Tuesday, January 31, 2012

You may be dyslexic, if....

Last week we shared the trailer for the movie The D Word: Understanding Dyslexia.  What we love about what we've seen so far with this movie is the fact that it focuses on positive stories - people who have succeeded in spite of (or maybe because of) their dyslexia.  Here's another short film from the movie's producers called, You might be dyslexic if....

Enjoy!

Rhonda and the Bridgeway team

Monday, January 30, 2012

The Bridgeway Way - Using creative approaches to understanding math

Once again, we're delighted to share some tips from our own staff on the creative ways they help students with learning disabilities learn.  Many math concepts can be especially tough, but as Mr. DeGrasse tells us, it's not impossible.

Enjoy!

Rhonda & the Bridgeway Team

My name is Michael DeGrasse and I’ve been teaching at Bridgeway Academy for 2 years. In all my time in the classroom, I have never been so inspired and amazed at the fantastic ways students can come to understand material being taught than in my math classes at Bridgeway.

One topic this year showed me that LD really does stand for ‘learning difference’ rather than ‘learning disability’. As a high school math teacher, most of the time the ideas and topics discussed in class are very abstract and un-relatable. Teaching networks and matrices to a grade 10 class may appear easy – simply teach the students how lines connect to certain spots. The topic, however, becomes increasingly difficult to a student who might have one or more Learning Differences – especially LD’s like dysgraphia or those that affect short-term memory, executive functioning, or require hands-on learning.  Any one of these LDs could make learning the topics seem impossible or improbable to the student with an LD. My challenge is to find multiple ways to teach the material so that each student can learn in their own way.

What I found most important was first finding each student’s strengths. By finding their strengths, I can build a foundation to start from and then build upon. For many of my students, the difficulty was not being able to relate to, or comprehend, the lines on the paper. As a result, I decided to make the lines of the networks tangible. I was able to transfer the points on paper into actual points in the classroom by overturning desks. I was then able to make the lines on paper come to life by using green tape to connect the desks (aka the points). I basically took a 2 dimensional picture or idea and made it 3 dimensional and real.  By doing this, the students were able to manipulate the diagram they saw on paper and walk through the problem to see it from different angles. This allowed some students to comprehend the problem in a way that they may not have been able to see before.

Once I worked out the fine details, in collaboration with the students who required the adaptation, I was able to show the entire class and demonstrate that there wasn’t just one way to look at a problem. This showed the class that with creativity and imagination any math problem can be solved in a variety of ways.  From that point on, whenever the students became stuck or confused, they took it upon themselves to come up with ways to approach the math so that it made sense to them.

Sometimes a student’s approach will only made sense and work for them personally, and sometimes a student’s approach will also work for another student who also may not have fully understood the topic.  In one recent class we had four different methods being used to solve one topic - all mathematically correct and each helping a different student in their own way.

The key is finding the student’s strength, build a foundation around it, and then adding to that foundation to create a way for them to correctly understand a topic.  If we find and build that foundation, every student can learn anything in their own way.

Sunday, January 29, 2012

Inspiring quotes - Education

A few weeks ago, I shared some inspiring quotes related to teaching.  Today, a few more quotes; this time on the importance (and impact) of education. 

Rhonda


What the best and wisest parent wants for his own child, that must the community want for all its children. Any other ideal for our schools is narrow and unlovely; acted upon it destroys our democracy.
John Dewey


Tell me and I’ll forget; show me and I may remember; involve me and I’ll understand.
Chinese proverb


If someone is going down the wrong road, he doesn’t need motivation to speed him up. What he needs is education to turn him around.
Jim Rohn


Education cost money, but then so does ignorance.
Claus Moser


What sculpture is to a block of marble
education is to the human soul.
Joseph Addison

Saturday, January 28, 2012

Making the link between literacy and learning disabilities

How important is literacy to you?  When you think about literacy, do you ever think about the learning disabilities that keep many from achieving it?  Today we thought we'd share our thoughts on literacy & LDs.  Enjoy!

Rhonda & the Bridgeway team


Canada celebrated Family Literacy Day on Friday, January 27.  The date - and many celebrations to mark it - were organized by ABC Literacy Canada, "a non-profit organization that inspires Canadians to increase their literacy skills."  They clearly recognize that literacy is an important skill to leading a fully engaged life, and they support lifelong learning for everyone.  Literacy is also more than the written word - it's financial literacy too.  Important stuff.

However, it was disappointing to find that the site (along with other literacy sites I visited) contained no information on dyslexia and dyscalculia (learning disabilities that affect reading and math), and very little on the the subject of learning disabilities in general.  Not everyone who struggles to read has a disability, but many do.  Unfortunately, that's not always recognized early in the learning process.  Often, the approach to helping these kids is to continue to use the same methods of instruction over and over again in the hope the child will eventually "get it".  While practice makes perfect in some areas, it won't work with a child with learning disabilities.  The best approach is to change the method of instruction to an approach that's tailored to the specific learning disability.

We also need to think this way when considering adults and literacy.  There are many reasons that an adult may not have learned to read, but we have to recognize that many of those individuals may have struggled (and continue to struggle) with learning disabilities.  Often, a diagnosis of a learning disability can come as a relief to an adult who has likely come to believe that their lack of skills was a matter of a lower intelligence level.

Let's start making the connection to literacy and learning disabilities and share the information that will help those struggling with literacy to learn in the ways that work best for them. By talking about learning disabilities, we'll help families, teachers and others recognize problems seek out appropriate interventions early in the learning process.  That will allow us to ensure our kids develop those critical skills that will allow them to pursue a fully engaged life, contributing in a meaninful way to our economy and building the confidence and self-esteem they need to soar.

Post-script - We e-mailed ABC Life Literacy Canada and suggested they add some information on dyslexia, dyscalculia and other learning disabilities to the website.  We're delighted to let you know that they have embraced the idea and are working toward that goal!  We'll share the link when the information is posted.  Thanks ABC Life Literacy Canada!

Friday, January 27, 2012

Is it too late to find your Element?

Yesterday, we looked at the role mentors play in our journey to the Element.  Now, hope for those who might feel their chance to find their Element has passed them by.  Here again is more insight from Sir Ken Robinson and his book, The Element - How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything.

Rhonda & the Bridgeway Team

Do you feel locked into your life?  Like it's too late to change direction, or you missed your one shot to pursue your passion?  Take heart.  Sir Ken uses this chapter to show us that, "there is abundant evidence that opportunities to discover our Element exist more frequently in our lives that many might believe."  He provides several examples - the author who published her first book at 73, and the man who thought his dreams of singing opera were over after a motorcycle accident, only to win Britain's Got Talent several years later.  Even Julia Child didn't discover French cuisine in her mid-thirties, and was nearly fifty before publishing her first cookbook.

