Peggy’s Reflections

Paul, Ringo, John, and George sang that they didn’t want to change the world. I do. Could it be taking a UDL approach with one transition student or arguing persuasively in UDL’s behalf to a single administrator? Sure. But I’m not one to think small. I believe that change coupled with positive results has contagious appeal. My goal is to take what I have learned during the institue and incoporate it into my conversations, my workplace, and my writing and watch the ripple effect. (Sometimes, ripples are caused by fish gasping for oxygen on a cloudy day beneath the surface of the water. In this case, I’m referring to the kind of ripple a happy, enthusiastic kid skims across the pond, gleefully learning what happens in the process, and then running to tell all of her friends to come and give it a try, too).

The first population I plan to introduce to the skimming stone phase of “Peggy’s UDL-On-The- Loose” project, would be my post-secondary students on the Autism spectrum. I’m fascinated by the challenge Susanne presented that would involve research and action linking Vodcasts to functional life skills instruction. And this just doesn’t address supermarket tasks or mobility training (i.e. how to use the supermarket self-service aisle, cross a street wwith multiple points of traffic, etc). I foresee endless possiblities involving higher level executive functioning skills as well, the nemesis of many college students on and off the spectrum. Because UDL is not a proprietary secret shared only among the special ed community or assistive techies. We’re talking the world here. Everybody join in.

That leads me to Leyla’s vision, that she shared with the class. Namely, to expand distance learning opportunities to the deaf community. From there, I had the pleasure of joining a collaborative effort with Leyla as my partner. We came up with the idea of a “digital inlet” to establish the groundwork for greater participation on the web for deaf individuals, those who are deaf/blind, and those with Usher’s Syndrome. Somehow, the Institute made ideas seem workable because of the training it provided in constructing action plans. So my hope is to continue to maintain a working relationship with Leyla that becomes a Community of Practice surrounding the d-inlet.net. Imagine how worldwide connectivity for not only these special populations, but their famlies, peers, business associates and more would have an incredible ripple effect at evey level of society! Leyla, count me in! Let’s do it!

I will glady be an ambassador for UDL. But that will require considerable personal investment of time and “Benjamins” (thank you Group 2 – Joe, Jen and Arvette for the hip terminology…to help make this post a little less frumply). That’s the beauty of immersion. It really helps us all discover our interests and strengths and desire to put them to maximum use. So looks like I’ll be heading back to DC if all goes well to add a few more credentials to my tool kit so that I am better prepared to move the “Peggy’s UDL-On-The- Loose” Project forward exponentially in the years ahead.

Thank you to the course staff for the learning and the laughs and the INSPIRATION and to all of my coursemates for making this week a fantasic working vaction with some of the most engaging, fun-loving, and dedicated individuals I could hope to meet. It was a capitol experience!

Peggy

When I was in first grade, and petrified of my teacher, (an elderly nun with scary eyes and a fast ruler), we were instructed to write a composition.  Sr. Scary siad that meant writing at least 3 sentences about the same thing.  We were not allowed ot use our erasers.  We had to be right the first time.  We also had to skip lines.  some were solid and some were dashed and i wasn’t sure what lines were supposed to be skipped.  My life was a horror show durin ghte week that this composition dominated my every waking and nightmaring moment of sleep.  Because I didn’t know how to wrtie enough words to consturct 3 sentences.  I understood the goal.  I even understaood the method and the materials.  I also knew how it was going to be assesses.  Nothing but perfection would do.

So I wrote about the only noun I could think of that first day we had to commit something to paper.  “Now, Margaret Mary.  Write something right now! 1 – 2- 3….”  So I did.  I remebered how to spell boat.  Red.  and Green.  Have.  I.  It.  Is.  Like.  My.  What could be a more fascinating composition than a city kid whose feet had never left the asphlat writing something she knew nothing about.  A boat. 

When I work with my students in a transition context, it is essential that students clearly understand the goal at hand, because it can be tough to make the connection between the classroom, community-based instruction, and real-world expectations of an indepedent adult.  The UDL approach not only establishes a well-defined the goal, but insures that the means to achieve it are varied, flexible and challenging, with necessary supports.  What is most necessary in the transition curriculum, is motivating students to use prior experience to build understanding.  Starting over is never an option in real life!  Consequently, the transition curriculum must continually provide the opportuntiy for students to show what they know in a variety of contexts and in an ongoing way, without the starts and stops traditional curriculum ordinarily espouse.  Knowing what students need to learn, what strategies and materials they need to accomplish the goal, and what assessment needs to accompany the task to be sure that progress is authentic, assures students a true learning experience for life. 

