s1600/IMG_2508.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="an image of a card with the message handwritten in it" border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPtsJbkOqiKTXI970EiLhQNlc_xG3SEKS0nbAt-rTLNwPTIbJiGcMdGf8dwJ7gjfEIQFQGrjnX57BabO-0r_tLZ9xTywXYhdzkUlwjsww9z-bfAfi8lvLGaZg1pjwL__QeZbwmh0Z40wTu/s1600/IMG_2508.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
We took our research of get well notes and wrote them in the cards. The message says: Dear Friend, There are times that we need to know that people care about us. This is one of those times and I happen to be one of those people. Hope you feel better soon!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi48Q2pl-r33O0MPTwrAvi-C6sNQLatXdhXd0Llt3fuUdqG-tWqKFpa7FnnbXTK_oPnkU8ZPQ8piUcVNo8HbN-cdQkZLjiCT5CBrRPu40SgUdTILoKfiqwWVMX-4WvtpRlS3JrwZUo0XDnm/s1600/IMG_2509.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="a card standing up with an envelop that says a sunshine card for you" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi48Q2pl-r33O0MPTwrAvi-C6sNQLatXdhXd0Llt3fuUdqG-tWqKFpa7FnnbXTK_oPnkU8ZPQ8piUcVNo8HbN-cdQkZLjiCT5CBrRPu40SgUdTILoKfiqwWVMX-4WvtpRlS3JrwZUo0XDnm/s1600/IMG_2509.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
We know our parents have a lot going on with "the new normal". Anyway that we can include things for the whole family can help a lot! I hope this gave you some fun ideas!<br />
<br />Robbin Keating Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03878247692434026087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-926143894925529696.post-69515677657900322832020-03-03T09:29:00.001-08:002020-03-03T09:29:48.878-08:00Support Independence for Students with Vision Impairments with a Teacher Feedback Group<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiRZ9E8N02ugWaxjffQrOdkec2uviY38H-NZuvUd630VWbcUoPsKXuisdqkSlJhjCclOvJ1lO-z96IF67X59Wc8bmsA2IB2M5T2-Gh1tLLxI1u_TJId-ZlUDOMVfmgppIGqmPzD-NDyVUu/s1600/Support+Independence+for+Students+with+Vision+Impairments+with+a+Teacher+Feedback+Group.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Graphic of the title, support independence for students with vision impairments with a teacher feedback group" border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiRZ9E8N02ugWaxjffQrOdkec2uviY38H-NZuvUd630VWbcUoPsKXuisdqkSlJhjCclOvJ1lO-z96IF67X59Wc8bmsA2IB2M5T2-Gh1tLLxI1u_TJId-ZlUDOMVfmgppIGqmPzD-NDyVUu/s1600/Support+Independence+for+Students+with+Vision+Impairments+with+a+Teacher+Feedback+Group.png" title="" /></a></div>
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Are you loving our mugshots? These are some of the awesome people on our team getting into our new teacher feedback group. Back story: we have some new teachers, veteran teachers and new staff that struggle with knowing when and how to step back to support our students with their independence. It's a common problem. It's often an unconscious problem. People don't realize how much they are impeding our students. My team has good intentions. They have hearts of gold and they work hard but we make the same mistake: impeding independence. </div>
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I wanted to continue to give my team feedback but I didn't want it to feel punitive or create a negative environment. Giving citations is a popular strategy for students in general education. Sometimes they are called "speeding tickets". This inspired this idea! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRFrHPtTjA0VioIGkwkiUL6DKhBE1zpQ6uz97IY_RVa-J6Ju7gzbrDGpAVADwo_jGMphTITdC_-BoTIjGNXrNC2VLDWjMUmJ0J_SHx6Q5YD6Qsb15EUOTu6LaorbymsMq7LvyatVciKN5x/s1600/Independence+Violation%2521%2521.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="an image of the independence violation with the funny male police officer holding his hand out to stop" border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRFrHPtTjA0VioIGkwkiUL6DKhBE1zpQ6uz97IY_RVa-J6Ju7gzbrDGpAVADwo_jGMphTITdC_-BoTIjGNXrNC2VLDWjMUmJ0J_SHx6Q5YD6Qsb15EUOTu6LaorbymsMq7LvyatVciKN5x/s1600/Independence+Violation%2521%2521.png" title="citation ticket" /></a></div>
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I wanted to do something that I could get teacher buy in with. I created the (above pictured) "independence violation". Teachers could observe each other and cite them when they are impeding independence of our students. We all know these offenses: carrying their books, helping them open containers, serving them food, getting them whatever and not making them get up---the list could go on and on. I needed us to get present about this hinderance. We aren't doing students ANY favors by doing so many things for them especially our students who are completely blind. They don't pick up on the incidental learning. They need all these little opportunities for independence.<br />Again, I wanted something that empowers teachers. Feedback for instruction helps with this. But it can go wrong if not handled the right way. People can be sensitive. Fortunately my staff and I have a collaborative environment and we support each other. But....I still wanted to have fun with this. Enter my funny officer and our mugshots! The team got where I was going with this and everyone jumped on board. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHhX2IVM0yyU_fEHcpjJlthhDJVGmZCJTtNHRt14GxjL6Dzd-HjxLfFL4c-niy4SydkKq5hyphenhyphenFhtWGBRz-0K1uuA5eyUrBSDf8-rWedFkmw30_k30SJA9EfJwQNFOAe78Q7kgqsC1mYZZ3T/s1600/IMG_1882.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="a mugshot of a female teacher wearing sunglasses with a tough expression" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHhX2IVM0yyU_fEHcpjJlthhDJVGmZCJTtNHRt14GxjL6Dzd-HjxLfFL4c-niy4SydkKq5hyphenhyphenFhtWGBRz-0K1uuA5eyUrBSDf8-rWedFkmw30_k30SJA9EfJwQNFOAe78Q7kgqsC1mYZZ3T/s1600/IMG_1882.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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Important: I didn't want to just do negative call outs or citations. I wanted teachers to develop to learn how to give meaningful feedback. I added a section to the citation ticket that says "rectify the offense". This allows us to shift from the violation to a solution. We created a bulletin board where we post our citations/solutions and once a month we get together and review them.<br />We have loved this idea and the positive outcomes are far reaching. Teachers are now going to be more aware of their interactions with students. Teachers will find new solutions for how to step back. Want a copy of my citation? Send me an email and I'm happy to share. Try this out with everyone--parents, teachers and paraprofessionals. We included everyone (even my secretary) on this! Anyone who has interactions with our students was included. We are hoping our feedback group will help us move from villains to heroes! </div>
<br />Robbin Keating Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03878247692434026087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-926143894925529696.post-21320629680803410482020-01-06T09:59:00.002-08:002020-01-06T10:00:06.482-08:00Ten Tips for Advocacy & Self Love to Carry With You Over the Next Ten Years<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH6sVmxtp_14Ie8IR9vezvxpyHHWYAGFv3kElF6johqsbwBUFJIPfn3dFCBEZqSzyUYkLGfpH2wS5JUYDUkmmTWJuiF2oTK_zHhIhptMBxtmPWAaUyf57kXjB2U0PSX5yV4TZ0FlchJylL/s1600/Ten+Tips+for+Advocacy+and+Self+Love+To+Carry+With+You+Over+the+Next+Ten+Years.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1102" data-original-width="735" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH6sVmxtp_14Ie8IR9vezvxpyHHWYAGFv3kElF6johqsbwBUFJIPfn3dFCBEZqSzyUYkLGfpH2wS5JUYDUkmmTWJuiF2oTK_zHhIhptMBxtmPWAaUyf57kXjB2U0PSX5yV4TZ0FlchJylL/s1600/Ten+Tips+for+Advocacy+and+Self+Love+To+Carry+With+You+Over+the+Next+Ten+Years.png" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">“Ten Tips for Advocacy and Self Love To Carry With You Over the Next Ten Years”</span></div>
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Hi everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday surrounded by your family and friends! I know I did! As we approach the end and beginning of a decade, I’ve been thinking a lot about how I’ve grown over the last ten years. And man, have I CHANGED. In 2009-2010 I was in my sophomore year of high school. I was experiencing a lot of challenges with my condition, not just visually, but in every aspect. I was working really hard to navigate my peer relationships, do well in school, balance my life... plus manage my ever fluctuating SOD (septo-optic dysplasia). I’ve written before about the challenges I faced during my teenage years and how that time often felt like it was never going to end...</div>
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BUT IT DID!!! There were still hard moments over the years but since then I have accomplished a lot! I successfully graduated both high school and college within the normal time frame. I have traveled to and spent time living in twelve different states (some more than once), one foreign country, and one tropical island. I worked on over fifty productions both on and off the stage. I got my first white cane and pair of glasses. I danced on the stage at Radio City Music Hall. I climbed three different literal mountains and more figurative mountains than i can name. I got my first professional teaching job. I learned to be independent AND interdependent. I fell in love. And the list keeps going! </div>
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But this is life. It isn’t all sunshine and happiness all of the time. And I would be lying if I said that for all the joy, succsss, and adventure this decade brought me- it’s kind of come full circle. I started the decade in a rough spot and I’m ending it that way too.</div>
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But I’m hopeful that just like the past ten years, the next ten will bring so many wonderful opportunities. And as i reflect on the past decade and prepare for the new, I have Ten Tips to share with you to hopefully inspire you to live your best life, advocate for your success, and love yourself a little more in the years ahead! (They are a little long so bare with me!)</div>
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<li style="font-size: 33px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Every part of you is something to celebrate.</span> It can be tempting sometimes to try and “hide” your vision impairment. But why?? Everyone has something going on in their life or something about them that makes them unique or special. And yours just happens to be your vision! Embrace it! Once you accept yourself and celebrate all the elements that make you who you are, it will be hard for others not to follow suit!</li>
<li style="font-size: 33px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">You are your own worst enemy-not sighted people. </span>It’s easy to feel like because sighted people don’t always understand you that they are against you. This is SO NOT TRUE. Most sighted people just don’t get it initially. But once you explain you’re vision, there is so much opportunity to create a dynamic relationship! Thinking that because they may not understand means they can’t or don’t want to understand you will only do you a disservice. You could miss out on incredible connections, friendships, and opportunities. Don’t let your own insecurities and anxieties about how they may view you get in your way. Which brings me to my next point....</li>
<li style="font-size: 33px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Stop worrying so much! </span>Life is way too short to let anxiety and insecurity rule your daily life. You are so capable and deserve to have every possible experience life has to offer. The only one holding you back from taking those chances and leaps of faith is you! I know it can be scary and anxiety inducing thinking about all of the potential “no”s you will hear or the ones you’ve already heard. But don’t let those rule your world. Find every opportunity to take that “No”and turn it into a “YES”!</li>
<li style="font-size: 33px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">It’s okay to not be okay. </span>Sometimes though, despite our best efforts, there are some things we just cannot do. And it’s okay to feel that. It’s okay to be sad about that. Sometimes things happen that are genuinely really awful. The only way to truly move forward is to let yourself feel those sad and bad feelings. Eventually you will grow through it. Eventually you will be able to use that as fuel to persevere. But in the meantime, if you are having trouble moving on.... have a good cry. Eat that pint of Ben and Jerry’s. Call your best friend and vent about it. Allow yourself that time to process so that you can come back stronger than ever.</li>
<li style="font-size: 33px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">It’s okay to let go. </span>Sometimes things in our life no longer serve us anymore, or no longer fit in with our plan. Whether it’s moving on from a place, or saying goodbye to a friendship; sometimes holding on to tightly can only do more damage. It’s okay to let go of the things that don’t support you anymore. People grow, circumstances change. And there is nothing wrong with that. Allow yourself the freedom to move forward and maybe leave some things behind.</li>
<li style="font-size: 33px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Asking for help isn’t a bad thing.</span> You are strong. You are capable. You can do anything. But we don’t always feel that way. And in those moments it’s more than acceptable to ask for help and lean on someone else for a minute. Surround yourself with people who lift you up when you feel like you’ve hit rock bottom. And remember that you can do the same for them. That’s what support is all about; being there for each other to help each other through!</li>
<li style="font-size: 33px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Fall down seven times, stand up eight. </span>It’s easy to feel sometimes like you are stuck. When things go wrong, or if you’re feeling down, it can be easy to live in the discouragement. But I firmly believe that if you trust in yourself and the support of those around you, you will find yourself standing taller than ever before. Life knocks us down. And it can be devastating. But the more we fall, each time we end up standing a little taller, with our head held a little higher. Each time we fall is a chance to learn and grow. It may take us sometime to get ourselves up. It may take us some time to heal. During my hard moments this is the mantra i use to help myself remember how strong I am. And i push myself to get up and keep going. I hope that you can use this phrase to get you through any of the moments where you feel like you can’t stand up anymore- you’ve fallen down seven times. But you will stand up eight!</li>
<li style="font-size: 33px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Create your own way. </span>This phrase has been on my mind so much, especially for the past few months. A friend of mine, Tara Llewelyn, who has had an incredibly successful career as a Broadway dresser is my current inspiration and motivation to live this phrase out. Throughout her time living in New York, Tara has definitely had her share of struggles. But despite any doubts or discouragements, she has risen up and used those moments as fuel to get creative and make something happen for herself. Tara is also a performer, which can be a challenging path. She has had many successful auditions and performed in many pieces in the city. But like every performer, there have been periods where she was said “no” to. And those are the moments in which Tara has truly thrived. She wrote and starred in her own one woman cabaret, “Seams and Songs” which she has revamped and reprised multiple times in venues throughout NYC and Connecticut. Most recently, she wrote, produced, starred in, and is currently working on post production edits of the pilot for her new television series, “Under The Influence”. She is also an avid blogger and always up for an adventure. Watching this friend of mine take life into her own hands has been amazing and has inspired me to do the same. I’ve been writing more, singing more, and doing my best to use the talents I have to make opportunities! And so moving forward I hope that in moments where you feel stuck or unsure that you too will take life into your own hands and “create your own way”!</li>
<li style="font-size: 33px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">You really do only live once. </span>Piggy backing off of that last one, when creating your own way don’t forget to take chances and try the things you’ve always wanted to.<span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span>Over the past ten years, i have lost too many people. My community back hone lost two little angels who hadn’t even gotten to really experience life yet. I lost my dear teachers (Pam Diana, Ms. Helen, Louise Neistat, John Ayres). I lost a dear friend, LeRoy Walton. I lost three of my loving uncles. I lost my great grandfather. I lost my grandfather. I lost my sweet aunt. As I think back on all of the loss, I am reminded of how precious life is. It really is just too short, and though this phrase has become something rather comical, there is some serious truth to it. You really do only live once. So why waste it? Why waste the time you have waiting for something to happen? Go out there and do it! If there is something you’ve wanted to do but just haven’t gotten around to it or are nervous about it- get up, get out, and go do it! I had been saying for years that i wanted to try sky diving. It had always been in the back of my mind. But I kept telling myself it’s nice to think about but there’s no way I’ll actually do that. Then in 2018, my grandfather passed away. And shortly after that my dad and i were listening to “Live Like You Were Dying” by Tim McGraw. I’ve heard this song before, but this time it was different. I thought about all of the things my grandfather did and didn’t get to do. I wondered if he would have things he wished he had done. And in that moment I decided that I wasn’t going to waste a minute. So you know what I did? Later that year, I went skydiving. So go do it. Go skydiving. Go Rocky Mountain climbing. Love deeper. Speak sweeter. Give forgiveness you’ve been denying. Life is too short not to and you only live once.</li>
<li style="font-size: 33px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Stay Ambitious!</span> The catch phrase of my blog and my mantra for the next decade. I hope that you all never lose your ambition. We all have goals and dreams and the key to achieving them is through pure determination and ambition! Hold on to those dreams and goals. Don’t let bumps in the road scare you from following it still. I urge you all to live ambitiously. Take chances. Say yes. Fail. Try again. Today again, again. Be kind to yourself. Let yourself feel. Let things go. Fall down seven times. Stand up eight. Create your own way. Live ambitiously because you only have one life to do so! Use your ambition to turn the things you wish you did into the things you DID! Adventure is out there.... no go and get it!</li>
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Thanks for reading, friends! I wish you all so much love and happiness in the new year that I hope stays with you throughout the decade! Cheers to ten new years to chase your dreams, achieve those goals, and create the best and most exciting life for yourself! Your vision may not be 20/20, but that doesn’t mean 2020 can’t be the year to find your vision for life!</div>
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Stay Ambitious,</div>
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Frankie Ann</div>