Today, life expectancy is longer and quality of health is improving.  That gives us opportunities to do more with our lives.  Some dreams will remain impossible - skiing at the Olympics if you have never skiid before - but knowing the difference is one of the steps to finding your Element. 

Sir Ken encourages us to think of our lives as cyclical as opposed to a straight line process with no oppotunity to turn around.  "Different capacities express themselves in stronger ways at different times in our lives.  Because of this, we get multiple opportunities for new growth and development, and multiple opportunities to revitalize latent capacities."

There is a lot we can do to keep ourselves healthy as we age, to make ourselves more active and open to opportunity.  Sir Ken says we also have to reconnect with ouselves and see ourselves holistically.  Physical health affects our intellectual and emotional vitality, but our attitudes can affect our physical well being.  Our brains can continue to develop new neural pathways as we age.  We can be revitalized and reenergized, even if we've given up.  (Check out the book for Sir Ken's account of a unique program in Oklahoma that brings young children who are learning to read together with seniors.) 

What Sir Ken is trying to teach us here is that, "remarkable, life-enhancing things can happen when we take the time to step out of our routines, rethink our paths, and revisit the passions we left beind (or never pursued at all) for whatever reason."  The good news is, you can pursue your Element at any age!

Thursday, January 26, 2012

A helping hand in finding our Element

We're continuing the journey through Sir Ken Robinson's book, The Element, with a look at life changing connections.  Many people who have found their Element could never have done it alone.  Who will help you?

Rhonda & the Bridgeway Team

Many people need a nudge from someone to find their Element.  Maybe it's someone who brings out our best, or sees potential in us that we don't even recognize.  For many of us, mentors guide us along our path.  They connect with us in different ways, but Sir Ken believes they all serve four roles:

Recognition - Identifying the skills, talents and aptitudes we have that are a passion for us.  Sir Ken shares the story of Ray Charles, who discovered music at three years old when a neighbour recognized his interest in music and taught him to play piano. 

Encouragement - "Mentors lead us to believe that we can achieve something that seemed improbable or impossible to us before we met them."  They don't let us doubt ourselves or believe that our dreams are too large for us.  They remind us what we can do and what we can achieve if we continue to work hard.

Facilitating - Mentors offer advice and techniques, pave the way, and help out when we make mistakes.  They share their talents freely.

Stretching - Mentors help us achieve more than we thought we ever could by pushing us further.

Mentors are invaluable in helping us reach our Element.  As Sir Ken points out, we all face roadblocks on the journey to finding what we're meant to do, and a knowledgeable guide can help us find our way.  Being a mentor may even be your Element!  Either way, mentors take a unique place in our lives by getting involved directly in our journeys.  Best of luck in finding yours.

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

The D Word - Understanding Dyslexia

We came across this amazing new documentary that premiered a few days ago at the Sundance Film Festival.  The D Word - Understanding Dyslexia was produced by James Redford (son of Robert Redford).  James made this film because his son Dylan is dyslexic.  He calls it, "the movie I wish my family could have seen when Dylan was functionally illiterate in 4th grade."

As soon as we find out when - and where - those of us in Canada can see it, we'll let you know.  For now, here's the trailer from the movie.  You can also visit the film's website for more information.

Enjoy!

Rhonda & the Bridgeway team

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Sharing stories of empathy - Garry Oliver

A few weeks ago, we introduced you to Blair J. Ryan and The Empathy Factory.   Blair has kindly shared some of his writing with me, and we thought you'd find his stories of empathy in our community inspiring.  Here is Garry Oliver's story.

Rhonda & the Bridgeway team


THE EMPATHY REPORT
By Blair J. Ryan

Empathy is everywhere, in everything we do. Last night, when you watched George Costanza get caught eating an éclair from the trash during a Seinfeld re-run, you may have felt embarrassed for him. In fact, the feeling may have been so intense you were forced to look away. That feeling – of embarrassment for someone else – is called empathic distress, and very few are immune to it (hint: this is a good thing; we’re soft-wired to experience others’ emotions as our own).
This is The Empathy Report:
GARRY OLIVER
When a ten year old, terminally ill girls asks – as her dying wish – to see what Heaven looks like before she dies so that she can, ‘get an idea of where she’ll be spending the rest of her time,’ you’re naturally inspired to do whatever you can to help. Empathy takes over.
When faced with this situation, Garry Oliver – co-founder of Coalition for Kids International (CFKI) – rose to the challenge. Against all odds (and possibly a few laws), Garry chartered a helicopter, landed in young Sylwia’s backyard and flew her to ‘Heaven’. That is, he took her straight up… up… up… and above the brilliant white cumulus clouds; a thick layer of which made it impossible to see the ground below.

Exactly as she'd imagined Heaven, Sylwia was at peace, and able to pass on to her next life with the confidence that she was off to a better place.
These are the types of stories Garry takes great pleasure in telling with lively gestures and a comely British accent. With his wife Kamila, Garry sends groups of teenagers from Canada to Poland to grant wishes and bring to life the fantasies of terminally ill children. Wishes range from digital cameras and iPods, to trips to see celebrities and professional athletes.
Coalition for Kids International calls these missions to Poland ‘Journeys for a Lifetime,' and the youth, aged 14-23, who take part could not agree more.
Garry sometimes travels with the children on their journeys, but if he isn’t in the sky or in Poland, he is in Halifax raising awareness and funds for his cause. CFKI was founded in 2006 with the belief that its programs could teach empathy, positivity, and humility in youth. The goal is to give perspective to the youth they send away, but the impact has been felt at a community level back here in Canada. Garry tells me that when the kids return home, they’re changed; Coalition for Kids is creating young leaders and ambassadors of all things ‘good.’

With over 2,000 wishes granted already, Garry and Kamila hope to make the Journeys for a Lifetime program available to younger children and to youth from all across North America. After fulfilling so many fantasies, you might wonder if it ever gets old; if one becomes desensitized to the act.
No. Not ever.

The 2,000th was no more or less special than the first. Garry is in the business of watching youth grow and develop, so when he see’s someone like Allison have a transformational moment, he too is touched deep within the reaches of his heart. Allison went to Osiek to grant Lidia her wish. All Lidia asked for was an iPod. To most 16 year Canadian girls, the idea of an iPod is fairly uninspiring, but to this terminally-ill young girl, it appeared tantamount to a clean bill of health.  When she presented Lidia with her iPod, the look on her face – her genuine elation – changed Allison forever.

