ActivSoftware Inspire Edition

I will call this a techie teacher week for me, and I can never be more excited. With all the cool stuff that are coming out for educators in the middle of a recession, I am so glad that I am a teacher. I realized that the world will do whatever it takes for the children to learn the skills that they should know and be able to do to survive in this 21st century.

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I was on the phone speaking with a colleague of mine while surfing the internet on some techie stuff for the classroom when I stumbled upon this site...

ActivSoftware Inspire Edition is coming out soon! I bet those who know me can already imagine how I reacted when I saw this...I again said to myself "Oh gosh, this is what my students need, I want it!" It was like an answer to a tech problem that my students discovered recently.

Last Thursday my students worked on few pre-algebra items as a warm up before the class started. They were able to solve for the variables quietly and would like to show and present their answers on the Promethean Board. The board was big enough for two students to work at the same time, so I gave each of them an ActivPen. But something went wrong that they could not write straight when they started writing at the same time; writings were scratched. When I saw it I asked them to stop messing with the board but they said "it was the pen" . I tried writing at the same time with the student and it's true, my students just discovered a glitch! It was a simple technology challenge but they were a bit frustrated and one student just let the other go ahead.

With the ActivSoftware Inspire this is not going to happen anymore, "it offers dual input capability, allowing two users to use the Activboard at the same time". I also read that "Activsoftware Inspire Edition is fully compatible with all operating systems, including Windows, Mac and Linux, and in line with current interoperability guidelines, is compatible with any brand of interactive whiteboard". It was another answer to the needs of the teachers and the students.

I can't wait to see what other educators say about this:

National Board resources, books, blogs

I have been receiving emails from my colleagues who are NBCTs and advanced candidates asking me if I am going to the meeting on Tuesday at Francis-Stevens. It was cancelled last time due to the icy weather.

I am thrilled that I will be seeing them again, and will be sharing and learning from each of our national board experiences again. I will be bringing my almost finished entries and video, all I need are feedback from my mentors and my Entry 3 is ready to go! I video taped my entry the day before the winter break and finished the written commentary during the 2-week vacation. So all I have to do now is to relax and present it to my mentors and readers.

I went through some of my favorite resources which I found helpful during this process of completing my National Board, which you may find them useful too:

*More National Board Certification Books* = great books!

Assessment Center Reviewer = some retired prompts for your computer based assessment...

Highly Recommended Resources = internet resources from NBCTs and other school ditricts for teachers pursuing the National Board...

More NBCT blogs = I was just a their stalker but I learned a lot from them...

NBCT Candidate= I am not sure if he knows that I was his stalker too...

*National Board Certification Workbook* = will cost you a little but will help a lot...

National Board Candidate too = Another blog that I follow...

National Board Certified Teacher's Directory= find your NBCT colleagues in your area...

Blog reformatting

Me, five years ago in my classroom reading my student's journal entry to the class. I just found this pic when I was going through some old files to see what have changed since then.
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Do you know the feeling when you wake up in the middle of the night full of burning ideas that you cannot wait to make happen? It occurs very often to me since the beginning of this year 2009 and many different bright ideas are raising in my mind.

I thought it will stop when I redecorated my classroom and updated my students' works on the bulletin board. I posted new entries in this blog, got reconnected with some friends whom I haven't talked to for a long time now, cleaned the house and got rid of old trash...I still get sleepless nights, ideas are rushing.

I just have to do something with these burning ideas that can't wait to happen. I feel positive that 2009 is going to be a more productive year for me and my family, for my students, for the special education teachers whom I serve as the WTU Vice President for Special Education, and for my readers who are loyal followers of this blog.

So, let's make it happen! You will see some changes in this blog gradually:

1. Blog title will change. I was just lazy when I thought of this name on my header ("Special Education Teacher in Washington DC") which was not very creative at all. I would like it to reflect the real me as a teacher. When I was back home in the Philippines everybody who knew me as an educator addressed me as Teacher Sol. "Sol" it means sun, it's all about positivity, energy, brightness, power that is contagious. This will be the new name for this blog: Teacher Sol.

