Archive for the ‘Slide-A-Round Updates’ Category
I am very appreciative of Jennie Gibson, Associate Director of the Utah Parent Center, for scheduling a demonstration on December 30th at 10:00. Because I am still teaching in the classroom, I want to make the most of my opportunities to meet with parents, teachers, and administrators whenever possible.
Posted in 
I want to thank the International Council for Education of People with Visual Impairments for posting my link as resource on their website. I am ready to help students around the world with their education.
After contacting Dr. Barbara Wrushen, Special Education Supervisor for Knox County Schools, in Knoxville, TN, we were able to correlate our schedules. Dr. Wrushen suggested that I plan on demonstrations for her teachers in her district on November 21st and November 22nd. I will update my website when locations, dates, and times become available.
I forwarded Jennifer Lortie, Program manager at the Eastern Connecticut Assistive Technology Project, my recent article that was published in National Federation of the Blind’s Fall 2014 Future Reflections Magazine and additional information. After she reviewed the article and information, she informed me that she would share my teaching strategies with her colleagues. This is another example of how people are helping people. In the end, students are the ones who are going to benefit because parents, teachers, and administrators are going to have “another tool in the toolbox.”
It is amazing how many different opportunities are opening up with my math manipulatives. Laura Walley, Assistant Principal. and Ruth Miller, Parent Involvement Coordinator, are organizing a math workshop on January 14th for parents to learn teaching math strategies to help their children with homework. I have been invited to use my math manipulatives during the workshop. Because Elm Street Elementary has a large Spanish speaking population, it is very likely that I will need to have Ms. Miller translate my teaching strategies to the parents as well as translate the dialogue between them and me. I am excited about this new kind of demonstration for me and opportunity to help parents provide support for their children’s education.
I ended the week on a positive note. I discussed my math manipulatives with Mary Pittman, Math Specialist for the Colorado Department of Education. After sharing information over the phone about my manipulatives with Ms. Pittman, she requested additional information and images to forward to her colleagues. We agreed that if our discussion will help just one student in her state it was time well spent!
After I met with the AZ Doe’s Exceptional Student Services, I passed by the Academy of Math & Science in Tucson, AZ on the way to get on I 19. I made a quick left turn into the school’s parking lot before I missed it. I met with Ettor Strada, Special Education Director/ Head of School. Even though it was almost dismissal time, he designated about 15 minutes to hear my math strategies. Mr. Estrada was very complimentary and saw the potential in how my manipulatives can help his students master their math standards.
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.