In that moment, Allison recognized that she had a very important piece of business to attend to. Upon her arrival at the Halifax international Airport, Allison embraced her mother, and with tears streaming down her face apologized. Why would an apology be the first words out of her mouth? She apologized for taking her mother for granted, and she asked forgiveness for an incident that took place the previous Christmas. Allison said,
“I’m so sorry mom, all I could think about these last few days was how I said, ‘I asked for a pink one’ when I opened my iPod at Christmas. I’m so sorry I took you for granted.”
How could anyone ever get tired of these stories? It’s absolutely clear that Garry and his wife are only getting started. The Journeys for a Lifetime give Nova Scotia’s youth the opportunity to make a complete 180 degree change in their lives and views; we can only hope that our children will be lucky enough to cross paths with Garry and his inspirational friends at Coalition for Kids International.
-B.
To learn more or get involved with the Coalition For Kids International, visit www.coalitionforkids.ca or contact Garry at garry@coalitionforkids.ca.
Author, Blair J. Ryan, is Chief Executive Officer of the Empathy Factory, and can be reached at blair@empathyfactory.com.



Monday, January 23, 2012

Happy National Handwriting Day!

Happy National Handwriting day!  Yesterday, we shared some information on dysgraphia, a learning disability that affects a person's handwriting and ability to express themselves through the written word.  Thanks to Melissa Gibbons, an occupational therapist with Hands for Growth Occupational Therapy, for submitting this follow-up guest blog.

Rhonda & the Bridgeway team

By Melissa Gibbons

National Handwriting Day was established by the Writing Instrument Manufacturers Association in 1977. Their motive is obvious...to promote the consumption of pens, pencils, and writing paper. However, it can also remind us of the importance of handwriting as a skill and a means of communication. Never has this concept been more important than now, when we are more likely to email or text a friend, rather than sit down and write them a letter.

As an occupational therapist, I works with children with handwriting needs, so I think National Handwriting Day worth recognizing.

January 23rd was chosen because this is the birthday of John Hancock, the first person to sign the Declaration of Independence in the United States. He signed with a large and elaborate signature as he wanted to make sure it was seen by King George. His signature is probably the most recognized in history and has given rise to the expression of “writing your John Hancock” with regard to providing your signature.

John had a recognizable styled signature; however handwriting is more than just style, it’s a thought process. It’s the primary way elementary students communicate. Handwriting promotes an organized approach to communication, maximizes thinking time, and boosts creativity.

For parents, show your kids how important handwriting truly is and let them see you write a letter to a relative or friend. Or better yet, write to our Premier Darryl Dexter and Minister of Education, Ramona Jennex, requesting that they put more focus on handwriting in our schools.

I digress…

I recently learned that some of the great historic literary minds of James Joyce, Victor Hugo and F. Scott FitzGerald, were known to have illegible handwriting. They did not have the option of typing their masterpieces, as we do today. Their handwriting obviously did not stand in their way of greatness. This is how we need to think about our students with learning disabilities who have handwriting challenges. These students have many wonderful and creative ideas that should be shared on paper, however handwriting difficulties get in the way.

What can we do to help our kids?

·         Have an open dialogue with the teacher

·         Take note of how the child is holding the pencil. Aim for a tripod (3 finger) grasp, as other grasps can impact letter formation and cause hand fatigue

·         Use the proper tools. Young elementary school students should use short pencils for increased control

·         Positioning: while sitting at a desk, the student should have their feet and back supported with a 90 degree angle at the knees and elbows, and the desk surface should be just above their flexed elbow height.

·         Warm up the small muscles of the hand: cutting activity, squeezing playdoh, etc

While teaching printed letters:

·         All letters start from the top

·         Teach capitals before lower case

·         Do not spend more than 15 min/day working on handwriting

·         Children copy from a perfect model; avoid practicing printing the letter over and over again….the last letter will be sloppy


Happy National Handwriting Day!

Melissa Gibbons OT Reg (NS)
Occupational Therapist/Owner
Hands For Growth Occupational Therapy
www.handsforgrowth.ca
902-489-1847
Melissa@handsforgrowth.ca


Sunday, January 22, 2012

Dysgraphia - the handwriting LD

Tomorrow is National Handwriting Day, a day you might not think about twice, unless you're dealing with a learning disability that impacts your handwriting.  Dysgraphic more than messy writing - it can interfere with a student's ability to express themselves. 

Here's a great article from the Learning Disabilities Association of Ontario website on dysgraphia.  Come back to the blog tomorrow when we'll have a guest posting on the history of National Handwriting day.

Enjoy!

Rhonda & the Bridgeway team

Dysgraphia: The Handwriting Learning Disability

Author: Ruthmary Deuel, M.D., Betty Sheffield, and Diana Hanbury King
What is dysgraphia?
Dysgraphia means difficulty with handwriting. There are several different kinds of dysgraphia. Some people with dysgraphia have handwriting that is often illegible and shows irregular and inconsistent letter formations. Others write legibly, but very slowly and/or very small. When these individuals revert to printing, as they often do, their writing is often a random mixture of upper and lower case letters. In all cases of dysgraphia, writing requires inordinate amounts of energy, stamina and time.

Dysgraphia can interefere with a student’s ability to express ideas. Expressive writing requires a student to synchronize many mental functions at once: organization, memory, attention, motor skill, and various aspects of language ability. Automatic accurate handwriting is the foundation for this juggling act. In the complexity of remembering where to put the pencil and how to form each letter, a dysgraphic student forgets what he or she meant to express. Dysgraphia can cause low classroom productivity, incomplete homework assignments, and difficulty in focusing attention.

Emotional factors arising from dysgraphia often exacerbate matters. At an early age, these students are asked to forego recess to finish copying material from the board, and are likely to be sent home at the end of the day with a sheaf of unfinished papers to be completed. They are asked to recopy their work but the second attempt is often no better than the first. Because they are often bright and good at reading, their failure to produce acceptable work is blamed on laziness or carelessness. The resulting anger and frustration can prevent their ever reaching their true potential.

What causes dysgraphia?
A few people with dysgraphia lack only the fine-motor coordination to produce legible handwriting, but some may have a physical tremor that intereferes with writing. In most cases, however, several brain systems interact to produce dysgraphia. Some expersts believe that dysgraphia involves a dysfunction in the interaction between the two main brain systems that allows a person to translate mental into written language (phoneme-to-grapheme translation, ie. Sound to symbol, and lexicon-to-grapheme translation, ie. mental to written word). Other studies have shown that split attention, memory load, and familiarity of graphic material affect writing ability. Typically, a person with illegible handwriting has a combination of fine-motor difficulty, inability to revisualize letters, and inability to remember the motor patterns of letter forms.

