Comments for Essential Educator

Comment on Inclusion and Peer Buddies: Making the Exception the Norm by Roberto Payano

Roberto Payano — Mon, 13 May 2013 04:37:47 +0000

Thanks for helping students grow!!! You make a difference in their lives on a daily basis.

Comment on Can’t Do or Won’t Do? A Go-To Diagnostic Tool by Kim Willoughby

Kim Willoughby — Sat, 11 May 2013 23:10:08 +0000

A fellow educator mentioned the can do, won’t do technique and I found this article in my quest for information. As an RtI interventionist whose hears “Oh, we think he’s just lazy” I can see how absolutely simple and powerful this technique would be in determining ability problem vs effort problem. I will be ordering the book by Witt and Beck as another tool to utilize to help my struggling students.

Comment on Raise the Bar and Narrow the Gap: How Do We Successfully Do Both? by michaelh

michaelh — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 14:14:54 +0000

Angela,
thank you for your comment and research concerning the “urban myth” regarding the correlation between 3rd grade reading scores and involvement in the justice system. This correlation does exist, but, as you pointed out, there appears to be no evidence that states are actually using these data, at least as a stand alone criteria, for predicting future prison needs. In addition to the quote and well-respected source cited in this article, I have personally heard this or a variation of this reported from many other professional presenters over the years, and the conclusion appears plausible in the context and societal fallout of reading failure. From the Oregon source you cited:
“The myth probably has survived and circulated for more than a decade because it reflects the more fundamental truth that there is a powerful connection between school failure and crime. Several early childhood studies have shown that disadvantaged children who enter strong preschool programs are far less likely to get mixed up in crime when they get older.”
Michael Herbert, Editor

Comment on Raise the Bar and Narrow the Gap: How Do We Successfully Do Both? by Angela Dose

Angela Dose — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 17:08:37 +0000

I appreciated the thoughts expressed in the article. I was surprised, however, to find that the initial quote is considered to be an urban legend: http://www.oregonlive.com/education/index.ssf/2010/03/prisons_dont_use_reading_score.html

Comment on Ogden’s Unique Context for Change by Lisa Vipperman

Lisa Vipperman — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 22:49:14 +0000

I suggest each article say that the views and opinions are those of the author, much as a newspaper will when a guest article or editorial is written. You work in the media, and you know many people will take anything they see or read as fact. For Mr. Smith to claim that, “The existing contract contained terms that were fundamentally at odds with a highly successful educational endeavor” is misleading at best.
Sincerely,
Lisa Vipperman

Comment on Ogden’s Unique Context for Change by michaelh

michaelh — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 21:09:18 +0000

Dear Ms. Vipperman,
Thank you for your interest in this article published in the Utah Special Educator journal and here on the Essential Educator online.
Once a year, we publish a special monograph edition of the Utah Special Educator, and co-post these articles online in the Essential Educator for our readers who prefer electronic access.
All views and opinions expressed represent the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the Utah Personnel Development Center, the Utah Special Education Consortium, or the Utah State Office of Education.
Regards, Michael Herbert, Editor

Comment on Ogden’s Unique Context for Change by Lisa Vipperman

Lisa Vipperman — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 20:58:41 +0000

I am a past Vice President of the Ogden Education Association and I take great exception to some of the information in this article. Mr. Smith is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts. The way the article is written does not make a distinction between facts and opinion. If you would like to read some facts about what went on before Mr. Smith took over, contact me. I have written a rebuttal. I would hope an organization that supposedly represents educators would be interested in talking to a real educator, not just accepting the claims of any opportunist who comes down the pike.

Lisa Vipperman

Comment on Classroom Walkthroughs: Learning to See the Trees and the Forest by Darryl Adkins

Darryl Adkins — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 01:26:18 +0000

I’ve been searching for a solution to completing a quality walk-through while being able to analyze what’s going on in the classroom for years and years. Recently I discovered an app called Classroom Walk-Through. It’s simple, quick, and it’s intuitive, allowing me to focus on the happenings in the room.
Best of all, I can customize it to meet my needs. It’s the best I’ve seen so far.
Definitely worth checking out.

Comment on Using iPads to Teach Vocabulary by Shanna Put

Shanna Put — Sun, 24 Feb 2013 14:16:57 +0000

It is a very good idea. It could help children of all ages.