Robbin Keating Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03878247692434026087noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-926143894925529696.post-80225736637010023312019-12-23T14:32:00.000-08:002019-12-23T14:33:42.314-08:00How To Communicate Your Vision Impairment In a Professional Setting<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimz1LYA-X4r39vN_nI8Rz9naBbzQCT7FCjD-b6bxFQdA_fM0zIlOriqAEOdxImgfOl1vo93k-1oX5zLy5KfsvUbBDeZknDRrXgMm3vBcmh87WZeLwqKuiaoUe5Hk8viPqKddvidQWXrgdw/s1600/Communicating+your+vision+impairment.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="How to communicate your vision impairment in a professional setting with Blind Ambition" border="0" data-original-height="1102" data-original-width="735" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimz1LYA-X4r39vN_nI8Rz9naBbzQCT7FCjD-b6bxFQdA_fM0zIlOriqAEOdxImgfOl1vo93k-1oX5zLy5KfsvUbBDeZknDRrXgMm3vBcmh87WZeLwqKuiaoUe5Hk8viPqKddvidQWXrgdw/s1600/Communicating+your+vision+impairment.png" title="" /></a></div>
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Hi everyone! I hope you all enjoyed last week’s post and that it was helpful to you or your students! Today I want to continue that topic but take it one step further. Now that you have a framework of explaining your vision to someone who might not fully understand that is comfortable for you, how do you carry that over to a professional setting?</div>
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Whether it’s your first day at a new job or meeting a new professor, professional interactions are difficult for EVERYONE to navigate. So don’t worry friends, you’re really not alone on this one! This encounters can trigger so much anxiety, anticipation, and uncertainty. It’s a fine line of presenting the best you and maintaining a professional demeanor... and that can be really hard to balance! Over the years, I’ve gained a lot of experience and had a lot of opportunities (some successful, some not so much) to test the waters in this area. Here’s a list of tips and some of my own stories to hopefully help you in your professional interactions moving forward!</div>
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<li style="font-size: 33px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Put it in writing.</span> I have found especially during my college years that this was really helpful for my professors and other administrators i encountered. What i ended up doing with the help of my VRT (hi Robbin) was look at my current vision statement and think about the aspects of my vision impairment that would actually impact my ability to take the course or do the job. From there, we came up with a billeted list of accommodations that I would need, and ended it with a basic summary and thanks! The basic format of the letter is: Intro paragraph introducing yourself (my name is and i am a student in your writing class this semester) and your disability. Bullet Pointed list of necessary, clear accommodations you require (keep the language simple and concise!). Closing paragraph sharing your openness to questions and thanking them for working with you! This letter is important as it will serve as your professor/employer’s reference on how to help you succeed. If they cannot connect with you in order to ask you personally, they now have something they can look at on their own!</li>
<li style="font-size: 33px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Hand deliver it, and introduce yourself in person.</span>Now that you have it all written down, it’s important that YOU ARE THE ONE who gives it to your professor/employer. Your VR counselors are there to help you and support you, but the work all comes down to you! I like to think of it as just meeting someone new. Typically i wait until the first class or day is done because then I have a better idea of what to expect, how the class is run, what will be applicable, etc. i then wait until the professor/supervisor is available and ask them if they have a moment to talk. I then introduce myself and share that I have a disability and hand them my statement. I take a moment to go over a few highlights of it, emphasize things i CAN do “I can read print, it’s easier though...” and then end with a positive statement.”I’m really excited to be taking your class/working with you! Is there anything i can clarify for you?” From there it’s smooth sailing! If they have questions, they’ll ask! </li>
<li style="font-size: 33px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Be open to their questions.</span> I have found that the best professional interactions are ones where my supervisor or professor asked questions and we created plans/solutions to potential problems together! If they don’t have questions right away, that’s okay. But they may come up. Be open to this. Showing them that you don’t mind answering their questions creates a trusting relationship. And this will help your employer/professor to feel more comfortable talking and working with you to do the best that you can!</li>
<li style="font-size: 33px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Team work makes the dream work! </span>As important as it is to take pride in the things you can do and be independent, it is equally as important to accept the help you may need, and balance interdependence. Trust your professional colleagues and superiors in this way. They are not your enemy. They do not want you to fail. Once in a blue moon I’ve come across a professor who didn’t try to understand and work with me. So what did i do? I turned to those who did, and used them to help me. And in the end it all worked out. I passed the class and though the professor and i may not have totally seen eye to eye (pun definitely intended), i showed him just what i was capable of with the help of those who knew it too. With the support and collaboration of your professional colleagues and supervisors, you will rise to the challenge and achieve success!</li>
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<span style="font-size: 33px;">This is a topic that I can write about forever. There’s so much to it and so much to cover, but for now I hope you found these basic tips helpful! I will definitely be writing more posts about specific areas related to this subject, like the job interview process. Next week though, I’m going to shake things up. As we get ready to say goodbye to 2019 and a whole decade, I’ll be sharing “Ten Tips for Advocacy and Self Love to Carry With You Over the Next Ten Years”! Until then, please feel free to share any stories, thoughts, or questions in the comments and be sure to follow @blindambitionblog on Instagram for a Twelve Days Til Christmas countdown! Happy Holidays, and remember....</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 33px;">Stay Ambitious,</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 33px;">Frankie Ann</span></div>
Robbin Keating Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03878247692434026087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-926143894925529696.post-5166262370136517112019-12-15T10:52:00.000-08:002019-12-15T10:52:28.762-08:00“Vision Statements: How Do You Explain Your Vision Impairment to Someone Who is Sighted or Just Doesn’t Get it?”<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMKC3OM9XrUz1TAIdAbt9ndDlrKhFOpMnyrIL4Xx-10HRV-hJmqHj_mjU3-gh8McKdGs5Tbv8fgpqgkPmyr6KzBZaA8wsfqudNqB5jG21Ej4iruPCdGOXSholqxoll1yEFAFweGIkj016O/s1600/%25E2%2580%259CVision+Statements_+How+Do+You+Explain+Your+Vision+Impairment+to+Someone+Who+is+Sighted+or+Just+Doesn%25E2%2580%2599t+Get+It%253F%25E2%2580%259D.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="graphic that says Hi everyone! Today, I’m going to be talking about something that I’ve spent the past twenty-plus years trying to navigate. It’s something that I’m constantly updating, editing and reworking. It’s what i like to call my “vision statement” or my first step to advocacy. A vision statement is the basic explanation of my vision impairment to someone who may not fully understand. Once I started using a vision statement to help me explain my vision impairment to others, I felt my confidence and comfortability in talking about it growing tremendously. It became easier to stand with pride and talk about my vision, and help others to understand this important part of me! The idea of legal blindness is hard for people to comprehend because in a lot of ways it is a grey area. There are some things I can see, some things I can’t and for those who aren’t familiar with it, that can be super confusing. What made it even more confusing is when they asked me about my vision, I started throwing medical terms at them that I had studied and made sense to me, but to them it sounded like a foreign language. So how do you do it? How do you help the sighted people in your life to grasp what your vision impairment means and what it consists of without making it awkward and uncomfortable for both you and them? I’ve come up with five steps to create a clear and concise Vision Statement to share with those in your life who don’t quite get it, but desperately want to! 1. Keep it short. The only thing more awkward than you not knowing what to say when asked about your vision, is if you talk FOREVER about your vision. People want to understand but again- the more language you use, the more “formal” you make the initial conversation, the more confusing it can be. Keep it short and sweet: three-five sentences that capture the most essential parts of your vision impairment! And then if they have questions or want to keep talking, that’s great, but the clearer and more concise you can make it the easier it is for them to initially understand. 2. Show them! In my first sentence of my vision statement, I ask people to put on “binoculars”. I do this to show them what tunnel vision is. This helps them to really visualize what it is you’re talking about and makes the conversation more dynamic. If this is a person who is less familiar to you, i would demonstrate the binoculars myself and say “well my vision is kind of like if you put your hands to your face as if you were pretending to look through binoculars.” By doing it myself, that sometimes prompts the other person to do it too! And it becomes a more interesting way for them to experience an aspect of what my vision is like. 3. Pick an analogy that sighted people might easily be able to understand. I will never forget the first time my dad explained to me the difference between High Definition and standard television. The way he talked about the difference in quality of the image reminded me so much of what it sounded like to me when sighted people described their vision. I thought of how for me, the outlines of people and objects are usually ill defined or blurred together. And i imagine for sighted people that isn’t the case. So now after asking them to put their binoculars on, I say “you know how when you’re watching tv, and you change the channel from a standard definition station to HD? Well let’s just say my vision is standard definition- kind of fuzzy/blurry not super defined. And yours is HD!” 4. Simple facts are your friend! Next, i list three things about my vision that are super simple and could be written out in bullet point format. For example.... •I have night blindness. •I have no depth perception. •I read large print and sometimes use a cane. I picked these three because these are the ones that would most pertain to my relationship with the sighted person. Because of my night blindness i might need their help to guide me in the dark. Because of my poor depth perception i might need them to let me know if there is a car coming when i go to cross the street. And lastly, it’s important to identify if your a print reader or cane user because that helps them to understand an aspect of what you can see! It’s tangible and something that is easier for others to get. 5. Let them ask questions! Often times after I’ve given my vision statement, i can tell people are still curious and have more questions. So I’ll sometimes say “is there anything you want to ask me?” Or “if you want to ask a question that’s okay! If not that’s cool too... let’s get some ice cream!” Just let yourself be comfortable in your own skin. This isn’t something to be ashamed of or intimidated by. Your vision impairment is a part of you. And though the sighted people in your life may not totally understand, they care about you and want to do what they can to support you and also to try their best to understand you. But in order to do so, you have to let them in a little bit. And that’s that! I hope this was helpful! Next week, I’ll be talking a little bit more about vision statements but on a more professional level: “How Do I Communicate My Vision Impairment in an Interview or Professional Setting?” Until then, i hope you all have a great week! If you have any questions about these tips please feel free to leave them in the comments! I’ll be sure to respond! Thanks for reading! Stay Ambitious, Frankie Ann" border="0" data-original-height="1102" data-original-width="735" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMKC3OM9XrUz1TAIdAbt9ndDlrKhFOpMnyrIL4Xx-10HRV-hJmqHj_mjU3-gh8McKdGs5Tbv8fgpqgkPmyr6KzBZaA8wsfqudNqB5jG21Ej4iruPCdGOXSholqxoll1yEFAFweGIkj016O/s1600/%25E2%2580%259CVision+Statements_+How+Do+You+Explain+Your+Vision+Impairment+to+Someone+Who+is+Sighted+or+Just+Doesn%25E2%2580%2599t+Get+It%253F%25E2%2580%259D.png" title="" /></a></div>
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Hi everyone! Today, I’m going to be talking about something that I’ve spent the past twenty-plus years trying to navigate. It’s something that I’m constantly updating, editing and reworking. It’s what i like to call my “vision statement” or my first step to advocacy. A vision statement is the basic explanation of my vision impairment to someone who may not fully understand. Once I started using a vision statement to help me explain my vision impairment to others, I felt my confidence and comfortability in talking about it growing tremendously. It became easier to stand with pride and talk about my vision, and help others to understand this important part of me!</div>
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The idea of legal blindness is hard for people to comprehend because in a lot of ways it is a grey area. There are some things I can see, some things I can’t and for those who aren’t familiar with it, that can be super confusing. What made it even more confusing is when they asked me about my vision, I started throwing medical terms at them that I had studied and made sense to me, but to them it sounded like a foreign language.</div>
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So how do you do it? How do you help the sighted people in your life to grasp what your vision impairment means and what it consists of without making it awkward and uncomfortable for both you and them? I’ve come up with five steps to create a clear and concise Vision Statement to share with those in your life who don’t quite get it, but desperately want to!</div>
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<b>1. Keep it short.</b> The only thing more awkward than you not knowing what to say when asked about your vision, is if you talk FOREVER about your vision. People want to understand but again- the more language you use, the more “formal” you make the initial conversation, the more confusing it can be. Keep it short and sweet: three-five sentences that capture the most essential parts of your vision impairment! And then if they have questions or want to keep talking, that’s great, but the clearer and more concise you can make it the easier it is for them to initially understand.</div>
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<b>2. Show them! </b>In my first sentence of my vision statement, I ask people to put on “binoculars”. I do this to show them what tunnel vision is. This helps them to really visualize what it is you’re talking about and makes the conversation more dynamic. If this is a person who is less familiar to you, i would demonstrate the binoculars myself and say “well my vision is kind of like if you put your hands to your face as if you were pretending to look through binoculars.” By doing it myself, that sometimes prompts the other person to do it too! And it becomes a more interesting way for them to experience an aspect of what my vision is like.</div>
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<b>3. Pick an analogy that sighted people might easily be able to understand.</b> I will never forget the first time my dad explained to me the difference between High Definition and standard television. The way he talked about the difference in quality of the image reminded me so much of what it sounded like to me when sighted people described their vision. I thought of how for me, the outlines of people and objects are usually ill defined or blurred together. And i imagine for sighted people that isn’t the case. So now after asking them to put their binoculars on, I say “you know how when you’re watching tv, and you change the channel from a standard definition station to HD? Well let’s just say my vision is standard definition- kind of fuzzy/blurry not super defined. And yours is HD!”</div>
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<b>4. Simple facts are your friend! </b>Next, i list three things about my vision that are super simple and could be written out in bullet point format. For example.... </div>
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•I have night blindness. </div>
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•I have no depth perception. </div>
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•I read large print and sometimes use a cane. I picked these three because these are the ones that would most pertain to my relationship with the sighted person. Because of my night blindness i might need their help to guide me in the dark. Because of my poor depth perception i might need them to let me know if there is a car coming when i go to cross the street. And lastly, it’s important to identify if you're a print reader or cane user because that helps them to understand an aspect of what you can see! It’s tangible and something that is easier for others to get.</div>
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<b>5. Let them ask questions!</b> Often times after I’ve given my vision statement, i can tell people are still curious and have more questions. So I’ll sometimes say “is there anything you want to ask me?” Or “if you want to ask a question that’s okay! If not that’s cool too... let’s get some ice cream!” Just let yourself be comfortable in your own skin. This isn’t something to be ashamed of or intimidated by. Your vision impairment is a part of you. And though the sighted people in your life may not totally understand, they care about you and want to do what they can to support you and also to try their best to understand you. But in order to do so, you have to let them in a little bit. </div>
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And that’s that! I hope this was helpful! Next week, I’ll be talking a little bit more about vision statements but on a more professional level: “How Do I Communicate My Vision Impairment in an Interview or Professional Setting?” Until then, i hope you all have a great week! If you have any questions about these tips please feel free to leave them in the comments! I’ll be sure to respond! Thanks for reading!</div>
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Stay Ambitious,</div>
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Frankie Ann</div>
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Robbin Keating Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03878247692434026087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-926143894925529696.post-69727481713917902002019-12-11T10:54:00.002-08:002019-12-11T10:58:38.867-08:00Your New Favorite Read: Blind Ambitition <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_-qChR5fHRD2DSk8UA1eLR6GPadKlEdt7d17ynVLw8pzZNuHPT36P1bO5gHBpVD8XgZGPyERCBvzS0i-3JcGGWMKOEpnZXeU9a6u5UwuCe_DndWr1cJmou6oYrJtJDT2XNDso6FlUsxCD/s1600/Blind.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A turquoise and purple logo that says Blind Ambition with Braille and Large Print font" border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_-qChR5fHRD2DSk8UA1eLR6GPadKlEdt7d17ynVLw8pzZNuHPT36P1bO5gHBpVD8XgZGPyERCBvzS0i-3JcGGWMKOEpnZXeU9a6u5UwuCe_DndWr1cJmou6oYrJtJDT2XNDso6FlUsxCD/s1600/Blind.png" title="" /></a></div>
