Keith+O.

Name- Keith Orapello Town- Teaneck School - Whittier Grade Level - 1-4 Special Education

Hi, my name is Keith Orapello. I am a teacher of students with disabilities in Teaneck, New Jersey. I teach at Whittier Elementary grades 1-4. I have been teaching for 7 years now. I currently live in NYC and enjoy a plethora of **awesome** things. My favorite color is purple, like to cook, and invented the question mark. I like bananas and hate spilling hot coffee.

__ 5 new technologies to try __ -wiki -flikr -google docs -woordle -edmoto

__ 4 ideas to share with others (either that you've learned here or you've learned elsewhere) __ -grade level assessments done on wiki -wiki -tagxedo -wordle

__ 3 principles of Universal Design for Learning __
-modification... REPRESENTATION -flexibility........ ACTION AND EXPRESSION -individuality... .ENGAEMENT

__ 2 changes in your teaching to reach all learners in the Digital Age __
-more digital integration -modification for students with LD - digitally

__ 1 BIG idea to implement on Monday __
-create a wiki for the parents for summer classwork and ideas to prevent regression recoupment.

** __Reflection #1__ ** Typically, from my experience, curriculum is rigid and stiff. As a teacher of students with disabilities (mainly B.D and students on the spectrum) often my students are //at least// one learning level below their actual grade level. Much of todays curriculum is so heavily language based, and the creators of these programs do not take into account for students with language processing issues, emotional issues, students who speak english as a second language, or a myriad of other learning difficulties that may be "disabling" for our special education (and regular education students for that matter) to reach their full potential. Often I find myself VASTLY modifying the curriculum to meet the needs of the students. By the time i meet each student at their specific learning level the curriculum itself was quite useless.

__** Reflection #2 **__ I believe analyzing the curriculum for strengths and weaknesses should be done after analyzing the students strengths and weaknesses. Curriculum, being a document, is open for interpretation and manipulation. This is best suited after realizing who it is that you are teaching to. Once you have an idea of who the person(s) it is that your teaching to, you will have a better idea of how to adress the strengths and weaknesses of the curriculum.

__** Reflection #3 **__ Utilizing a variety of materials and methods is integral to reach all learners in the classroom. Knowing that all students learn differently teachers are tasked with the job to reach the students on their level and pace. This is easier said than done. It takes time, patience, and understanding. We, as teachers, have to know our students, and know what best benefits them. It is not an overnight realization, it is gradual. When you utilize multiple methods, you keep both the students and yourself engaged, thus fostering a better classroom and learning environment.

** __Reflection #4__ ** First and foremost paper and pencil. This is a restriction for students with the inability to write. Also, traditional assessments such as NJAsk and SAT's are often gender and class bias. SInce these assessments are built for the masses they are not at all focused for individuals. Lastly paper and pencil tests only test one small sliver of education - allowing students to prove their "learning" their own way is most effective. Time and money - that is the largest challenge to educators to create varied assessments. It is much easier to write one test for a group rather than tailoring assessments for each individual student.

__** Reflection #5 **__

// The choice of using modern technology should be taken out of the classroom teacher hands, and placed in the hands of the // //district, and state. We all know how important technology is not only in the classroom, but in the world around us. We are a connected world, and for our students to have a fighting chance in this world we as teachers need to utilize all aspects of technology. Yet this should should not be left up to the imagination and creativity of the teacher. Programs, curriculum should be offered for teachers to utilize. Often the incorpoation of technology is difficult or stalled because of the sheer lack of technology in our schools. Districts are doing not only the students a injustice, but also the teachers, by not providing necessary technological tools to enhance engagement and learning. However, not using technology simply for the fact that it is not provided is not an excuse for a teacher that is// //palatable. Even with little technological resources we must do our best to implement new ways of teaching that incorporate technology as often as possible. This does not have to be with eboards, and laptops, but with free websites, podcasts and the idea of BYOD.//

** __Reflection #6__ **

// TBA //

__ 5 new tech to try __ -Wix -schoology -online binder -glogster -jing

__ 4 ideas to share with others __ - -online binder -Pay Attention video -8 netgen norms -jing

__ 3 principles of UDL __

__ 2 changes in teaching to reach all learners in the digital age __ -podcast learning -using voki to teach lessons when i am out.
 * representation
 * expressing
 * engaging

__ 1 big idea for Monday __ -show "Pay Attention" video to coworkers

__ Culminating Activity 3 __

-net genners are those individuals that are connected through and through. They look at technology as they look at oxygen - it has just always been there. These people have a fundamentally different brain - they embrace "chaos." They look at it more as organized chaos where they have the ability to sift through the information to find what is most prevalent and make the information theirs.
 * 1) Principal
 * 2) The Board (all of them)
 * 3) Extremely old teachers
 * 4) Chris Christie
 * 5) Brother