Welcome to Jen's Pond

#OU was playing in the  #RoseBowl  on New Year's Day!  Expectations were high for this team.  I was nervous for them but looked forward to a win.  What resulted was such an incredible game between both teams...one for the ages and I think, well played for "the Granddaddy of them all."   Unfortuately,  #OU  came out on the wrong side. Excited for Georgia's players and heartbroken for the Sooners. As I sunk into the couch after the game...watching the victorious 'Dawgs get their winning trophy surrounded by heaps of confetti...  I remembered some words from the great Dr. Seuss.  "...You won’t lag behind, because you’ll have the speed.  You’ll pass the whole gang and you’ll soon take the lead. Wherever you fly, you’ ll be best of the best. Wherever you go, you will top all the rest. Except when you don’t. Because, sometimes, you won’t. I’m sorry to say so But, sadly, it’s true That Bang-ups And Hang-ups Can happen to y...

Access. Webster's online dictionary defines access as a way of getting near, at, or to something or someone.  A way of being able to use or get something.  Permission or the right to enter, get near, or make use of something or to have contact someone. Simple definition, I think, and yet the concept of access seems to be difficult to achieve. I'm referring to access to buildings, airplanes, homes, parks, schools, and learning. Why not have a universal way of thinking, which would make things readily available to everyone, as it should be!  We need to plan for everyone. For example, curb cuts may have the purpose of giving access to people who use a wheelchair, but they make things available to so many more.  It's use is universal .  How difficult would it be to go grocery shopping with kids if you have to lift a stroller over a curb to get into the building?  Ramps make buildings available to so many people! We have to shift our thinking: ALL. ...

Today I'm at the Oklahoma People First Statewide Conference. It's always a fun time getting to meet advocates from across Oklahoma.  This is an annual conference for People First Members.  People First is an organization that is ran by people with disabilities. I love their motto: What a powerful message! Our history is filled with instances of making decisions for groups that are not included in the process.  We still do.  This has to stop and People First is a great organization for people with disabilities to learn how to advocate for themselves and others! At this year's conference, I have the opportunity to help them learn about internet safety and about blogging and vlogging.  These are great tools that can help them advocate. It'll be a great time! Be sure to check out Oklahoma People First online.  

I'm not a pro at this blogging stuff...not yet anyway.  I started this blog many years ago to have some way of writing about experiences I've had.  I'm not into earning money, at least, right now, not yet.  If someone learned something from something I've written, gets another view point, or has a chuckle, that was good.  I've recently thought about getting rid of my blog, but something told me no. Instead, I thought maybe I could even vlog!  When I hear those words: Blogging and Vlogging, I had to find out what the difference was first. After doing some reading of blogs and viewings of vlogs (and reading other websites), I'll define blogs and vlogs this way: A “ blog ” is usually an informal, personal website someone creates to share with others online.  Writers reflect or give an opinion of something, they may teach readers how to do something, or they may rant in written form.   Some writers will let readers commen...

Thanks to a friend of mine, I have begun meditating.  Now, it's not as consistent as I would like - yet - but at least I've gotten started, right?  I've tried to meditate before, but get very frustrated as things pop into my head when I'm trying to relax.  Take this morning for example.  It was not easy to keep still!   I began my music, lit my candles and then sat down.  Once I was comfortable, I sat my timer.  My back was comfortable (and straight)...  In my mind, this is a snippet of what was going on. Deep breath...  in...  out...  in... out...  shhhh...  in... out...  ah...  My neck is kinked... I need to stretch it.  To the right...to the left...  Now jump two times...  WHAT?!    It's okay...  Just acknowledge and move on...  Breathe...  in... out... in... out...   My nose itches...   I continue to acknowledge those random thoughts until I finally settl...

So the other day I went to the store for a few things (namely toothpaste) and after making my purchase, I found myself walking along the curb.  Before I knew it, I was walking and balancing on it, though I'm not sure why.  As I realized what I was doing, I quickly stepped off the curb. What was I doing?  I'm over 40 years old and I'm walking along a curb, trying to balance on it like I'm Nadia Comaneci.  I wasn't acting my age...was I? So anyway...  On the way home I started to wonder about what I was doing.  Was I acting my age?  I mean really now...when is the last time you've seen an over-40 year old doing that?  Like she has no care in the world...just like a "little" kid would do.  I got into my car and drove away with thoughts of "grow up" swimming around in my head. Last night I saw a book with a catchy title.  It's called The Book of Doing .  It seemed odd for me to find it at this point, with the current theme in my ...

