I do believe that sometimes a few more hours are sneaked into an extra long day--like yesterday. I'm most certain that there were about five extra hours slipped in on us and that God has a brilliant sense of humor.
In our Kairos meetings that we have for several Saturday mornings before a Kairos workshop one of our members, who has no sense of humor, says we should all be serious and "grave" in ministry. However, we are all like family and we enjoy each other's company. We laugh and joke with each other and get serious when we need to get serious. My response has been, that if you don't believe that God as a sense of humor, go to a mirror with that thought and see what we see. It is hilarious, dude.
At any rate, I digress, which is a typical ADD characteristic. I'm owning that big time.
Five in the morning, Mr. Bob Buttons has learned to understand in these past three weeks, that if the radio alarm goes off, the cell phone alarm follows and the wrist watch beeps. In his cat comprehension, he has figured that to meow for breakfast is fruitless until after the nine minute snooze. Smart cat.
Why is it that the snooze is nine minutes long and not five or ten? Who chose that number of minutes anyway? Perhaps it was the snooze fairy in alarm clock land from whence all alarm clocks with the snooze feature originate? Hmmm. Digression here.
My daughter spent the night so that I could get her up to her first class at the community college. I tried to make her eat some nuked frozen pancakes since she complained of being bored with biology class. I think things are far less boring if a morning meal has helped jump start your brain juices in the AM, but that's just a mom speaking. What do we know? Mr. Bob Buttons thinks, Both of them are going to leave me this morning...yet, I get twice the head rubs this morning. That one that's not here as often will leave twice the amount of food in my bowl. I like her.
I swung by the hospital to visit the local vampires. My GP ordered another test for my thyroid because the last one showed a high level of calcium. The nurse said all my cholesterol levels were good, though. That means I can eat pizza tonight? Heh, heh, heh, she chuckles as she rubs her hands together like one of Batman's arch villains.
At the hospital I had conversations with two ladies in waiting room A. One had fluid on her heart and peppered her speech with "Girl, you know..." like she'd known me forever. I felt very comfortable talking to her. She is definitely used to talking to people as if she's known them for years. There was a man on the other side of her who had one leg and his crutches were in the chair next to him. She pulled him into the conversation, too. He chuckled softly behind one hand.
An older lady came to sit next to me and we had her chuckling. Then Girlfriend was called to the back and so was One-Leg guy. Grandma told me that she was here for her niece, whose sister had just passed away. The one who'd passed was only 46 years old and had died of complications of lupus. The niece who was in the hospital was having surgery for something to do with lupus. While everyone else went to the funeral service, she'd agreed to be there at the hospital for this niece.
"She's such a tiny little thing and she didn't want to stay away from her mom. She's a mama's girl. But I told her she was going to stay with me when she gets out of the hospital. She stayed with her mama these last few nights. But her mama and the rest of them need to go to the funeral service and take care of the rest of the family. So she needs to stay with me. She'll be alright. But that lupus is nothing to play with," said Sweet Grandma.
"I know," I said. "Medical advancements have progressed such that with her taking care of herself and keeping in touch with her doctor she will be alright. And of course with daily prayer."
"Oh, yes!" Grandma agreed. "You are right! Prayer is essential. We do that everyday!"
The vampire nurse called my name. I let her suck out a vial of blood into a little tube.
"You're good to go, Ma'am!" she said. "That's it." Like: We will survive in vampireland with this little sample....until you return for your next donation. Mu-hahahahahahaha!
When I came out from the back with vampire nurse Sweet Grandma had moved to standing near the hallway. "Oh! Here comes my niece now," she said with a smile in her voice. "You will see how cute she is."
A nurse had wheeled Cute Niece's gurney out into the hall. She was a tiny little Cute Niece. The gurney looked like a double bed engulfing her. She was awake but groggy and she tried to smile at her Sweet Grandma Aunt. Her shoulder-length sandy-colored hair framed her tiny child-like face as if someone had combed it for her in the operating room. It was not much out of place considering what she'd been through.
"Well, you are cute," I grinned. "How are you feeling, niece?"