What are the different types of dysgraphia?
While dysgraphia may be broadly classified as follows, there are many individual variations that affect both treatment and prognosis:
  1. In dyslexic dysgraphia, spontaneously written text is illegible, especially when the text is complex. Oral spelling is poor, but drawing and copying of written text are relatively normal. Finger-tapping speed (a measure of fine motor speed) is normal.
  2. In motor dysgraphia, both spontaneously written and copied text may be illegible, oral spelling is normal, and drawing is usually problematic. Finger-tapping speed is abnormal.
  3. In spatial dysgraphia, people display illegible writing, whether spontaneously produced or prepared. Oral spelling is normal. Finger-tapping speed is normal, but drawing is very problematic.
Who is qualified to diagnose dysgraphia?
Dysgraphia cannot be diagnosed solely by looking at a handwriting sample. A qualified clinician must directly test the individual. Such a test includes writing self-generated sentences and paragraphs and copying age-appropriate text. The examiner assesses not only the finished product, but also the process, including posture, position, pencil grip, fatigue, cramping or tremor of the writing hand, eyedness and handedness, and other factors. The examiner may assess fine-motor speed with finger-tapping and wrist turning.

What is the treatment for dysgraphia?
Prevention, remediation and accommodation are all important elements in the treatment of dysgraphia. Many problems can be prevented by early training. Young children in kindergarten and grade one should learn to form letters correctly; kinesthetic memory is powerful and incorrect habits are very difficult to eradicate.

Muscle training and over-learning good techniques are both critical for the remediation of dysgraphia. Specifically designed exercises are needed to increase strength and dexterity. A specialist can recommend the most appropriate plan of exercises. For all students, kinesthetic writing, that is writing with eyes closed or averted, is a powerful reinforcer. Work needs always to begin with the formation of individual letters written in isolation. Alphabets need to be practiced daily, often for months.

Finally, individuals can benefit from a variety of modifications and accommodations. One effective method is to teach the use of a word processor, bypassing the complex motor demands of handwriting. Many students may find learning the keyboard by the alphabet method easier than beginning with the home keys. For many, touch typing offers a whole new opportunity to learn to spell through a different kinesthetic mode. Students should also experiment with different writing tools; some people with dysgraphia may find pencil grips helpful. Other bypass methods include allowing a student to answer questions orally or into a tape recorder instead of writing, modifying written assignments so that less writing is required, and allowing extended time to complete tests and assignments. Copying from the board is an especially difficult task. Teachers need to provide notes. Photocopying the notes of another student is one possibility. Providing an outline, with spaces left for the student to fill in information, is another. Writing on a slightly inclined plane may be helpful.

Should people with dysgraphia use cursive writing instead of printing?
For many children with dysgraphia, cursive writing has several advantages. It eliminates the necessity of picking up a pencil and deciding where to replace it after each letter. Each letter starts on the line, thus eliminating another potentially confusing decision for the writer. Cursive also has very few reversible letters, a typical source of trouble for people with dysgraphia. It eliminates word-spacing problems and gives words a flow and rhythm that enhances learning. For children who find it difficult to remember the motor patterns of letter forms, starting with cursive eliminates the traumatic transition from manuscript to cursive writing. Writers in cursive also have more opportunity to distinguish b, d, p, and q because the cursive letter formations for writing each of these letters is so different.

Saturday, January 21, 2012

Engaging reluctant readers - Suggestions from our experts

Not everyone likes to read.  If you're a student struggling with a reading disability, you're even less likely to engage in a book.  But part of the way we teach students with LDs to read - and to love reading - is exposing them to all kinds of books in all kinds of formats.  Here are a few suggestions from Bridgeway's teaching staff for books that engage even the most reluctant reader.

Please leave a comment with suggestions for books that work in your home or classroom!

Rhonda & the Bridgeway team.


Mr. Hayman’s picks

I am the Messenger – Markus Zusak

The main character is 18 and it’s written like it’s an 18 year old speaking. Older students especially identify with the main character.

“Bone” series – Jeff Smith

These are graphic novels and students from grade 5 to grade 12 read them. They include elements for all kinds of people, and the majority of words are easy enough for any grade grouping.

“The Amulet” series –Kazu-Kibuishi

Another graphic novel series, with a picture style that appeals to kids. Not manga, but has an asian feel that appeals to kids. The main characters are 10-12 years old, so it appeals to all kinds of age groups.

“Percy Jackson” series – Rick Riordan

This series appeals to all age groups. Our students have read the book and watched the movie, and most say they preferred the book.

“Hunger Games” Series – Suzanne Collins

This book is fantasy, but is close enough to reality to appeal to non-fantasy fans. The hero is a 16-year-old girl and she ends up in many difficult situations.

The “Warriors” series – Erin Hunter

These are books for younger readers, but with cats as the main characters, they’re really high interest. Kids who don’t enjoy reading really connect with them.

The “Guardians of Ga’hoole” series– Kathryn Lasky

Again, with animals as the main character characters, they’re a hit with younger audiences.

Ms. Osborne’s pick

One book that I have recently had a lot of success with is called "Frindle" by Brian Selznick. This book is classified at the grade 4-6 Reading Level. The story is about a fifth grader who changes the word "pen" to "frindle". Soon the entire country is buying "frindles" instead of "pens". Many people believe that Nick is trying to be rude and upset his teacher, but he is actually taking a stand on the English language and the origins of words. The book shows that one small person can change one small thing but make a huge impact on the world. My kids thoroughly enjoyed this book and I have been telling all my teacher friends about it.

Ms. Milligan’s picks

The "Orca" series we recently bought for our library is GREAT!!! There are two different groups of books, "Currents" and "Soundings." My Bridgeway Reading Program class has read Nine Doors and really enjoyed it. Next we are reading Overdrive. These books are high interest, low level books that focus on teen issues.

The "Who was?" series is also excellent for late elementary-junior high readers. They are all low level, non-fiction books. Our class has read "Who were The Beatles" and "Who was Anne Frank?" The students find these books interesting because they give detail and information about people throughout history in a very reader friendly manner!

Other titles include:

Who was Albert Einstein?

Who was John F. Kennedy?

Who was King Tut?

Who was Eleanor Roosevelt?

The Usborne Phonics Readers books are excellent for pre-readers. There are 12 books in the series. These are fun books that focus on phonics-based learning. Here are a few titles:

Hen's Pens

Ted in a Red Bed

Frog on a Log

Sam Sheep can't Sleep

These are some of the different books that seem to engage my students so far!


Friday, January 20, 2012

Do you feel lucky?