Comment on Building a Better Teacher by Illyeanna La Torres

Illyeanna La Torres — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 20:51:12 +0000

Behavioral patterns of teachers must be researched in order to arrive at why some teachers are effective, not effective, highly effective, and so forth. The fact that Lemov’s taxonomy has 49 behaviors as a culmination of five years of Lemov’s study of the behaviors of teachrs shows that Lemov has done his research. I particularly like his statement, “what looked like a natural born genius was often deliberate technique disguise.” Some people felt that the Beatles were geniuses. However, it was discovered that at the time they came up into rock n’ roll, they were the hardest practicing band in the world. What looked like genius was actually hard and strenuous practice in a field of expertise (Malcolm Gladwell’s “10,000 Rule,” to which Bill Gates attributes his success. Great observation, Lemov!

Comment on Special Education at Utah Virtual Academy by Christine Robenalt

Christine Robenalt — Sat, 05 Jan 2013 17:19:51 +0000

I am a P.T. In Colorado looking for some guidance/resources for providing virtual p.t. For an online academy in Colorado. Any insight on providers I could talk with, materials I could read???

Comment on From Red Flags to Green Flags by Hampers in Melbourne

Hampers in Melbourne — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 09:37:45 +0000

This is good that he is improving himself day by day. This is really an amazing story of Mason.

Comment on Seeing is Believing—Visible Learning and Teaching by Seeing is Believing—Visible Learning and Teaching | mistercooke's teaching blog

Wed, 07 Nov 2012 21:20:40 +0000

[...] article from http://www.essentialeducator.org summarzing John Hattie’s research on Visible [...]

Comment on From Red Flags to Green Flags by Marion West

Marion West — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 02:48:58 +0000

This is an amazing story of love and encouragment of the parents. I am the deaf great grandmother of Mason. He used to close his eyes or look away when he saw me but now he is opening up to people, slowly but surely! His Grandpa likes to snatch him and hold him and he is responding! It may take a long while but hopefully more green flags will be opening up!

Comment on Special Education at Utah Virtual Academy by Jennifer

Jennifer — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 12:13:18 +0000

This is outstanding! Thank you for thinking outside of the box to provide a means for all students to have a chance at success.

Comment on Placement of Young Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder into Employment by michaelh

michaelh — Mon, 17 Sep 2012 21:28:52 +0000

Hi Sherri, and thank you for your comment and question. First, congratulations to your nephew in graduating. If he is in Utah, the appropriate agency is the Division of Rehabilitation Services, and their contact and service information can be found here:
Division of Rehabilitation Services — USOR Web Portal System
http://www.usor.utah.gov/division-of-rehabilitation-services
The USOR assists individuals with documented disabilities with job and higher education training/education. A diagnosis from a qualified professional is required, but USOR would be helpful in discussing this with you. Good luck. regards,
Michael Herbert, UPDC

Comment on Placement of Young Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder into Employment by Sharri

Sharri — Fri, 14 Sep 2012 12:47:07 +0000

My nephew is 19 recently graduated high school. Although never diagnosed with autism all the signs are there.
I am looking for any guidance or help to lead me in the right direction to find some assistance for him to gain training and job placement somewhere.
Thank you, Sharri

Comment on Inclusion and Peer Buddies: Making the Exception the Norm by Charter Schools and LRE: Thinking Outside the Box | Transition Universe

Charter Schools and LRE: Thinking Outside the Box | Transition Universe — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 10:35:49 +0000

[...] (eSSENTIAL EDUCATOR: Inclusion and Peer Buddies: Making the Exception the Norm, [...]

Comment on The Critical Need for Providing Early Visual Language to the Deaf Child by Mindy

Mindy — Sat, 16 Jun 2012 03:54:59 +0000

It’s amazing article! I’m deaf myself that I’m fluently in ASL that I understand what the child is going through in his life.
The child is not alone that there’s many other advocates & supporters to help many deaf & disabilities to reach their goals.

Comment on Coaching: Hugs Or Slugs: What Will It Be Today? by Susan Miller

Susan Miller — Thu, 10 May 2012 15:07:17 +0000

Congratulations… not only on the publication of this article, but on your successful work in the SLCSD. There are many regular education teachers who could benefit greatly from your model of high expectations, scaffolding the work for diverse learners within a cohesive core curriculum that allows access to grade level materials, and the importance of knowing where your students are and where they need to go. Don’t leave us. We need your insight and enthusiasm for your work as coaches.