"I'm OK," she said weakly. My statement about her cuteness made her blush and smile as Aunt Sweet Grandma walked over to the side of her gurney.
"I'm going to be praying for you and your family," I said. "The quiet times I spend in my car is one of my times I pray."
"Oh, that is so nice!" smiled Sweet Grandma.
"Thank you," said Cute Niece.
"Her name is Megan," said Sweet Grandma.
I started to walk away. Then I remembered I'd put on a special cross necklace that morning. I took it off and walked back toward the gurney.
"This cross," I said, "was made from the plastic shopping bags from WalMart. I am a volunteer for a prison ministry called Kairos Prison Ministry. One of the volunteers has a son who is incarcerated. Since the son has returned to Christ, he makes these neclaces all the time. He gives them to his dad who gives them to us for donations to the ministry. This one is for you. I really want you to have it to remember that someone is praying for you---and that when you come through this, you will have a testimony to the awesomeness of God to share with others."
"Wow!" Cute Niece Megan exclaimed. "That was made with WalMart bags? That is beautiful! Thank you!"
"Thank you!" said Sweet Grandma. "From a WalMart bag! Imagine that!"
From the hospital I went to my first school. The young lady I check on is in a community-based class and they were working on the computer. She had an Intellikeys hooked up but she preferred the regular qwerty keyboard with large print stickers on the keys, her teacher explained.
Meanwhile her classmate, who is more verbal asked me about Jazz. "Where Jazz? I want see her!"
Jazz was Jasmine a former student I'd first had as a preschooler and then as a consult student in elementary grades. I used to take both girls to my room because they'd play off each other--although this one was not my student. Both were wheelchair users. She'd not forgotten me or Jazz since elementary school and she always asks at every monthly visit if I know where Jazz is. Jasmine used to keep her laughing and she used to help keep Jasmine working for me. They were so funny together. I miss Jazz too and I wish I knew where she'd gone. I figured she was the same age as my daughter so she must have graduated. But where did she go?
The teacher in that class and I have known each other for a while from other schools. She'd heard that another former principal had passed and told me about the progress of some other former students. Then she and her class left for a field trip.
The para from my home school texted me asking if I still had the keys to the classroom. I texted back, "No. Is that something else I'm being accused of?" Her teacher, whose class I had last semester, is obsessed with me in the negative way. She heard what a great job I was doing with the class and decided she needed to tell her doctor that she was to return immediately after Christmas. Upon her return she felt it was her duty to let everyone know that I had actually done everything wrong and that the children had actually not learned a thing in her absence.
"Yes," the reply text came. "We R going on a field trip. I want 2 lock my purse."
I replied, "U R welcome 2 lock yr purse n our office. I'm sure Mrs. W (the hearing impaired resource) is there & she'll lock it up 4 U. Where is the field trip?"
"Bowling alley."
"OK, I will show up there 2 greet u all. I'm sure C will b happy 2 c me."
"LOL! U r crazy!"
Of course I wasn't interested nor would I have the time in real life. It's just that whatever I do seems to upset the lady. So it's become a running joke. Thursday morning my simple "Good morning!" seemed to set her off. Poor thing. What a miserable life she has to lead in that sad little world of petty jealousy and...well, just pettiness. I keep her in my prayers.
I decided that, instead of going to Mr. Hebrews 13:1-3's [This kid is the "Angels Unaware part of that Scripture.] class today that I would complete some work I needed to do for him. This was a short week due to the Mardi Gras break. I'd do him justice if I play with this Overlay maker and make more Dolch list flashcards in Braille and them take them first thing Monday morning.
I took the Classroom Suites program down to the resource class and that teacher was so very grateful. Monday I will show her the details as to how she can use it with her kids, whether they have sight or not. It is a great program.
While I was there, she was venting to the site facilitator who was listening patiently. I was glad she felt comfortable enough with me to vent. She was rather upset that one of her kids was going to another school and that the mom was blaming her for things beyond her control. Having that program installed cheered her up.
Later that evening, the reading coach invited me out to dinner with her and a group of teachers. "We are just going to meet at T.J. Ribs for dinner and a little get together. I hope you can come!"