Being good at something and having a passion for it are essential to finding your Element, but they're not enough.  It's also a matter of attitude.  Today, Sir Ken Robinson's thoughts on the role of attitude, aptitude and The Element.

Rhonda & the Bridgeway team

Some people who have found their Element believe they have been lucky to be living a life that allows them to pursue their passion.  But there are others who are unlucky - and have had bad things happen to them.  But good and bad things happen to all of us.  As Sir Ken says, "it's not what happens to us that makes the difference in our life.  What makes the difference is our attitude toward what happens."  We're not just the victims of chance in life - lucky or unlucky.  It's our attitude that really influences whether we reach our Element.  In fact, lucky people can make luck because of their attitude.

Sir Ken believes that many of the people he uses as examples in the book have taken an active role in getting lucky.  They look at situations in different ways.  We're all able to do this, but there can be a difference in what we're able to perceive and what we do perceive.

Sir Ken brings in Richard Wiseman and his book, "The Luck Factor" at this point.  It's a study of four hundred "lucky" and "unlucky" people.  Wisemen identified four characteristics of lucky people - 1) they maximize chance opportunities; 2) they're good at listening to their intuion, and find ways to boost their intuitive abilities (ie. meditation); 3) they expect to be lucky, creating a series of self-fulfilling prophecies, and; 4) they have an attitude that allows them to turn bad luck into good.

In this instance, Sir Ken uses himself as an example.  He tell us that as a child, he was a promising soccer player.  But polio changed that.  After being completely paralyzed by the disease, a long, slow recovery process left him able to move and walk again, but took the soccer dream away forever.  His parents pushed him to get the best education possible - a challenge in a busy crowded household with a brother who would reherse with his rock band in the room next to his!  He perservered and went to college, where his current interests began to form.

The lesson to be remembered here is this - "we all shape the circumstances and realities of our own lives, and we can also transform them."  Those people who find their Element know that our attitudes to events and ourselves are crucial to reaching their life's ambitions.

Thursday, January 19, 2012

The barriers to finding your Element

We have finally reached the halfway mark in The Element, Sir Ken Robinson's inspiring book on how finding your passion changes everything.  Today, we're looking at the barriers you might face when you're finding your Element.  Enjoy!

Rhonda & the Bridgeway Team

Sir Ken has led us through the ways we can find our Element.  But if you haven't found it yet, what's holding you back?  Sir Ken suggests three barriers - or "circles of constraint" - personal, social and cultural.

Personal
This section begins with a couple of inspiring stories of individuals who have overcome physical and psychological barriers to finding their Element.  Consider the example of Chuck Close.  He struggled in school because of dyslexia, and had physical problems that made participating in sports and games difficult.  He lost his father at 11 years old, his mother developed cancer at the same time, and the family lost their home because of overwhelming medical bills.  He survived these enormous difficulties because of his passion for art.  Over time, his passion for art, along with his talent, allowed him to become very well known with work displayed around the world.

But Chuck's story doesn't end there.  In 1988, he became a quadriplegic after a blood clot formed in his spinal cord.  He could no longer produce his art, but soon disocvered he could hold a paintbrush with his teeth and move it enough to create tiny images.  He continued to pursue his passion in a new way, and soon found his work being as well received as the art he had become famous for. 

Chuck Close could have given up on his passion many times, but he didn't.  As Sir Ken says, people with disabilities face, "problems arising from their own attitudes to their disability and from the effects on their feelings of other people's attitudes to their disabilities.  To overcome these physical and psychological barriers, people with disabilities of every sort must summon enormous reserves of self-belief and determination to do things that other people can do without a second thought."

(At Bridgeway, we know about the psychological barriers that can keep really smark, gifted people from finding their Element.  But we also know how freeing and empowering it can be when those barriers are overcome!)

Whether you're disabled or not, Sir Ken believes that, "issues of attitude are of paramount importance to finding your Element."  You need a strong will to be yourself.  Self-doubt and fear can be obstacles as easily as circustance and opportunity.

Social
The people closest to us have a lot of influence on us.  Sometimes, it's our own fear of disapproval that gets in the way.  Some people don't find their Element because, "they don't have the encouragement or the confidence to step outside their established circle of relationships."  In fact, you might have people in your life who actively discourage you from pursuing your passion, usually because they feel it's for your own goog.  (Check out the book for the story of Paolo Coelho and his parents who institutionalized him because he wanted to be a writer - yikes!)  But as Sir Ken says, "doing something 'for your own good' is rarely for your own good if it causes you to be less than who you really are." 

Sometime, reaching for your Element means pulling away from those closest to you, or at least not heeding their advice.  (Heard of Arianna Huffington?  Sir Ken tells her story in this chapter as well.  In a nutshell - young girl in Greece decides she wants to go to Cambridge and doesn't look back.)  The lesson here - don't let self-doubt and the disapproval of others keep you from your passion.

An even stronger influence on us than our families is our friends.  We choose our friends, and the pressure to conform to their standards and expectations can be intense.  We really see this in teens, where fitting in with friends is so important.  As Sir Ken says, "since breaking the rules is a sure way to find ourselves out of the group, we may deny our deepest passions to stay connected with our peers." 

The idea of groupthink is when the majority of the group rules - even when your instincts might suggest otherwise.  It's the type of thinking that keeps a teen from admitting they like physics because it isn't cool, or everyone in a group to agree to do something they might not want to because they don't want to be singled out (aka, the party-pooper).  Groups encourage conformity - the Element is about discovering yourself.  You can see how this might make things difficult.

Culture
There are attitudes and behaviours that are acceptable in different communities.  Those tend to guide what we do and don't do.  Sir Ken provides the amusing example of the middle aged man on a beach in California - wearing a leopard-print thong.  Acceptable in some parts of the world, but not on that beach. 

Our cultures affect a lot - our values and outlook, our language, the way we dress...  There are unwritten rules, which Sir Ken calls the "survival manual".  These guidelines help us thrive within the culture, but can also constrain us.  That happens when their passions are in conflict with their context.

The bottom line is that when seeking your Element, "you're likely to face or more of the three levels of constraint - personal, social and cultural.  Ultimately, it's about the price you're willing to pay.  As Sir Ken encourages, "the rewards of the Element are considerable, but reaping these rewards may mean pushing back against some stiff opposition."




Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Bridgeway & The Khan Academy

Back on December 11, we posted a long article about the Khan Academy and how the online approach they're taking to education is revolutionizing some classrooms.  As it turns out, Khan Academy videos have made it into our own Bridgeway classrooms!  Here's a posting from one of our Math teachers on how she's using it to help students with learning disabilities.

Enjoy!