2. Format will change. I am still thinking how I am going to do this but I want to assure you that it is not going to be boring. I would like to write some more about how I am integrating technology in my classroom, and share how we can develop and improve ourselves to become a skilled teacher that our 21st century students need. After I attended the Discovery Education training yesterday, I found myself again. It was like a rebirth of my techie teaching skills. It has validated what I have long been doing in my classroom and have been sharing to my colleagues in emails and lunch chats. More techie teaching tips for you in this blog!

3. Shorter links list. I will try to squeeze together some of links that I have on the right sidebar. Can't do this overnight, so please be patient with me. I will be posting monthly "Faves" too on my favorite entries as a wrap up at the end of the month.

Please let me know how you like the changes as I make them, I would appreciate your feedback. We will revisit the changes that I made at the end of this month and see which works well and what other things should be improved. What else do you want to see from my blog?

Discovery Education Network

I went to a professional development training by Discovery Education today and I went home feeling so excited to blog about the great things and opportunities they have for teachers who are integrating technology in the classroom. I registered to join the professional learning network for teachers, DEN (Discovery Educator Network) and I applied to become a STAR Discovery Educator (hoping for a cruise too!). Here's the video for those who are interested:

Software for a class website?

When I first created my class website, I started small by just posting some greetings and a few class assignments. I played around with the administrator's page, tinkering and tweaking some of the widgets, I learned how to upload photos and create hyperlinks. It was easy as emailing, actually!

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So, have you decided to create a class website and become a 21st century educator, and be more collaborative, innovative, visionary, risk taker and leader? Great! Let's not waste time and get started...

If you are already a teacher blogger, you know that there are many free blogging sites on the internet that offer this service for free. You can actually use a blog as your class website like what I did. Creating a class website does not have to cost you anything, and you can still have the level of security and the most necessary features that you need for a class website.

Here are some free hosting sites:

- TypePad TypePad is an excellent solution for small class websites because it includes the ability to customize your site's design, moderate comments, and much more.

- Blogger This is the one that I use. Blogger lets you create one or more free class websites, into which you can easily post text and photos. You can enable comments on a website-wide or post by post basis, authorize other authors, and establish your profile. You can change the design of your class website by choosing different colors and fonts, selecting a new template or even editing the HTML directly. There are a wide range of tools you can drag and drop onto your class website, such as polls, slideshows and link lists. You can also publish an entry directly from a mobile phone, adding text and photos without even logging in.

- Blogsome Blogsome is a WordPress-based website with a choice of themes and templates. You can upload photos, and personalise the design of your class website. Various plugins are available to further customize your class website.

- ClearBlogs You can set up a class website with a choice of over 30 templates, support for public and private entries, multiple authors and more. A WYSIWYG editor is available to make adding different fonts, colors, styles, and images easy when you write new posts. Spam protection features are enabled, and authors can ban individual users based on their IP address.

- LiveJournal You can use LiveJournal to set up a private journal, class website, discussion forum or social network. You can control the security of each entry, or make everything private so that nobody else has access. A wide range of layouts to choose from, with a wizard to help customize headers, footers and sidebars. You can embed media content from sites such as YouTube, Photobucket and Slide.

- Wordpress.com Set up a public or private class website with one of over 60 themes. You can also customize the underlying CSS code for fuller control over the look of your class website. Built-in rich text editor with spell-checker and preview tool. Integrated stats. Automatic spam protection.
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Yes, it's super easy to create a class website. Let me know what happens....

NCATE president calls on Rhee to support potential NBCTs

In July last year, I have blogged about my conversation with Chancellor Rhee when I urged her to support the aspiring candidates for the National Board Certification. Six months later, the president of the NCATE is following through...

In a letter published by The Washington Post, James G. Cibulka, president of the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education, encourages D.C. Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee to support her district's teachers who wish to pursue National Board Certification. "We need to use every tool available to raise student and teacher performance," Cibulka writes. The Washington Post

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Here are my favorite posts on the status of DCPS support for teachers who want to pursue the National Board Certification:

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UPDATE onSupport to the National Board in DCPS

Support to the National Board is Dwindling in DCPS

NBPTS Report: "Measuring What Matters"

On Open Letter to National Board Certified Teachers

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On the brighter side, I received an email from the AU Academic Director of Teacher Quality Enhancement for our first National Board Certification meeting for advanced candidates:.