I knew it would be good for me to go since during and after chemo I was always tired and my social life was at a snail's pace. I called Hunnee to see if he wanted to go 'cause his social life is about like mine--or worse---of late. He had to stay with his grandson to take him to state testing practice.
So I went and although some in the small group looked surprised to see me there, everyone was happy. I don't drink alcohol but I do eat food and I do love a good fellowship. It was a good time. I met another Christian lady and we talked like we'd known each other for years. I actually stayed awake after 10PM! My daughter and Mr. Bob Buttons were not waiting up for me. I have a feeling Mr. BB was laying in wait for the 5AM alarm.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Friday, February 27, 2009
Loading Videos
Well, I feel so "DUH!" (I'm so special!)I went to "help" and discovered it's not just me. There is a problem loading videos here. I went to a couple of web sites and just used html embed codes to put a couple on my video blog today. Ha-lay-loo-yer!
I need to find a happy face to out here. {:^D}
I need to find a happy face to out here. {:^D}
I guess Freddie the FireEngine will suffice.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Black History Program
We had our first Black History program this morning. I took plenty of pictures and shared them on my Kodak Gallery with
the faculty and staff. I can only post these photos as they don't show close ups of any children.
the faculty and staff. I can only post these photos as they don't show close ups of any children.The program was very well organized and inclusive. Mrs.Weathers, our lead teacher for ESS was the coordinator, thus the inclusivity.
The top photo shows the outer stage decorated by one of the preschool paras,Mrs. Brown.
Top right is Ms. Ellis with whom I worked this past semester. She is the para in the visual impairments classroom. Mrs. Neal, one of the parents is next to her. They are good friends and she asked if I would get a photo of her son for her.
The next photo shows some of the program--a skit part-- took place on the stage. The children were in a wax museum of famous Black Americans. Too cute!
The most elegant Mrs. Weathers is seated on the sidelines. The little girls in the dance team were marvelous! I have better pictures than these so I hope that as the staff views them they enjoy them.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Mardi Gras Break
I took off a little early from work at the end of last week so I could do my Slave Driving Agape Lady thing this past weekend up at St. Francisville for Kairos Prison Ministry. The ladies who cook were able to work out of the culinary school at the Main Prison complex at LSP. The men go inside the prison each day starting Thursday evening during a Kairos Weekend--which is actually 3 1/2 days. They hold a Christian workshop while we ladies stay outside and do the cooking and the agape.
My job is less glorified and less "glam" but I love it just the same. Besides, it's all to the same end --the glory of God in His service. I work from out of the hotel when we go up there. I get the agape bags together and get the place mats and other agape gifts together including the prayer chains. Then I make sure the tables are ready for when the guys return from the prison each night. When I am done I sometimes have time to go inside and see if Juanita, the head cook, needs any help. It's rare that she does. She's good and a couple of the ladies she trusts to help do the actual cooking are good. The rest just like the idea of being in the kitchen.
There was a new lady on the team named Carolyn. She was very excited as most first timers are, about her first time. She couldn't wait to get inside. Juanita actually had enough cooks and she and the leader wanted to make sure I had help. Both Juanita and I have been ill lately. I just had my last chemo treatment for lymphoma in December and she is struggling with fibromyalgia. Still, everyone wants to get into the kitchen and I rarely have help. I don't do staying up late as well as I used to.
Carolyn and another sister, Sandra, who's been around for a while, were a lot of help Thursday evening. I knew Carolyn wanted to get inside so I told her I could do by myself Friday. That meant there was more for me to do on Friday but that's alright. I'm used to it! I just wanted to have enough free time on Saturday to get some earrings from Grandmother's Buttons, a nice local boutique. Carolyn had a good idea about placing bags with the guys names on them so they could but little notes in each one for each other evenings when they returned from the prison. I dubbed them "Affirmation Bags" an had them out that evening. Of course it took more of my time so I didn't make it inside the prison to glory-kitchen. But that's OK. I wasn't too excited about making that trip.