Rhonda & the Bridgeway team


By Jean Cain
Teacher, Bridgeway Academy

My name is Jean Cain and I have been a teacher at Bridgeway for the past 4 years.  All of my students have learning disabilities in different areas, such as listening, writing, reading, and math, so I have to come up with creative ways to teach the skills they need.

I use Khan Academy in my math skills class with some of my students.  A fellow teacher showed me this site last summer and I thought it would be a fun and useful additional resource my students could use.

My math classes have 6- 8 students in them at a time, and each student is working on individual lessons that cover topics or skills they need to review and practice. Students complete their work at their own pace.  I teach the initial lesson with the students often using concrete materials or manipulatives. Afterwards, those students who wish to use this website are encouraged to do so.

Students enjoy this website because it offers concise lessons that are taught step-by-step.  Salman Khan will talk out his reasoning while recording this information to solve multi-step math problems.  This is very beneficial to those students that find multi- step problem-solving challenging.   My students also like how he records information or steps using different colors.

The lessons can be paused and replayed, so the students can record the work at their own pace. Students that require more time to process material benefit greatly from this.  They’re able to create their own detailed notes that are well-organized. For my older students that find textbooks challenging for various reasons, this website allows them a more independent approach to learning.  I have seen an increase in confidence as a result.  Students can use this site at home to help with their homework, or receive additional instruction regarding a topic they’re interested in learning about.  Younger students enjoy collecting the badges and choosing which lessons they want to work on.

This site is helpful for most of my students and is definitely worth checking out.

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Average does not fit all

Public school is a good place for some students.  But for many others, we know it isn't a good fit.  If it were, there wouldn't be a need for Bridgeway.  Unfortunately, students with learning disabilities (and many others) are falling through the cracks because they don't learn in the same way that other students do, or their mental health or social needs are misunderstood and under-supported.  

Thanks to Charles Cirtwill, President and CEO of the Atlantic Institute of Market Studies, for allowing us to share this guest blog, which was recently published in Progress Magazine.

Rhonda & the Bridgeway team


Average does not fit all

by: Charles Cirtwill
I'm told that during a recent talk to about 100 students studying to become teachers, a representative of the Nova Scotia Teachers Union announced that there is no crisis in education. That person is absolutely right, and that’s the problem.

In Nova Scotia—indeed, in almost all of Atlantic Canada—there isn’t a widespread crisis in education, at least from Grades Primary to 12. Yet for special needs children, for children of Mi’kmaq descent, for children in black communities, and for rural or poor children, the situation is significantly different. Positive improvements aside, I would argue that the evidence supports the continued use of the word “crisis.”

But for the vast majority of us, our schools are not failing. Our kids are graduating in large numbers, and a great many of them go on to further study or their first jobs. Results on our own local and provincial assessments, on the national assessments, and on international assessments tell us we are where we basically have been for several decades: right around, or just above, average.

Yes, our kids are getting a decent education; not the best in the developed world, but not the worst either. Indeed, I have visited some remarkable classrooms in this region with remarkable teachers, where I believe the students are getting some of the best education in the world. With heavy enrolment in fully funded, publicly delivered, highly homogenous programs such as French-language instruction, full immersion, or international baccalaureate education, many children get all of the benefits of exclusive private schools without the cost or the social stigma.

As a result, many parents, students, and teachers are reasonably happy with their schools on a day-to-day basis. Sure, if they visit Alberta or Ontario or Newfoundland and Labrador, they will likely come away with at least one “Why don’t we do that?” question. But they quickly forget it because other issues need more immediate attention and, after all, the system can’t be that bad since their school is generally OK most of the time.

As the grammatically incorrect saying goes, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. But it is broke. Despite the slow encroachment of choice into the monopoly system, it remains largely inflexible to individual need and special circumstances. It’s very much “top down” and “one size fits all.” The continued bleeding of not just the children of wealthy people but also the children of desperate or determined parents of less than significant means to private school or home schooling indicates we have a problem, and it’s a persistent one.

The results on the international assessments show us a worrying trend that suggests that while we stand still, others are moving past us or moving farther ahead. Living in a country with all of the advantages we have, “average” might have been great when only the most advanced OECD countries were in the mix, but as countries with real social and economic problems join the list of comparators, “average” becomes less a badge of honour and more a mark of shame.

For the past several years, I have been exposed to both the philosophy and the history of the “Edmonton miracle,” a remarkable shift from a top-down to a bottom-up education system. This approach is a remarkably empowering one for teachers, parents, and students. The system creates a lot of challenges for central-office types with centralization tendencies. This power transformation was even more exceptional because it was launched under the explicit constraint that the new approach would cost “not one dollar more” than the old one.

How is it that such a fundamental reform can not only happen but also have sufficient time to take root and then thrive? It was because of a crisis. Before the transformation, Edmonton was average; indeed, it was arguably failing—failing to educate, failing to graduate, failing to thrive. Parents were frustrated, teachers were frustrated, students were frustrated, the community was frustrated. So when the spark came in the form of administrators willing to give up their power and let teachers teach and parents choose, the tinder lit and the schools were transformed.

Every day I hope we’ll reach our crisis point in education, because until that day comes, “average” is the best we can ever hope to be.

Charles Cirtwill is President and CEO of the Atlantic Institute for Market Studies.

Monday, January 16, 2012

The Bridgeway Way - Getting students with LD ready for post-secondary

We've shared some advice over the last few weeks from the National Center on Learning Disabilities on how to help your LD child prepare for life after high school.  One article focused on working with students in grades 9 and 10 and the other focused on grades 11 and 12.  Today, we wanted to share some of our own expertise on helping students with learning disabilities prepare for post-secondary education.  Thanks to Cheryl McLellan, the Head of School for our Dartmouth Campus, for sharing her thoughts.


Rhonda & the Bridgeway team

By Cheryl McLellan, Bridgeway

Preparing our students for the great unknown is effectively what a teacher tries to do; to teach our students to go out into the big wide world and experience it for all its worth. For many high school students this means post-secondary education – university, college, training schools, etc.  As teachers, we try to create an environment in which we provide the opportunity for these transitioning students to practice the skills that they will need for the rest of their academic lives.

Students with a learning disability must often practice not only these academic skills to ease the transitions process but many others as well.  At Bridgeway we have made a concerted effort to support our students who are leaving high school and going on to post secondary schools. Besides creating an academic setting where the information is adapted and accommodated, we also practice other transitioning skills daily with the students. Below are just a few of the practices we often put into place to ease the transition for our students.