Good Afternoon Everyone: Hope that you were warm and safe during our first snowfall and the icy days that followed. Most of you indicated that you would rather meet on Tuesday February 3 at Francis-Stevens MS at 4:45 PM. Please put that date on your calendar.

At any rate, I look forward to seeing you next week. Call or e-mail if you need information prior to the meeting. We now have 19 candidates.

Exciting! I feel so positive about this. DCPS needs more accomplished and effective teachers, and I will not let my students down.

How to Create a Class Website

http://digitalanthology.blogspot.com = my class website

The WaPo yesterday tells how teachers move toward paperless system to cut costs:

As school districts look to save money anywhere they can, some are moving toward a paperless operation. Teachers are more frequently turning to hands-on activities instead of student hand-outs and using online communication, such as e-mail and Internet newsletters. The Washington Post

You can call me a 21st century educator :) I have started innovating and have veered away from using papers since I created my class website. I have seldom used the photo copying machine in my school since distribution of copy paper has been a perennial issue, and it's too costly for me to buy. My gradebook is online too that the parents can see, review and track their child's class performance. Homework, lesson presentations, lesson plans and projects are posted on our class website which automatically sends email alerts to parents upon publishing.

Having a class website saves me a lot of time and money, and has improved my students' engagement in educational websites, and my collaboration with the parents has never been easier! My class website has also become my annual digital portfolio, documenting everything that we did in class during the school year. I only do minor tweaking and updates every year.

Creating a class website is simple especially if you are already a teacher blogger and/ or you have some training on HTML.

1. Decide which type of software you will use to create a class website. I use Blogger.com eversince I started blogging because I find it user friendly and it's free.

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2. Consider using a kid friendly template for your first attempt at website design. Your class website has to be appealing to your students and the parents so that they will want to come back. Some softwares already has a template so you just have to focus on building the content.

3. Add content to your website. I have all my weekly lesson plans in my class website, project announcements, a syllabus or class rules area, homework assignments or a calendar, and maybe a links section for learning more about in-class topics and playing educational games.

4. Decorate your website with graphics, clip art, background, cool fonts and other decorative items. If you think that is too cutesy, go for an abstract look. Remember to keep it simple since too much color and graphics make a site look busy and detract from its usability.

5. Tell students and parents about your site. Keep it updated on a regular basis with new announcements and homework assignments. Students and parents will only use it if you make it an indispensable communication tool.

Let me know how I can help, I'd be glad to assist you.

Top educator uses Wii to teach music

Helen Krofchick, the music teacher at DobyÕs Mill Elementary in Lugoff, helps Jasmine Sannicolas put the wii controller strap on her wrist. Krofchick is one of some 40 or 50 music teachers naionwide who was selected to use the wii music digital instrument and player to help teach music. - Tim Dominick/tdominick@thestate.

Children in a South Carolina elementary-school music class are playing simulated instruments using the Wii video gaming system as part of a pilot program in place in 70 schools nationwide. "It is highly motivating and has a high interest value. The students are able to interact immediately with a system that encapsulates visual, aural, physical -- fine and gross motor skills -- and emotional reactions and responses," said Helen Krofchick, who is a National Board Certified music teacher. The State (Columbia, S.C.)

Technology alters students' learning

Computers, video games and multitasking may have helped improve people's visual skills, but they also appear to have contributed to an erosion in critical-thinking and analysis skills, according to new research published in the journal Science. Reading, however, develops the imagination as well as deductive, reflection and critical-thinking stills, said researcher and UCLA psychology professor Patricia Greenfield, who also directs the Children's Digital Media Center of Los Angeles. "No one medium is good for everything," she said. "If we want to develop a variety of skills, we need a balanced media diet." ScienceDaily

Children with autism paired with buddies to create art

COURTESY PHOTO Sarasota Mayor Lou Ann Palmer reads to the children of the Pines of Sarasota Child Care Center this month as part of Celebrate Literacy Week, Florida. Pictured front row from left, are Palmer, Pines staff member Karen Hudak, Alex Pearson, Sabrina Fenolio, Alexis Perry, Aries Jones. Back row, Carson Reed. Palmer teamed up with the Early Learning Coalition of Sarasota County to participate in this statewide campaign designed to promote early childhood literacy.

