Voicethread: Advice for First Time Bloggers @ncarroll24 #edtech #spedtech #tichat #edchat

What advice would you offer to first time bloggers?  Please share your tips for effective blogging by adding comments to the Voicethread below.

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Updated Blog Roll #edchat #spedchat #spedtech #assistivetech #SLPeeps #SLPchat #OTpeeps

Our updated blog roll is now posted under the Recommended Blogs tab above.   Over the next several days descriptions of each blog will be added.

READERS:  Do you know of any great blogs that we have not yet discovered?  If so, please share by commenting below!


-  Jeremy


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Changes to Diqus Commenting System

I've been using Disqus to manage comments on Teaching All Students for quite a while now, and it is a great system.  Jeremy and I have decided to make a small change to how it runs.  One of the issues we've run into is notifying winners of giveaways that they've actually won.  Short of writing a blog post it's sometimes hard for winners to know they've won.  So to help with that we are going to start requiring users to register with Disqus to leave a comment.  I know that this will cause some of you to not comment, but if you do actually win you will get an email notification of it so you can get your prize quicker!  Please let me know if you have any problems using the new settings!

Patrick


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Teaching All Students - 3rd Anniversary!

For some reason I have difficulty remembering the Anniversary date of this blog.  I wrote my first post on July 1, 2008, so Teaching All Students has reached it's 3rd year of existence!  I can't believe that I've been writing this blog for 3 years, and can't believe the wonderful opportunities it has given me.  I had the opportunity to talk with many different groups, connect with so many amazing educators and professionals, and just share!


With that being said, life is busy.  Teaching full time, contributing to the EdReach.us network with blog posts & the EdCeptional podcast, trying to blog here, and helping to raise a wonderful daughter has taken up a lot of my time.  So I am excited to announce that starting Monday, July 25, Jeremy Brown will be joining Teaching All Students as an author!


Jeremy is a full-time special education teacher in Maryland.  He teaches a self-contained elementary autism class and this will be his 6th year in the classroom.  Outside the classroom, Jeremy works part-time as a family trainer.   When it comes to special education technology, Jeremy is an iOS expert!  He created & moderates the Assistive Technology and iTeach Special Education - iDevices in Special Education groups on Facebook.  Jeremy is also an active tweeter @techieteacher.  His online presence grew this spring when he joined the EdCeptional podcast crew.  With this wealth of knowledge, Jeremy will be taking over the AppMonday posts about iOS apps.  Jeremy has great connections with many developers, so I think we can expect a lot of AppMonday giveaways!  


Welcome Jeremy!


Patrick


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Edublog Awards

The Edublog Awards Nominees have been announced and the field is quite broad.  There are quite a few nominees in every category.  Some of my favorites are - Chris Bugaj of A.T.Tipscast, Ira Socol of SpeEd Change & Richard Byrne of Free Technology 4 Teachers.  Please take a moment and vote for your favorite blogs, tweets & posts at the Edublog Awards.


Patrick


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2nd Anniversary

It just occurred to me, that while I was on hiatus I missed the 2nd Anniversary of Teaching All Students!  I actually have a hard time believing that I've been able to keep up with it, and that it's been so popular!  I'd like to take a moment to thank all of you who read on a regular basis, and pass along posts to your friends and colleagues.  In celebration of this anniversary I have a few things to announce.  First, you can find some new links at the top of the page, one is for AT Blog Carnivals - I've collected all of them in one location for you to peruse, and the other is if you wish to contact me about conducting a training at your school, or organization. Last, Teaching All Students now has a Facebook Fan Page! - Teaching All Students on Facebook, take a moment to click the link on the left side of the page and "like" it to follow updates on Facebook!

I've also decided to share a few of the most popular posts on Teaching All Students up to this point.  Take a look at them here!

Data Sheets
Ways to Use Flip Camera
SMARTBoards & Special Education
Using a Bigmac
Advice for working with Paraprofessionals

 I look forward to many more posts, be on the lookout for #AppMonday to return next week!  Thanks again for reading!!

Patrick

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Merry Christmas!

I'd like to take a moment to thank all my readers and wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Thank you for reading Teaching All Students!


Photo Courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons: Stuck in Customs

Patrick

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Vote Now!

Voting for the 2009 Edublog Awards ends in 2 days. Please take a moment, head over and vote for your favorite blogs. While Teaching All Students was not on the list this year, I encourage you to look for some of the blogs I've talked about like the A.T. Tipscast, Free Technology for Teachers & Free Resources from the Net.

Patrick

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Edublog Awards

It's that time of year again, the Edublog Awards! Here are my nominations

For Best use of Audio - The A.T.Tipscast by Chris Bugaj. This podcasts has tips for every teacher!

For Best Resource Sharing - Free Technology for Teachers by Richard Byrne. Multiple posts a day, many of them free, great stuff!

Best individual Blog - Teaching Learners with Multiple Special Needs by Kate Ahern. Excellent blog for any teacher who works with students with significant cognitive disabilities.