Start the transition discussion early
Talk to your students about the transition long before it actually happens. I’ve had conversations with students in Grade 10 about issues that may arise in post-secondary only because I knew it weighed heavily on them. The students that I have worked with in the past never seem to be able to focus on their current successes, but the possible problems that may happen in their future.  I’ve yet come across a student that “likes” to be surprised when that surprise has to do with school, classes or credits. By starting the discussion early you are able to openly discuss any anxiety related issues before the transition actually begins.

Practise, practise, practise and practise it again
The one thing I hear over and over again from our past graduates is that if it wasn’t for their ability to advocate for themselves, they would be living a very different life in university / college/ etc. Our students are asked every day and in every way to advocate for their needs in their classes. If a student does not self advocate here then they will certainly feel strained to do it in a more academically stressed environment. Therefore the more practice a student can get self-advocating for anything (doesn’t always have to be academic or class related) the better.

Know your academic strengths and rights
This section falls into two different categories. It starts by making sure that our students know what their strengths are and the accommodations they need. I’ve never been in another educational situation where students will go up to their teachers and give them a point by point summary as to “how” to teach them. The more you think about it, the more it would be amazing if every student everywhere had such an in-depth understanding of their educational profile as our students at Bridgeway do. Next, and I think this is more applicable to students in a post- secondary or public school setting, is know what your rights are. I’m not saying anyone to go out and occupy the Department of Education, but I do believe that every student should know what legally, educators must do for them.

Have someone watching your back
One of the first things we do when we have a student who is transitioning to post-secondary is make sure that they are aware of the Disability Services department at the university or college. Using a resource like this when you go on to post-secondary is the single smartest decision you can make. Disability Services will help you with the above three points but they will also ensure that if any other issue or concern was to arise, that you have a point of contact. Most post- secondary teachers, professors or instructors ( in my experience) have been very accepting of students accommodations, however in the case they were not, Disabilities Services gives you that back up you may need. 

If you're parenting a child with learning disabilities, or know someone who might benefit from Bridgeway's programs, please contact us at 1-888-435-3232.

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Life After High School: Helping Your 11th or 12th Grader with Career Preparation and “Fit”

As promised, here is the second article on helping your teen get ready for life after high school, from the National Center for Learning Disabilities website.  We hope to bring you more information about the ways Bridgeway support students preparing for the transition out of high school - and some real-life success stories - in the coming weeks.

Rhonda & the Bridgeway team

Life After High School: Helping Your 11th or 12th Grader with Career Preparation and “Fit”

By Bonnie Z. Goldsmith

As the parent of an eleventh or twelfth grader with learning disabilities (LD), how confident are you about your teen’s plans for the future? Does your teen have realistic job or career goals? Has your teen found enjoyable activities that he is enthusiastic about pursuing as an adult? Has your teen held volunteer or paid part-time jobs? If so, can he see any of his jobs leading to a career that will allow him to be an independent, working adult?

As you well know, a learning disability does not just affect school performance. You have probably seen some of the emotional fallout teens have to weather when they are “different” in some way. Teens with LD, even those eligible for standard diplomas, may suffer from low self-esteem and feelings of inadequacy. They may look to the future with dread. They may be lonely, anxious, or depressed.

Now that your teen is in the last two years of high school, what kinds of help and support can you provide as he or she prepares for the future? First, ask yourself what “success” for your teen means to you. Does it mean the same thing to your teen? Now’s the time to redefine success based on your teen’s unique strengths and interests. Keep in mind that success involves good health and strong relationships, as well as satisfying work.

Four Stages of Career Development

Whatever your teen’s path to the world of work -- through postsecondary education or training, or directly to a job -- it can be helpful to consider four stages of career development. This article will consider the third and fourth stages. A companion article, “Life After High School: Helping Your Ninth or Tenth Grader with Career Awareness and Exploration,” offers suggestions about the first two stages. Despite the division between articles -- and their targeted ages -- these stages aren’t necessarily sequential and frequently overlap.

Stage 3: Career Preparation Means Finding Some Answers

It’s time for your teen to identify a small number of careers or jobs that look interesting and achievable, based on her developing self-awareness as a person with many facets, one of which is a learning disability. Students sometimes neglect a convenient resource for career planning: the school’s guidance department. Guidance counselors have an array of career and vocational aptitude tests and interest assessments. They can help you and your teen understand test results and set realistic goals. Further, guidance counselors have lots of information about postsecondary education. They can tell you about academic and training schools that offer services for students with learning disabilities.

Your Teen Already Has Some Answers

By eleventh or twelfth grade, your teen’s experiences in school will provide valuable career guidance. School records -- grades, test scores, special education assessments, and teachers’ comments -- can help your teen interpret his or her strengths and needs. Your teen may also have a portfolio of work samples accumulated throughout high school. The collection can assist you and your teen as you formulate a clear progress report based on skill development. If your teen doesn’t have a portfolio, junior year is a good time to start one.

The last two years of high school are also the time to request specific feedback from adults who know your teen well: teachers, tutors, supervisors of part-time jobs or volunteer work, coaches, mentors, counselors, and so on. Encourage your teen to ask these people their perceptions of his or her strengths, challenges, and skills. A trusted guidance counselor can help your teen with these valuable interviews and, perhaps, with getting letters of recommendation.

Stay Current on Your Teen’s Transition Plan

Many teens with LD move directly into the job market after high school because they don’t believe they’ll make it in postsecondary education. Yet it’s clear that any training or college classes increase a young person’s chances for a good job at an acceptable salary. Especially in an economic downturn when many people are competing for jobs, your teen’s competitive chances improve greatly when he or she can include postsecondary education on a resume. Educational opportunities after high school can take many forms besides the traditional four years of college: one- or two-year programs, technical schools, trade schools, internships and apprenticeships, online classes, work-study arrangements. Colleges frequently have services for students with learning disabilities. There may be local companies or organizations offering paid employment opportunities for people with LD, including on-site job coaching. You can help your teen see what’s out there.

If your teen has an IEP, the school is required to keep you informed about any modifications to your teen’s transition plan. Be sure you and your teen attend all IEP meetings. If, for example, your teen has decided to pursue postsecondary education in some form, junior year is critical. It’s the time when your teen needs to find out the admission requirements to schools she’s interested in. That information, along with input from you, her IEP team, and other concerned adults, will help her insure that her transition plan includes the program of study expected by colleges or trade schools.

Legal Protections

It’s crucial for you and your teen to realize that when he leaves high school he is no longer eligible for the services guaranteed by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The protections of IDEA disappear, and your teen will have to seek help on his own.