Small groups of children with autism, children with academic gifts and their mainstream classmates worked together as part of a nine-week art project. "The project was more successful than we ever imagined," said autism teacher Marjorie Williams. "The post-test demonstrated a dramatic change in acceptance after the project ... [and] the children did not want to stop working with their new friends." Herald-Tribune (Sarasota, Fla.)

Front and Center

I rearranged the seats today for my students. Nope, I will never go back to arranging the chairs to the traditional columns-rows except during district wide assessments. I used to have it in a semi-circle but they continue to add students to my 1st and 2nd period classes that the semi-circle is becoming too big and my classroom is small. Collaborative seating arrangement, three to four chairs are now grouped together so that it's easy for us to do small group discussions.

I was browsing through some of my Differentiated Instruction books and I saw this interesting section which discussed that seating preferences and learning ability of students:

BACK ROW: The back row usually becomes the seating area for shy kids who try to avoid being called on; also a breeding ground for disruptive students. The back row is also an area where students may be easily distracted and led astray by friends.

FRONT ROW: Students receive the most attention from their teacher when they sit in the front row but may earn the label of "teacher's pet".

WINDOW AND DOOR SEATS: Students- even best students- will become distracted by action and noise coming from outside or in the hallway.

DIFFERENT PATHWAY: Provide "first-class seating" to high-needs students.

Contract Negotiations

President Parker's robo call last night says:

CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS

The WTU is scheduled to provide DCPS with a revised contract proposal by the end of this week. The proposal has been developed in collaboration with the AFT. The WTU will hold a membership meeting during the month of February to update all members on the status of negotiations. AFT President Randi Weingarten has also been invited to attend this very important membership meeting. The time, date, and location of the meeting are forthcoming.

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Last Thursday, January 22, after our WTU Executive Board Meeting at the AFT Office I had a chance to review the WTU's counter proposal for our new teacher's contract that is going to be presented to DCPS this week. The Contract Negotiations Team together with the AFT presented to us the proposal. What do I think of it?

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I love the part that gives rewards to excellent and accomplished teachers so that DCPS can retain them and encourage them to teach in high-need areas in the district in a manner that is not divisive. My colleagues will love this too, veteran and new teachers rights are protected. I gave my vow of confidentiality and I am not going to divulge anything, I just want to share my excitement that we are going to have one very soon and that it is research-based and proven effective in successful school districts in other states.

Three-Minute Motivators

3-Minute Motivators is a collection of over 100 simple, fun activities for any grade that will help you use "a little magic" to take a quick break, engage students, and refocus them on the task at hand. Three-Minute Motivators: More Than 100 Simple Ways to Reach, Teach, and Achieve More Than You Ever Imagined.

Duncan praises National Board Certification in Senate hearing

U.S. Secretary of Education-designee Arne Duncan observed the positive impact of National Board Certification during his Senate confirmation hearing last January 13, 2009. Read more

“Over the past seven-and-a-half years, I’ve been the CEO of Chicago Public Schools (CPS). Our work is not done. There is a long way to go but at the same time we’re proud of the progress. We’ve tried to do everything we can to enhance the teaching profession. We’ve gone from 11 National Board Certified Teachers to (nearly) 1,200. We’ve tried to make Chicago the Mecca for people who are passionate about public education and want to make a difference in students’ lives.”

Commission recommends Professional Pathways for Alabama teachers

The Governor's Commission on Quality Teaching has recommended creating "Professional Pathways for Alabama Teachers," which would allow educators to advance professionally without moving on to administrative roles. Teachers interested in additional responsibilities could apply to the state to be a "professional teacher," "master teacher" or "learning designer" -- allowing teachers to become mentors, assist in curriculum development or be exposed to other opportunities. Montgomery Advertiser (Ala.)

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I am optimistic that we are going to have this for DC teachers very very soon.

Teachers use podcasts, blogs to enhance lessons

Teachers are using Web 2.0 to broaden their lessons and find new ways to teach.