Closing was spectacumous! The residents were truly touched and truly touching! This was the first time my Hunnee was not on a team but he came up for the closing. So I was able to sit by him the whole time.
One thing I missed was Hunnee singing in church. He had to leave service early to get up to St. Francisville. Pastor called him to his office as he does the associate pastors. The Cheryl, the music minister drafted him to sing with the men's chorus. During his last sermon he'd requested Cheryl play "Surely The Presence" a song we use in Kairos. Cheryl liked it and said she'd play it more in church from now on. So this Sunday was the beginning of "now on" and she points at Hunnee and says, "Brother M, You're drafted!" My mother missed it, too because I had her pinch hitting for me in the four- and five-year-olds' class for Children's Church. So I couldn't get her usual report on how he did.
Hunnee went to evening service. I made sure he left in enough time to grab a bite to eat because he will sometimes not leave himself enough time. I went straight home and fell out on the bed. I didn't even unpack. Mr. Bob Buttons joined me by standing on his blanket at the end of the bed, first watching me and then joining me in a good snooze.
This was Mardi Gras weekend also. We don't do Mardi Gras but it's nice to have the time off. Usually after a Kairos Weekend I have to go straight back to work on Monday morning. But once in a while the Winter/Spring Kairos weekend falls over the Mardi Gras break. This is great because I don't have to try so hard to pace my self when I know the next day I can sleep in! Hunnee is getting used to a quieter Mardi Gras. He's used to being closer to New Orleans where things get a bit wilder and he can't stand all the noise. I told him that there are only two parades here, a few across the river and only one is not strictly family. The ones here don't try to compete with new Orleans so they are usually held before Fat Tuesday.
My daughter and I went to a movie and the rest of the weekend Hunnee and I just hung out at home. We ate lunch out and breakfast at the IHOP.
The picture above is blackmail fodder for his mom. Hunnee smokes but not in the house, so he will stand in the door if his favorite TV show is playing. Here he is getting ready to light up. Busted! This will give Mom something to fuss about. We're both praying that he can stop smoking someday.
It was a nice break for Mardi Gras!
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Joyful Stress
Many years ago I read an article about stress. The article said there were different types of stress and that "joyful" stress was of the type experienced with something we enjoy. That was me today. I am exhausted yet I feel so much was accomplished and that getting that way was such a joy.
First, I went to a center school this morning. I had to leave from the burbs to get to the opposite side of town to get to a young man's IEP meeting. Can you say seven-thirty in the A.M. boys and girls?
Yesterday I'd warned the secretary of my HQ school that I'd have no time to stop in first thing. The young man, J, is quadriplegic, visually impaired and basically nonverbal. One can tell that there's a lot going on upstairs when he thinks you've said something funny. He has the greatest big ol' grin!
I told his teacher and his caregiver that he would benefit from the age-appropriate lessons on Intellitools Classroom Suites and from registering for talking books at the State Library's Blind and physically Handicapped Section. So I'm going to email the form or the link to it. I need to scan a signed copy--signed by me that is. It will be easier than trying to remember to get a copy for the kids who are not yet registered. I could just email a signed copy to their teachers for the parents to fill out and mail straight from their homes.
By the way, every state has a blind and physically handicapped section. If your child cannot read standard print or turn a page in a standard book then he/she can register to receive talking books from the state library.
While I was at that school, I stopped in to see two of my other consult students. "Miss L" is quite the independent old lady. She types and reads large print. She was reading when I came into her classroom. She has a child specific because she uses a motorized chair and needs a little help around the school. She told me that she and a former student of mine--another old lady--were going to meet up over the weekend. When they were younger and both my students, I got them in touch with each other since they were both visually impaired, wheelchair users and teenagers.
"Mr. K" is on the other side of the room in another teacher's class. He's quite the opposite. He's cortically visually impaired, nonverbal and very dependent. Many times he does not acknowledge the presence of others. Yet there is something pleasant about him.
On another side of town, in a regular elementary campus I went to meet some of the assistive tech team for my Hebrews 1:13 angel. He was in reading block and I didn't want to disturb him until they were ready to see him. Sam, who is one of the assistive tech specialists emailed me yesterday and asked me to call him about the young Mr. H. Today was the best day before the Mardi Gras break because I'll be leaving early tomorrow and out all day Friday for Kairos (No, I don't do Mardi Gras).