Not much to say this morning - I'm hopeful it will be a lazy Sunday, allowing me to do some work on my house and catch up on reading my book for my class.   The further along I get in my graduate work, the more times I'm struck with the thought "If I knew then, what I know now..."   There's some great things going on in education now days.  I've just recently discovered "Flipped Classrooms," a new way of presenting instruction to students.  If you've not heard about it, watch this video out. I've found other videos and websites - this one seems to be decent.  I've gotten some good ideas as well as learned some things too, from these short, instructional videos:  Teacher Vodcasting & Flipped Classroom Network. Okay - I've got to get busy on my lazy Sunday...  Until next time.  

Who participates in the Youth Leadership Forum? Students who will be in the 11th or 12th grade after the YLF and who  have a disability.   Students should want to discover their potential  for leadership. What should students expect at the YLF? ·    To discuss topics such as leadership, systems change,     goal setting, disability aware­ness, advocacy, career     exploration, disability culture, volunteering and much more. ·    Exciting presenters, community leaders, legislators and     other professionals. ·    To identify existing barriers to personal and professional     success and develop plans to deal effectively with those     barriers. ·   Developing your own Personal Leadership Plan. ·    Participating in large & small group activities with successful    ...

YOU AND I   by Elaine Popovich I am a resident. You reside. I am admitted. You move in. I am aggressive. You are assertive. I have behavior problems. You are rude. I am noncompliant. You don't like being told what to do. When I ask you out for dinner, it is an outing. When you ask someone out, it is a date. I made mistakes during my check-writing program. Some day I might get a bank account.  You forgot to record some withdrawals from your account. The bank called to remind you. I wanted to talk with the nice-looking person behind us at the grocery store. I was told that it is inappropriate to talk to strangers. You met your spouse in the produce department.  Neither of you could find the bean sprouts. I celebrated my birthday yesterday with five other residents and two staff members. I hope my family sends a card. Your family threw you a surprise party. Your brother couldn't make it from out of state. It sounded wonderful! My case manager sends a report every...

Star Fleet Admiral on Trial

Wow...  Sometimes time really gets away from us.  I looked at the last time I'd written and thought about everything that has happened in my life since then.  Goodness...  Jobs have changed...  Family members have passed...  Friends have come and gone...  Opportunities have been given, some taken, some left for another person. I've finally realized that I need to take some time to enjoy life.  I say "finally" because I have been so wrapped up into working hard for others I've forgotten to just slow down a little....

I don't really understand how something so right could be so difficult. I'm talking about including students with disabilities (no matter how "mild" or "severe.") I am a special educator. I love my job, though I think secretly my desire is to work myself out of a job. Then I could just teach everyone. I have some really neat kids...all of them. Each one of them having strengths that I try to build on to help them be able to make their own choices. I think that's the biggest goal I have for me when I work with my students....to be able to determine what they want and need...and to dream, just simply dream about what they want to do in their life. The school system serves children for such a short time of their life and then the "kids" are off to the "REAL WORLD." I fear for them. If they're not included in other classes with everyone, how can those whom I serve be ready? The world is not a self-contained world. What's making it...

INSERVICE BINGO To help you concentrate at teacher meetings and inservices, try this Bingo game! 1. Before (or during) your next meeting, inservice or staff development, prepare yourself by drawing a large square. I find that 5" x 5" is a good size. Divide the card into columns-five across and five down. That will give you 25 one-inch blocks. 2. Write one of the following words/phrases in each block: * no child left behind * test scores * core competencies * communication * standards * multiple exposures * benchmarks * proactive * win-win * think outside the box * action plan * result-driven * assessments * knowledge base * at the end of the day * touch base * mindset * differentiated * retention * skills * background knowledge * effective learning * exemplars * implementation * reflection 3. Check off the appropriate block when you hear one of those words/phrases. 4. When you get 5 blocks horizontally, vertically, or diagonally, you have won at Bingo!