Teachers are more frequently turning to technology to breathe new life into classroom lessons, including using blogs, podcasts and online features such as Google Earth to engage students. Instead of using classroom time to lecture, some teachers are recording lessons onto podcasts that their students can listen to at home -- freeing classroom time for hands-on learning. CNN

Special educator among 2009 Teacher of the Year finalists

Four states' top teachers are still in the running to be named the country's best educator: Anthony Mullen, a Connecticut special-education teacher and former New York City police detective; Cindi Rigsbee, a North Carolina middle-school reading teacher; Alex Kajitani, a California eighth-grade math teacher who raps original songs for his students; and Susan Elliott, a Colorado high-school English and social-studies teacher. The finalists will be interviewed again in early March and a winner will be recognized in April by the president. Greenwich Time (Conn.) , The Times-News (Burlington, N.C.)/McClatchy News Service , North County Times (Calif.) , KMGH-TV (Denver)

Guided inquiry puts students in control of their own learning

Students need to understand basic facts, but they really learn by doing, writes award-winning California science educator Anthony Cody. In many science labs, however, students are asked to investigate a question out of a book and follow cookbook-like instructions, but by getting students to ask questions and design experiments, they learn far more about how science actually works, he writes. Teacher Magazine

Skillful teachers are made, not born.

In the process of my teaching reflection while reviewing my last entry (Entry 3) for my National Board I went through each of my past entries again and looked at my teaching practices in the past.

I actually have a choice on what last entry should I retake - Entry 1, Assessment Informs Instruction or Entry 3, Enhancing Social Development. My colleagues told me to retake Entry 1 since it would be easier for me because I already have documentations that I am doing what is right with the better scores of my students in their benchmark assessments. But I insisted to retake Entry 3 which has been my problem ever since I came to teach in DCPS, it has been difficult for me to manage the behavior of my students.

I am so brave to retake Entry 3 when I know that this is my weakness. I told my colleagues that I would like to get better in this area. Doing a lot of reflection and researching for more effective behavior management strategies will help me become a better teacher and I believe this is what the National Board Certification is about. What helped me the most in becoming a more effective teacher is not the documentation (stressful for me) of how my students are becoming better but the reflection (insightful for me) of why they are becoming better.

Yes, I agree that "skillful teachers are made, not born". If not for the National Board Certification and the professional development trainings and conferences that I have attended over the years I would still be a struggling teacher.

Here are the list of Entries for Exceptional Needs Specialist content area that I will be reviewing and updating this week for those of you who may stumble upon this blog:

Assessment Informs Instruction: Entry 1 (Profile)

Assessment Informs Instruction: Entry 1 (Recommended Reference Book)

Fostering Communications Development: Entry 2 (Reflections)

Fostering Communications Development: Entry 2 (Video Analysis)

Fostering Communications Development: Entry 2 (Instructional Approach)

Fostering Communications Development: Entry 2 (Profile)

Classroom Environment

Enhancing Social Development: Entry 3 (Reflection)

Enhancing Social Development: Entry 3 (Video Analysis)

Enhancing Social Development: Entry 3 (Instructional Approach)

Enhancing Social Development: Entry 3 (Profile)

Documented Accomplishments: Entry 4

New GPS models help people with visual impairments find their way

Jamie Adams, right, demonstrates a GPS product for the visually impaired to Bernice Klepac and her guide dog Niobe.

GPS makers have started offering a device that relies on audio instructions and can be used by people with visual disabilities. "It's kind of the wave of the future. It gives them even greater mobility and greater independence," said Gibson DuTerroil, president of The Lighthouse of Houston, a nonprofit that works with those with visual impairments. Houston Chronicle

Training helps teachers become better parent advocates

Teachers interested in advocating on behalf of parents should strengthen their knowledge and skills by, among other things, enrolling in courses on special-education law, classroom management and other topics, according to this education advice column. Teachers also are encouraged to attend workshops on similar subjects, and visit state schools' Web sites to further understand state policies on education. The Flint Journal (Mich.)

Six-month program helps those with "invisible disability"

Roz Rutten is a graduate of a 24-week program offered by the Learning Disabilities Association.

