Takeaway's - Class 1 - Apr 4th, 2020

Three takeaway's from the entire class:

• I thought that the Menti and Wheel of Names sites were interesting. I could use these in my classroom for multiple things. I have never used either of these before. I really liked Menti because you could get students ideas and opinions on things while they remain anonymous. 

• Listening to Tyler speak was so amazing! He is such an inspiration and it is so cool to see how his technology has transformed to meet his needs. It really showed me how the SETT framework works. As a special education teacher this really hit home for me. Technology is constantly changing and it is so important for our students to be able to avail of every opportunity available to them. We need to make sure that they are given the most up-to-date options and that they are trained properly on how to use them. 

• The book creator website is so cool! I loved being able to work on this collaboratively with people in my group while being away from them. This would be so useful in a classroom and it is a great way to get students to be creative and create their own story however they like. They can do it individually or in a group. They could also work on it from home if they wanted to. I love that it is free and user-friendly.

Example of Menti website from class

Three takeaway's from "The Myth of Average" video:

• Todd Rose talked about how gifted students often drop out because they do not get what they need in the subjects that they are struggling with. Their talents often hide their needs. This is really sad, but I have seen it happen before. The student didn't drop out, but he really struggled in other subjects besides math. Because of this, he was often a disruption in class and acted out. His teachers were frustrated with him and didn't know what else to do. It was then that he was finally tested and they figured out that he was gifted in math and struggling in other areas. Programs were then put in place. He was lucky because this was caught at a younger age.
• I liked how he talked about banning the average and design to the edge instead. The analogy to the pilots and their seats was great. Education is not a one size fits all kind of deal, just like with the size of seats for pilots. Each student is unique and we need to create their education to fit their needs. Some may need different programming, instead of just following the textbook. Some may need assistive technology in order to excel. We need to make sure these things are put in place for each student in order for them to reach their potential.

• "We know the formula, we just need to demand it." I thought this quote was great. We know what works for our students and for education. We need to fight for this and receive it. We are the experts in our field and our opinions should matter. Our students depend on us to get them what they need in school.

The Myth of Average