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Hi everyone! My name is Frankie Ann and I am a legally blind, twenty-something who is just trying to live her best blind life! And this is Blind Ambition- a weekly blog column where I will be sharing Accessibility Tips, Expanded Core Curriculum Hacks, Skills for Advocacy, Personal successes, struggles, and so much more!</div>
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Here’s a little bit about me! I was born with septo-optic dysplasia which is a really fancy way to say that my optic nerves are underdeveloped. I have poor distance vision (20/400 in my left eye and 20/800 in my right) no peripheral vision (tunnel vision), no depth perception, severe light sensitivity, degrees of night blindness, slight nystagmus, and a partial astigmatism. Mix that all together and you get me: a large print reader (24 print Arial bold font for the win) and partial cane user (at night and in excessively crowded or unfamiliar environments) who has spent her life trying her best to adapt to every situation that comes her way and never back down from a challenge!</div>
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I met Robbin back in 2010. At the time, i was going through a serious hard time coping with my vision impairment. I was just about to turn sixteen and while all of my other friends were getting hyped up to get their driver’s licenses, I got my very first white cane and was taking street crossing classes with my Orientation and Mobility instructor. I felt totally lost, insecure, and frankly embarrassed by my vision impairment. But Robbin helped me to see past all that- both literally and figuratively! She taught me that it’s not about what I could see, but about what I could do. Once that seed was planted, everything changed!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitCT5vRl3EtBHs7fVOFrAjWcAa8a2tBDqwSK5elg9tneKWUuOiUhyphenhyphen4gu_Xna-q1jB_6fe6RpJ-mEO9AUGSe_JQZTWx_MQ0biNYqyDDFbtBjRGRatlbClXlPsXQETtxQ8jZGb8um8fbcPQi/s1600/Frankie+SkyDive.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="Frankie Ann skydiving with a guide on her back in the air." border="0" data-original-height="723" data-original-width="747" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitCT5vRl3EtBHs7fVOFrAjWcAa8a2tBDqwSK5elg9tneKWUuOiUhyphenhyphen4gu_Xna-q1jB_6fe6RpJ-mEO9AUGSe_JQZTWx_MQ0biNYqyDDFbtBjRGRatlbClXlPsXQETtxQ8jZGb8um8fbcPQi/s1600/Frankie+SkyDive.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOw3MWgsKkehgRq2_5OHj7SnrIHahhcSh6JvBCBopQudwHk8EKsRV-nZ9YNGGSJIT3CNlkRjOHpbSv-KYPFHC0ZBQRl6cZxXVtAqntEV_u3grvAu7qIZaXsOvu5pVz5CBKw4L3IzTILw1S/s1600/Frankie+Climb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="an image of Frankie Ann using a rope to pull herself up on a mountain" border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOw3MWgsKkehgRq2_5OHj7SnrIHahhcSh6JvBCBopQudwHk8EKsRV-nZ9YNGGSJIT3CNlkRjOHpbSv-KYPFHC0ZBQRl6cZxXVtAqntEV_u3grvAu7qIZaXsOvu5pVz5CBKw4L3IzTILw1S/s1600/Frankie+Climb.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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Though my final high school and college years had their fair share of challenges and hard times, i was equipped with a new found confidence and pride in my self that helped me to rise above and keep pushing through. That confidence helped me to make the decision to leave my home in Connecticut and move to the biggest, busiest, and most visually overstimulating city in the country- New York City! My hope is that by sharing my experiences here, I may be able to help other blind/visually impaired individuals work through their own struggles, find solutions to their challenges, learn that they are DEFINITELY not alone, and chase their dreams!</div>
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I am so excited to be launching Blind Ambition! Each week will cover an aspect of living life with a vision impairment. Stay tuned next week for our first topic: “Vision Statements: How Do You Explain Your Vision Impairment to Someone who is Sighted or Just Doesn’t Get It?” In the meantime, follow my Instagram @blindambitionblog for daily posts about Accessibility, Advocacy, and more!</div>
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Thanks for reading! I can’t wait to keep sharing with you!</div>
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Stay Ambitious,</div>
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Frankie Ann</div>
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Robbin Keating Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03878247692434026087noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-926143894925529696.post-88607101261405335642019-12-06T21:25:00.000-08:002019-12-06T21:40:55.781-08:00Teach the Expanded Core Using Nutcracker Dolls<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggnJ-4Km_0XE_-6R-7fqNeN-EkwJYY3B3MlHdzTCHOtCer1JusEbh-XCQgNMONuDngI7IpBptl-lhndLxRK_p12lVwdQZ8S36WBWQxi9immtuWPIV4xQUqooBW7UGYGBEcmuaZoH5IYLmP/s1600/Nutcracker+ECC.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1102" data-original-width="735" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggnJ-4Km_0XE_-6R-7fqNeN-EkwJYY3B3MlHdzTCHOtCer1JusEbh-XCQgNMONuDngI7IpBptl-lhndLxRK_p12lVwdQZ8S36WBWQxi9immtuWPIV4xQUqooBW7UGYGBEcmuaZoH5IYLmP/s1600/Nutcracker+ECC.png" /></a></div>
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I'm baaaaaaccckkk!! I technically never left. I've just been more on 9MoreThanCore on Instagram. But I've missed my regular blog posts because I have so much to share and talk about. Back to regular posts so keep checking back. I've got a lot of fun stuff to share over the next few months.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLjW1zT8iAbS8_7ZLtpmaQsc2Uv4DNQHbH-mGlrhMh8WipjiQ9k0JoeFEfXscTWImD6bJ2NMYULnKLXt0bBFX_UbnkvZP_qvrYxjkVAsQeXuWSZEnxLnr1PCvgQcv0IpETQK-bE8v64o9_/s1600/IMG_0853.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A group of a variety different types of Nutcracker dolls sit on a table. " border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLjW1zT8iAbS8_7ZLtpmaQsc2Uv4DNQHbH-mGlrhMh8WipjiQ9k0JoeFEfXscTWImD6bJ2NMYULnKLXt0bBFX_UbnkvZP_qvrYxjkVAsQeXuWSZEnxLnr1PCvgQcv0IpETQK-bE8v64o9_/s1600/IMG_0853.HEIC" title="" /></a></div>
Now onto our topic: Nutcracker dolls. Every year I see Nutcracker dolls and I admire them. This year I was admiring and thinking. How fun would it be to use them for an Expanded Core lesson!? I realized that I could have a fun activity that infuses Expanded Core skills and specifically focuses on career education. Yes!<br />
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As many of you know, these dolls aren't always cheap. They are about $20 each and I had a lot to buy so yikes! No fear here. I bought these at Michael's while they were half off. Then I used my 25% off coupon. Winner, winner chicken dinner! </div>
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There's many different options for teaching. <br />
Here's some ideas:</div>
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You can simplify it for younger students and just focus on the key characteristics.</div>
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Match the Nutrcracker dolls to pictures of real people.</div>
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Give characteristics of a career and allow students to choose the right answer by selecting the correct doll. </div>
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Find real life objects that coordinate with the Nutcracker. </div>
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Remember, use your tools (EVALS and ILSA) to help with identifying skills to infuse that are appropriate for your students. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF1w-W5bUkXqaoh44yOjeFJWKfaL8Cd_6X4aM6XQaZN6jti9uh3TRw4TBIpmWIhniLhRttKZ28xMv9kDUL6WTc6rcS1l55cJd2RRz7vEb0xjUy57-ZFNBvSIbBWADT6avQU2dN5fDlUnBF/s1600/IMG_0870.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A teacher Nutcracker doll with the game sign "What is a school teacher?"" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF1w-W5bUkXqaoh44yOjeFJWKfaL8Cd_6X4aM6XQaZN6jti9uh3TRw4TBIpmWIhniLhRttKZ28xMv9kDUL6WTc6rcS1l55cJd2RRz7vEb0xjUy57-ZFNBvSIbBWADT6avQU2dN5fDlUnBF/s1600/IMG_0870.HEIC" title="" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: start;">My Nutcracker activity is fun for campus students or around the house at home. I made a game of it. I start the first week of December. Each week I "hide" (in plain sight!) the dolls around my campus with Braille/large print labels so students can learn about a new career. There's a main Nutcracker with a basket. Students find them and write the name & career in whatever mode (Braille, LP or audio) and sign their name. Students put their answers in a basket and I pick winners each week. </span></div>
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<span style="text-align: start;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiu_8dwZX4dq7JGMBiY8e7StDTD3lNgWiSxzy72DLXSmX6MYTBY59RmoqySckez1YFoalyHfG9p24IETHpgo4guAOhivIKCr-p11tvKq3tUXB2tzZV1QCvAPbkZp62sEuYe2cyl5owrUNi/s1600/IMG_0869.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="a large traditional Nutcracker doll with a basket and a game sign on how to play the game behind it. " border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiu_8dwZX4dq7JGMBiY8e7StDTD3lNgWiSxzy72DLXSmX6MYTBY59RmoqySckez1YFoalyHfG9p24IETHpgo4guAOhivIKCr-p11tvKq3tUXB2tzZV1QCvAPbkZp62sEuYe2cyl5owrUNi/s1600/IMG_0869.HEIC" title="" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: start;">Check out my first four that I "hid" on campus. Note: by hid, I mean they are totally available to be found pretty easy. The objective isn't to have my students randomly feeling everywhere hoping to find one. Each doll has a large print and Braille version (I used my embosser). </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ9FKqC9YpzXTxPuotUz68htDtO2ui0lGsCvP3yUu4xuyIyHljR9Tq8-M6HSis6myS6n652RGCZn1w7Ky94L1AuN6cmp6z64wKejxSvZ5xOhJJLOPxG5d2QegEKpxoUlRexPLS_uvjfhub/s1600/IMG_0872.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A police officer Nutcracker doll with a Braille and print sign. " border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ9FKqC9YpzXTxPuotUz68htDtO2ui0lGsCvP3yUu4xuyIyHljR9Tq8-M6HSis6myS6n652RGCZn1w7Ky94L1AuN6cmp6z64wKejxSvZ5xOhJJLOPxG5d2QegEKpxoUlRexPLS_uvjfhub/s1600/IMG_0872.HEIC" title="" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd340vo-5XVBMBGi1idRSuH2krrCawKsy7NobuaG6d_3c4fMOCx7oCztyM5_nyx5xvv_fppL7JhuR0AjgdLarzTk1ytSoMMweUX_YIPxikgDMpJ9pgZof-THWe7-b_YYifzsme38EH-2zy/s1600/IMG_0873.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A chef Nutcracker with a game sign in Braille and print. " border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd340vo-5XVBMBGi1idRSuH2krrCawKsy7NobuaG6d_3c4fMOCx7oCztyM5_nyx5xvv_fppL7JhuR0AjgdLarzTk1ytSoMMweUX_YIPxikgDMpJ9pgZof-THWe7-b_YYifzsme38EH-2zy/s1600/IMG_0873.HEIC" title="" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaro0N_N51G9YaybmhTAUJkNfWDzVyNpuG724LocUhQib92LmBF1w9Mxc3X1Qf3IJ4-KBI6g2XpPtwfN7TSO2TJPdV1SAoeT1JgiNpMnateRbuGINdAebkv6fHDzRVwda7vxI9UPJ2coT6/s1600/IMG_0874.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A doctor Nutcracker doll with a game sign in Braille and print. " border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaro0N_N51G9YaybmhTAUJkNfWDzVyNpuG724LocUhQib92LmBF1w9Mxc3X1Qf3IJ4-KBI6g2XpPtwfN7TSO2TJPdV1SAoeT1JgiNpMnateRbuGINdAebkv6fHDzRVwda7vxI9UPJ2coT6/s1600/IMG_0874.HEIC" title="" /></a></div>
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Here is a close up of some of the dolls that I bought. I also bought dolls to teach about recreation & leisure activities.</div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAjyv0uJxFGsgKvgC663dX4jj63BcLWHeJHhvPGTHWT4qBThz_67kPUQP46LqWqDMcMQ0ejBW83Sic9WRqwd5YMkrxnsIOlX17RtDhyphenhyphen3l1g8_x-_V5z-OHaRBJfKLrRjOJP_4sQmMxob9H/s1600/IMG_0875.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="An army and firefighter Nutcracker dolls" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAjyv0uJxFGsgKvgC663dX4jj63BcLWHeJHhvPGTHWT4qBThz_67kPUQP46LqWqDMcMQ0ejBW83Sic9WRqwd5YMkrxnsIOlX17RtDhyphenhyphen3l1g8_x-_V5z-OHaRBJfKLrRjOJP_4sQmMxob9H/s1600/IMG_0875.HEIC" title="" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDSAFWXu0Up_t7M1NN8mI4sgapFtMXVdPH2bwW_D4rICJ5oUB8I-gJ-WfX9-E45GXoZ1py79xFbTBfe_NgSTcNJ3XWFdFO3ECjsjVCOYpwfprtwRmC2oXCNW1FlxyLduDZe5XaEgMe7WSY/s1600/IMG_0876.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A professor and pizza chef Nutrcracker dolls" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDSAFWXu0Up_t7M1NN8mI4sgapFtMXVdPH2bwW_D4rICJ5oUB8I-gJ-WfX9-E45GXoZ1py79xFbTBfe_NgSTcNJ3XWFdFO3ECjsjVCOYpwfprtwRmC2oXCNW1FlxyLduDZe5XaEgMe7WSY/s1600/IMG_0876.HEIC" title="" /></a></div>
This part is important: pre-teaching is a must! Below is a picture of my high school students exploring the Nutcrackers. Students are invited to check out the features as well as read the information cards. The objective of this game is to explore careers and recreation opportunities.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8-bgufS8eORxas8bJqfgjXKw9N1lO5prpPSbTn85JoSQqcb1FiOYv5y5P9OKPoU2fX8HvHzGMANhfe8RSMxB-yZGOvmt7cM5G7sTGvMLYuuWBB7hiqPafy0_Uv6AqoZvAIgSYep81_h9C/s1600/IMG_0878.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A female teen and male teens tactually explore two Nutcracker dolls. " border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8-bgufS8eORxas8bJqfgjXKw9N1lO5prpPSbTn85JoSQqcb1FiOYv5y5P9OKPoU2fX8HvHzGMANhfe8RSMxB-yZGOvmt7cM5G7sTGvMLYuuWBB7hiqPafy0_Uv6AqoZvAIgSYep81_h9C/s1600/IMG_0878.HEIC" title="" /></a></div>
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Below is a close up of some of the game cards (they are full size 8.5 x 11). </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK5xW5NDpN1tc-P_ZBZjEQd_V0npzjKfxVKjp1B_qlIHS0zg8cgecht0dsKH1fL-CzGVso_KK5GzSRtpeVJ_4pZaeKha7StBHsMDGTuZz1Bzha_onlZokQKMTAShXC_JRvmi61SzUkeRbC/s1600/1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The game card for Chef Bakewell, the chef Nutcracker doll. " border="0" data-original-height="1164" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK5xW5NDpN1tc-P_ZBZjEQd_V0npzjKfxVKjp1B_qlIHS0zg8cgecht0dsKH1fL-CzGVso_KK5GzSRtpeVJ_4pZaeKha7StBHsMDGTuZz1Bzha_onlZokQKMTAShXC_JRvmi61SzUkeRbC/s1600/1.png" title="" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdyUXugNMm2uxBY5NxO12M1Rnw_72Vl4-AkIV017zysFXEvvnrdyI6bNmZHwz7p3jhMfLFROaCi9kQvIqRfBYx8nv2god1bP8sbt206thgUQPP2goyTfGfX_MA_etALOiGp-C3r2rBo9s2/s1600/2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The game card for Doctor Gurnee, the doctor Nutcracker doll. " border="0" data-original-height="1164" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdyUXugNMm2uxBY5NxO12M1Rnw_72Vl4-AkIV017zysFXEvvnrdyI6bNmZHwz7p3jhMfLFROaCi9kQvIqRfBYx8nv2god1bP8sbt206thgUQPP2goyTfGfX_MA_etALOiGp-C3r2rBo9s2/s1600/2.png" title="" /></a></div>
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Okay, I have an idea if you don't have 10-15 Nutcracker dolls. Plan a community based instruction trip to a place like Michaels and have fun there! </div>
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There's so much that you can do. Use your imagination!</div>
Want a copy of my game cards? Send me an email: robbin.keating@gmail.com<br />
<br />Robbin Keating Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03878247692434026087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-926143894925529696.post-55105675140084140072019-07-25T21:14:00.000-07:002019-07-25T21:24:24.928-07:00Teach the ECC Using a Hoverboard<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCy1G-c-4Nv7Jgp-KO3nGM5PFeUm7oizf_5HG9q-Wh3aytWQZvBJx3DY-kyshtqHaomO4cpt4UExS4OY3cdw2QvtLTJyTPpfarIux67vKw5_fHpmX0AsFDKF2A7LHHdpsOXhhLu0q6MyW0/s1600/ECC%252BHoverboard.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="a graphic that says "teach the expanded core using a hoverboard"" border="0" data-original-height="1102" data-original-width="735" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCy1G-c-4Nv7Jgp-KO3nGM5PFeUm7oizf_5HG9q-Wh3aytWQZvBJx3DY-kyshtqHaomO4cpt4UExS4OY3cdw2QvtLTJyTPpfarIux67vKw5_fHpmX0AsFDKF2A7LHHdpsOXhhLu0q6MyW0/s1600/ECC%252BHoverboard.png" title="" /></a></div>
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Teach the Expanded Core using a.....hoverboard? YES! A hoverboard!! Why? How? Huh? Let me start at the beginning. I spent a few weeks mulling over the activities for STEM Camp. I already knew the theme (STEM Camp in the Old Pioneer West) but needed to do my research for other activities. I look for STEM activities that are popular with all kids. I want to keep our students looped in with what their peers are liking. I walked passed a hoverboard while buying some supplies and instantly made a U turn. I was going back for the hoverboard. I had an idea! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizOLJry6TTiCWA7nhEIrziYNLHUOCsana_ox7BJvEHmnsxoeP8CssoU7LiKJ2-dIcjZ6FKl-wTmFU3K5Y4vh_Sqq8Nj4YY7Ckq0oa7nbKzDpPIU1zx5vBOL4Li-Hg2pJvOll02gBW6Hlqu/s1600/IMG_0350.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="a female student kneels down and checks out a hoverboard" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizOLJry6TTiCWA7nhEIrziYNLHUOCsana_ox7BJvEHmnsxoeP8CssoU7LiKJ2-dIcjZ6FKl-wTmFU3K5Y4vh_Sqq8Nj4YY7Ckq0oa7nbKzDpPIU1zx5vBOL4Li-Hg2pJvOll02gBW6Hlqu/s1600/IMG_0350.HEIC" title="" /></a></div>
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I knew that it would be a total blast to teach my students how to use a hoverboard at STEM Camp. I loved this idea not just because I thought it would be cool but because my ECC lightbulb went off. There were so many things I could teach to build an awesome ECC experience! It was just hoverboards that I purchased, I rounded up different types of helmets, photos and pieces for location and got to work. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQVIHvvQBDjEgtqUgLXgYKGk3uT2nBgw8D_LtwgPHs_7pEbIW_iJFTdKsbefwLUr95A5E9p56awRt4gyqH7ElgoJvlsHf6oWFxKdcseFleJNM23zbOPrsWZXA0OaWqX-hc6pqyc-Svopmj/s1600/IMG_8972.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="the group of students sit with the teacher on the floor with their legs extended" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQVIHvvQBDjEgtqUgLXgYKGk3uT2nBgw8D_LtwgPHs_7pEbIW_iJFTdKsbefwLUr95A5E9p56awRt4gyqH7ElgoJvlsHf6oWFxKdcseFleJNM23zbOPrsWZXA0OaWqX-hc6pqyc-Svopmj/s1600/IMG_8972.JPG" title="" /></a></div>
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Before we even got on the hoverboards, we needed to do some serious concept development, STEM instruction and pre-teaching. First, I set the stage and we discussed what everyone knew about hoverboards and all things related to them (helmets, locations, etc). </div>
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Then we get to the STEM of it all. We talked about the parts of the hoverboard, the science of it and how they work. This was a bonus because I could teach STEM and the ECC at the same time. Students learned where to place their feet, how wide the foot pad sensors are and positioning. We sat on the floor and extended our legs to practice tipping our toes and working our heels. I bought different types of helmets on purpose to discuss the features, uses, etc. of the helmets. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCb5c92HL0phu7fYVNkkWyVgAaLmHxxOJcDiJ9B7DIgRZD4o8lgs6xrvHN7HBtxVIqeIzGH8a-twdShmlqqt5zTcoKRU2kWzQ8kFXob3-iR-ztmW0rltBRM5qucWceRqQTPrGyobBvSYPa/s1600/IMG_0348.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="a female student wearing a fun helmet sits on the ground and checks out the hoverboard" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCb5c92HL0phu7fYVNkkWyVgAaLmHxxOJcDiJ9B7DIgRZD4o8lgs6xrvHN7HBtxVIqeIzGH8a-twdShmlqqt5zTcoKRU2kWzQ8kFXob3-iR-ztmW0rltBRM5qucWceRqQTPrGyobBvSYPa/s1600/IMG_0348.HEIC" title="" /></a></div>