Best Education Technology Blog - Talking SMARTBoards by Anne Marie. She does a great job of sharing materials and ideas to use with any interactive white board.

Best Individual Tweeter - Web20classroom or Stephen W. Anderson. He shares wonderful ideas, and is one of the moderators of the #edchat on Twitter each Tuesday.

Each of these individuals has increased my knowledge in many different ways, make sure to check them out.

Patrick

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Back to School....

So remember that post a few months ago, that post where I said I was feeling ready for the year, how I felt I was prepared...I was wrong. I was totally unprepared for this year. I had plans, I was all set things were going well, it was a false sense of security. I've come home exhausted and had absolutely no motivation to get ready for the next day, let alone blog. I have some great ideas for posts, I even started some drafts, but my blogging time (usually after my wife goes to bed) has been interrupted by something important, sleep. Basically in the first 3 weeks of school a student of mine has had some significant changes, which has changed the entire room, and I've lost an instructional assistant for an undetermined length of time to a freak classroom accident (she tripped over the trampoline and broke her wrist). So things have been strange, between having a sub for the injured assistant, and a sub to just help out, it's been strange.

On the positive sign, things are looking up! I think that this week is the week to get back blogging! I've never intended to post everyday, but I had intended to at least put up something 3-4 times a week. So now I'll be getting back on track. I hope that you the reader continue to read, and also hope I haven't lost too many of you! Good luck to all of you starting a new year, and let's make it a good one!

Patrick

photo courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons: Kyle Kesselring

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#Onecomment

What would it take for most people to post one comment on a blog? I know I try and do it. Andy from iTeach has a challenged bloggers and readers to do just that, here's his idea:

Here is the process.


1. Read a blog


2. Post a comment that is insightful and constructive.


3. Tweet a link to the blog and your comment. Use the hash tag #OneComment


EXAMPLE: I just read a great piece on iTeach blog, check it out! #OneComment


4. Bookmark the blog and return to it another time.


It is just that easy! This Project will help create a positive forum for all who blog and comment. There are so many good educational blogs out there and I look forward to hearing your feedback and engaging in your comments!

The second phase of this project will be a featured blog a week project. This forum will review and promote one educational blog per week. It will also try and introduce new edu-blogs into the learning community. I will be setting up a Ning for this venture. The sole purpose of both ventures is to promote learning and create an engaging dialogue between so many great academic minds. The twitter hash tag for this will be #1Newblog

Please send me your thoughts, suggestions and feedback on both new ventures!I would also like to put together a small team to help with this venture due to the time consuming nature of the project. If you would like to help your fellow bloggers and be an integral part of this venture, please contact me at onecommentproject@gmail.com

I have also set up a separate twitter account for this second phase. It will be @1commentproject. Please follow it for blog updates and blog promotions. When we spread the word about great blogs, we all shine!

I would be looking for help with the following:

1. Finding new blogs

2. Posting Reviews of Blogs

3. Archiving a Blog roll on the Ning

4. Monitoring the Ning


I am very passionate about this project and am putting a lot of time and energy behind it. My belief is that we can all learn from each other and have endless technologies to help us collaborate! I really hope to see my PLN jump on board with me and help promote the edu-blogging community!


One Comment Project T-shirts, beach towels and pillow cases to follow!

I've started doing this and I think it's been a great way to read new blogs. Happy Commenting!


- Patrick

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Happy Birthday

Apparently I missed an important date. July 1 was the 1 year anniversary of Teaching All Students. I started this blog as way to share information that I had learned. I've learned so much from all the discussions on the blog, and thank everyone for their comments. I hope to continue writing, and actually plan on getting back in the groove now that summer school has started. Thank you again to all my readers and please keep reading!

Patrick

Photo courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons: Robokow

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Reflections on a new year...

So today is the last day of the school year.  By the time most of you are reading this my students will be coming for the last hour of the 2008-2009 school year.  This year has been quite different for me, in many, many ways.  This was the year that I started writing this blog, it was also the year that I really started paying attention to social media, and started managing my PLN.

This was a year, where I started at a new school district. It was frightening, and I wasn't sure I had made the right decision.  Now I know, it was the right move for me.  I moved from a district where I constantly felt like I was not good enough, to a district which has treated me like a king.  I am so glad to have found this district, and can't believe the overwhelming support I've been given.

This was the year I discovered what true inclusion and acceptance was like.   It started with a simple thing, I don't take attendance.  That may seem like a little thing, but what it really and truly means is that my students homerooms are theirs, and they come to me to work, but socially have a connection not truly possible any other way.   I have difficult students and all my colleagues made an effort to help and include the students in every part of the day.   Taking it upon themselves to treat them as they would any other child that was in their classroom.

This was a year, with little drama, trouble or strife.  My kids were great, the administration worked with me, and I had wonderful instructional assistants who listened and supported my decisions (even if they disagreed from time to time).

