Slide-A-Round Math Manipulatives

I would like to to thank Kathryn Surbeck, Evaluation Center Director at the Illinois School for the Deaf, for scheduling a demonstration with her colleagues.  As we all know, statewide testing is just around the corner.  I hope that my visual aids will make learning the rigorous Common Core rounding standards more efficient and less stressful for ISD students.

February 14th is going to be a busy day for Slide-A-Round-Math Manipulatives. I have accepted an invitation from Danna Bouey, Southeastern Assistive Technology Coordinator,  to demonstrate to my manipulatives at the Southeastern Region Assistive Technology Center.  While, I am in Louisiana, my wife, Susan, is going to do a follow up demonstration for James Ekundayo, Birmingham City Schools Elementary Math Program Specialist, and his colleagues.  I am sure she will do a great job, just like how she did at Chattooga County Schools, Georgia.

I received confirmation from Diana Mumford, Editor of Canadian Teacher Magazine, that Slide-A-Round Math Manipulatives will post an article in their magazine about my manipulatives in January.  This is exciting news! Due to time, distance, and teaching, it would be very difficult to meet Ms. Mumford’s colleagues in Canada.  I really appreciate her help! When the article is published, I will post it with the other articles on my website.

I appreciate the interest and support of Shelley Rowland, Program Administrator of Curriculum/ SASED DHH Program. Ms Rowland has offered to exhibit my math manipulatives at the 2014 SASED Math Fair.  I was offered an invitation to demonstrate my manipulatives first-hand to her colleagues in the Chicago and northern Illinois area, but I had to decline because of my teaching responsibilities at Elm Street Elementary. Hopefully, some of her colleagues can attend my presentation at the 2014 Illinois Council for Children Conference on February 1st.

FYI: I have a demonstration pending in Champaign, Illinois after my presentation in Springfield at 11:00 on January 31st.  I anticipate the time for my Champaign presentation to be around 2:30.  Please check my “Latest News” tab for specific details.

I would like to thank Jonn Paris- Salb, Education Administer 1, California Department of Education, for sending my information to California’s list serv as well as to the Ex-Officio trustees across the country from APH. Because I am still in the classroom and am a great distance from California, I sincerely appreciate his help sharing my ideas.

I would like to thank Yvonne Ali of the Missouri Instructional Resource Center f/t Visually Impaired for sending out a recommendation of my math manipulatives to approximately 400 Special Education Directors who have students with visual
impairments in their program, teachers of the visually impaired, and others in Missouri. I appreciate the time she spent to attempt to provide students with a variety of learning strategies and manipulatives for mastering their math standards.

An article about my math manipulatives has just been included on the “Paths to Literacy” website, a website that is the result of a joint project between Perkins School for the Blind and Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired (TSBVI). By combining their resources and expertise, they hope to assist educators and families in the quest to provide academic experiences for children who are blind or visually impaired. I appreciate their support!

I appreciate the prompt response from Janet Dickelman, Convention Chair for the American Council for the Blind.  Ms. Dickelman offered to share my manipulatives with the colleagues in her association.  With her help, I will be able to give VI teachers another resource to help teach their students with their grade-appropriate standards.   State standardized assessments are going to be here before we know it.  Hopefully, I will help make a difference! As I have stated in previous posts, my goal is to help as many students learn as fast as I can.

I accepted an invitation from TJ Schlouski, Director of Assistive Technology Services, Illinois Assistive Technology Program to demonstrate my math manipulatives  on January 31, 2014. I appreciated his offer to invite several of his colleagues, including his colleagues from the Illinois School for the Deaf and Illinois School for the Blind in Jacksonville, Illinois.

After my demonstration in Springfield, I will travel to Lisle, Illinois to present at the 2014 Illinois Council for Children with Behavior Disorders on February 1st.  In addition to Mr. Schlouski providing my information to his colleagues,  I appreciate Sheri Cook, Gallaudet’s Midwest Regional Center Director providing contact information for some her hearing impaired colleagues, and Beverly Holden Johns, officer of the ICCBD and IL CEC , professor and educational consultant, offering an invitation to present at the ICCBD Conference. I am anticipating a very productive opportunity to share my ideas with teachers, administrators, and parents from many parts of Illinois.

Hopefully, I will see many of you in Springfield and Chicago!

I appreciate  Ms Danna Bouey, Louisiana  Southeast Region Assistive Technology Coodinator, for driving over to my presentation at the South Central Assistive Technology Center in Lafayette, LA on 10-1-13.  Based on her evaluation of my math manipulatives, Ms. Bouey invited me to demonstrate them to her colleagues in her region on February 14, 2014. Hopefully, other assitive technology teachers and administrators from other regions will be able to attend.