Comment on Do High-Tech Interactive Whiteboards Raise Achievement? by Alex Quinn

Alex Quinn — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 17:05:12 +0000

I thought the same thing until my school recently implemented these interactive whiteboards to my classroom a few months ago. They were a bit hard to grasp at first, but I have found that the children enjoy becoming involved in them and from my observations do learn from them. Even though scientifically they may not be proven to have students learn and gain more knowledge through these whiteboards and other technological advances, these are the tools that are being used in the real world. Business meetings, college classrooms, lectures, and other formal events are using these types of devices to go on with their daily functions and it is better that they become acquainted and familiar with them from an early age, then to be presented with them at a later age not knowing how to even operate them. I don't think it should completely take away from teacher's regular practices either though. I alternate days in my classroom where some days we can use the technological advances offered by our school districts, and then some days where we will not even touch it in a ways to bring a balance of old school and new school. Also for schools that are on a tight budget bringing in IWB programs to the classroom, Teach Hub offers some free programs to use that may be useful to you. I'd rather the schools bring in technology that actually is beneficial to the students instead of replacing textbooks every two years just because one chapter is written differently, but that is just my opinion. It is 2012 and we must do what Charles Darwin as said, ADAPT!

Comment on Placement of Young Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder into Employment by aspiemama

aspiemama — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 00:55:29 +0000

See “Self-injurious behavior in Autism Spectrum Disorder” Self injury, self harm, self-abusive behavior is something DSM-5 has yet to acknowledge is common among autistics of all functioning levels. Failing to research self injurious behaviors in the spectrum is not helping autism community.

Comment on Placement of Young Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder into Employment by Abby

Abby — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 21:45:22 +0000

I am the older sibling of a young adult with high functioning autism. He is 21, attends community college full, and has a part time job (both school and work are modified for him. My family is concerned about his future. We recently began looking into Social Security Disability. Our initial application was denied, we appealed and were granted a hearing. At the hearing the judge began by reprimanding my parents and our advocate for even filling for disability in the first place stating that “This young man is NOT disabled.” Has anyone else experianced anything like this or recieved SS Disability?

Comment on Dropouts: Who are they? Where are they? What can we do? by Rachael

Rachael — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 03:21:35 +0000

I think people need to realize there are people like me out there. I slipped through the cracks of the educational system because of Asperger’s. Nobody understood Asperger’s back in the late eighties when I was in high school. I tell people about it now and many of them don’t know what it is. I have hated the high school I went to and the people in it for all of these years because of how abandoned I felt. It hurt that I was just left to my own devices!!! I feel I restored my dignity by achieving my Associate’s Degree and now I’m working on a Bachelor’s. The pain of going undiagnosed until this month (at age 41) is hard to take sometimes. It hurts that it took this many years to figure out why I was a dropout and not a trouble maker or pregnant teen.

Comment on Dropouts: Who are they? Where are they? What can we do? by Rachael

Rachael — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 03:12:16 +0000

I was a drop out because I had undiagnosed learning disabilites that are under the Asperger’s umbrealla; I got a GED and an Associate’s Degree back in the ninetees. It wasn’t until this year that someone suggest I get tested for Aspeger’s and I am forty one! I just discovered I have it at this age…For all those years I wondered why a bright kid like me had to quit school. I wonder if there are a lot of people like me who just slipped through the cracks and were good kids like I was…..

Comment on Integrating Technology With the Common Core by Common Core Standards + Technology Integration | Lou Anne Miller

Common Core Standards + Technology Integration | Lou Anne Miller — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:21:39 +0000

[...] “Integrating Technology With the Common Core” [...]

Comment on Salt Lake: Storytime for Children With Autism by herelt

herelt — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 17:41:07 +0000

thank you.

Comment on Student Goal Setting and Student Achievement by Kendra

Kendra — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 14:47:31 +0000

I piloted a program 3 years ago for our 3rd-5th grade elementary school students to keep goal setting “Data Binders”. This binder is simple a basic 3-ring binder divided by content area (for us Reading, Math, Science) and then further divided into the 9-weeks instructional grading periods. Each 9-weeks the students take pre and post formative assessments for each content area. They record their pre test scores, reflect on their specific learning deficits, document them, and set a goal for the post assessment. Students also use these binders to conduct/lead their own parent-teacher-student conferences, thus making them more involved and more accountable for their learning. It has been very successful practice for our students and I recommend a similar program for all students age 7-8 and above. For younger students, teacher conferring and guided reflection and goal setting may be more appropriate.

Comment on Salt Lake: Storytime for Children With Autism by Caron

Caron — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 20:29:09 +0000

I’m a big fan of sensory stimuli that involve new ways of learning and engaging youth. Your program is a wonderful outlet for child, parents and community awareness. Your commitment to help “all” children in Sensory Storytime is great!