I didn't expect so many people to show! There was Sam, Edna who is tech specialist with a concentration on speech therapy; Janice, whom I used to work with at another center about ten years ago. Then there was an OT (Occupational Therapist) and another speech therapist I'd met before who handled the Intellitools keyboard for Mr. H. They asked questions about the CP (cerebral palsey) and the speech. Mr. H has speech that takes getting used to. It's very slurred due to the CP but he will manage to say some very "old" things.
I told them I wasn't sure how much braille he was actually learning because he has such a good memory. he has learned the "Lot's of Dots" book for memory and his favorite double vision book, "That's Not My Bear." The para went to get him and the speech therapist who handled to Intelli-keys showed him the keyboard and how it talked when one put a finger inside one of the shallow holes where the braille letters and symbols were. Immediately Mr. H started to explore the keyboard to see what the other letters and symbols would say.
While we were talking about whether he was memorizing or whether or not this was a good tool for him, he found the letters "O" and "P" and typed "pop" and then "poppop." He laughed and said "P-O-P, pop! Pop pop!"
I said, "Hey he's purposefully spelling that word! He's spelling 'pop'?" Then Mr. H told me and the OT that he could also spell Momma, M-O-M-M-A.
"Well, he's let us know that he is interested in this!" Sam said.
"Now we know where to start! said Edna.
Before they arrived they thought that puffy braille would be appropriate for his CP. The OT had put some on another overlay for his keyboard in the classroom. I told them that regular braille was best for getting used to and that he'd already been exposed to it in his classroom with the cards and books I'd brought. Real braille--at normal size is more realistic.
Meanwhile Mr. H. was exploring the keyboard and making it say all sorts of numbers, letters and symbols. he's also enjoying the heck out of all the attention.
Sam and Edna asked me to stop by after the Mardi Gras break to help them make braille overlays for some other activities they can make available for Mr. H.
I'm excited about that and so is the para, Ms. Williams. Most of all Mr. H. is the most excited of all!
That is how to have a joyfully stressful day!
First, I went to a center school this morning. I had to leave from the burbs to get to the opposite side of town to get to a young man's IEP meeting. Can you say seven-thirty in the A.M. boys and girls?
Yesterday I'd warned the secretary of my HQ school that I'd have no time to stop in first thing. The young man, J, is quadriplegic, visually impaired and basically nonverbal. One can tell that there's a lot going on upstairs when he thinks you've said something funny. He has the greatest big ol' grin!
I told his teacher and his caregiver that he would benefit from the age-appropriate lessons on Intellitools Classroom Suites and from registering for talking books at the State Library's Blind and physically Handicapped Section. So I'm going to email the form or the link to it. I need to scan a signed copy--signed by me that is. It will be easier than trying to remember to get a copy for the kids who are not yet registered. I could just email a signed copy to their teachers for the parents to fill out and mail straight from their homes.
By the way, every state has a blind and physically handicapped section. If your child cannot read standard print or turn a page in a standard book then he/she can register to receive talking books from the state library.
While I was at that school, I stopped in to see two of my other consult students. "Miss L" is quite the independent old lady. She types and reads large print. She was reading when I came into her classroom. She has a child specific because she uses a motorized chair and needs a little help around the school. She told me that she and a former student of mine--another old lady--were going to meet up over the weekend. When they were younger and both my students, I got them in touch with each other since they were both visually impaired, wheelchair users and teenagers.
"Mr. K" is on the other side of the room in another teacher's class. He's quite the opposite. He's cortically visually impaired, nonverbal and very dependent. Many times he does not acknowledge the presence of others. Yet there is something pleasant about him.
On another side of town, in a regular elementary campus I went to meet some of the assistive tech team for my Hebrews 1:13 angel. He was in reading block and I didn't want to disturb him until they were ready to see him. Sam, who is one of the assistive tech specialists emailed me yesterday and asked me to call him about the young Mr. H. Today was the best day before the Mardi Gras break because I'll be leaving early tomorrow and out all day Friday for Kairos (No, I don't do Mardi Gras).