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Can you see all of the attention I'm giving to the details? Too many times I see teachers just pass the object to a students a move on. I purposely gave students a variety of helmets and bought different brands/types of hoverboards. I wanted them to get a rich experience and concept development. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQF8fjUYdH3kAMnNcquz0sZ9QK5_2jcu04bUMo0b3g5r8TOLwGzgKzBHXeip68rrZVB0OZU8kaT4CQEeJacywZQ3ytrtu2jWsc1egOQfxTDtPFVlesS5mZBrz6ilUC74fm8QeGqOTVHIrU/s1600/IMG_0349.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="a female student sits on the ground and checks out the hoverboard" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQF8fjUYdH3kAMnNcquz0sZ9QK5_2jcu04bUMo0b3g5r8TOLwGzgKzBHXeip68rrZVB0OZU8kaT4CQEeJacywZQ3ytrtu2jWsc1egOQfxTDtPFVlesS5mZBrz6ilUC74fm8QeGqOTVHIrU/s1600/IMG_0349.HEIC" title="" /></a></div>
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Can you see how many areas of the ECC we are hitting? I was so excited throughout our initial hoverboard lesson because it was like an ECC buffet! We hit lots of orientation and mobility--from spatial awareness to directionality and balance. (Once students got their balance, we did have them use their canes if they were a cane user). We even hit career education. How? We discussed the rules and earning your dues at the skate park. We also discussed what types of jobs you could have in the skate industry. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3yV40gjf6syLLeIrtfxhwMHRXJPzeJ4NipOkK8bcpb4U21ApEdIWwxKxf4hqSuI4anh3TQ2m49ZT9e5tj-LGXVm1s8Tvle8NWLjm884Z_0U-QNqB26CL2fCTYRRNGpE0KseWJiqzdm6y1/s1600/IMG_8987.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="students stand on the hoverboard with teachers standing in front of them holding their hands" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3yV40gjf6syLLeIrtfxhwMHRXJPzeJ4NipOkK8bcpb4U21ApEdIWwxKxf4hqSuI4anh3TQ2m49ZT9e5tj-LGXVm1s8Tvle8NWLjm884Z_0U-QNqB26CL2fCTYRRNGpE0KseWJiqzdm6y1/s1600/IMG_8987.JPG" title="" /></a></div>
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Let me share some of my instruction progression on how we taught the hoverboard. Most important, use a chair to get on and off! The very first thing we did was just simply having students stand up, balance and then sit down. Once they could stand up and maintain their balance, I knew they were ready to move on. Students must wear a helmet at all times. </div>
Students then learned how to move forward and backwards. This was great because they learned a lot about body awareness and control. Each student had an adult staff in close proximity. I also had a teenager who had typical vision there to model, support and talk with students about her experience.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyo_RvBXYjGEOV7EpVk8-87uvbY9yD2g4a5FwClOw4wGFmc4QLCAfokb4ASHIk8_FO-rHhPWm3J3Ntcn7I47rxMb33wLKxe3NfhAIYJy-NPYcX6-mcMnTbIMO9CqBafAXrAH-uuAGqBWAo/s1600/IMG_9017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="a female student moves forward on a hoverboard" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyo_RvBXYjGEOV7EpVk8-87uvbY9yD2g4a5FwClOw4wGFmc4QLCAfokb4ASHIk8_FO-rHhPWm3J3Ntcn7I47rxMb33wLKxe3NfhAIYJy-NPYcX6-mcMnTbIMO9CqBafAXrAH-uuAGqBWAo/s1600/IMG_9017.JPG" title="" /></a></div>
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It took all of the students about one full day of hoverboard practicing to grow to mastering it. Everyone, students with low vision to no vision were rocking their skills on the hoverboards! It was awesome to watch my students with no vision cruising along with their canes. They just adjusted their speed and coordinated with their canes to find their way up and down our hallways. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0uj0jQnfj8srEWLquAEz8lfW-gMAtK_W2haGJWW6tDSXsp-nrK-g8ntzUBhASrgDsu1FXLB5vNg-xByt1oBGMPLVz7KVjDP_pUY1RKycW-p89X3pL2feckha10gXd_rq4CIv0mjUUrWDI/s1600/IMG_0344.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="a male teenager moves on the hoverboard and uses his cane" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0uj0jQnfj8srEWLquAEz8lfW-gMAtK_W2haGJWW6tDSXsp-nrK-g8ntzUBhASrgDsu1FXLB5vNg-xByt1oBGMPLVz7KVjDP_pUY1RKycW-p89X3pL2feckha10gXd_rq4CIv0mjUUrWDI/s1600/IMG_0344.HEIC" title="" /></a></div>
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The next time you are looking for a fun ECC lesson, consider a lesson with a hoverboard! I bought my boards from Walmart. (I actually price matched walmart.com and got an even better price). I purposely bought different boards to compare and contrast. I even bought one with a bluetooth speaker built in!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8lOhSj_FYn74oDq8bvs8EOA0r-pwgS8DCasb01yRzUnfqjiP1Ku7mRmD_PGevLbZBXi0YtgLOLqoaodKJzsKW_6uyjYMQ9Ago8_Es35M3nojXSWugA3TBhLoSBt3gjAIJRfurVp63bWIG/s1600/IMG_9014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="a male teenager moves on the hoverboard and uses his cane" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8lOhSj_FYn74oDq8bvs8EOA0r-pwgS8DCasb01yRzUnfqjiP1Ku7mRmD_PGevLbZBXi0YtgLOLqoaodKJzsKW_6uyjYMQ9Ago8_Es35M3nojXSWugA3TBhLoSBt3gjAIJRfurVp63bWIG/s1600/IMG_9014.JPG" title="" /></a></div>
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Another bonus: the confidence that all of our students gained by mastering the hoverboard! Yaaaassss! They learned the physics behind the hoverboard. They were fearless with gaining speed and fluidity. It was just an ECC party with students learning skills a lot of people probably don't think blind kids can do! It's not about what we see, it's about what we do! </div>
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<br />Robbin Keating Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03878247692434026087noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-926143894925529696.post-34102386983601318282019-07-01T06:05:00.000-07:002019-07-01T06:05:39.464-07:00Teach the ECC at a Home Improvement Store<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpPUqnGf0JN-UdTIdSb21eJDTRnxrAKjzT3F1tMjD9rAuRBT3_BYVe2lWofijFkk2kLJJpRqVcxX-wIQOVLyiibpPyxgZ5P-SkEpRARukmeGSDLbT-LG-5nCmFZaTHK736I-8wwsuYt6af/s1600/Teach-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Text with three pictures of students touching appliances at The Home Depot" border="0" data-original-height="1102" data-original-width="735" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpPUqnGf0JN-UdTIdSb21eJDTRnxrAKjzT3F1tMjD9rAuRBT3_BYVe2lWofijFkk2kLJJpRqVcxX-wIQOVLyiibpPyxgZ5P-SkEpRARukmeGSDLbT-LG-5nCmFZaTHK736I-8wwsuYt6af/s1600/Teach-2.png" title="Teach the Expanded Core Curriculum at a home improvement store" /></a></div>
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Hello friends! I am finally getting around to blogging about one of my favorite places in the community for Expanded Core instruction: a home improvement store! Yep, like Lowe's or The Home Depot. These stores a treasure box of skills, experiences and learning opportunities. There are many options for doing community based instruction (CBI) at a home improvement store. I recommend doing it as a series. This means you come back several times and break up the store into smaller parts. I like this option because there is more opportunity for students to have a stronger connection to the concepts. After all, there's much to learn, see, touch and do at a big home improvement store. The pictures from this post are part of a two part series I did. We did some work in the classroom and then put it together at the store. Part one was dedicated to learning about tools and basic home improvement around the house. Students learned a lot from the difference between a flathead and a Phillips screwdriver to how to plunge a toilet! Note: I always buy a new plunger and label it so students can touch it and explore it without it being gross! I feel that students should know basics of their home. These areas often get overlooked but it is a valuable skillset. Plan time for this. It's easy to just do a "show and tell" lesson. That's not effective ECC instruction. Use the "I do. We do. Y'all Do. You do." approach for this one! It's okay to break it up into a series of learning as well! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPSrtr9JQ3WjgkvcxzB_dDyhOUxjjXhvuEJoOCkvZTFxpJbEzqPpHPJa2Ddo3S5O4UQEDhgvtL085jCZqhtM_3z-00bUnClDerspBf6S6-g-92AULn0rjvmJFAUTGUBSWGQvXsIQ2gW9Nc/s1600/IMG_8342.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A male young adult examines a stove dial appliance close up " border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPSrtr9JQ3WjgkvcxzB_dDyhOUxjjXhvuEJoOCkvZTFxpJbEzqPpHPJa2Ddo3S5O4UQEDhgvtL085jCZqhtM_3z-00bUnClDerspBf6S6-g-92AULn0rjvmJFAUTGUBSWGQvXsIQ2gW9Nc/s1600/IMG_8342.JPG" title="" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWwAWAmdpIkvW-7QxvZya4VO9aXkfpuQQdMlxPdcdhl6BEtHYwoPEDa3r_yMX7pp-szL5gkqe0SK9HF6wuj3ouqaaqEz3l_AU0JEVmORe-6hRvdkn8DpbXB3e8AruRCfKVqF3_-aCdlJJ2/s1600/IMG_8343.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A male teenager examines a refridgerator at the home depot. " border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWwAWAmdpIkvW-7QxvZya4VO9aXkfpuQQdMlxPdcdhl6BEtHYwoPEDa3r_yMX7pp-szL5gkqe0SK9HF6wuj3ouqaaqEz3l_AU0JEVmORe-6hRvdkn8DpbXB3e8AruRCfKVqF3_-aCdlJJ2/s1600/IMG_8343.JPG" title="" /></a></div>
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A home improvement store is also great for a variety of age groups. I brought younger students to high school students for this outing. My younger students had a bonus lesson: they went and explored different textures! There were so many textures for younger hands to find and discuss. We also did a scavenger hunt of shapes, textures, measurement and comparing/contrasting sizes with their group. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg14WHMQk1WZwaztcbx59b2chNk2le0Mmhzwa-EEjO1txGpZembjXF6iU8LwGEvK3_2QKZNecjFsYMfbJYEQEYbsFC4ScpHcHBykDoPW2ybOu_xVEaONxJYqx_dAdER55VtIAIyTwLXKLpd/s1600/IMG_8325.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A young adult male and an elementary age male touch a display of small rugs" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg14WHMQk1WZwaztcbx59b2chNk2le0Mmhzwa-EEjO1txGpZembjXF6iU8LwGEvK3_2QKZNecjFsYMfbJYEQEYbsFC4ScpHcHBykDoPW2ybOu_xVEaONxJYqx_dAdER55VtIAIyTwLXKLpd/s1600/IMG_8325.JPG" title="" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeNZeW4KZ8tYUbj9JtU3aSovaCC8qSLzl7Vf57tVlv7r1riztxXtY9EY4E8UVjy5-8shjXwo16CDf6sKohkQxvhuXI_78v2_XPhV8C7IozziWFB-uETyv2qDNIRvItTzVP28NC16Agfbs7/s1600/IMG_8326.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A group of young students tactually explore a wall of carpet samples. " border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeNZeW4KZ8tYUbj9JtU3aSovaCC8qSLzl7Vf57tVlv7r1riztxXtY9EY4E8UVjy5-8shjXwo16CDf6sKohkQxvhuXI_78v2_XPhV8C7IozziWFB-uETyv2qDNIRvItTzVP28NC16Agfbs7/s1600/IMG_8326.JPG" title="" /></a></div>
Plan a few hours for an ECC CBI--even if you are breaking it up in a series. There are many departments that have lots of hands on exploration even for older students. Check out the picture below with all the different faucets! We had lots of discussions about student's preferences, uses and locations of just faucets!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbB0ksCi0zwXBq4v6r8O4RvgiH7QFCRurvQWnWYllljWQNhZqVdbM6YEI7j27W-GpHPNySmfp-NRgH28mLIH-_aht_UJ82DusDofzAJaLpXB8D2T0GXktfB5xMqsaRS1Ymw_UfggTqUjEJ/s1600/IMG_8327.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="a photo of a wall display of faucets at The Home Depot. " border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbB0ksCi0zwXBq4v6r8O4RvgiH7QFCRurvQWnWYllljWQNhZqVdbM6YEI7j27W-GpHPNySmfp-NRgH28mLIH-_aht_UJ82DusDofzAJaLpXB8D2T0GXktfB5xMqsaRS1Ymw_UfggTqUjEJ/s1600/IMG_8327.JPG" title="" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik1IRLQPlDj9aIXDi5AhvdDZ0Iiac1TiEyHm6uPJ6ZLDZwi-61yGeW7MNbmnWWROi6Li4IxiN6DR6b51DkAMDgsCzi0VlA3SuOaF4wq-UM4p81LmBSz_XVX2DCuyhirXag2Kstc5XxxJ1Q/s1600/IMG_8328.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="a group of teenagers hold up flooring samples and smile for a picture" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik1IRLQPlDj9aIXDi5AhvdDZ0Iiac1TiEyHm6uPJ6ZLDZwi-61yGeW7MNbmnWWROi6Li4IxiN6DR6b51DkAMDgsCzi0VlA3SuOaF4wq-UM4p81LmBSz_XVX2DCuyhirXag2Kstc5XxxJ1Q/s1600/IMG_8328.JPG" title="" /></a></div>
I brought a medium sized group of students for this outing. I broke them up into small groups and gave them an "educational scavenger hunt" (aka a creative list of things I want them to learn about). Each group had time to go about the store at their own pace. They had to check out major departments and apply their new "tool knowledge" to each department. Can you see all the possibilities?? We spent almost an entire day on our home improvement unit.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfP4kGA9gkB84M8mr0ymZ5136DhzJj45SJ-sNZQlxio8m5WpnK2VKathA3WHSDmEBHP6y7VxHAaPupM9WZlIYXZUCsLWIWVI_PHK_wmBbCSagSG83FoNLDtzBQe_U-PIxeEfrd1ik7Wd_A/s1600/IMG_8329.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="a group of students listen to a male teacher as he points out items on a heating system" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfP4kGA9gkB84M8mr0ymZ5136DhzJj45SJ-sNZQlxio8m5WpnK2VKathA3WHSDmEBHP6y7VxHAaPupM9WZlIYXZUCsLWIWVI_PHK_wmBbCSagSG83FoNLDtzBQe_U-PIxeEfrd1ik7Wd_A/s1600/IMG_8329.JPG" title="" /></a></div>
There's another reason why I like doing ECC lessons at a home improvement store: the appliance section! Many students haven't had the opportunity to check out a variety of appliances. Their knowledge is usually just their own home appliances. I like to do a whole lesson about accessible appliances. I like to review what makes an appliance accessible. I give the students a checklist of accessible options to consider and tell them to find these options on appliances. I encourage them to learn about their own accessibility needs. Then look for appliances that match their needs. Note: I don't rush this lesson. We go appliance by appliance---we do laundry first, then kitchen, etc. I let students discover features of appliances.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXicEXWPoZ3tZUi1mPaHEo2KfcoiSJKKVidaok9FPbOdY5nQEgFEpcuunuyB7C5hgJxZmSKCAIbCFA3ZLp6TNLYpAVW4rmcIS3ozPRbln5cMfucMUgfpqqXhHNhLUO8Jx9tZ_jazFY9J5E/s1600/IMG_8334.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A female student explores a washing machine" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXicEXWPoZ3tZUi1mPaHEo2KfcoiSJKKVidaok9FPbOdY5nQEgFEpcuunuyB7C5hgJxZmSKCAIbCFA3ZLp6TNLYpAVW4rmcIS3ozPRbln5cMfucMUgfpqqXhHNhLUO8Jx9tZ_jazFY9J5E/s1600/IMG_8334.JPG" title="" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2h9jkCjhdepi5VJQcu_6oojzI7GDq1FZxp30pFaAnASacxb7vrRaPHxUK0vXIO4MWc39LuJJSgS7_RcCu_uN-6v0tGkiLjqrIkaii0itpmuizt2Eh_HyMN7YNNUGIq8XOAstXNu4aFKQB/s1600/IMG_8336.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="a male young adult smiles next to a washing machine. " border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2h9jkCjhdepi5VJQcu_6oojzI7GDq1FZxp30pFaAnASacxb7vrRaPHxUK0vXIO4MWc39LuJJSgS7_RcCu_uN-6v0tGkiLjqrIkaii0itpmuizt2Eh_HyMN7YNNUGIq8XOAstXNu4aFKQB/s1600/IMG_8336.JPG" title="" /></a></div>
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Don't forget to talk about the money! We also discuss prices and budgets. I kind of like to play "The Price is Right" for this. I have students take a guess at how much appliances cost including their dream accessible appliances. Fortunately, many of the most accessible appliances are the most basic ones. We compare and contrast pricier models with basic. We discuss all the bells and whistles. It's such a great ECC lesson!! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEwfrvnbgvNAAQHWf0TuphF9HhFv6ivwDVuKU0a_1IMSw8VAOtoL5kHdkQBjEJQ36WlM2KZNC0YOgILC8mTIBWzUssNDwaLdE755KtJfipwyGaw__o_U36jQeXTyu9oQcEj6vufObQqDWC/s1600/IMG_8338.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="a close up of a basic dial on washing machine" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEwfrvnbgvNAAQHWf0TuphF9HhFv6ivwDVuKU0a_1IMSw8VAOtoL5kHdkQBjEJQ36WlM2KZNC0YOgILC8mTIBWzUssNDwaLdE755KtJfipwyGaw__o_U36jQeXTyu9oQcEj6vufObQqDWC/s1600/IMG_8338.JPG" title="" /></a></div>
Make sure you go during off hours if possible. It makes it easier to have "department to yourself". You can do a lot more instruction without everyone staring at you. The workers are usually awesome to work with. Many employees will take extra time and really help out where possible.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggboqVMuQ944I7kVTGe_PSHP3hIV0Ni9NqKY-LPczEp6vgwolWH_3aKfofr-_a3cjWbTNjMmCESOTyO-mRYVMb-WMVJuNov5VKZUAVSUxp2kSUGQWE9EvUclZEc-VM3RJuxRJUyBvbB_5n/s1600/IMG_8340.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="a male young adult turns the knobs on a stove as he checks it out. " border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggboqVMuQ944I7kVTGe_PSHP3hIV0Ni9NqKY-LPczEp6vgwolWH_3aKfofr-_a3cjWbTNjMmCESOTyO-mRYVMb-WMVJuNov5VKZUAVSUxp2kSUGQWE9EvUclZEc-VM3RJuxRJUyBvbB_5n/s1600/IMG_8340.JPG" title="" /></a></div>
I have students pack their assistive technology (that includes their phones) for this CBI. I like them to use their AT when determining what accessibility they need. Feel free to invite an orientation & mobility instructor as well for this one. There's so much to gain on this ECC adventure!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgajt4p8eUJcXtPm-2QmNHf00EpxQ0qw-2K61iJ9Z9y2DZJZX9_0aqOTBRS-PPIazSYBbOBvMSWhnqBC1qBp1mgklvH54Tqba1fLN0QbI9XwsjK100XGIj-1j1gemMN7-4bZaMcaRNbEVl/s1600/IMG_8341.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="a male young adult checks out the knob on a stove. " border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgajt4p8eUJcXtPm-2QmNHf00EpxQ0qw-2K61iJ9Z9y2DZJZX9_0aqOTBRS-PPIazSYBbOBvMSWhnqBC1qBp1mgklvH54Tqba1fLN0QbI9XwsjK100XGIj-1j1gemMN7-4bZaMcaRNbEVl/s1600/IMG_8341.JPG" title="" /></a></div>
<br />Robbin Keating Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03878247692434026087noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-926143894925529696.post-65570334657729830392019-05-23T15:41:00.000-07:002019-05-23T15:41:13.875-07:00Teach the Expanded Core Using the Play Impossible Gameball<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHZf8B4hVhlOTdCfLiq6zqD3i0VguY1bG7vL6I80COar_Rph3WRW8zDprpqDEVbxoGY1leRSGM1FyCMHZbly-QFc3RnPQ6nEzZ77WGTD-T68nmp6OLFRmejgDJrfV03q1HyrU1w2eVle7S/s1600/Play+Impossible.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Graphic that says Teach the Expanded Core Curriculum using the Play Impossible Gameball" border="0" data-original-height="1102" data-original-width="735" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHZf8B4hVhlOTdCfLiq6zqD3i0VguY1bG7vL6I80COar_Rph3WRW8zDprpqDEVbxoGY1leRSGM1FyCMHZbly-QFc3RnPQ6nEzZ77WGTD-T68nmp6OLFRmejgDJrfV03q1HyrU1w2eVle7S/s1600/Play+Impossible.png" title="Graphic that says Teach the Expanded Core Curriculum using the Play Impossible Gameball" /></a></div>
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I am so excited to share my new favorite Expanded Core activity: the Play Impossible Gameball! Have you tried it yet? I learned about it while at the Apple Store with an employee. I was instantly intrigued with its potential but worried about accessibility. There are so many fun new STEM ideas coming out but their apps are not accessible. Not the case with Play Impossible Gameball! </div>
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There is a ton of potential with the gameball. I use it for STEM but of course can teach loads of other ECC skills. NOTE: take time to go through the app before you let students play with it. Consider all of the things you need to preteach. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZtaaNj38JbCb7UJv_cUEmUqQFprEKB8HtZOuG8CnZlOQ0k6ySLNqfvHS-HWw0eD6e54nO4AZUTzOt5x2YIj50l2R_yjt1-ZGiZjEMiwf4WdLBKmMKXWPjdpVxZiA8xvf1vFkgawNj8FEB/s1600/IMG_0706.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A photo of the Game possible screen app that shows the list of all the games. " border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZtaaNj38JbCb7UJv_cUEmUqQFprEKB8HtZOuG8CnZlOQ0k6ySLNqfvHS-HWw0eD6e54nO4AZUTzOt5x2YIj50l2R_yjt1-ZGiZjEMiwf4WdLBKmMKXWPjdpVxZiA8xvf1vFkgawNj8FEB/s1600/IMG_0706.HEIC" title="A photo of the Game possible screen app that shows the list of all the games. " /></a></div>
