Assistive Technology
This topic is near and dear to my heart. I think all professionals in schools should be aware of the technologies available to assist individuals with special needs as well as receive training every year updating them on the technology and how to utilize it. I wholeheartedly agree with the statement made in the learning module calling for "people first" language, concentrating on the individual rather than the disability.
One of my responsibilities is to choose a Book of the Month which centers around developing character education as well as exploring multiculturalism. I create a packet for the teachers to assist them with strategies on how to incorporate the book into the curriculum. This past June's book was entitled We Can Do It! and it was a nonfiction biographical sketch of 5 youngsters with varying disabilities and how they display courage to perform their daily activities and how they like and do the same stuff as other children. Well, I have to tell you, the teachers and students fell in love with the book and the children in the book. They saw them as real people overcoming challenges and the students really made connections. The teachers thanked me for choosing a book which encouraged their students to think about others. I hope my school community has become a little more aware about individuals with disabilities are "real" people and I think I will offer the information in this week's learning module as a resource for my colleagues.
Let me know how you feel about this topic and the treatment it receives in your school.
**Beatrice**
7 comments:
Hi Beatrice-
Well said! What a great way to send a message AND by selecting the title as a "book of the month", it ensures that all students are learning about children with different disabilities.
This past year, though I'm not technically in the library, I had the opportunity to spend the library's budget money for collection development. Several of the titles that I selected were about students with disabilities. It's an area within our collection that needed to be further expanded to build awareness among students.
~Kate
I couldn't agree with you more, Kate! And it seems as though the students are interested and receptive as well.
**Beatrice**
Hi ladies,
I too made this issue on of my focuses for collection development when I won the Laura Bush grant. I actually wrote the grant with that purpose in mind to diversify the collection, especially, since I mentioned that I have a very large population of students with special needs.
Beatrice,
Your story really warmed my heart :) I think it is so great that you are an active advocate for encouraging open minded thinking and exposing the children to various points of view. I would love to hear more about how you accomplish this. Do you use the school's curriculum maps? How do you make your decision and show the connections to the curriculum. I would love to start doing something like this in my school, but would be unsure where to start. Did you start this idea/program or did it already exist when you came into the library?
Hi Thea,
The Book of the Month program ran on a smaller scale in my school many years ago, but it was just the principal reading abook over the loudspeaker each month and the classroom teachers would be responsible for discussing it. Then the program was dropped for many years for whatever reason (I had nothing to do with it originally.) We got a new principal 2 years ago and she and I sat down and talked about it and came up with this model. The book would be a middle of the road picture book-since my school is Pre-K-8, each month it would represent a different cultural group and it would also be a story displaying a character trait of the month. The principal allowed me free reign to choose the books, then I would present them to her for approval. She hasn't turned one down yet. It really takes a lot of time to choose the books, looking for what's current or even tried and true. I also create a packet for the books for the teachers to follow and a lot of teachers post this work on their bulletin boards. I have already given her the 10 books for next year and need to write the 1st 3 packets over the summer. I then order the books months in advance so we have them in the building (65 copies of each) and I do a bulletin board in the main lobby introducing each book. It's a lot of work, but my school community seems to love it! Hope this helps!
**Beatrice**
Wow Beatrice!
Sounds like a lot of work. I am really impressed!
Beatrice --
I'd love the full title and author of your featured book for June -- is would be received warmly at my school. We are taking on more and more special needs students and staff and kids alike would benefit from your book's message.
Also, did you ever consider using a book from ICDL as a book of the month? (I am toying with the idea now that each class has 5 laptops and the school is wireless.)
Hi Julie-
The title of the book is We Can Do It! by Laura Dwight. I hadn't thought of using an ICDL book-but that may be in the cards now that you've suggested it! Thanks.
**Beatrice**
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