People with an "invisible disability" often can hit road blocks in life that make them feel unsuccessful. However, Canada's Learning Disabilities Association is offering a six-month program that builds their self-esteem and their skills -- helping them keep a job and reach other goals. The Leader-Post (Regina, Saskatchewan)

Teachers use video games for classroom lessons

Jasmine Frazier, 18, and Kevin Curtis, 17, talk to Marshall High finance teacher Kimberly Fields about how their strategy didn't work out the way they planned during a discussion about the Virtual Team Challenge game

Educational video games designed to teach teamwork and other 21st-century skills alongside academic lessons are becoming more popular at many schools. "There is a revolution in the understanding of the educational community that video games have a lot of what we need," said Jan Plass, co-director of New York University's Games for Learning Institute. The Washington Post

What makes a quality teacher?

Quality teaching combines high-level content knowledge and a "sophisticated understanding of the thing you want to teach," according to this post. A group of researchers from the University of Virginia have found that students who receive quality feedback from their teachers have more academic success.

If you had to pick the top one or two variables that define good teaching, what would they be? The Washington Post

21st-century skills must be top priority for Obama

America's teachers say President-elect Barack Obama should make 21st-century skills his top educational priority, according to a recent survey by the American Society for Quality. More than half of the teachers and administrators surveyed ranked such as skills as the ability to collaborate, understand technology and come up with innovative ideas as what should be the administration's No. 1 educational priority, saying that students will need those abilities to better compete in a global economy. eSchool News

Florida schools need more special-educators

Despite the sagging economy, the need for Florida special-education teachers is still growing about 3.6% annually, according to the state's Agency for Workforce Innovation. "Special education is a really interesting career because you are not tied in like an elementary-school teacher, where you have a third-grade class for the day," said Denise Rusnak, director of Broward County's Exceptional Student Education. The Miami Herald

Report on school restraint prompts U.S. House hearing

A National Disability Rights Network report on U.S. children who have been hurt or died after restraint or seclusion at school has prompted concern among some U.S. lawmakers. "This report raises serious questions about the treatment of schoolchildren, the qualifications and training of staff, and what actions have been taken to address these unconscionable practices," said Rep. George Miller, D-Calif., who chairs the House education committee. "No child should be at risk or in danger while at school, no matter what the circumstances." Google/The Associated Press

Goodbye Chalkboard, hello Promethean Board!

I have blogged several times about my excitement of getting a Promethean Board in my classroom as an assistive technology tool to accomodate the special needs of my exceptional students. It was an excellent Christmas present to my students for their hardwork, it came two weeks before the winter break. Aside from suddenly having a classroom of the future, I can now get my students more engaged and behavior problems amazingly dropped! This is very powerful!

CNN has featured a teacher in MD schools here.

These are the kind of resources that teachers need so we can help our students become successful and achieve at high levels. I can relate to the special education teachers in MD with everything that they said in this news video:

CNN "The IDEAL Inclusive School"

I accidentally found this CNN video on Inclusion which inspires me so much. This is what inclusion for exceptional needs students should really look like...

Teacher quality takes step forward in D.C.

Teacher quality in the District of Columbia took a step forward in 2008 as 23 teachers achieved National Board Certification. The number of new Washington, D.C. National Board Certified Teachers more than doubled last year as compared to 2007. Read more

Increased state funding strengthened Maryland schools

Maryland students dramatically improved their scores on state reading and math tests within five years of the state Legislature spending $2 billion more on education, primarily on teacher salaries, according to a consultant's report. The spending -- which was targeted at disadvantaged schools, ELL students and children with disabilities -- helped propel Maryland to the top of Education Week's annual school ratings. The Sun (Baltimore)

Rhee Plans Shake-Up of Teaching Staff, Training

"An undisclosed number of teachers with poor evaluations have been placed on "90-day plans" of counseling and observation to help improve their performance. Those who don't improve could face termination by the end of the school year.

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Wil Parker, the Arlington-based board's regional outreach director, said Rhee told him that the [National Board Certification] program had merit but that it was "not an immediate priority." Krehbiel, herself board-certified, said that she admires the program but that its link to improved student achievement is weak. " The Washington Post

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I find this really aversive. But am I discouraged to continue my National Board? Nope.