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The app allows you to play with just one player or in teams. You can play with one ball or two balls. The balls charge super fast! You can purchase them in a few places but I bought on Amazon. They are about $80 per ball. Kinda pricey but worth it! </div>
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Check out general information on their site: <a href="https://www.playimpossible.com/">https://www.playimpossible.com</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEichtAEPWayhSrRP4DwYskwB0NpvnaX4DrBuhcal4PckvmU4uEz4fCyl03ApHJoMXCod8f-OK5s8kXW46rx2-Qzmbq7S-Fnhv1tXqdAbHapJ9P20cIX2bzTqseAFt_8ykdOuelNBdfuBeFC/s1600/IMG_0708.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Screen of the app that says "play" with the directions for a game. " border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEichtAEPWayhSrRP4DwYskwB0NpvnaX4DrBuhcal4PckvmU4uEz4fCyl03ApHJoMXCod8f-OK5s8kXW46rx2-Qzmbq7S-Fnhv1tXqdAbHapJ9P20cIX2bzTqseAFt_8ykdOuelNBdfuBeFC/s1600/IMG_0708.HEIC" title="Screen of the app that says "play" with the directions for a game. " /></a></div>
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The ball is fun to play for just recreation and leisure skills. I tested out the app and its accessibility with our assistive technology teacher (who is completely blind) and our education tech guy. You can see how they did on Instagram. Follow me on 9MoreThanCore on Instagram to see the demo!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPikVy2KTsKlkal3GzNCn9nSIRRSSKfctSehwjtZZUD2RBgGAWQddnvXwrXIioZfo1RpMvx06YU_u_XznGCKU_qXodqihfTsi4HNxuw6gbdj3-k8Kz1U27DC5aP2cq0UAKskr1ON1FMI1b/s1600/IMG_0709.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Screen of the app that says "play" with the directions for a game. " border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPikVy2KTsKlkal3GzNCn9nSIRRSSKfctSehwjtZZUD2RBgGAWQddnvXwrXIioZfo1RpMvx06YU_u_XznGCKU_qXodqihfTsi4HNxuw6gbdj3-k8Kz1U27DC5aP2cq0UAKskr1ON1FMI1b/s1600/IMG_0709.HEIC" title="Screen of the app that says "play" with the directions for a game. " /></a></div>
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The app speaks about 80% of the information. It does not work with VoiceOver. Our AT guy, Quintin, who tested it with me was able to play almost completely independently. This is where you as the teacher or parent needs to play with the app first. You may need to teach or strengthen skills such as toss a ball in the air and catch the ball. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBr98IRWcYXlMFcxeZli7MNDTqBqdbii1NDSW0O7vzYzTqVI-0clde-Eznj1Zb63TJRompuvpnl_dCTNwRdSLPfEDjoEP8cYLSXL1p5mYs8URGmg2gTZ5brrbkqdC6V4GK-aNFvp7dwiS6/s1600/IMG_0710.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="screen of the app with the directions to select the metric unit you want to hear" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBr98IRWcYXlMFcxeZli7MNDTqBqdbii1NDSW0O7vzYzTqVI-0clde-Eznj1Zb63TJRompuvpnl_dCTNwRdSLPfEDjoEP8cYLSXL1p5mYs8URGmg2gTZ5brrbkqdC6V4GK-aNFvp7dwiS6/s1600/IMG_0710.HEIC" title="screen of the app with the directions to select the metric unit you want to hear" /></a></div>
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I really like that students can play this with their friends and family without much effort. It allows our students to participate along side peers and have a lot of fun! There are some skills that I really recommend you preteach with students such as the tossing ones (if your student has no vision). This is important because tossing ball is easy for sighted people but can be a real hiccup for our students. Think about the social implications and needs for our students. </div>
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Can you see all the areas and skills of the Expanded Core you can teach using the gameball? Recreation and leisure is definitely a win! I've even explored games that my students with multiple impairments can play with peers. Social skills is another main area. You can also infuse skills from self-determination, use of assistive technology and compensatory access skills. </div>
<br />Robbin Keating Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03878247692434026087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-926143894925529696.post-54059515062286689852019-05-16T14:48:00.001-07:002019-05-16T14:48:59.879-07:00ECC PTA<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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Join us for our May ECC PTA on Tuesday, May 21! This month our topic is learning all about augmentative and alternative communication better known as AAC for students with multiple impairments and blindness. This is another free meeting for our parents, related servers and teachers. We are very happy to have Breana Cannon as our special guest presenter. Breana is a speech language pathologist and also serves on our augmentative communication team. She has a fantastic understanding of students with multiple impairments. Read this post late? No worries! You didn't miss out. You can still access the recorded webinar by registering: <span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41); color: #1d2129; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdMdsZtaqYrpVrGtpHxt7uNKSo6aWBIUqw9ozkyR1Z4wkX_dQ/viewform?usp=sf_link">https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdMdsZtaqYrpVrGtpHxt7uNKSo6aWBIUqw9ozkyR1Z4wkX_dQ/viewform?usp=sf_link</a></span></div>
<br />Robbin Keating Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03878247692434026087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-926143894925529696.post-73121763672353552592019-04-19T10:43:00.001-07:002019-04-19T10:46:17.217-07:00Spring & Easter ECC Activities<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizVUxZlr5-ORUu4OHvdCpGM9bJZt8HplLeBrfsuXK5U8WmW-vv32WCIABu7HwHJOOacfoDjLrQR0zFLLWfZOu2OGEFerdQT1-0d4daO7WqDf1vRWsWYonFdNyHzTcfIaELYUQiRd831bAq/s1600/Spring+%2526+Easter+activities.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizVUxZlr5-ORUu4OHvdCpGM9bJZt8HplLeBrfsuXK5U8WmW-vv32WCIABu7HwHJOOacfoDjLrQR0zFLLWfZOu2OGEFerdQT1-0d4daO7WqDf1vRWsWYonFdNyHzTcfIaELYUQiRd831bAq/s1600/Spring+%2526+Easter+activities.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="graphic that says spring & easter activities with the Expanded Core curriculum" border="0" data-original-height="1102" data-original-width="735" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizVUxZlr5-ORUu4OHvdCpGM9bJZt8HplLeBrfsuXK5U8WmW-vv32WCIABu7HwHJOOacfoDjLrQR0zFLLWfZOu2OGEFerdQT1-0d4daO7WqDf1vRWsWYonFdNyHzTcfIaELYUQiRd831bAq/s1600/Spring+%2526+Easter+activities.png" title="" /></a><br />
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Happy spring! Spring season bring holidays like Easter and a lot of fun opportunities for Expanded Core instruction. Check out some quick, fun and easy to do ECC spring activities. The bonus: you can do these for Easter, too!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAhA-67Bab6pTo1aoCVuVgi5eUP_5gpFYVeP0o5fG3nISS6Ni24himt89Jtr-EMv1Cn4_dh9IGefozooDOUxS56WSGAdIfgnkF9rjuhUucMhsybDAiR_obeDBwogarCPEOQ2p6VDJkVVsT/s1600/IMG_0522.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Clearance sign that reads 2.50 above a bin of colorful pillows" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAhA-67Bab6pTo1aoCVuVgi5eUP_5gpFYVeP0o5fG3nISS6Ni24himt89Jtr-EMv1Cn4_dh9IGefozooDOUxS56WSGAdIfgnkF9rjuhUucMhsybDAiR_obeDBwogarCPEOQ2p6VDJkVVsT/s1600/IMG_0522.HEIC" title="Clearance sign that reads 2.50 above a bin of colorful pillows" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWc-drRp-lRdg-TfvnRCuOg9rU1oMyhvB5JaX2HztSKQkShzmVeZdW7ixi7dRr3divYABKLQqTbuIgBsAyh60HEFyJJ7_j1IwPMXpegVtJmPHfRuZxCmOfFKqWVc6pQ4EYWrJG_7VLuEU_/s1600/IMG_6757.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="a bunny stuffed animal sits on top of bright color pillows" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWc-drRp-lRdg-TfvnRCuOg9rU1oMyhvB5JaX2HztSKQkShzmVeZdW7ixi7dRr3divYABKLQqTbuIgBsAyh60HEFyJJ7_j1IwPMXpegVtJmPHfRuZxCmOfFKqWVc6pQ4EYWrJG_7VLuEU_/s1600/IMG_6757.JPG" title="a bunny stuffed animal sits on top of bright color pillows" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjML61hy4orfu8y7sP89eKAS3cbkvveDCwRV2kQPAZmt_Nm4PpA3ybhU5JdVCoU4ZKg2TbkEpZr1SYXxY5dXk7mhORIpD0OADFWBEIT40TOyUGoed5Yn_zkVkT5ZgJ5dH_6jZdu8lmf_ROa/s1600/IMG_0542.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="an image of the gym floor with bright color medium and large different types of eggs" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjML61hy4orfu8y7sP89eKAS3cbkvveDCwRV2kQPAZmt_Nm4PpA3ybhU5JdVCoU4ZKg2TbkEpZr1SYXxY5dXk7mhORIpD0OADFWBEIT40TOyUGoed5Yn_zkVkT5ZgJ5dH_6jZdu8lmf_ROa/s1600/IMG_0542.HEIC" title="an image of the gym floor with bright color medium and large different types of eggs" /></a><br />
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Let's start with Easter. One of the most difficult parts of traditional Easter activities is the egg hunt. Many people have adopted the beeping eggs or using balloons on strings. Those are great ideas and I have done them. The problem I ran into with the balloons is that it ended up being super windy and the balloons were blowing around everywhere--gah! The beeping eggs are nice but what do you do if you have students with hearing impairments, in wheelchairs or have under developed sound location skills? That's what I was thinking about this year when putting together our Spring Carnival. </div>
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I was in Walmart gathering supplies when I saw a clearance bin with these colorful, soft and lightweight "egg looking" pillows---yes! They were only $2.50--score! I purchased a handful of these pillows. I knew that they would be perfect "eggs" for many of my students. They are easy to see, fun to touch and lightweight to hold. Yes! They were such a hit! The students used them in so many ways. I made sure that I bought a red one for some of my CVI students. I have many students who use gait trainers, walkers, etc. Check out my Instagram--9MoreThanCore to watch how some of my students used it. </div>
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I also purchase "large print" eggs for $1 because they are easy to see.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAnSB3Ze23pJDZ13eVSoZ7ym4Z9VAnehMiw5QUoi4knahhBDD_O_J-g_maVnq9Btq1foRO9pc0X9NkBRHdet3Ii_ZIlvJKeY3dgk4D8iMj0gPJm775_XTsd8I7UVvdYv2TeAUDVG2chBMo/s1600/IMG_0363.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="an image of a wall with large bright color eggs with buckets" border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAnSB3Ze23pJDZ13eVSoZ7ym4Z9VAnehMiw5QUoi4knahhBDD_O_J-g_maVnq9Btq1foRO9pc0X9NkBRHdet3Ii_ZIlvJKeY3dgk4D8iMj0gPJm775_XTsd8I7UVvdYv2TeAUDVG2chBMo/s1600/IMG_0363.JPG" title="an image of a wall with large bright color eggs with buckets" /></a></div>
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That wasn't the only egg hunt we had. Who say you have to have just one egg hunt when we have students of all different abilities and interests?! My kids have participated in lots of family egg hunts where each child is assigned a color or a sticker for their designated egg. I took that idea and put my ECC thinking cap on. Again, what is an egg hunt that my students can fully interact with? </div>
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I assigned students based on small groups (small classroom sizes) a designated color egg. The big eggs were hung on walls for the hunt. Each classroom looks for multiple eggs of the same color that are mounted to the wall. Each classroom is designated a spring decoration (i.e. bee, flower, polka dot) and will decorate their eggs as they find them. The decorations were in buckets. Students matched their color to their egg and bucket. We used Braille labels on both buckets and eggs for literacy purposes and for students who have no vision.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg2-aiMXlENACiX4LTLBqE2Am4Ej7n4blRDzkery67EKQCaCuxQh-SsgIZPQZsSbgdwl-UwDHa_vL87XsguwIa0k_rWlOObQcQYjF4Q-ZwDArWVap_lMOxNJsPoCexs6axH4GVrUGyKrJL/s1600/IMG_3834.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="a large green egg decorated with yellow chics mounted on the wall" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg2-aiMXlENACiX4LTLBqE2Am4Ej7n4blRDzkery67EKQCaCuxQh-SsgIZPQZsSbgdwl-UwDHa_vL87XsguwIa0k_rWlOObQcQYjF4Q-ZwDArWVap_lMOxNJsPoCexs6axH4GVrUGyKrJL/s1600/IMG_3834.JPG" title="a large green egg decorated with yellow chics mounted on the wall" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLjuyR8mhtvlR0YyUC9K4wteEtCFIV3avCKniut3r3sipXOkjtxil2oEZKcGaculQ1z96TvLjOlKmWoHMEE0QtmlXXpO9MLBzrxcE6JOfEV_cr6172BPbz17kIJHX8G-IaLndxu5Tpzdn2/s1600/IMG_0496+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="a blue bucket with large print word "blue" and Braille label" border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLjuyR8mhtvlR0YyUC9K4wteEtCFIV3avCKniut3r3sipXOkjtxil2oEZKcGaculQ1z96TvLjOlKmWoHMEE0QtmlXXpO9MLBzrxcE6JOfEV_cr6172BPbz17kIJHX8G-IaLndxu5Tpzdn2/s1600/IMG_0496+2.JPG" title="a blue bucket with large print word "blue" and Braille label" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoG1I_RnETSvRTxRV4CAJjlOiWQKMttkXoOYDxdkoP5hfKPVU8CpRLyHc3W7xUP5TzTx29M8ufOOar0qrfa6tDTTqcA8ppUaHI9LIyhXipiIe4ZeU1v8sP5v3wP1enDecJW_DzxhSRK6Bg/s1600/IMG_2175+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="a close up of the large eggs with braille label "yellow"" border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoG1I_RnETSvRTxRV4CAJjlOiWQKMttkXoOYDxdkoP5hfKPVU8CpRLyHc3W7xUP5TzTx29M8ufOOar0qrfa6tDTTqcA8ppUaHI9LIyhXipiIe4ZeU1v8sP5v3wP1enDecJW_DzxhSRK6Bg/s1600/IMG_2175+2.JPG" title="a close up of the large eggs with braille label "yellow"" /></a></div>
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It worked out great! Students still did an egg hunt but we packed in a lot of other bonus skills. I considered popular IEP goals (scanning, matching, fine motor skills) and infused them into this and the other activities for meaningful instruction. They were also easy and inexpensive to make! I used poster board from Dollar Tree. I bought a white poster board and used a shiny wrapping paper for one color. They were nice and bright and easy to see. (We laminated them so we can use them again!). We used die cuts for decorations and painters tape for easy application. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTP0P5uMLCn5KQoiew64XSDt3OIfsPfI1A1cg0OF5Zv_rCfXOSZ0mFQyhn560OvlzIWEdoT4UJ5dDNRpcGdPGQ_4RIdWnOWcSWvDW4cqIennHucwfZVAUqxlcu5gW9cjtm1tSzJYHYR-gu/s1600/IMG_0544.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="an image of the large colorful eggs taped to the wall " border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTP0P5uMLCn5KQoiew64XSDt3OIfsPfI1A1cg0OF5Zv_rCfXOSZ0mFQyhn560OvlzIWEdoT4UJ5dDNRpcGdPGQ_4RIdWnOWcSWvDW4cqIennHucwfZVAUqxlcu5gW9cjtm1tSzJYHYR-gu/s1600/IMG_0544.HEIC" title="an image of the large colorful eggs taped to the wall " /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIukKVErDFimQJgyqQkpQ1xapihfUHyCPbgIMGnGKVxIn14EQcVkyBoXO9Q10yl5FLxXdzwJKCOpPxHmfjyInP-QmvbPdp24H8Nx6UoL2uAJ4dXw0sIRLE2TepUpqTBewPKnVx750dKkbA/s1600/IMG_0533.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="an image of the garden box with garden tools, flowers, etc. inside" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIukKVErDFimQJgyqQkpQ1xapihfUHyCPbgIMGnGKVxIn14EQcVkyBoXO9Q10yl5FLxXdzwJKCOpPxHmfjyInP-QmvbPdp24H8Nx6UoL2uAJ4dXw0sIRLE2TepUpqTBewPKnVx750dKkbA/s1600/IMG_0533.JPG" title="an image of the garden box with garden tools, flowers, etc. inside" /></a></div>
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Another fun activity was the gardening station. This was a mix of live plants, artificial plants/flowers and gardening tools. I headed to Walmart nursery clearance rack. I wanted crocus flowers because they are super fragrant. I also nabbed some oregano and parsley for their scent and textures. </div>
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I found a great idea from Pinterest for the sensory play component. I picked up some black beans and filled some containers to have "dirt". Bright color artificial flowers provided great contrast. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3c_tszYKMBdNUByXUxIILZgU4C16Ws6_d2g-nA2Ep4S46toLfTMnXJihyfwXEaR-P4CeoMBfpeu5zp6HwZ-3OUpzcaEYGyRz_0QGiBrX7rwrq2gYK8PrSa3F0wcxLZzZFZDft5BEur9AN/s1600/IMG_0534.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="a close up of a bee decoration on the garden table." border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3c_tszYKMBdNUByXUxIILZgU4C16Ws6_d2g-nA2Ep4S46toLfTMnXJihyfwXEaR-P4CeoMBfpeu5zp6HwZ-3OUpzcaEYGyRz_0QGiBrX7rwrq2gYK8PrSa3F0wcxLZzZFZDft5BEur9AN/s1600/IMG_0534.HEIC" title="a close up of a bee decoration on the garden table." /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4E-S7JBIhP8E760Hozh-ayNDPIrAhjfYw9-MlcuSxR98LXD-EoEN5O_uJfYw17QRbCCZOomHQXzO2kv6WufkqGspTeKzIaL2yo1H2ZwdRP7rAHbx3tzpm2SG-NnHVAICsnPKU5IvyDiyH/s1600/IMG_6762.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="a close up of the garden table with the flowers and activities" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4E-S7JBIhP8E760Hozh-ayNDPIrAhjfYw9-MlcuSxR98LXD-EoEN5O_uJfYw17QRbCCZOomHQXzO2kv6WufkqGspTeKzIaL2yo1H2ZwdRP7rAHbx3tzpm2SG-NnHVAICsnPKU5IvyDiyH/s1600/IMG_6762.JPG" title="a close up of the garden table with the flowers and activities" /></a></div>
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Target Dollar Spot had some great cheap finds! I purchased kids gardening gloves, gardening tools and fun rocks. They also had some fun carrots and veggies that were soft. You can easily open the seam and fill them with some weights to give them a little bit more weight for sensory feedback. (We had the same idea for the spring friends!). Dollar Tree had these awesome carrot eggs. I filled them with different amounts of beans for shaker eggs. I found a super cute bee and lady bug decoration from At Home which added to the garden table.</div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFRVkc5IW8Js1ZzN5PRz1IvHA-M4Y-ofPhmgFC1P_mx43Vr17LQLDNEGyZC9yCvVIaAwWudzRuo-t2llg9inwCdMKMoDPzqT-ORKVRqouyfta8740nJTRUswbFUknMup6lLRL2x17USWrs/s1600/IMG_6761.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="a close up of the carrot eggs half filled with beans to make shaker eggs" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFRVkc5IW8Js1ZzN5PRz1IvHA-M4Y-ofPhmgFC1P_mx43Vr17LQLDNEGyZC9yCvVIaAwWudzRuo-t2llg9inwCdMKMoDPzqT-ORKVRqouyfta8740nJTRUswbFUknMup6lLRL2x17USWrs/s1600/IMG_6761.JPG" title="a close up of the carrot eggs half filled with beans to make shaker eggs" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicKiFTSLc3LgDeYQLi-bMvnwCd0zpXJ2rxARxoP9eKIHjxSdExrtW79nieqgcxy2bnIbHOEeRGDvvJtvbaRfIHKm1QmLglf0QAaVJbsd0qFkPi9HA69R43TujDwhmbotViE51D6SRxgqs_/s1600/IMG_0543.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="a long decoration of a kite flying in the sky" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicKiFTSLc3LgDeYQLi-bMvnwCd0zpXJ2rxARxoP9eKIHjxSdExrtW79nieqgcxy2bnIbHOEeRGDvvJtvbaRfIHKm1QmLglf0QAaVJbsd0qFkPi9HA69R43TujDwhmbotViE51D6SRxgqs_/s1600/IMG_0543.HEIC" title="a long decoration of a kite flying in the sky" /></a></div>