I didn't expect so many people to show! There was Sam, Edna who is tech specialist with a concentration on speech therapy; Janice, whom I used to work with at another center about ten years ago. Then there was an OT (Occupational Therapist) and another speech therapist I'd met before who handled the Intellitools keyboard for Mr. H. They asked questions about the CP (cerebral palsey) and the speech. Mr. H has speech that takes getting used to. It's very slurred due to the CP but he will manage to say some very "old" things.
I told them I wasn't sure how much braille he was actually learning because he has such a good memory. he has learned the "Lot's of Dots" book for memory and his favorite double vision book, "That's Not My Bear." The para went to get him and the speech therapist who handled to Intelli-keys showed him the keyboard and how it talked when one put a finger inside one of the shallow holes where the braille letters and symbols were. Immediately Mr. H started to explore the keyboard to see what the other letters and symbols would say.
While we were talking about whether he was memorizing or whether or not this was a good tool for him, he found the letters "O" and "P" and typed "pop" and then "poppop." He laughed and said "P-O-P, pop! Pop pop!"
I said, "Hey he's purposefully spelling that word! He's spelling 'pop'?" Then Mr. H told me and the OT that he could also spell Momma, M-O-M-M-A.
"Well, he's let us know that he is interested in this!" Sam said.
"Now we know where to start! said Edna.
Before they arrived they thought that puffy braille would be appropriate for his CP. The OT had put some on another overlay for his keyboard in the classroom. I told them that regular braille was best for getting used to and that he'd already been exposed to it in his classroom with the cards and books I'd brought. Real braille--at normal size is more realistic.
Meanwhile Mr. H. was exploring the keyboard and making it say all sorts of numbers, letters and symbols. he's also enjoying the heck out of all the attention.
Sam and Edna asked me to stop by after the Mardi Gras break to help them make braille overlays for some other activities they can make available for Mr. H.
I'm excited about that and so is the para, Ms. Williams. Most of all Mr. H. is the most excited of all!
That is how to have a joyfully stressful day!
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Language
Mr. Language Person: Idiot's Guide to Englesh - Dave Barry - MiamiHerald.com
Another hobby: Words and language.
Check out this article by Dave Barry. I have his article emailed to me from the Miami Herald
CLICK HERE
Another hobby: Words and language.
Check out this article by Dave Barry. I have his article emailed to me from the Miami Herald
CLICK HERE
Mysterious Valentine’s Day Greeting Placed on School Lawn
[Such a nice story. ~K]
Someone created this Valentine on the Perkins School lawn.
Perkins Deafblind Program Has Snowy “Secret Admirer”
Mysterious Valentine’s Day Greeting Placed on School Lawn
Watertown, MA - Teachers, staff and students in Perkins School for the Blind Deafblind program arrived for school this morning to find an anonymous Valentine heart fashioned from sticks and twigs on the sloping lawn in front of the Hilton Building where classes are held on the Watertown campus.
Perkins Deafblind Program Has Snowy “Secret Admirer”
Mysterious Valentine’s Day Greeting Placed on School Lawn
Watertown, MA - Teachers, staff and students in Perkins School for the Blind Deafblind program arrived for school this morning to find an anonymous Valentine heart fashioned from sticks and twigs on the sloping lawn in front of the Hilton Building where classes are held on the Watertown campus.
“We have no idea who did this, but how sweet is that!” exclaimed psychologist Pamela Ryan, who has been at the school since 1971. “Nothing like this has happened before that I recall.”
Barbara Mason, Perkins Deafblind Program Supervisor, speculates about the origin of the image, “Someone had reported seeing a guy out there making it on Wednesday. Maybe a Perkins employee or a parent? We couldn’t even see any footprints, so it’s a bit of a mystery.”
Many of the students in Perkins Deafblind Program have partial vision and were able to enjoy the message lovingly placed atop the fast-melting snow. What did the students think? Mason says, “They liked it. It’s fun, sort of like a gift. I think it’s fabulous.”