Comment on Placement of Young Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder into Employment by Cathy Longstroth

Cathy Longstroth — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 00:47:04 +0000

With unemployment rates still at record highs, this can be a challenge for anyone. I suggest connecting with other parents in Georgia who have or have had similar challenges and enlist their advice and help. An active website for collaborationis the Georgia Parent Network at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ga-parentnetwork/ Another good avenue is the Parent to Parent website at http://p2pga.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=frontpage&Itemid=1 Focus on your child’s strengths and keep looking.

Comment on Placement of Young Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder into Employment by michaelh

michaelh — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 18:27:55 +0000

Fernanda, I understand your frustration. Assessment and diagnosis of learning difficulties in not an exact science and a skilled diagnostician is needed in situations like yours. The best resource I can recommend is the Learning Disabilities Association (LDA), and their website is: http://www.ldanatl.org/ There is a wealth of information here and keep digging.

Comment on Placement of Young Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder into Employment by Fernanda Hernandez

Fernanda Hernandez — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 17:14:06 +0000

I have a 22 years old daughter that had learnings dissabilities, her IQ in High school show she was bordr line ,she seems very smart and is hard to see her problems is hard to pin point what she has !! I need help on what to do ??re evaulate??now the problem is findding a job to survive in this world ,we try Dept of Labor in Ga and they did not help,they suggested being a voluntier for a job and then get back with them…..dont understand who can help this kind of people and their families….so frustraded!!!!can some one help?????

Comment on IEP Meeting Conversation Stoppers by michaelh

michaelh — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 15:05:30 +0000

Thank you for the comment. The most effective teachers realize the power of including parents as full partners in the education of their children. In fact, “home environment” is one of the strongest predictors of student achievement. Effective teachers treat all children as they would like their own children to be treated. I wonder if some of the apparent “disrespect” is fostered by the fixation on high-stakes testing, where students are treated as numbers and not individuals.

Comment on IEP Meeting Conversation Stoppers by Hap Hazzard

Hap Hazzard — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 21:38:31 +0000

I am often amazed by the low levels of human respect shown by professional educators to the parent(s) of a student with a disability. It not that teachers try to be mean, but some how their lack of regard for those with less power, lower SES or a lesser education manifests in less that professional comments and common respect. Teaching can be stressful, but there is no excuse for any negative or disrespectful comments during a special education meeting. The child’s parent(s) are more stressed, upset and often very confused; we need to be mindful of their needs during our conservations about the education of their child.

Comment on Teaching Students to Ask Their Own Questions by Dan Rothstein

Dan Rothstein — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 22:43:45 +0000

Thanks for letting more teachers in Utah know about this. It’s a great resource for helping students begin to problem-solve and think in new ways. There are additional resources at our website.

Comment on Utah Lawmaker Proposes Making School Districts pay for College Remediation by michaelh

michaelh — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 20:14:58 +0000

Ouch, good point about college programs and teacher prep. It appears that this blame game is all about money as far as the legislature is concerned. College programs have large (and profitable?) classes to bring incoming students up to speed in English and math. It remains a mystery to me how we can continue to build expensive prisons in our state as economic growth industries. We spend something like 6,000 per pupil in K-12 education, but 33,000 to incarcerate one inmate.

Comment on Dr. Temple Grandin Speaks out on Neurodiversity and Education at USU by Nan Gray

Nan Gray — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 01:23:31 +0000

I loved being able to “attend” Dr. Grandin’s lecture via the Essential Educator. Thanks for providing this great opportunity!

Comment on Utah Lawmaker Proposes Making School Districts pay for College Remediation by Sbertola

Sbertola — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 21:37:51 +0000

This is looking somewhat like playing the blame game. Do school districts then have the option to turn around and charge colleges that turn out graduates who have graduated as trained teachers that school districts have to remediate before they are able to teach a class and manage students at an expected level? Do businesses have the right to charge colleges for graduates who do not make the grade when hired right out of college as well? Let’s give this bill some additional thought before submitting it for consideration.

Comment on A New Look at Lesson Study by Kristie Ruesch

Kristie Ruesch — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 06:32:36 +0000

The faculty at my school is in the process of refining our “collaboration time”. Instead of focusing on the laundry list that needs to be done, we are working toward this method of collaboration. Our hope is to improve the effectiveness of our lesson delivery and our school’s overall delivery of services.

Comment on Dr. Temple Grandin Speaks out on Neurodiversity and Education at USU by Jeri Rigby

Jeri Rigby — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 17:25:53 +0000

Thanks for sharing this lecture with Dr. Temple Grandin. Her first-hand insights and recommendations for
educational practices are very powerful.