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I always love having a motor activity. I created some motor movements that all my students could do (wheelchairs, supported standers or independent standers). I also added numbers on dowels. Students selected a motor skill and a number. Our PE teacher ran the activity. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj29Y_l7mZ36dkaCRf305EdSToyySRGcN4YLgWpmiqYiYoZvOVg3GwXHUP0rUp2o5ZaArD7qxQilRxJKVc4rwipajwDWYzw8elH9UFnG4O-vYRVDh7bOooy1cY8Al7uolCIrFCt-q7UCUw2/s1600/IMG_0540.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="a close up of the motor activity signs "run in place" "clap your hands"" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj29Y_l7mZ36dkaCRf305EdSToyySRGcN4YLgWpmiqYiYoZvOVg3GwXHUP0rUp2o5ZaArD7qxQilRxJKVc4rwipajwDWYzw8elH9UFnG4O-vYRVDh7bOooy1cY8Al7uolCIrFCt-q7UCUw2/s1600/IMG_0540.HEIC" title="a close up of the motor activity signs "run in place" "clap your hands"" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj06PhabVogdTmW2jJSkx5pVUsb4btGt8nGP6XuwriSKYU3YepbDI24EJjv3s0COm3R5qF-DLw7-7i3xBkum_OKJjKpE3WoL7qJLGVpW-si4pqiPBXnrQrH3wqbh8Ry2L7xpyHtf9DVfSSC/s1600/IMG_0539.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="a close up of the motor activities "wiggle your body" and "stomp your feet"" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj06PhabVogdTmW2jJSkx5pVUsb4btGt8nGP6XuwriSKYU3YepbDI24EJjv3s0COm3R5qF-DLw7-7i3xBkum_OKJjKpE3WoL7qJLGVpW-si4pqiPBXnrQrH3wqbh8Ry2L7xpyHtf9DVfSSC/s1600/IMG_0539.HEIC" title="a close up of the motor activities "wiggle your body" and "stomp your feet"" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijMjJjFSHKP3u3PtMDDZBejrDwzHjeVe4YvMigaA2zP2-NSJnQEuQ0t-W5ibB5YYk_KsAFjdM_9mbhW_wW62MLENEygKXa-tZKquDJZ5u1kiv01G7VlQ_05zuH1MNvHX7jGcByrHMmxW53/s1600/IMG_0538.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="a close up of the dress up table" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijMjJjFSHKP3u3PtMDDZBejrDwzHjeVe4YvMigaA2zP2-NSJnQEuQ0t-W5ibB5YYk_KsAFjdM_9mbhW_wW62MLENEygKXa-tZKquDJZ5u1kiv01G7VlQ_05zuH1MNvHX7jGcByrHMmxW53/s1600/IMG_0538.JPG" title="a close up of the dress up table" /></a></div>
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We had a spring dress up station with all kinds of fun items. Why? We had a parade! A parade infused some fun ECC skills. It was fun to watch students dress up with all kinds of decorations. We worked some fun social skills with smiling and waiving in our parade (very simple parade so we can focus on skills). </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigTuAM2RszZ2VBw1LBwKYMpiQQlxEyXIfv79QCaHO94palFn8ALT5o_lNd7PJKfuHvvFrrLfTdtr83spa3L0qtTHj2kXB5NfjzU7na9EWU0DhsyzfL8RmMbsD9tFldICwMgBAQDiMUwBGA/s1600/IMG_0536.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="a close up of the spring friends table with different characters on it. " border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigTuAM2RszZ2VBw1LBwKYMpiQQlxEyXIfv79QCaHO94palFn8ALT5o_lNd7PJKfuHvvFrrLfTdtr83spa3L0qtTHj2kXB5NfjzU7na9EWU0DhsyzfL8RmMbsD9tFldICwMgBAQDiMUwBGA/s1600/IMG_0536.JPG" title="a close up of the spring friends table with different characters on it. " /></a></div>
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A lot of my students enjoy music so the spring friends table was just the table for them! I found these fun spring friends that dance and move. I also went to the baby section and found super soft bunnies and a large turtle. Again, you can open the seams and add some weight to provide more sensory feedback. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjerikWDs6B4vyIItREZh0uGGcsfd99ksJ_1ZoHysGRGzsWQG8j4eOl2uvxa0jQY2ftG4a2Gvt7XZqxbY5cuOfr4rZrmpyQiWaW5hN4Z63DSIJqs7h1tM3OjoZVpnvFWqkh9mt75wj0eJhm/s1600/IMG_0535.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="a close up of the spring friends table with different characters on it. " border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjerikWDs6B4vyIItREZh0uGGcsfd99ksJ_1ZoHysGRGzsWQG8j4eOl2uvxa0jQY2ftG4a2Gvt7XZqxbY5cuOfr4rZrmpyQiWaW5hN4Z63DSIJqs7h1tM3OjoZVpnvFWqkh9mt75wj0eJhm/s1600/IMG_0535.JPG" title="a close up of the spring friends table with different characters on it. " /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ-ioX1Ddsg7yP53bAUxe098T6kbH0Cg4beBpIhyphenhyphenpezRZ3gr6XzDIIBQBG8-JUku3M-EgQAaxvGgHSuzKdDUMsvDDgdRn1lTJqaxjrGN_MVARHKsSuBqx3sosocrfhvxRvXWagkT_-M28-/s1600/IMG_0546.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="a long spring decoration of raindrops on a duck and baby ducks" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ-ioX1Ddsg7yP53bAUxe098T6kbH0Cg4beBpIhyphenhyphenpezRZ3gr6XzDIIBQBG8-JUku3M-EgQAaxvGgHSuzKdDUMsvDDgdRn1lTJqaxjrGN_MVARHKsSuBqx3sosocrfhvxRvXWagkT_-M28-/s1600/IMG_0546.HEIC" title="a long spring decoration of raindrops on a duck and baby ducks" /></a></div>
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You don't need to save these activities for Easter. These are spring activities you can do do throughout spring! Plus, buying these right after Easter gives you a nice savings to your wallet. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1fUBYKxHpz29zgRlBrn83JE1iYs7tDsUCK43wE0UMMmMAjEEy1ZiJRK4RDP1vagPE0q2coyZkBf6T8G9yIznOQ8sec5sSRkdpAFDv6DLuovtsKbGu_EGA8cnALVQyr3nTn8kw9Eao-cL1/s1600/IMG_9828.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="an image of large different eggs " border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1fUBYKxHpz29zgRlBrn83JE1iYs7tDsUCK43wE0UMMmMAjEEy1ZiJRK4RDP1vagPE0q2coyZkBf6T8G9yIznOQ8sec5sSRkdpAFDv6DLuovtsKbGu_EGA8cnALVQyr3nTn8kw9Eao-cL1/s1600/IMG_9828.JPG" title="an image of large different eggs " /></a></div>
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<br />Robbin Keating Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03878247692434026087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-926143894925529696.post-14202942872623665522019-04-19T09:36:00.000-07:002019-04-19T09:36:22.164-07:00Join the ONH Discussion Group!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsCBUo-G2udSFy5YHrkVXS_CSMb1q9n47COQC-FkuBNMDVWvfjWSYzibFmWDSSGkRiTLABc4o90yD0TpQOtsxMlGj9ApDpWROXehoMfp7tN-MBRtP802vLepLe4e0UyN5_780cSvNIKGBQ/s1600/ONH.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1056" data-original-width="816" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsCBUo-G2udSFy5YHrkVXS_CSMb1q9n47COQC-FkuBNMDVWvfjWSYzibFmWDSSGkRiTLABc4o90yD0TpQOtsxMlGj9ApDpWROXehoMfp7tN-MBRtP802vLepLe4e0UyN5_780cSvNIKGBQ/s1600/ONH.png" /></a></div>
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Join us for the ONH Discussion Group! The ONH Discussion Group is a free resource group to learn about optic nerve hypoplasia (ONH). We increasingly see more students with ONH. ONH is another spectrum vision impairment. Many of us in the vision impairment education community struggle to understand the educational implications from ONH. </div>
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That is why I created the ONH Discussion Group! Come and learn in our free Zoom meetings about resources, strategies and information about ONH. Each month we have a different topic related to ONH. Parents, teachers and related servers are all invited to join and contribute to the group. </div>
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Join the distribution group email:<a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe6MGUdqsFd8ho59kCqd-Kb5SfWF3f6iUBWJ2KTZe4nX7-AZw/viewform?usp=sf_link" target="_blank"> https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe6MGUdqsFd8ho59kCqd-Kb5SfWF3f6iUBWJ2KTZe4nX7-AZw/viewform?usp=sf_link </a>. The distribution group email will send updates and meeting information for monthly Zoom meetings. We also have an ONH Google Drive resource folder. </div>
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Join us!</div>
Robbin Keating Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03878247692434026087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-926143894925529696.post-50932697483391746792019-04-01T13:54:00.001-07:002019-04-01T13:54:10.968-07:00Teach Coding with the Expanded Core!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP9xTRUTIqHt6MwskoHNw5GYd8PKK8BUsEbul1oDKlCCGLku1t5bZ6SIjEYnxm3m6KPW5CLLBzR7M-SLBzggpPoA27hETw6ZHAQJ6VPoATHlrFr2Bl7lw5oICl3Mqr4iZUQh7GSMYAfzoq/s1600/Coding+%2526+ECC.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Teach Coding Using the Expanded Core Curriculum graphic" border="0" data-original-height="1102" data-original-width="735" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP9xTRUTIqHt6MwskoHNw5GYd8PKK8BUsEbul1oDKlCCGLku1t5bZ6SIjEYnxm3m6KPW5CLLBzR7M-SLBzggpPoA27hETw6ZHAQJ6VPoATHlrFr2Bl7lw5oICl3Mqr4iZUQh7GSMYAfzoq/s1600/Coding+%2526+ECC.png" title="" /></a></div>
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I have been loving teaching STEM as part of my Expanded Core instruction. There are so many areas where you can overlap both and have meaningful instruction. Coding can be difficult for students with vision impairments. There are some new things coming out to help with this but in the meantime, what do we do? Coding is often not accessible because most assistive technology readers are for text recognition. Coding programs are often object recognition and not accessible with screen readers. I did a lot of research about how we can still teach the foundations of coding. There are a ton of good ideas with teaching offline coding. Offline coding teaches the principles of coding without using a computer. It's not completely ideal (since we do want to teach all of coding for our students) but it does have a lot of ECC benefits. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYRjSKAVyLZJKJm-0jGq2RQhG5LcBSRwk3UjDawqyoVsdaU5rmC7qBy3ZH6l-CwEmfiL2kh2ynKk17G6sCnFW34_s1UQGPq6oojKHCb-J9e3vmiPAgzuhaseVij-Z8GExucTv1tqS0-yis/s1600/IMG_4506.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The offline coding cards are scattered on a table." border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYRjSKAVyLZJKJm-0jGq2RQhG5LcBSRwk3UjDawqyoVsdaU5rmC7qBy3ZH6l-CwEmfiL2kh2ynKk17G6sCnFW34_s1UQGPq6oojKHCb-J9e3vmiPAgzuhaseVij-Z8GExucTv1tqS0-yis/s1600/IMG_4506.JPG" title="" /></a></div>
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You can buy a variety of different offline coding activities from sites like Teachers Pay Teachers (I love that site!!). I have a new robotics unit that I developed and coding or programming is the foundation skillset. I needed to make sure that these skills were solid before applying them to the actual robots. Many of the lesson plans that I could purchase weren't super accessible. The main problems were too cutsy fonts that weren't easily read by students. I decided to research and learn about making my own coding cards. See the pictures above and below for what I made. I used a nice clear font with contrast in specific places. I also organized them with the same layout--meaning that there is an object or logo on top (so that students can learn to read or code by object), the directions (turn left/right, go straight, etc.). Last, there is a square box and that is where we use mini post it notes to indicate the number (i.e. spin around 4 times, repeat 2 times, etc.). We laminated them. I'll admit that I was nervous about using traditional laminate. I almost used the non-glare laminate. My students ended up being good with traditional laminate but always consider that when laminating. Then my best para in the world made all the Braille labels for me. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR9HTDI-CmZaunzv2i9mlQ7G9YtH6xqqm-koaJXjnAJJA4uoGfH_GqAzhJqX_XHTXO8XhRYhkBlmVTcYDIf9Lju9gIAA4tRy4J7ATyXpHd9w1gEUaFRvdKaRqTy6L4808QnZzdC-245cbA/s1600/IMG_5528.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Offline coding cards are scattered on a table" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR9HTDI-CmZaunzv2i9mlQ7G9YtH6xqqm-koaJXjnAJJA4uoGfH_GqAzhJqX_XHTXO8XhRYhkBlmVTcYDIf9Lju9gIAA4tRy4J7ATyXpHd9w1gEUaFRvdKaRqTy6L4808QnZzdC-245cbA/s1600/IMG_5528.JPG" title="" /></a></div>
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The first half of my lesson is all about teaching what writing a good program means. I include how specific their line of code has to be. Then we discuss each card so that everyone is on the same page with instruction. I have the students stand up and do this. Everyone turns right, left, goes straight, etc. so that they can perform the task exactly. You will get great ideas from STEM teacher blogs about their ideas with teaching this. I put my ECC hat on because I knew that I was working some good OM skills with this. I made sure the students could execute a 90 degree turn or 180 degree turn with good foot placement. You can do this for typically developing students and for students that have additional disabilities. For students who need more basic lesson plans, we stick to following the directions from the line of code. My typical students continue to more complex coding and I include if/then situations for them. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfSUM0qIhl1wP5zUMHMrPiHT7K7FOmPKDi5FxIc2lOfl9WRfo3tm0LCI6Bj6s5K_RlKDXb2-yIdZyvSk4JVYsxnaS4OefPfrKElhdzqJ3mPXRrcgCXLLvQmLX4-0k3P3hvkaxrimGb9i-F/s1600/IMG_6485.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="An image of a students hands reading the Braille labels on the coding cards" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfSUM0qIhl1wP5zUMHMrPiHT7K7FOmPKDi5FxIc2lOfl9WRfo3tm0LCI6Bj6s5K_RlKDXb2-yIdZyvSk4JVYsxnaS4OefPfrKElhdzqJ3mPXRrcgCXLLvQmLX4-0k3P3hvkaxrimGb9i-F/s1600/IMG_6485.JPG" title="" /></a></div>
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This is a great team building project too. Now I can incorporate other ECC areas in this as the students work to program lines of code for each other to follow. They have to work together to make sure that the student does exactly what the line says. They problem solve and inspect their own work. Once they get a good feel for it, they program for me. They have the challenge to get me from a designated point one to a point two with an obstacle. I do exactly what they say. They have to get me from a chair on one side of the room to the door. We use tactile maps and other supports as we put together a line of code to make this happen. Are you getting ideas on how you can infuse ECC skills?? I have students write me a line of code to get a backpack from a locker, go into the kitchen and get a snack, etc. You can do so much more than orientation & mobility with this AND you are teaching STEM! Want a set of my offline coding cards? Send me an email and I'm happy to share (FREEBIE!!). You just have to do your own Braille ;)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidOVu1Wh2RXr8EAtTplL0jPMXYLsBb0ffidqi7xgrLQ4hI7jgNDKVQhnViOUDCvUniioiFX6UKjSEpjHp8MFeQJtF2KRzgJ2vtm3KIsRW-i7r24XAx0g8WF4z44lWXEkQUBi0aElyrakjL/s1600/IMG_6910.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A female student arranges the cards into a line of code" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidOVu1Wh2RXr8EAtTplL0jPMXYLsBb0ffidqi7xgrLQ4hI7jgNDKVQhnViOUDCvUniioiFX6UKjSEpjHp8MFeQJtF2KRzgJ2vtm3KIsRW-i7r24XAx0g8WF4z44lWXEkQUBi0aElyrakjL/s1600/IMG_6910.JPG" title="" /></a></div>
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STEM & the Expanded Core are a great mashup of learning. So many opportunities for our students!</div>
<br />Robbin Keating Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03878247692434026087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-926143894925529696.post-36694114414195397392019-03-29T10:21:00.000-07:002019-03-29T10:25:50.802-07:00Flipgrid + ECC =Success!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZsc2xwEfK_nAx1Wmw3U5pYgg385fqauNkScZy3bBjXca5oJo7oKYBsvb4aEcw4eNfkqndOfj65NSK0H_pzm9Hj1izZE7E6Km_DVLzhdQ2KzOBXyRTUlpp-tgIC57Opm5EcZNP8ZR0G9H9/s1600/Teach.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Image graphic that says Teach the ECC using Flipgrid" border="0" data-original-height="1102" data-original-width="735" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZsc2xwEfK_nAx1Wmw3U5pYgg385fqauNkScZy3bBjXca5oJo7oKYBsvb4aEcw4eNfkqndOfj65NSK0H_pzm9Hj1izZE7E6Km_DVLzhdQ2KzOBXyRTUlpp-tgIC57Opm5EcZNP8ZR0G9H9/s1600/Teach.png" title="Image graphic that says Teach the ECC using Flipgrid" /></a><br />
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Have you heard of Flipgrid? Before I can tell you why it's so awesome, let me explain what it is. <br />
From the website: Flipgrid is the leading video discussion platform for millions of PreK to PhD educators, students, and families in 180+ countries. Teachers set up "grids" which are topics. Teachers post questions or topics and students comment on them individually with their own video. General education loves using Flipgrid. I'm always thankful for our education technology specialist who keeps me in the loop of these things. We tested it with our AT specialist and realized that Flipgrid is very accessible (especially on Apple products with VoiceOver). Now that I understood what Flipgrid was, I knew I could use it teach the Expanded Core! The first thing I do is head to my ECC assessment tools and start making a list of EVALS skills. This helps me infuse skills into lesson plans. I always write lesson plans so I can focus on what my objective, procedure, ECC skills and instruction cues will be.<br />
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<i>How can you use Flipgrid to teach the Expanded Core? </i><br />
This is an awesome idea for itinerant teachers. It allows me to do a lot of teaching remotely. I can post topics/questions/assignments and then students can respond to them. I use it in a variety of ways. Flipgrid is very helpful because it allows me to teach students who live close and students far. I currently have students that live 2 to 4 hours away from me. Important: you can't teach everything from the ECC on Flipgrid. But you can teach a lot of things! In fact, simply using Flipgrid is an ECC lesson because it alone has ECC skills. I love when I hear my students using VO when starting their videos. </div>
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I've included some screenshots. Below you will see my homepage with 3 of my most current "grids" (or topics). I use them in a variety of my classes. Currently I have 3 live grids: Study Abroad Canada, Accessible Arts Academy and Expanded Core.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeFXGFYK7X2jGxhJmyZx9vqaTZca5cDj-LxC_F6zv3IwaiskVr2mhOtBIjH_ufDNJY_9XMvk3S6cMkIWDt6kbBbQ7MXXxde4R8ygeQaYERiAVCGqRXWdMkqUc-ocq-GWZz0Q6_IbVFQzei/s1600/Screen+Shot+2019-03-23+at+6.12.14+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Screen shot of Flipgrid screen with 3 grids on it. " border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="1328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeFXGFYK7X2jGxhJmyZx9vqaTZca5cDj-LxC_F6zv3IwaiskVr2mhOtBIjH_ufDNJY_9XMvk3S6cMkIWDt6kbBbQ7MXXxde4R8ygeQaYERiAVCGqRXWdMkqUc-ocq-GWZz0Q6_IbVFQzei/s1600/Screen+Shot+2019-03-23+at+6.12.14+PM.png" title="Screen shot of Flipgrid screen with 3 grids on it. " /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2OeCxMwvMI_Gyn-56CKxT6zbXaTiHRqV6HB4HOMf952RfdqI3GUoj3oYj8cAClP421Aaaj80w5e4pPgzsuO_pNU8ioEXWR1Ku0lbLKkXzWWkxxtjBEwrw2ghXAbKqlE8rHXwQXGxR5rkK/s1600/Screen+Shot+2019-03-23+at+6.12.50+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Screenshot of the topic details page in Flipgrid" border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="1328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2OeCxMwvMI_Gyn-56CKxT6zbXaTiHRqV6HB4HOMf952RfdqI3GUoj3oYj8cAClP421Aaaj80w5e4pPgzsuO_pNU8ioEXWR1Ku0lbLKkXzWWkxxtjBEwrw2ghXAbKqlE8rHXwQXGxR5rkK/s1600/Screen+Shot+2019-03-23+at+6.12.50+PM.png" title="Screenshot of the topic details page in Flipgrid" /></a></div>
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I post a variety of topics each class. This allows you to encourage students to "field trips". I assign students to do certain tasks and then video their responses. Don't just limit it to you (as the teacher) posting assignments. For my Study Abroad Class, I have a few students who are leading the discussions and posting topics. As the teacher, you can grade, provide feedback, etc. to students. I even invite guest teachers to join me and help teach. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjikcQ9UKGrlXvHOffN8CBb3Wcnc4KvXLdVndccbJrENBWN-roUuw-vmEDoL6O1IKdcvJGES0u1UQhLKsBJaJfGMU49bDuEofD4YkMghm-BMH6dH8p79jqBCTpeF_uAS9rQ5rmGeT9c2960/s1600/Screen+Shot+2019-03-23+at+6.13.01+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Screenshot of videos list posted by students. " border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="1328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjikcQ9UKGrlXvHOffN8CBb3Wcnc4KvXLdVndccbJrENBWN-roUuw-vmEDoL6O1IKdcvJGES0u1UQhLKsBJaJfGMU49bDuEofD4YkMghm-BMH6dH8p79jqBCTpeF_uAS9rQ5rmGeT9c2960/s1600/Screen+Shot+2019-03-23+at+6.13.01+PM.png" title="Screenshot of videos list posted by students. " /></a></div>