The greeting brightened an otherwise damp, muddy school day. A light-hearted investigation continues in hopes of solving the mystery before the snow melts away and the twig-and-stick heart sinks into the soil. At least one student speculated it was “a gift from Helen Keller” who, like the current students, was deafblind and one of Perkins most illustrious pupils.
One of the leading institutions in educating children who are deafblind, Perkins’ experienced staff is geared toward maximizing individual potential, whether the student focuses on basic communication and daily living skills, or preparation for college.
Perkins School for the Blind, the nation’s first school for the visually impaired, provides education and services to help build productive, meaningful lives for more than 94,000 children and adults who are blind, deafblind or visually impaired with or without other disabilities in the U.S. and 63 countries worldwide. Founded in 1829, Perkins pursues this mission on campus, in the community and around the world. Learn more online at
Source Link: http://blogs.townonline.com/watertown/?p=29592
Monday, February 16, 2009
This Weekend: The Final Chapter
Perhaps I'm easily entertained. Besides the flowers, my Hunnee took me out to eat and to a movie. I bought Andrea Bocelli's latest CD. It was the perfect weekend to listen to that! THAT is a Valentine's Day soundtrack!
This Weekend Part 1
My mother's club had a Mardi Gras Party last Friday, February 13. I really don't do Mardi Gras as a holiday but I will send and eat the occasional King Cake from Gambino's--especially their strawberry creamcheese filled!
Here are my sisters at my mother's table. My sister Carol is clowning around with that snear-smile or the "I'm-smiling-through-your-stink" smile. It was a nice party.
This occasion represented another milestone for me because since my energy level is returning slowly, I was awake and vertical beyond 8:00PM! "Eh! la bas!"
Friday, February 13, 2009
Intellitools Activities
I like Intellitools Classroom Suites. I have some braille lessons there like this one which uses apples for the braille dots.
If you go to the Intellitools web site and sign in to the activities exchange (http://aex.intellitools.com/), look for my screen name "MsKathy0724." Then you can look at all of the activities I created.
Reaching for the Sky!
Yesterday in Tremaine's class, his teacher and I hung a long piece of yarn across the room. From it we hung colorful objects for which he may feel compelled to reach. They are high in contrast and some of them twirl under the airconditioning. Was he interested? I believe so! Especially in the candy his teacher hung just out of his reach!
He's a child with multiple disabilities who looks down and to the right to use his residual vision. Now he has a reason to look up and reach for the sky!
He's a child with multiple disabilities who looks down and to the right to use his residual vision. Now he has a reason to look up and reach for the sky!
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Word of the Day
I love reading and vocabulary increasing activities. I took a wonderful workshop by Dr. Diane Wormsley whose techniques I have modified depending on how my students learn. Fortunately, at this school, the principal was on board with "Word Walls" so this idea tied right in with what I enjoy and believe children can accomplish if challenged and given the opportunity. At the beginning of the school year a word for the day was announced over the school PA system--so that was the source for some of the words.
This photo show my "Word Door." Each day as the children wrote their morning journals, I would find a word on the New York Times learning site, Merriam-Webster.com or the Superkids Learning site. Some of the words had to do with our studies and some did not. After a while, the children would come with their own words for which they wanted to know meanings. Yeah! We wanna know some footlong words! I would get the definition and we would discuss that, it's part of speech and how the word could be used.Then they would include the word, it's definition and their sentences using the word in their journal.
I would make a card in large print with braille on top with the new word, it's definition and one of their sentences. The children would take turns posting the new word cards on the door.
What happens when the door is full of cards? Well, I'm so glad you asked! One of our WOD words was archive. So we made a big manila envelope and labeled it with one of the cards. We taped the archive to the door as well. When the door gets too full of words we put them in the archive! The kids loved to check the wall and the archive for fun.
The children were from eight to ten years old and were all braille readers.Their reading levels were from primer braille to third grade. It didn't matter if they could spell the new word but often they felt compelled to learn their word. Even if they could not spell the WOD they used them quite often.