Laws exist to protect adults with disabilities: Section 504 of the Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Title 1 of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). Both can protect your teen from discrimination in employment, but these laws have restrictions:
  • Your teen must be “otherwise qualified” for the job he’s applying for. He must be able to perform the “essential functions” of a job, with or without accommodations.
  • Employers are only required to provide “reasonable” accommodations that allow an otherwise qualified employee to do a job if the employee discloses and documents his disability. If your teen decides not to disclose his LD, his employer can fire him for poor performance, even if the problems are related to his disability.

Disclosure Requires Self-Advocacy Skills

While your teen is still in high school, talk together about the issue of self-disclosure. Unless your teen tells an employer about her disability, she isn’t eligible for legal protection against discrimination. However, many adults with LD hesitate to disclose their disability. They’re embarrassed, afraid of being seen as inferior, even retarded. (And, unfortunately, according to the 2010 Roper Poll, learning disabilities are still misunderstood.) They’re concerned that expectations for them will be lowered and their chances of advancement reduced.

Another issue is when to disclose: during the interview or after hiring? Depending on your teen’s disability and career choice, she may be able to work around her LD without officially disclosing it. For example, she might ask a coworker to proofread written work or to repeat complicated instructions. She may be able to move to a quieter work area without informing the boss.

Disclosure is a complicated issue. Your teen can’t really consider the pros and cons, however, if she lacks self-advocacy skills. Ideally, by eleventh grade, your teen understands and accepts her LD, knows her legal rights, and is able to ask for reasonable accommodations. Self-advocacy skills need to be part of your teen’s transition plan and must be practiced. The best time to practice is before high school graduation.

Stage 4: For Career “Fit,” Put a Priority on Real Work Experience

By eleventh or twelfth grade, your teen needs to take a close, realistic look at how his strengths, skills, and learning disability might mesh with particular jobs or careers. Paid or unpaid work during high school gives your teen invaluable experience that may help him get a better job after graduating. Help your teen find real-world experiences that emphasize hard work and skill development. Some schools allow students to work in the supplies store, cafeteria, copy room, or office. Students may assist groundskeepers and janitors. Such school-based jobs offer great experience in work-related skills and allow students to learn in a safe environment. Similar jobs might be answering the telephone in your place of worship or another familiar milieu, helping with planning and staffing community events, and volunteering with children or senior citizens.

Keep current on your teen’s plans and provide reality checks. If, for example, your teen wants to be a reporter for an online news organization, but has serious language disabilities, you’ll want to discuss other, related careers that don’t require as much language facility. Some jobs or careers -- maybe most -- will require your teen to work around his learning disability or find accommodations that will allow him to succeed. This is easier with supportive supervisors and coworkers, in an accepting work environment.

There’s no real substitute, though, for a job outside familiar environments. Your teen needs practice developing a work ethic: managing job stress, getting along with diverse coworkers, dealing with interpersonal conflicts, asking for further or more detailed instructions, and fulfilling employer expectations about punctuality, dress, work pace, motivation, and initiative. If your teen hasn’t had a paying job yet, encourage him to get one before high school ends. Research has shown that working for pay during high school has positive, long-term career impact on people with LD. If possible, see that your teen has an authentic experience in the world of work.

Finding a Good Fit

If your teen is game, role play a job interview or a work-related conflict or question. Talk about how to handle rude, mean, or disrespectful people -- especially those who don’t know what learning disabilities involve. Practice those all-important people skills: being professional and polite, taking turns, giving and accepting compliments, and accepting criticism and correction as a way to get better on the job.

Many students with LD need practice with social skills. Some, however, excel in what researchers call emotional intelligence. If your teen is notably empathetic and emotionally mature, she or he may have an edge in a tight job market. A national survey of hiring managers conducted in 2011 by CareerBuilder.com, an online job-search engine, found that employers rate emotional intelligence highly when they make hiring decisions.

For a good career fit, encourage your teen to find out as much as possible about interesting work, a process that began during the “career exploration” stage described in the companion article to this one. Someone interested in health care can visit or volunteer at a hospital, clinic, or rehab center. Someone interested in working with children can look into becoming a camp counselor or assisting at a daycare center. An artistic or mechanically skilled person might lend a hand at an arts center or welding shop. These experiences can help your teen narrow down career choices.

You can help by checking with your local Chamber of Commerce or community center about businesses willing to work with and train young people with LD. If your teen is amenable to help, make use of your community contacts to find potential jobs for him or her and ask your family and friends to do the same. Get information about how your local Vocational Rehabilitation Agency (VRA) can help your teen during and after high school. (Check NCLD’s Resource Locator to find your local listing.) The VRA is a state agency that provides services to young people with disabilities as they make the transition from school to work.

You can also guide your teen in seeking internships or apprenticeships, perhaps in the summer. Such experiences enable young people to watch and assist workers, learn new skills, and imagine themselves doing specific jobs. Your teen can decide if particular jobs are interesting enough to put up with the occasional, unavoidable drudgery and boredom.

Life After High School

To make a successful transition to the world of work, whether it’s following postsecondary education or directly after high school, your teen needs:

  • a realistic transition plan that ideally begins in middle school
  • the ability to accept and understand her learning disability
  • the willingness to adapt and be flexible in a job setting
  • the courage to advocate for what she needs to be successful

Encourage your eleventh or twelfth grader to take increasing responsibility for planning his or her future after high school. All four stages of career development -- awareness, exploration, preparation, and fit -- are valuable parts of a young person’s maturation. With your support, your teen can weather the difficult but rewarding transition from high school student to independent adult.


Bonnie Z. Goldsmith has worked in the field of education throughout her professional life. She has wide experience as a writer, editor, and teacher.

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Inspiring quotes - Teaching

We can all use a little inspiration today, especially those hardworking individuals in the teaching profession.  We did a Google search and found a few inspiring quotes relating to teaching, education and schools.  We'll share them all over the next few weeks.  Today - inspiring quotes on teaching, which I'd like to dedicate to the wonderful, hardworking staff at Bridgeway.  Enjoy!

Rhonda & the Bridgeway team


Do not train children to learning by force and harshness, but direct them to it by what amuses their minds, so that you may be better able to discover with accuracy the peculiar bent of the genius of each.
Plato

A good teacher must be able to put himself in the place of those who find learning hard.
Eliphas Levi

Teaching is more than imparting knowledge, it is inspiring change. Learning is more than absorbing facts, it is acquiring understanding.
William Arthur Ward

You can teach a student a lesson for a day; but if you can teach him to learn by creating curiosity, he will continue the learning process as long as he lives.
Clay P. Bedford

All human beings are born with unique gifts. The healthy functioning of our community depends on its capacity to develop each gift.
Peter Senge, 'The Learning School.'

If I had more skill in what I’m attempting, I wouldn’t need so much courage.
Ashleigh Brilliant