Posted on July 22, 2012 by Toby Karten
Support Disability Rights throughout the World
Please ask your Senators to vote to ratify the U.N. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities!

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disABILITY Awareness WebQuests

Posted on July 16, 2012 by Toby Karten

Excellent way to explore disABILITIES to support your inclusion programs with your students: Check out this site for K-12 curriculum related ones or create and post your own!

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R.E.S.P.E.C.T.

Posted on May 9, 2012 by Toby Karten

The United States Government now has a project entitled RESPECT with the letters standing for:

 

Recognizing

 

Educational

 

Success

 

Professional

 

Excellence

 

and

 

Collaborative

 

Teaching

 

This project aims to transform the profession by involving and respecting teachers, leaders, associations and unions on district, state, and national levels. It reenvisions the teaching profession to be led by teachers since often there is a disconnect between reality and practice. It hopes to attract top tier talent to the field, look at how teachers are evaluated and supported in meaningful ways, allow the best teachers to help the most needy students, and offer the conditions for teachers to succeed with a national model and as mentors. The RESPECT Project seeks to transform the profession by honoring teacher input and experiences. Principals and school leaders would allow master teachers to be their collaborative partners. Teachers would serve as mentors who are given the time and resources to share their expertise. This project, although in its infancy holds promise for the teaching profession to be identified and looked upon with respect and for students who are educated in inclusive classrooms to receive the expertise of highly recognized staff.

 

 

 

 

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Yes, I Can! DisABILITY Lessons by Toby Karten

Posted on May 3, 2012 by Toby Karten

Read-about-passionate-fearless-energetic-determined-and-enthusiastic-kids-who-spin-their-disABILITIES-into-successful-outcomes!

YesICan! Inspirational Attitudes Prevail!

 

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Strategies to Include Students: Individual Fingerprints with UDL

Posted on April 25, 2012 by Toby Karten

This video has an overview of how students’ unique fingerprints require educators to minimize the barriers and maximize the learning with flexible curriculum that offers more than access, but challenging work that fuels all students’ interests.

 

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Dive into these CCSS resources!

Posted on April 24, 2012 by Toby Karten

IDEA Partnership’s Collaborative Work on Common Core State Standards

 

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Universal Design for Learning

Posted on April 24, 2012 by Toby Karten

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a way for students with disabilities to access the knowledge and skills in classrooms. The UDL principles are based upon neuroscience with a belief that curriculum should be diversely presented by educators and expressed by students in multiple ways. The universal aspect of UDL offers a broad range of goals, methods, materials, and assessments for students. Preparing teachers how to deliver the curriculum to students in their classrooms using UDL principles requires training. The Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST) offers many ideas.

 


 

 

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Lessons to be Learned from CEC’s Yes I Can Ceremony!

Posted on April 22, 2012 by Toby Karten


These Wordles depict the most popular comments from Council for Exceptional Children’s Yes I Can Ceremony on 4/13/12 in Denver. They offer visual insights on how these remarkable young individuals achieved such incredible feats. YES, YOU certainly CAN! Congratulations to you, your families, and the educators who support your endeavors. The world awaits your brilliance!

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Ways for Families to Support the Learning

Posted on February 9, 2012 by Toby Karten

Family and School Connections

Read on to find out what happens when the learning takes a walk….

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What is inclusion and how can co teaching help?

Posted on December 7, 2011 by Toby Karten
Thoughts from Hackettsown School District from elementary to middle school and high school:
  • Inclusion is a school version of society as a whole.
  • Co-teachers benefit from each other’s expertise and are able to better service all needs!
  • Inclusion is my best teaching year ever!
  • A great way to teach children at all levels, from those with disabilities to gifted students.
  • Working together to provide the best learning environment for our students.
  • Curriculum becomes less challenging with 2 teachers collaborating to assist all students!
  • Meeting the needs of all students and allowing students to be and feel successful while showing growth.
  • Inclusion is having all students succeed to the best of their ability.
  • Co teachers help all students find success!
  • Inclusion is team teaching together.
  • Inclusion is an important part of class, as it helps us see a variety of perspectives, and gives us a more full picture of the world.
  • Inclusion is amazing if done correctly!
  • Inclusion is a level playing field for all students.
  • Inclusion is providing those with disabilities additional resources to help them have the same chance at success in a gen. ed. classroom.
  • Inclusion is the best way for all students to see that no one learns exactly the same way, and everyone benefits from seeing other ways to learn things.
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