Summer Ed: Learning for All
With summer almost upon us (I know I still have a few days), it’s the time of year to sit back, relax, and try something different! Just because it’s summer doesn’t mean you stop learning, but it gives you a time to do it in a different way, so take a look a few ideas.
Podcasts: I am addicted to podcasts! I rarely listen to the radio in my car, and always have a backlog of 20 or so to listen to at any time. If you are looking to fill the time on a long drive check out the A.T.Tipscast from Chris Bugaj. All sorts of tips for using technology to help learners, and most of the time the episodes are less than 10 minutes!
Looking for something for the kids, try Night Light Stories. Written by Chris & Melissa Bugaj (recent guests on EdCeptional), these original stories are delightful to listen too. If you are looking to extend the learning by checking out the Lighting the Way with Words section of the blog, and coming soon summer activities to do with kids (something to share with parents!).
Access: Learning to use a computer is a hard skill to master for students who need alternative access methods. One site that makes it fun is Help Kidz Learn. Games, Stories and ways to be creative make it fun to practice using 1 or 2 switch access or even fun to practice using a mouse. Or check out Priory Woods new website, tons of great cause and effect videos (especially good for older students) as well as talking storybooks.
Academics: Some students need that additional support for the summer, a time to review skills. How about making it fun & social like Arcademic Skill Builders. Great math, reading, or games that allow you to play your friend down the street, or someone across the world. Starfall.com is great for beginning readers and Tarheelreader.org is a great place for kids to write their own stories.
Share: This might seem like a strange one, but take a moment to share these finds with your colleagues. Summer is the time when many teachers take time with family, but many times they have a chance to “catch up” on all the things they meant to do during the year. Take some time, share posts with friends, teach them to use Google Reader, and help them find content to read about. Get someone new on Twitter, and if you need help convincing them try this post by Scott McCleod – if you were on Twitter yesterday… By helping a colleague you are extending your professional learning network.
Patrick
Image Courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons: bernat…