The WOD often leads to other learning moments. For instance, the only boy in the class said, "I always wanted to know what opera meant. Can that be the Word of the Day?" After we found the Merriam-Webster definition, I popped my favorite Andrea Bocelli CD into my computer and our morning music movement was to one of Andrea's songs. That became a brief lesson on Andrea's life and a full day of the kids singing and talking in dramatic opera style.
Learning Braille Through Remote Learning
Some of the relatives, friends and teachers of my students have asked about learning braille. The active instruction at this site is no longer occuring but someone teaching him/herself can find this link useful:
The photo is the hand of one of my elementary students reading the "Word Pizza." Over the printed definitions are braille labels. The student is matching the word on the clothes pin to the definition.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Getting Used to it Again
I used to be far more itinerant than I have been in the last couple of years. Now I have about six schools to visit and 20 children and their teachers to see. I like the change of scenery but it takes some getting used to again.
Last year I was headquartered at a high school and I was on consult at another for about three students with multiple disabilities in self-contained classrooms. Three of my girls at the HQ were diploma bound while one was not and the two boys were on a special tract. The high school girls were far more independent--although I was concerned with the one with Stargardt's because he would not admit to how much she could not see.
Last semester I took another teacher's class on the elementary Braille class while she was out having treatments for lung cancer. While I was doing that, I was taking chemo treatments for a non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. I enjoyed the kids and we had great fun exploring how much they could learn and do, however, having to leave them for a whole day and two half days each month was not easy.
Anyway, I am getting used to travelling again. I am too ADD to stick to a strict routine.
I'm also to look for and teach the other visual impairments teacher/specialists about technology particular to the visually impaired student. I've already had a disagreement with one teacher who does not think it is necessary to teach the computer keyboard to braille readers. I think she doesn't really want to be bothered because she feels she will have to learn something new. Meanwhile I have a folder of emails from former students who still contact me using the JAWS screen reader on what, boys and girls? The computer keyboard!
I started teaching the children last semester using Talking Typer and they enjoyed it. They need to get used to hearing that computer voice, for sure.
BUT, I am truly feeling blessed because, even though I'm getting used to this new schedule, I need no more chemo and my PET scan was absolutely clear. My energy is returning and my husband's nerves are better because he doesn't worry as much when I leave for work. He went to every treatment and every doctor's visit with me! I feel blessed because I was able to continue working, although it was tough some days, it was not impossible and the experience with the kids was priceless. I feel blessed to have 15 new faces to see and 5 former students that I get to see again! God is truly good!
Last year I was headquartered at a high school and I was on consult at another for about three students with multiple disabilities in self-contained classrooms. Three of my girls at the HQ were diploma bound while one was not and the two boys were on a special tract. The high school girls were far more independent--although I was concerned with the one with Stargardt's because he would not admit to how much she could not see.
Last semester I took another teacher's class on the elementary Braille class while she was out having treatments for lung cancer. While I was doing that, I was taking chemo treatments for a non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. I enjoyed the kids and we had great fun exploring how much they could learn and do, however, having to leave them for a whole day and two half days each month was not easy.
Anyway, I am getting used to travelling again. I am too ADD to stick to a strict routine.
I'm also to look for and teach the other visual impairments teacher/specialists about technology particular to the visually impaired student. I've already had a disagreement with one teacher who does not think it is necessary to teach the computer keyboard to braille readers. I think she doesn't really want to be bothered because she feels she will have to learn something new. Meanwhile I have a folder of emails from former students who still contact me using the JAWS screen reader on what, boys and girls? The computer keyboard!
I started teaching the children last semester using Talking Typer and they enjoyed it. They need to get used to hearing that computer voice, for sure.
BUT, I am truly feeling blessed because, even though I'm getting used to this new schedule, I need no more chemo and my PET scan was absolutely clear. My energy is returning and my husband's nerves are better because he doesn't worry as much when I leave for work. He went to every treatment and every doctor's visit with me! I feel blessed because I was able to continue working, although it was tough some days, it was not impossible and the experience with the kids was priceless. I feel blessed to have 15 new faces to see and 5 former students that I get to see again! God is truly good!
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