"WHAT WILL IT TAKE?" What a good question to give others when you need much more than a yes or no. It's an awesome question that I have decided to begin using with my supervisors. I no longer will ask yes or no questions. Instead, I will simply ask them "What will it take?" Let's see what happens then... I'm excited to use it and can't wait to do so. There's no way I can get a "No." Try it for yourself... Ask any yes/no question, and you get a yes or no... Ask what will it take, and you get more....Okay, you may get silence first, but they can't give you a No...

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I just got back from watching the movie "Freedom Writers," based on the book written by high school students in LA, assisted by their amazing teacher Erin Gruwell. I'm inspired by the perserverance and optimism she shows for her students, despite facing such negativity from other fellow educators. I shed many tears during this movie...tears of saddness, tears of happiness, tears of frustration, tears of anger... Pardon this interruption for my soapbox for a minute: Being an educator is difficult, to say the least. Not to say that others aren't difficult, everyone has a hard time at work, I suppose that's why it's called work? I get disgruntled with others (some being my own friends) who tell me that teachers are lucky for their jobs. They tell me things like "what other profession would give me the summer off and the other vacations I have"...

I finished a 3-day workshop this past week.... Phew! It was a good one....it refreshed my brain, getting it thinking again on ways to help my students. It's called TEACCH. I'm not real happy with the name of it, as it doesn't use People First Language in the name, but the training was good. Like I said, it reenergized my brain, giving me ideas, knowledge, and new contacts for help. I did have some difficulty with some other special educators attending it though. A great many of them (I won't say all, but it sure seemed like it) didn't use People First Language and would say things like "autistic kid" and "he belongs in the autistic class." Then, when I'd have a comment towards placing a child with autism in a general ed. classroom it was like open season on me. Wow, did the other teachers go after that, saying things like "he can't" but never giving me an actual reason that it wouldn't work. I think that I may approach the s...

Changes in the educational system have been begun throughout our nation, attempting to improve our students’ education and ultimately, their test scores. Special education has also gone through much change since the first authorization of public law 94-142 to the reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (I.D.E.A.). We are now continuing much change with the implementations of the “No Child Left Behind Act,” but what many school systems haven’t changed (or tried) is educating all students together, no matter the disability. The overwhelming thought is to contain students who have disabilities in another classroom, providing remediation. Unfortunately, as a special educator, I have seen too many cases of the special education room "dumbing down" our students. As I reflect on my years of teaching, I think of 1 year where I saw students whom I served really succeed and improve their skills. One was way back in the 1997-1998 school year, where I had t...

I just finished a weekend training....wow, am I tired, yet enthused. I have had the wonderful opportunity to hear Dr. Patrick Schwarz...for the 3rd time! He is such a wonderful and knowledgeable man. He spoke to us on inclusion... Something I'd love to see happen in my school district for all students. I know that we will still need the option of self-contained special education, as this may be one's choice for their child, but I so hope and wish for the opposite. This world is not self-contained.......so why do we continue to focus on this type of placement? I have decided to try to encourage others in my district to do a Pilot Project/Study and implement inclusion in an elementary school...that's what I first wanted. But then, I was thinking last night... Having the option of being educated in the general classroom in the elementary would be great, but what would happen after elementary? So now I've decided to tackle something more.... What if we could hav...

Summer has come and gone and school is back in session. I begin job tomorrow, teaching at a new school and a new grade level. For years I've taught at the high school level...and now I'm going to teach at the elementary level. I'm excited for this change in my life, but totally scared to death, as I have no idea what to expect! I hope for support from the other teachers and my new administrator... That would make this year awesome. I hope that I can create the environment that will get students to have confidence in themselves and to want to learn...and to want to dream, to dream big... I can't help but be excited for this new change, although a part of me is still wishing to be back at the school that I've been teaching at for years... The kids that I served and those whom I didn't, but knew, the teachers that I worked with (most of them), the school building, the noises during class, the smells...sometimes the smells aren't real nice, but I'll ...