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It's hard to coordinate your schedule and student's schedules but Flipgrid allows you to (almost) have an authentic conversation on your own time. I post my topic/assignment/lecture thought and then I give a deadline for my students to reply. I also love that Flipgrid connects students. They don't have to be in the same place to interact with each other. They can reply directly to other's videos. It's a great way for students to get to know others. I also have my mentors join me as guest teachers (or called "co-pilots" on Flipgrid). </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsypH8HSJJqSTWtKvfajuQb8WM4xY8g1YPEZQVlYoZ694kt8i99JJbUwVNn2uloeNOTNa9iiqDD-x_qK3GQijyH5MQuSrF9MV9H4aiW2s47ImvDv-AU5UC_N1BzbIoJzyGbaq35XjR2xKg/s1600/Screen+Shot+2019-03-23+at+6.14.15+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="1351" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsypH8HSJJqSTWtKvfajuQb8WM4xY8g1YPEZQVlYoZ694kt8i99JJbUwVNn2uloeNOTNa9iiqDD-x_qK3GQijyH5MQuSrF9MV9H4aiW2s47ImvDv-AU5UC_N1BzbIoJzyGbaq35XjR2xKg/s1600/Screen+Shot+2019-03-23+at+6.14.15+PM.png" /></a></td></tr>
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Another feature that I like is that this mainstream general education. My students are using the same educational technology that their peers in their own school are using. They learn to upload videos, links, etc. and develop their tech skills. You can also use Flipgrid for PLCs!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkM2ZT4h5FSrejwiS_ObgJlvvpPyG3dlI0QqDebwzPPbqbTKsYah-H68ekWf9GUKs-ZpfyJQNBAa8P27-6I8Q1plqS7nH8ct37W3taW8GEv-L0yz8iG7e9_2I042MSk0RxeEH3z_vLwyJZ/s1600/Screen+Shot+2019-03-23+at+6.17.47+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Screenshot of a video Flipgrid page with a teacher making a funny face." border="0" data-original-height="601" data-original-width="1014" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkM2ZT4h5FSrejwiS_ObgJlvvpPyG3dlI0QqDebwzPPbqbTKsYah-H68ekWf9GUKs-ZpfyJQNBAa8P27-6I8Q1plqS7nH8ct37W3taW8GEv-L0yz8iG7e9_2I042MSk0RxeEH3z_vLwyJZ/s1600/Screen+Shot+2019-03-23+at+6.17.47+PM.png" title="Screenshot of a video Flipgrid page with a teacher making a funny face." /></a></div>
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I've used Flipgrid for discussions, assignments, quizzes and even field trips! Sometimes I take my students on a "field trip" somewhere and video where I am or I have them take me on a field trip to show me how they would access a location. There is a time limit for a maximum of 5 minutes per video. I like that because it allows me to give direct feedback on a particular skill. They may have multiple videos that go with that skill and they can upload as many as they want for the assignment. I can give direct feedback to each video. </div>
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We have a lot of fun taking the "selfie" for each video. We always end our videos and take pictures with a funny face. It's a fun tradition that we have in our Flipgrid discussions. I love how effective I can be utilizing this tool. There are so many ideas floating around on how general education teachers are using Flipgrid. I check out YouTube and other EdTEch sites to get ideas because I want to align how I use it with general ed. It allows me to teach my students to use Flipgrid like their sighted peers. </div>
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Here's a tutorial on using Flipgrid:<br /><iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/-aZ523-HHBg/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-aZ523-HHBg?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
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My last idea for using Flipgrid: use it with your parents! As teachers, we have a special responsibility to teach our parents about the Expanded Core. Use Flipgrid to connect to your parents. You can take videos of their children doing lessons with you or to share bits about the ECC. It's vey easy for parents to learn, too! I'd love to hear how you use it for your ECC lessons. I'll keep posting my ideas, too!</div>
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Robbin Keating Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03878247692434026087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-926143894925529696.post-25682017560194446302019-03-22T14:56:00.000-07:002019-03-22T14:59:56.671-07:00ECC Assessments<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjESHlTrSbUnrw4QA2iXfSNEfW77hOHAaEX5mJze8n08DXjCBqarw7Omc8lsfwXthWlg06tApHYIMhsgEoPtLv9a0frSAaJDOcQKeyScEdO9MqZF6x0qiK43lV_zKlYExPlNHjzhq533txx/s1600/1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1056" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjESHlTrSbUnrw4QA2iXfSNEfW77hOHAaEX5mJze8n08DXjCBqarw7Omc8lsfwXthWlg06tApHYIMhsgEoPtLv9a0frSAaJDOcQKeyScEdO9MqZF6x0qiK43lV_zKlYExPlNHjzhq533txx/s1600/1.png" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg261CLtofJuOFTLwMuPCAolZWSczBpCrQakycqm9ZyC0djZ5JtxJ5JDfKoHgZpG1YcBbykMvdO2cc_VcRVawlOy7Osn-ddB5usbAw3h1pdUUmZodbgP31mlaGmZVezdCJB2LyTcQ2qVKk/s1600/2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1056" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg261CLtofJuOFTLwMuPCAolZWSczBpCrQakycqm9ZyC0djZ5JtxJ5JDfKoHgZpG1YcBbykMvdO2cc_VcRVawlOy7Osn-ddB5usbAw3h1pdUUmZodbgP31mlaGmZVezdCJB2LyTcQ2qVKk/s1600/2.png" /></a></div>
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Hello friends!<br />
Did you think I quit writing here on The Bee? I didn't!! I've just been busy on my social media accounts, 9MoreThanCore and developing SO many new programs. It's been busy and I have felt awful that I have neglected The Bee. Have no fear, I am here!!<br />
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I find that many teachers are unsure about using ECC assessments. I whipped up a little image to help you see what assessments you should be using for the Expanded Core.<br />
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First, you need a screening tool. There are a handful of awesome ones that I love.<br />
Here's a few links to some great screening tools:<br />
The first one comes from the site EA Rubrics under the supervision of Dr. Karen Blankenship. Save this link because it has a ton of great resources for teachers of students with vision impairments: <a href="http://earubric-001-site1.mysitepanel.net/ecc-needs-assessment/">http://earubric-001-site1.mysitepanel.net/ecc-needs-assessment/</a><br />
The other site is another treasure of items. It's Teaching the Visually Impaired by Carmen Willing. She has a really nice organized ECC Screening Tool: <a href="https://www.teachingvisuallyimpaired.com/ecc.html.">https://www.teachingvisuallyimpaired.com/ecc.html.</a> I recommended becoming a member of her site. She has a lot of great resources.<br />
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Dr. Karen Blankenship advises all teachers of students with vision impairments to complete all three--FVA, LMA and ECC Screening Tool on a yearly basis. Many teachers are unaware of the resources that we have for ECC Assessments. Our resources cover birth-21 and include students with additional disabilities. There truly is something for everyone! I encourage all my teachers, both itinerant and classroom to make sure they have access to EVALS. The EVALS kit includes the Independent Living Skills Assessment, Basic Skills Infused Skills Assessment, EXIT Assessment and the EVALS ECC areas such as pre-Braille. It can be purchased from TSBVI: <a href="https://www.tsbvi.edu/curriculum-a-publications/3/1030-evals-evaluating-visually-impaired-students.">https://www.tsbvi.edu/curriculum-a-publications/3/1030-evals-evaluating-visually-impaired-students.</a><br />
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Make sure you are completing the appropriate ECC assessment for your students and utilizing these awesome tools!<br />
Happy ECC-ing!<br />
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<br />Robbin Keating Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03878247692434026087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-926143894925529696.post-18430372083517853072018-11-21T09:51:00.000-08:002018-11-21T09:51:34.698-08:00Learn About Community Partners Using the Expanded Core<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGzsTY4ACDvC8H3cJOZlczTuXSx_keTlg0TpdLaAwykS4KLY9P9j74BDz5irI1m0t3udEFl6_EW_XtYSzPbwsy_ct2mBUGBNT2FrkokX-Sjy4YDj1sE9QStaK5FYmL-PDnn_JZEb_25OWK/s1600/Teach+students+with+vision+impairments+about.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="a graphic that reads the title of this blogpost" border="0" data-original-height="1102" data-original-width="735" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGzsTY4ACDvC8H3cJOZlczTuXSx_keTlg0TpdLaAwykS4KLY9P9j74BDz5irI1m0t3udEFl6_EW_XtYSzPbwsy_ct2mBUGBNT2FrkokX-Sjy4YDj1sE9QStaK5FYmL-PDnn_JZEb_25OWK/s1600/Teach+students+with+vision+impairments+about.png" title="Teach students with vision impairments about community partners using the Expanded Core" /></a></div>
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I just completed my latest ECC kit, Community Partners and I am so excited about it. One of my preschool teachers wanted a kit to help with teaching about community partners. Let me show what I came up with!</div>
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First, let me go right to our assessment tools and resources from the Expanded Core Curriculum. This way I can infuse skills in every aspect. I always go to my ECC tools first so I can have a clear picture of what skills, concepts, etc. I need to teach. I hit up the Independent Living Skills Assessment (ILSA) and Elementary Concepts from TSBVI (see earlier posts on using Elementary Concepts). There was a whole unit on community partners in Elementary Concepts so I copied the section for my teachers to use. Lots of good ideas for both core and Expanded Core learning (with art, music, writing, etc ideas). I also found some fun color and cut headbands from Totschooling.net (I signed up for free and they have all kinds of things). </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQQvq_NzjELyseTjZhsVD8ZkaMh-FDv3aAL2fa7KYzBN9HH_3eFE3IK4_xMUrcFXfvWqmfeWvyhFM1wKGZZnz2cEpzNHtVBs0KKtwqKzJi6aUKo2CsFJLtS_6izlnHZ2b_GLwQ7dbw8lu_/s1600/IMG_5183.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A picture of the Elementary Concepts community partners unit and the templates for the cut and color headbands" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQQvq_NzjELyseTjZhsVD8ZkaMh-FDv3aAL2fa7KYzBN9HH_3eFE3IK4_xMUrcFXfvWqmfeWvyhFM1wKGZZnz2cEpzNHtVBs0KKtwqKzJi6aUKo2CsFJLtS_6izlnHZ2b_GLwQ7dbw8lu_/s1600/IMG_5183.JPG" title="A picture of the Elementary Concepts community partners unit and the templates for the cut and color headbands" /></a></div>
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Next I hit up Pinterest and Teachers Pay Teachers to find some ideas and resources that general education is using. Remember, we always want to be in alignment with core and general education because it keeps our students included in their classrooms. Plus, TPT has GREAT finds that are pretty cheap. I love TPT!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgprhTGxBECfWSHMGvHV12BIhyphenhyphenPRcT5IS7tw31PQpWKzqwoyaqgcM5e7kudAX075N1nqXWI6XDzZv8haobKOAPHtZE-Gvsd_RyCwDhPPfndEsg27IAnGIZ5grTi17h0F1jMH24eg_MLpWxZ/s1600/IMG_5184.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img alt="Four of the movement community partners cards. For example: brush your teeth like a dentist" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgprhTGxBECfWSHMGvHV12BIhyphenhyphenPRcT5IS7tw31PQpWKzqwoyaqgcM5e7kudAX075N1nqXWI6XDzZv8haobKOAPHtZE-Gvsd_RyCwDhPPfndEsg27IAnGIZ5grTi17h0F1jMH24eg_MLpWxZ/s1600/IMG_5184.JPG" title="Four of the movement community partners cards. For example: brush your teeth like a dentist" /></a></div>
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I found these awesome movement cards for $3.00 on TPT. They are available in large and small sizes (or in large print as I like to think of it...). Look at how great these cards are!! I had my intermediate grade students do all the Braille for me (bonus ECC instruction as we discussed as they brailled...). *You can't see the Braille labels very well but they are on there!*<br />I also went and found the props that go with each card. For example, a newspaper, wrench, toothbrush and cut up hose. Now we have meaningful tactual items for the movement. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJQw-GcnIxOLTcuGiU7Q9J0feLrF2UKElH3BOpYis87cfFEc-_IVlMVAcykvgFfTxe50iJ7lU8TWn98ehjYJ_fVPtJ5_UpnAo_PQ98WONEpy9OZlxG_v-sulrnbf38MiCmmuXkT0enOl3G/s1600/Screen+Shot+2018-11-21+at+9.37.03+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Screen shot of the Teachers Pay Teachers store where you can buy the movement cards" border="0" data-original-height="674" data-original-width="1207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJQw-GcnIxOLTcuGiU7Q9J0feLrF2UKElH3BOpYis87cfFEc-_IVlMVAcykvgFfTxe50iJ7lU8TWn98ehjYJ_fVPtJ5_UpnAo_PQ98WONEpy9OZlxG_v-sulrnbf38MiCmmuXkT0enOl3G/s1600/Screen+Shot+2018-11-21+at+9.37.03+AM.png" title="Screen shot of the Teachers Pay Teachers store where you can buy the movement cards" /></a></div>
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I happen to have some preschool items that I purchased for my early thoughts with dramatic play with community partners. You can easily hit up a Kid to Kid or other kids consignment shop for some items. I also purchased some from Lakeshore. Kids love to dress up for dramatic play (plus it's another ECC bonus because you can work on dressing skills!)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOYNFpxptpefLLU27ZGDBqY_KKWGBXqHagrNMfp60T6DF5qnX8cim9WZPUZOrIFdTXiYjXE41eqhuWDSknqTLcLM6iJsnl4jz0Lj0HYVpcalxTXxLYYuUZT9tBrKLTd6y5P53ddmmj5Ttp/s1600/IMG_5185.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="a picture of a doctor kit" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOYNFpxptpefLLU27ZGDBqY_KKWGBXqHagrNMfp60T6DF5qnX8cim9WZPUZOrIFdTXiYjXE41eqhuWDSknqTLcLM6iJsnl4jz0Lj0HYVpcalxTXxLYYuUZT9tBrKLTd6y5P53ddmmj5Ttp/s1600/IMG_5185.JPG" title="" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-oLC3AEsFF5BvcKUwMUSkrrAs64Tt61phjEQ1OB02yjJxGADKz41hslMrt-yPkDPvRm47SknZtWyFsBYJfW3XCEsFWJqcJaOoh_WK3qxi0DApSgZlEEUhjBIyqmmIWDUNvgf5lIfa8fhP/s1600/IMG_5187.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="an image of the mail carrier dress up outfit with Braille label" border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-oLC3AEsFF5BvcKUwMUSkrrAs64Tt61phjEQ1OB02yjJxGADKz41hslMrt-yPkDPvRm47SknZtWyFsBYJfW3XCEsFWJqcJaOoh_WK3qxi0DApSgZlEEUhjBIyqmmIWDUNvgf5lIfa8fhP/s1600/IMG_5187.JPG" title="an image of the mail carrier dress up outfit with Braille label" /></a></div>
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We added Braille labels to all the print labels on the dramatic play clothes. Add a little super glue (carefully!) so that the Braille labels stick long term. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm9tf4RIaLqnT6SAr0kcoxyLQUjiwACns0JAgwFf1RqbYP_f9TfeCVXYNz2QFbkUDxjju3JTB47qANGSQflStsW-nrMfpVUHrjSK-0ApYh0TcB0K2wS23lD97DLr8E_LLWiE-1K6eIVbsp/s1600/IMG_5188.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="a picture of the back of the construction workers vest with Braille label on it" border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm9tf4RIaLqnT6SAr0kcoxyLQUjiwACns0JAgwFf1RqbYP_f9TfeCVXYNz2QFbkUDxjju3JTB47qANGSQflStsW-nrMfpVUHrjSK-0ApYh0TcB0K2wS23lD97DLr8E_LLWiE-1K6eIVbsp/s1600/IMG_5188.JPG" title="a picture of the back of the construction workers vest with Braille label on it" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHufvIhevXzWGpZYu_WnGDd3qAssG_LsQeveb5cnvjBoDAD_vcSf-uB9ed5_bvyM-KNL7vijwfb_LBDNuRe2lIjWnzLRGmJIiRiisGyaV0FszLnawbyvahEQBq_hihFSPzeciZ38x9iM4m/s1600/IMG_5186.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="a photo of some of the community partners dress up outfits. " border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHufvIhevXzWGpZYu_WnGDd3qAssG_LsQeveb5cnvjBoDAD_vcSf-uB9ed5_bvyM-KNL7vijwfb_LBDNuRe2lIjWnzLRGmJIiRiisGyaV0FszLnawbyvahEQBq_hihFSPzeciZ38x9iM4m/s1600/IMG_5186.jpg" title="a photo of some of the community partners dress up outfits. " /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilOmdbQIe4ynmuBZCl689uS2mJBBOubqE_gir44XVdhLMGMFcnw5ucG-sbalkV48fyl-jnFKz4fVFamIdjLwPiy7Ro_Ive1bJoh7h7xRiQcHYBTzpahel0xwwKrBF7rlfkKzyIHJ5gVuj_/s1600/IMG_5204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="a photo of all the contents in the community partners kit" border="0" data-original-height="1483" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilOmdbQIe4ynmuBZCl689uS2mJBBOubqE_gir44XVdhLMGMFcnw5ucG-sbalkV48fyl-jnFKz4fVFamIdjLwPiy7Ro_Ive1bJoh7h7xRiQcHYBTzpahel0xwwKrBF7rlfkKzyIHJ5gVuj_/s1600/IMG_5204.jpg" title="a photo of all the contents in the community partners kit" /></a></div>
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We packaged up the costumes into large ziploc bags and logged the contents. I like to do this to keep track of things. We are not done yet! We still have more items in our ECC kit. </div>
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I also found this fun idea from Pinterest to build a photo town. Here's the link: <a href="http://www.toddlerapproved.com/2015/03/build-around-town-photo-wall.html." target="_blank">http://www.toddlerapproved.com/2015/03/build-around-town-photo-wall.html. </a><br />There's lots of good ideas in this post! There are accessibility settings on phones (iPhones for sure) that allows students with vision impairments to take pics with feedback. Go around your town and take pictures of your town to build your photo town. See the post for more ideas. There are so many good ones that are totally doable for our students! Extend your ECC learning by visiting these places and taking your pictures there OR it can be ECC homework for students to do with their families. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJHfAg_cbEoEPLlAZQmdOnxGLjx_Mb0Gf8brSjzTG6AS5pAaP6ekMTBJfQUQxD5vt3V38zeGyzI8nxHfdsL6U9OtfMAsnaI9GnDOoM7ELnQPUYEGBasiM2Ze6q4-JUYCtd7_Un0YC8cxhL/s1600/Screen+Shot+2018-11-21+at+10.28.26+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="a photo of the blog post for the photo town" border="0" data-original-height="660" data-original-width="560" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJHfAg_cbEoEPLlAZQmdOnxGLjx_Mb0Gf8brSjzTG6AS5pAaP6ekMTBJfQUQxD5vt3V38zeGyzI8nxHfdsL6U9OtfMAsnaI9GnDOoM7ELnQPUYEGBasiM2Ze6q4-JUYCtd7_Un0YC8cxhL/s1600/Screen+Shot+2018-11-21+at+10.28.26+AM.png" title="a photo of the blog post for the photo town" /></a></div>
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I decided to have some starter photos for our town so I Googled some free pics of things and made labels (with Braille on it--can't see in picture). It was easy peasy to make the board. Bonus ECC instruction: you can work in spatial skills directions because you can discuss top/botton, left/right and count squares and use systematic search patterns. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbiLk_mOUQgDnnfF_2tTGkiNPO7jMZbVj8g5pxxA8hIsMAScTKe2elSizmBJj3M1Vow9fqdxu5akEpc3q3dQ_KfJSUa3j1p7-SrUUtzsYE1Ayvx7xDuQEiGsmymYoNUOD4gaBRfapBlPiT/s1600/IMG_5205.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="a stack of photos from places around the community" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbiLk_mOUQgDnnfF_2tTGkiNPO7jMZbVj8g5pxxA8hIsMAScTKe2elSizmBJj3M1Vow9fqdxu5akEpc3q3dQ_KfJSUa3j1p7-SrUUtzsYE1Ayvx7xDuQEiGsmymYoNUOD4gaBRfapBlPiT/s1600/IMG_5205.JPG" title="a stack of photos from places around the community" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrz0vcZuygbkIfw97plrxcVTUKG25NyXgaoT0ZD6cEQ0gBoyFXRYwYhOPGiqnCJLGNpeiS2jTioQwTipj_VLe5Dcy2pyloyTWYD56SSBAilmwhCRaFSDY8sy_MjzT7I1GlUEGLLZWku6gH/s1600/IMG_5203.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="a photo of the community partners kit" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrz0vcZuygbkIfw97plrxcVTUKG25NyXgaoT0ZD6cEQ0gBoyFXRYwYhOPGiqnCJLGNpeiS2jTioQwTipj_VLe5Dcy2pyloyTWYD56SSBAilmwhCRaFSDY8sy_MjzT7I1GlUEGLLZWku6gH/s1600/IMG_5203.JPG" title="a photo of the community partners kit" /></a></div>