The progress chart that students use is incredibly motivating.  My kids used colored highlighters for each substep so they could see how well they were learning to read based on this visual feedback.  I also had students choose their reinforcer at the completion of each sub step (i.e. Yu-Gi-Oh cards).  They rose to the challenge every time.  Also, the pride in accomplishment kicked in because they were learning individually and on their own level rather than under the scrutiny and criticism of peers.   They were achieving their goal of becoming readers at their own pace and successfully! 

Last night’s readings validated a sense of traditional education that has always  ruffled my feathers.  Education can be downright snobby and elitist, geared toward analytical learners and analytical means of assessment.  UDL, as explained in the Rose texts, not only challenges traditional beliefs that students need to comply in order to learn, but it replaces compliance with passionate agreement between the way a student learns best and the manner in which the curriculum functions to address the unique charactieristics of that learner. 

Education has seen so many trends and fads that UDL might be misconstrued in this same vein.  However, Teaching Every Student in the Digital Age outlined the significance of this framework.  It is researched based, drawing on neuroscience and cognitive learning theory.  Moreover, it does not dilute previous efforts (such as whole language or phonics) , but rather recognizes that flexbility in representation, strategy and affect is essential in order to meet specific learning needs.  Creating flexibility is further expanded within the concept of UDL by capitalizing upon the explosion in digital media, resources that can further expand options for students by designing engaging curricula from the outset, a necessary reality in today’s diverse classrooms.  

As a post-secondary transition educator, I have found that my students have a huge range of abilities and difficulties.  Overcoming barriers while providing meanigful challenges to motivate learning is an essential element of UDL that applies perfectly to this population.  Moroever, UDL had tremendous implications from the standpoint of self-determination.  It empowers individual goal-setting, choice-making, and risk-taking, as well as can use simulated experiences to enahcne knoweldge of the real-world.  Outstanding! 

Too often as a learner, I found that I was completing endless busy work, rather than pursuing  knowledge that directly related to my interests.  I became driven for grades.  I can only imagine the frustration of a student who has had a similar experience without the positive reinforcement of a report card that says, “Well done!” UDL ends that cycle of frustration be replacing it with purposeful learning.

Implementing UDL will be a painstaking process in a traditional environment.  However, we do have many “younger” teachers who are itching to use digital media in the classroom.  I can foresee a community of practice developing at our school…starting small and building UDL curricula.  Administration would be far more receptive to a research-based framework.  So  I’m definitely ready to make the pitch. 

Peggy

Books.  I love ‘em!  Beach books, text books, old books, new books.  I can’t imagine life as a non-reader.  When I was invited by the school’s reading specialist to participate in Wilson Reading Training to learn how to help struggling readers succeed, I was thrilled at the prospect.  But Wilson training was a completely new experience.  I never realized that the English language was so exasperatingly complicated!  However, re-learning how to read was for me a defining opportunity.  It enabled me to understand my students’ frustration and even sadness when they arrived in a post-secondary program and approached reading with dread and distaste.  

The training methodology appealed to every kind of learner.  Lectures were accompanied by demonstrations, and participants had constant opportunities to engage in hands-on learning using colorful cards, velcro boards, and bright tiles.  Videos complemented the efforts of the face-to-face trainer.  Also, we often broke into pairs to practice strategies and gain experience from one another.  The most flexible aspect of the training involved question and answer sessions; overall, the format was highly structured. 

Because of the depth of the training, I began to view language skills with greater curiosity.  I worked with the reading specialist to research fluency methods that would build upon the Wilson Training students were receiving.  In addiiton, I developed a yearning to go beyond reading instruction to exploring innovative ways to develop writing skills.  Without question, becoming a learner myself dismissed my assumption that reading was a delightful pastime and students just needed a little patient instruction to reach that same conclusion.  The reverse was true.  I discovered that language arts is a complex, demanding, and challenging  endeavor requiring a wide range of techniques and strategies to connect and solidify skills.