This was a year, and in just 3 short months, I'll be back here again.  Starting all over, and planning for another great year. I can't wait!

Patrick

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Spring Break

I'll be taking a short break from blogging.  Today is the first day of our spring break and I'll be heading out of town with my wife.  I will be back next week with some new posts.  Everyone enjoy spring!


Patrick

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A-Z Meme

Kate over at TLWMSN posted this meme and invited anyone to do it. I didn't have a plan for today's post, so here's my answers.

Accent: Mid-Western

Breakfast or no breakfast: Breakfast, everyday!

Chore I don’t care for: really don't like any of them

Dog or cat: Either, I currently have 2 cats

Essential electronics: my laptop

Favorite cologne: Escape

Gold or silver: silver

Handbag I carry most often: Swiss Army Knife Laptop Bag

Insomnia: not usually

Job Title: S.O.A.R. Teacher (Structured Opportunities for Academics & Responsibility)

Kids: Can't wait to have them!

Living arrangements: Robyn and I live in a nice 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath townhouse

Most admirable trait: kind

Naughtiest childhood behavior: naughty? I was a perfect child

Overnight hospital stay: I believe when I was 2, but I don't remember

Phobias: heights, glass elevators are awful

Quote: (can't think of one)

Reason to smile: crazy cats, my students, my lovely wife

Siblings: one brother

Time I wake up: 5:00, usually 7:00 on weekends

Unusual skill or talent: I can light a fire (that's what you learn when you become an Eagle Scout)

Vegetable I refuse to eat: peppers

Worst habit: figeting (with everything according to my wife)

X-rays: Once, I broke my wrist sledding

Yummy stuff: I'm a foodie, but I especially love things that are fried, Italian Beef, desert (lots and lots of desert), really anything (as long as it's not spicy).

Zoo animal I like most: Otters, they are adorable, so cute

Patrick

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All Students Meme

I've been reading a blog from Christine Southard recently. She is a special education teacher in NY and a very big advocate for inclusion of all students. In fact she currently co-teaches in a classroom with both general education students and special education students. This unique setting gives her a very interesting take on teaching. She participated in a internet Meme (sort of a thought that gets passed around) and I thought it would be interesting to share my feelings on the meme:

There are 3 things I believe about all students:

1. All students can learn
2. All students deserve the opportunity to communicate
3. All students are children first

As teachers, I believe it is our responsibility to help our students achieve these 3 things EVERYDAY.

I'm going to tag a couple of people to help continue this meme:

Jeanette Van Houten
Sam Sennott
Kate Ahern
Richard Byrne
Ricky Buchanan
Yuichi Tamano

Patrick

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favorite posts

So maybe I'm biased, but I think I've written a fair number of good posts! Some have lots of views, but some maybe didn't get seen because they were written before many people started subscribing to my RSS feed. So take a look at some of the posts I like:


Delicious
Beginning Literacy
Gmail
Pete's Stuff
Google Reader
Literacy For All
Just One Club Card


These are a few of my favorite posts, what about you? Do you have a post that you liked, one that got you thinking, or just something you found interesting. Post you favorite one here so all of us can see.




-  Patrick


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Most Comments

So here's a list of some of the posts that garnered a few comments. I have decided at this time that I am not going to moderate comments! Maybe this is a naive of me, maybe not, but until I see an issue I will continue to let you post whatever you want! Take a look:

Age...
Visual Scene Displays
Online Audio Stories
Data, Data, Data...

So now that you know the most commented on, what did you want to comment on but didn't? Leave a comment here and let me know!


-  Patrick

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The Picture Communication Symbols 1981-2008 by Mayer-Johnson LLC.
All Rights Reserved Worldwide. Used with permission.
Boardmaker is a trademark of Mayer-Johnson LLC.

Wordle

Several other bloggers have put up posts about a site called Wordle.  Basically it allows you to create word clouds, here's the description on the website:

Wordle is a toy for generating “word clouds” from text that you provide.  The clouds give greater prominence to words that appear more frequently in the source text.  You can tweak your clouds with different fonts, layouts, and color schemes.  The images you create with Wordle are yours to use however you like.  You can print them out, or save them to the Wordle gallery to share with your friends.

One of the ways to create one is to put in a website, or RSS feed and it will use the words that are most prominent.  Here's the Wordle for Teaching All Students.
This Wordle is interesting to me.  Teaching All Students has a focus on Assistive Technology and how we can use technology to help students learn.  So I was excited to see that communication was one of the most prominent words.  In my opinion communication is the biggest part of AT, if students can communicate they can learn.  Communication is the key.


Patrick

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Happy Thanksgiving

I wanted to say Happy Thanksgiving to all of you who read this blog on a regular basis.  I also wanted to share that my school laptop crashed today, :-(, which means I will not be as vigilant about blogging for a few days.  I will try and update at least one time before next week, I promise I'll be back once everything is fixed!

Happy Thanksgiving!

- Patrick

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