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The last part of our kit has to do with signs in the community. We included a number of directional signs and this real working stoplight to talk about navigating around our community. This stoplight totally works! I found it at Hobby Lobby on sale for $40! It's got metal on it so it has an authentic feel. Plus it's great for students who have no vision who always hear people talking about a stop light but have never 'seen' it before. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNj9aeOMUbQ14Atrl08xP2__Rm0axdA9Ur1hV4Rw9-RrnCSCw86fnRUM2BqdSvrfppvFLiGponvveiNm3jnW-FKYeawYhUnI030KCPfFZNN5N7lkNT81_EWX4dgCSkSPP_6lnGanZMxy9U/s1600/IMG_5206.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="a photo of the toy street light from the kit" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNj9aeOMUbQ14Atrl08xP2__Rm0axdA9Ur1hV4Rw9-RrnCSCw86fnRUM2BqdSvrfppvFLiGponvveiNm3jnW-FKYeawYhUnI030KCPfFZNN5N7lkNT81_EWX4dgCSkSPP_6lnGanZMxy9U/s1600/IMG_5206.JPG" title="a photo of the toy street light from the kit" /></a></div>
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There is SO much learning that you can do with this ECC Community Partners kit! Other ideas include: asking members of the community to come to your classroom OR scheduling a visit to their location and build an experience book based on the community partners you learned about. Just make sure you hit up our ECC resources to see all the skills from play to compensatory skills that can be included. ILSA is a great tool for this! </div>
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See you in the community!!</div>
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<br />Robbin Keating Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03878247692434026087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-926143894925529696.post-43365832620799474682018-10-19T16:16:00.000-07:002018-10-19T16:16:55.948-07:00Teach the Expanded Core Using the Junior Achievement Program<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7MNEyMF2DbsC55BZthp4A8yzf8oSjkIsaDIveMksj2OAffCsxtC4FdpuS8WZ2Jxb1rzijQIfvvEDzOQV9e4ru3snZFh8SZw0jKS9qXwEJJ3DsaejxoINXthyphenhyphenQCtHbGS1XgrR0zjuLxgeP/s1600/JA+and+the+ECC.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7MNEyMF2DbsC55BZthp4A8yzf8oSjkIsaDIveMksj2OAffCsxtC4FdpuS8WZ2Jxb1rzijQIfvvEDzOQV9e4ru3snZFh8SZw0jKS9qXwEJJ3DsaejxoINXthyphenhyphenQCtHbGS1XgrR0zjuLxgeP/s1600/JA+and+the+ECC.png" /></a></div>
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I have to share one of my favorite resources for ECC instruction: Junior Achievement! Junior Achievement also known as JA is a serious jackpot when it comes to teaching the Expanded Core. I've been using it for years and have been able to use the curriculum to expand to all things ECC! I use a variety of JA programs for students as young as first grade through my high schoolers. Why JA? First, I did JA when I was kid and had some good memories of it. Now fast forward several years to my own kids doing JA. I was one of the parent volunteers for the big JA BizTown field trip. Holy cow, the moment I walked into JA BizTown I knew it was the Expanded Core everywhere! JA BizTown is a complete replica of a city with real life everything---cash registers at Chick Fil-A, city hall, post office, etc. Then I got to wondering what did JA teach. The question I should have asked was what doesn't JA teach!? </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM4yhFeLLVT_O4vCC34dR_xzJIlILJ8hftRQos_qdepaZXAwAInhJexyYiJGN31PExiCHQRmJ68HulWlOIo1jmbwvhQVs2Eyn0_qaSNLa-84zOuM8L5SXnlwEVcb44X-M-Ak4XugN4ZuJW/s1600/5a98aeba97347.image.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Junior Achievement logo" border="0" data-original-height="241" data-original-width="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM4yhFeLLVT_O4vCC34dR_xzJIlILJ8hftRQos_qdepaZXAwAInhJexyYiJGN31PExiCHQRmJ68HulWlOIo1jmbwvhQVs2Eyn0_qaSNLa-84zOuM8L5SXnlwEVcb44X-M-Ak4XugN4ZuJW/s1600/5a98aeba97347.image.png" title="Junior Achievement logo" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Junior Achievement logo</td></tr>
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I contacted Junior Achievement Utah because I wanted more information on the Junior Achievement program, the curriculums/programs and to let them know I saw potential for students with vision impairments to use them in a unique way (as part of our ECC instruction!). Side note: I always like to contact the company of a new product/curriculum that I use when I find ECC potential because I want them to be informed about our population of students. I also like to partner with them because the more they learn about our student's needs, the more everyone benefits. I've had such a good experience with this. So many companies have been open to collaborating with me! I have loved it!! Junior Achievement was top notch with working with me. I explained about the ECC, what I do and my vision for incorporating JA programs (as I knew it would look a little different with me...). There were two other real stand out items that attracted me to Junior Achievement (aside from my fun time at JA BizTown): JA is popular in school districts so it wouldn't be something different for our students and JA programs are FREE! (note: It was free in Utah but I can't confirm this everywhere however I am super hopeful that it is!!). JA programs are very popular in schools so it has a natural social conversation for our students to say that they are doing it, too. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyX_2zewUws0E__p2iGPXwmg2LKbN99RYsaAx2LiAFecciNlf5jMoHVpqjEmEMIo20a5KrO4I2gxphCG1mZBTbOsu2zKtP34Fpn0J1RHO5B09LRJ9RKLEcNpsYq1JOndFQLwD9oL-Xt1uA/s1600/article-2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="JA Personal Finance Program cover" border="0" data-original-height="281" data-original-width="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyX_2zewUws0E__p2iGPXwmg2LKbN99RYsaAx2LiAFecciNlf5jMoHVpqjEmEMIo20a5KrO4I2gxphCG1mZBTbOsu2zKtP34Fpn0J1RHO5B09LRJ9RKLEcNpsYq1JOndFQLwD9oL-Xt1uA/s1600/article-2.jpeg" title="JA Personal Finance Program cover" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">JA Personal Finance Program cover</td></tr>
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Every JA program lists what elements of the Core curriculum it includes. I like it because I can easily see how I am targeting academic areas. Each program is divided into about 4-5 weeks. I follow the program as it is laid out because it is strategically put together. I review the objectives and the extension learning for each unit and then I hit up all my ECC resources (you know, EVALS and ILSA) to make sure I am covering my ECC instruction. I regularly take skills from EVALS and ILSA and infuse it right into my lesson plans. I also use my ECC Activity Worksheet (see my other post on it) to check my ECC instruction.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix9um2BMiVX0mSGjfOY1KwmBFbzKh-GpnkynxFdw5RnLtkLqtOta7mxYRIPFh82EvhHRZ9cWfahWKc7FtXU2eTq2IQXTF4rzRcX7jcoCSTK-IwNHLvsA5FTdKvTJrgkI7RgtoAo1_I9AG2/s1600/article.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="JA Ourselves Program Cover" border="0" data-original-height="281" data-original-width="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix9um2BMiVX0mSGjfOY1KwmBFbzKh-GpnkynxFdw5RnLtkLqtOta7mxYRIPFh82EvhHRZ9cWfahWKc7FtXU2eTq2IQXTF4rzRcX7jcoCSTK-IwNHLvsA5FTdKvTJrgkI7RgtoAo1_I9AG2/s1600/article.jpeg" title="JA Ourselves Program Cover" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">JA Ourselves Program Cover</td></tr>
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I use JA programs for both my campus programs and my Outreach students (students attending their neighborhood schools). I create quizzes for each unit and a final exam at the end of the program. (all on Google quizzes and Canvas). I LOVE JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT!! Their lessons are thoughtful and laid out so well that it is not a headache for me to learn the material. I stick to the material from the lesson plan book and infuse A LOT of ECC before, during and after. </div>
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Here are two examples of how I infuse ECC instruction with the JA programs: With It's My Business, I am doing an entrepreneurial program with my high school students. They are to do a group project on creating a Teen Club. I extended it that they had to do a formal presentation on PowerPoint/Google Slides. We paused the JA program and did some lessons on using AT for the presentation, what makes a good presentation, etc. (which still compliments the JA program). Another example is with my younger students with the JA Ourselves program, students earned "ECC Bucks" by completing simple tasks for various amounts around our school. Their "ECC Bucks" (real printed ECC money) was converted at the First National Bank of Robbin into real money. We headed to the grocery store and made a purchase (with instruction on needs and wants from the JA Ourselves program).</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_v6p91oBdiRi_5_J30snpAfZutaJDu0uXnNqk4sCNFR168HBMc076C7-vwAArOLPvdKpSv6S-dF0Pxsn19PWUZqfzHoVzftAeQ_hwRKKWLdVybUjlBoM0tV-SkOvV7wc0rSPZoAKI5huF/s1600/article.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt=" JA More than Money" border="0" data-original-height="281" data-original-width="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_v6p91oBdiRi_5_J30snpAfZutaJDu0uXnNqk4sCNFR168HBMc076C7-vwAArOLPvdKpSv6S-dF0Pxsn19PWUZqfzHoVzftAeQ_hwRKKWLdVybUjlBoM0tV-SkOvV7wc0rSPZoAKI5huF/s1600/article.png" title=" JA More than Money" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">JA More than Money</td></tr>
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I use JA as a class (in the ECC Lab on campus) and as curriculum for short term programs (so much easier for my staff to follow). I do my best to stick to the grade levels that are established by the JA program. I modified the JA More than Money program for older students. It was originally written for younger students but the content was good and it set a foundation for the next program that we did. There are a fair amount of visual or not accessible materials but nothing that is impossible to work with. I retype all my JA lesson plans into Google Docs in large print because I always make a handout after each session for students to reference and study. I do this because I keep my MacBook with me during my lessons. I take notes during the sessions because many times students will say things that help other students learn the concepts or expand the concept. I include that in the handout. </div>
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My main accessibility resource is typing skills! I am grateful for awesome support staff that Braille items and set up things as needed. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0wUAU2-4U8I_g12zDrujyshn8q3TIn2VzBjJYhrt1s7u8xRH1zksHkjekQVP_chBY0l-m4cJ1lzzDspDO5WJEtcom821U__FuQXrUMHgh8WQfw_wK_q4JtuvwEd_Yh3g_VWxEMOuYVf9o/s1600/Graduation%252BRates%252Bv2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="JA alumni are 30% more likely to have their bachelor's degree than the general population. " border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0wUAU2-4U8I_g12zDrujyshn8q3TIn2VzBjJYhrt1s7u8xRH1zksHkjekQVP_chBY0l-m4cJ1lzzDspDO5WJEtcom821U__FuQXrUMHgh8WQfw_wK_q4JtuvwEd_Yh3g_VWxEMOuYVf9o/s320/Graduation%252BRates%252Bv2.jpg" title="JA alumni are 30% more likely to have their bachelor's degree than the general population. " width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">JA alumni are 30% more likely to have their bachelor's degree than the general population. </td></tr>
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Have I convinced you that Junior Achievement is a great resource for providing Expanded Core instruction? I have had a lot of success with it. They have programs on financial literacy, career education, leadership and a lot more. Check out Junior Achievement in your area: <a href="https://www.juniorachievement.org/web/ja-usa/home">https://www.juniorachievement.org/web/ja-usa/home</a>. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwuNyIYrtxFPYPS-3_rPx3-Tk5b2MN86PSIL52DzOe-Z_p3_zsHjlZHfnYac7tiF_9gEDnBefzUuadBddrdHHi8AxIWbuIFwmX_396L41srRK3wc7lUexvtW8GKpqdpKDTap0XNkTk0Z7P/s1600/JA+Career+Success.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="JA Career Success Program cover" border="0" data-original-height="825" data-original-width="638" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwuNyIYrtxFPYPS-3_rPx3-Tk5b2MN86PSIL52DzOe-Z_p3_zsHjlZHfnYac7tiF_9gEDnBefzUuadBddrdHHi8AxIWbuIFwmX_396L41srRK3wc7lUexvtW8GKpqdpKDTap0XNkTk0Z7P/s320/JA+Career+Success.jpg" title="JA Career Success Program cover" width="247" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">JA Career Success Program cover</td></tr>
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If you use Junior Achievement, let me know! I'd love to collaborate with you. Junior Achievement Utah has been awesome to work with. Yay for another resource to provide Expanded Core instruction!!<br /><br />Robbin Keating Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03878247692434026087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-926143894925529696.post-79934503246204067042018-10-03T05:45:00.000-07:002018-10-03T05:45:31.417-07:00ECC PTA: A PTA for the Expanded Core!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-9zLlhzvci9Rt95eNOTpkhia57sXQM-An3rTpTLBRRpVCgKycmiui7QNDz16Ggger0FlFETtDjdklK2u2FLnUMO-DiS8zlBC4yNxXEia4VH8dB78TsnPOmoeoeC7cEBrvZl9X-aytCvYl/s1600/Copy+of+ECCPTA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img alt="Graphic that says ECC PTA on a chalkboard with school books. " border="0" data-original-height="1102" data-original-width="735" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-9zLlhzvci9Rt95eNOTpkhia57sXQM-An3rTpTLBRRpVCgKycmiui7QNDz16Ggger0FlFETtDjdklK2u2FLnUMO-DiS8zlBC4yNxXEia4VH8dB78TsnPOmoeoeC7cEBrvZl9X-aytCvYl/s1600/Copy+of+ECCPTA.jpg" title="Graphic that says ECC PTA on a chalkboard with school books. " /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Graphic that says ECC PTA on a chalkboard with school books. </td></tr>
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<br />A PTA for the ECC? What? Why? How? YES! A PTA for the ECC!! I wish I had a better title but I don't because everyone knows that a PTA is and I can't risk too many unknowns in this new startup PTA.<br />
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Why an ECC PTA? Because we need more when it comes to partnership with providing Expanded Core instruction! Parents, family and home life are such an integral part of teaching the Expanded Core and it is one of our weakest areas. We need to find ways to strengthen it. There is so much authentic learning that happens outside of the classroom or an itinerant's janitor's "office". The Expanded Core is our key to living a thriving, meaningful life. We must find ways to connect our 9 areas to parents, the living room, the mall, friends, sports, restaurants---everywhere! We as teachers need more help. We need our parents and families to become true partners in ECC knowledge. Too much is on the line for our students. Our educational model is kinda working. We need to do better. We have to think outside the box on how we reach everyone--teachers, students and parents about the Expanded Core. Viola! We have an ECC PTA! The sole purpose is to provide blindness specific skills and intensive Expanded Core information, resources, training and build a community for our families. The unemployment/underemployment rate for people with vision impairments is still between 70-80%. We can change that statistic! The Expanded Core is a major player to change that statistic! We have to do things differently because too many good, smart, talented students with vision impairments grow up to sit at home and do almost nothing because they don't have the developed skills to live a thriving adult life.<br />
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Parents, I invite to take a good look at your child and see if they have the Expanded Core embedded in their lives. This does not mean that your child is perfect. I am a mom. My kids are not perfect. I do my best to teach them, encourage them, hold them accountable, etc. I know that my kids will not listen to me all the time and need others "in the village" to teach them. I tag others in at times to be the teaching piece I cannot be because I am the natural enemy. But the difference between my kids and your kids is that my kids have incidental learning. They can see things and learn by watching even when it is not intentional. All students with vision impairments need the ECC because it fills in the missing pieces when incidental learning isn't happening. It is not a reflection of poor parenting.<br />
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We opened our ECC PTA up to all of our divisions--from babies to post high and then we thought bigger. We opened it up to outside of Utah. We have some live sessions where we meet together but we also are creating an format where a lot of it is a digital community. We are recording webinars, newsletters, interactive pieces for sure but something that would allow parents to be involved no matter where they are.<br />
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Our ECC PTA doesn't have major time commitments. There is no fundraising or selling popcorn. It is established for the purpose of building a community for our families. It doesn't matter if your child is typically developing or has additional disabilities. The Expanded Core still applies to you no matter what!<br />
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The first thing we covered is to learn what the Expanded Core is and why it is critical that parents/guardians understand it. If you are new to my blog, that is the first thing you need to do. Read more posts on the ECC, email me for my tip sheets or do a Google on the Expanded Core Curriculum for students with vision impairments.<br />
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The second thing is to have a resource toolbox. My blog is just one tool. Your TVI is another excellent tool. I also suggest to invest in the book ECC Essentials from AFB Press (sold by APH on APH website or Amazon. I'll link it!). We will have a book club posting on this in a few weeks. I also facilitate social media on the ECC. Follow 9MoreThanCore on Facebook and Instagram (same name, different content).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyHmKRkbidDN3PMh_gdY44zL04giCXOsEUFgORRGxR2hhbO4xDeazVL2D1-vh8FKQkInSczUAZVpmM0_njou5dw46czgau-ekyt209PGo6D6w-JOCujJZLGRaHWmDFhyphenhyphen781bvmoglHRcp4/s1600/ECC_Essentials_Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="A picture of the cover of the book ECC Essentials" border="0" data-original-height="780" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyHmKRkbidDN3PMh_gdY44zL04giCXOsEUFgORRGxR2hhbO4xDeazVL2D1-vh8FKQkInSczUAZVpmM0_njou5dw46czgau-ekyt209PGo6D6w-JOCujJZLGRaHWmDFhyphenhyphen781bvmoglHRcp4/s1600/ECC_Essentials_Cover.jpg" title="A picture of the cover of the book ECC Essentials" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A picture of the cover of the book ECC Essentials</td></tr>
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Amazon link:<a href="https://www.amazon.com/ECC-Essentials-Teaching-Curriculum-Impairments/dp/0891284982" target="_blank"> https://www.amazon.com/ECC-Essentials-Teaching-Curriculum-Impairments/dp/0891284982</a><br />
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Shop APH <a href="http://shop.aph.org/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_ECC%20Essentials%20%20%20%20Teaching%20the%20Expanded%20Core%20Curriculum%20to%20Students%20with%20Visual%20Impairments_22400P_10001_11051" target="_blank">Buy at Shop APH</a><br />
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Last but never least, join the ECC PTA! <a href="https://goo.gl/forms/exT6Ubf1YUcIgU6v1" target="_blank">Click here for the registration link. </a><br />
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<br />Robbin Keating Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03878247692434026087noreply@blogger.com0