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I believe that there is a formula for professional development. It is the same formula for everyone: educators, doctors, lawyers, etc.. We must study. We must be trained. We must plan. We must practice effectively. We must be challenged. And for us to be successful, we must persist.

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This report is a must read: "Measuring What Matters"

When Kids Like Time Out

A colleague emailed me this Q&A that I definitely need to manage the behavior of some of my students in my class:

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QUESTION: Hi there, was wondering what we can do for a student that likes time-out? He is 3.5, he does whatever he wants. He never follows directions. He hits, he spits, he screams, and makes crow noises. When we put him in time-out he laughs. Sometimes he puts himself there. Please help!

ANSWER: If this student likes time-out, then it's not an effective approach to use with him. As I've mentioned before, I'm not a big fan of using time-outs because it doesn't teach him a new positivebehavior.

Instead, you should start focusing on what you DO want this student to do. For example, you can use a behavior chart that says, "Follow directions" at the top of it. Whenever he follows directions, you can give him positive verbal praise and let him mark his chart.

When he fills the chart, he'll get to earn a reward that he has agreed upon before you start using the chart. But here's something very important...

You said that he NEVER follows directions.

I find this very hard to believe so I'm going to challenge you to find at least 5 times that he follows directions the next time he's in class with you. You may have to pay VERY close attention to find these things...

But I guarantee that it will be worth it.
Does he put his backpack in his cubby?
Does he throw garbage in the garbage can?
Does he put his name on the top of his paper?

Look for ANY LITTLE THING that he does that you like. If you want this student to start having more success, YOU as the teacher need to start believing in him more. You need to believe that he's good and can find success in your classroom. That's your job as his teacher.

Minnesota man with Down syndrome sets Guinness World Record

Published January 01, 2009 12:08 am - The Guiness Book of World Records has accepted Bert Holbrook into its pages as the oldest living person with Down syndrome.

Bert Holbrook, 80, has set a new world record as the world's longest-living person with Down syndrome. Holbrook, who lives in a Minnesota group home, bested a British man who died in 2007 at 68, and a 74-year-old Tennessee woman. Most people with Down syndrome don't survive past 55. The Free Press (Mankato, Minn.)

Hospital music studio helps youngsters cope with cancer

Jalen Huckabay, right, contemplates the song she is writing as her mother Karen, left, waits outside the studio door at Texas Children's Hospital in Houston Friday. The hospital has a one-of-a-kind program that gives pediatric cancer patients a chance to create their own songs.

Pediatric cancer patients at Texas Children's Hospital in Houston can take a break from the stress of their disease and treatments by creating their own music at a special studio in the hospital. Some of the songs recorded through the Purple Songs Can Fly program have been featured on audio tracks aboard Continental Airlines flights and have been carried into space aboard the space shuttle. MSNBC/The Associated Press

Doubled autism rates in South Carolina schools prove challenging

With more than twice as many South Carolina children diagnosed with autism in 2007 as were in 2003, schools are struggling to train enough teachers and provide specialized services, special educators say. Autism specialists are becoming more common as schools adjust education plans to the widely divergent needs of children with autism. The State (Columbia, S.C.)

Meditation may reduce ADHD symptoms

A small group of middle-school students who practiced transcendental meditation twice daily at school reduced their stress and anxiety by 50% and improved ADHD symptoms as well, according to a new study published in Current Issues in Education. The changes after three months were much more dramatic than researchers expected, including better attention, memory, organizational and behavioral skills, said lead researcher Sarina J. Grosswald. WCVB-TV (Boston)

Teachers observe students for clues to learning style

Stacy Merritt a teacher at the Sterling School understands the difference in learning styles. (CINDY HOSEA/Staff)

Teachers at a South Carolina elementary school say that educators should adapt to their students' varied learning styles. "You've got to really know your learner," said Susan Hill, the principal of Duncan Elementary School. "You've got content and standards you've got to teach, but unless you know your learner and how they learn best, it's not going to make much of a difference. At our school and in our district we really want to become expert kid-watchers to kind of watch to see when they're doing certain things and what they do." The Greenville News (S.C.)