Comment on Should kindergarten students use iPads? by michaelh

michaelh — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 15:28:18 +0000

I’d love a short article about this experience and results to share with our readers! Michael Herbert, Editor

Comment on Should kindergarten students use iPads? by Tom Johnson

Tom Johnson — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 00:14:05 +0000

Where is your program located? What Apps are you using? I’m sure our readers would love to know!

Comment on Should kindergarten students use iPads? by Kim Floyd

Kim Floyd — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 23:16:13 +0000

I was part of a pilot program this summer with 18 pre-kinder kids and 18 ipads. The experience was magical, but the remarkable thing was the student success. I did pre and post testing prior to iPad exposure, then used an application designed to increase student vocabulary. My non english speaking students quadrupled their exposure to academic language in just four weeks of summer school. Once the kids were integrated into kindergarten, they became the star students because they were able to teach others how to access iPad apps. I’m a believer. I am now back in my own kindergarten with 30 kids, and 10 ipads, not an ideal ratio, but I am able to provide my students with instruction at individualized levels, something I could not do by myself. (I don’t have a classroom aid.)

Comment on Instructional Leadership: Slaying the Two-Headed Monster by Brenda Bates

Brenda Bates — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 19:13:26 +0000

Using an academic coach to support teachers in their classrooms is a great way to start to slay the two-headed dragon. Having another invested educator in the classroom working collaboratively with teachers offers so many opportunities for dialog for improving student outcomes. Teachers need to see coaching as an opportunity for growth, for their students and for themselves. As a coach, I have something to offer. I don’t know everything about every situation but I can observe and then problem solve with teachers who are ready to be reflective about their teaching. I say, “charge! Let’s slay the dragon!”

Comment on Andrews’ Story by Cathy Longstroth

Cathy Longstroth — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 17:46:29 +0000

At this time of educational change and the enormous emphasis on standardized testing, it’s valuable to remember that “not everything that is important can be tested and not everything that’s tested is important.” How do you measure the impact of a Ms. Gertsch or a Mrs. Kilgore? How do we measure the life lessons learned from Andrew? We need to remember children and their test scores are not “products,” they are people. When we look at the possibilities and not just the obstacles we can be as we can all be as “pleasantly surprised” as Naomi and Ray. Thanks for sharing this.

Comment on A New Look at Lesson Study by Peggy Childs

Peggy Childs — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 15:54:34 +0000

Darcy, you are in the right place at the right time. The topic for November’s Utah Mentor Teacher Academy is Lesson Study. Our original plan was to talk about the different service delivery models. Further thought lead us to Lesson Study which can assist ALL types of service delivery. One thoughtful individual can lead the change in their school. Looks like UMTA will give you some good information to take back to your school and start you on your journey.

Comment on A New Look at Lesson Study by Darcy Dillingham

Darcy Dillingham — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 22:26:21 +0000

Last spring GEA lobbied for and our school board approved collaboration time for elementary schools in our district. There was little to no direction beyond how and when this could be accomplished. The what was left up to individual teams or schools. I would love to see our teachers have access to information about this model to help them improve “the instructional capacity of school staff” utilizing “collaborative energy and knowledge”.

Comment on A New Look at Lesson Study by Ann Jacobsem

Ann Jacobsem — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 21:57:06 +0000

This model is much like the one we use at our school. Since our school started this a couple of years ago, our students’ progress has increased greatly. It took us a while to get out of the mind set that we are our own islands unto ourselves and start to work together, but as we did, we found ourselves collaborating together for the learning progress of our students. We saw a big difference. It gave us the comfort of having other ideas to contribute to our lesson planning and problem solving. I am a resource teacher at our school. My team is made up of myself, our speech and language therapist and our ESL teachers (special services). Although we have quite different services in many ways, we are able to collaborate about the students we share. We are able to compare goals and objectives and make sure we aren’t duplicating services which leaves us more time to serve that child in other areas they may need.

Comment on Andrews’ Story by Laura Boutwell

Laura Boutwell — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 21:54:08 +0000

I’m so proud to know that he has done so well. I was on that pre-k team that recommended that he be placed in a “diagnostic” kindergarten setting. It’s enlightening to know that the determined special ed teacher directed this family and supported the class teacher so considerably that he was able to succeed in the regular kindergarten environment and beyond.
Congratulations to Andrew and to his parents for your achievements.
Laura Boutwell

Comment on The Power of Teacher Praise by edward

edward — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 03:13:51 +0000

thank you for expossing both sides of the coin as far as “praising” is applied by teachers.l feel Alfie Kohn has made a point,praise stimulates some learners ,those with behavioural disorders can end up demanding it,thus we ought to use it with caution.