Archive for September, 2014

I received an email from Valerie Tiensvold, Outreach Coordinator for the New Mexico School for the Blind and Visually Impaired. Ms. Tiensvold informed me that she added my contact information to her state’s Listserv. With her help, her VI colleagues will have access to information about my math manipulatives.

I will be demonstrating the Fraction 16ths braille manipulative to Suzanne Goodemote at Model Middle School on November 6th. Every student and standard is important. This is a perfect example of a teacher targeting a skill and using every “tool in the box” to help her student.

I recently received UPC codes to make my manipulatives available for retail sales. School Crossing Too, a school supply store based in Colorado Springs, CO, is going to have my manipulatives available for purchase.

I received confirmation from Mary Keeney, Arizona Department of Education’s Exceptional Student Services, that I will be demonstrating my manipulatives to her as well as to Harold Campbell, Mathematics Specialist, AZ DOE’s Exceptional Services, and Ann Gortarez, AZ DOE’s Assistive Technology Specialist, on October 2nd at 10:00 AM in Tucson, AZ. Because Ms. Keeney and I have discussed my math manipulatives for several months, I am glad that I will finally be able to share my teaching strategies with her and her colleagues.

I just confirmed with Rita Weatherholt, Executive Director of the Arizona Blind and Deaf Children’s Foundation, that I will be demonstrating my math manipulatives at the Arizona School for the Blind on October 3rd at 1:30. I appreciate Ms. Weatherholt’s time effort to organize the demonstration with Arizona School for the Blind’s principal, Dr. Kathy Zwald.

I sincerely appreciate the offer by Dayna Andrews, Communication Specialist, FAAST, to post information about my math manipulatives on their social media sites. With her willingness to share my teaching strategies, many parents, educators, and administrators in Florida will have additional options to help their students learn their rigorous math standards. In my opinion, this is perfect timing because the 2014-15 school has just started.

I received an excellent opportunity to help low vision and blind students in Maryland. Josh Irzyk, Statewide Vision/ Low Incidence Specialist with the Maryland Department of Education and Maryland School for the Blind, offered to share information about my manipulatives and teaching strategies on his state’s wiki site. Teachers in public schools and at the school for the blind will have access to complimentary handouts to address their students’ math standards and upcoming state and national presentations.