Converge Autism Summit 2018

Last week I went to the Converge Autism Summit and it was an awesome conference. It took place at the Embassy Suites in Greenville, SC.

On Thursday, I had a breakout session on Tips and Tricks for Teachers. There were about 60 attendees and I think it went very well. Two school district members asked if they could contact me to come talk to their schools. I also served on a Q&A panel with 5 others at lunchtime to answer questions from the audience. This was a little scary for me because I’ve never done this before and once I relaxed, I felt more comfortable answering questions.

I attended several breakout sessions from different presenters and learned some new information. There were sessions for health professionals, educators, and parents. I like how there was something that applied to people with different perspectives.

On Friday, one of the keynote speakers was Kerry Magro who was diagnosed with autism at a young age. He was nonverbal when he was very young and now he is a professional speaker. I also bought one of his books!

There was also a great variety of vendors with very useful information for all.

Next year, the Converge Autism Summit will be on March 7-8, 2019 at the TD Convention Center in Greenville, SC featuring Temple Grandin! I can’t wait to go next year!

Original photo by Pat Hensley

Monthly Review of Goals from February 2018

This month was hard because it was a short month. I started out wanting to get a lot done but then we went away for a week to Disney and it killed my motivation. I’m glad I got the blanket squares done early.

1.     Lose 10 lbs. (I really think I can do this this year.) – lost 1 lb.

2.     Knit 12 squares on my national park blanket. – Total: 5 out of 60 completed

3.     Knit a sweater.

4.     Create 24 scrapbook pages. – Finished 10 this month. Total: 22

5.     Read 12 nonfiction books. (Without this goal, I’m not sure I would ever read any nonfiction books.)

a.     The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondo

b.     The Little Book of Hygge: The Danish Way to Live Well by Meik Wiking

6.     Bible Journaling (weekly) – Total: 8

7.     Learn something new. – Learning to do envelope art and make my own envelopes.

8.     Get rid of 200 things this year that I don’t need and is cluttering up my house. – Completed! Got rid of 365 clothing items this month. It was easier than I expected1 Total: 365

What are your goals for this year? Please share.

Useful Information In and Out of the Classroom 3/2/18

Here are some interesting sites that I’ve found this week, thanks to my PLN. As a teacher, I feel we have to keep up to date concerning research in our field and current issues in the education system. I hope some of these inspire you, inform you, and even have you asking questions. Thank you for coming by and visiting!

Note: Each resource is labeled with a level and subject area to make it easier to use.

Levels:  E: Elementary; M: Middle; H: High; G: General, all levels; SN: Special Needs; T: Teachers

Subject Areas: LA: Language Arts, English, Reading, Writing; M: Math; S: Science; Health; SS: Social Studies, Current Events; FA: Fine Arts; Music, Art, Drama; FL: Foreign Language; PE: Physical Ed; C: Career; A: All

Loom – “Loom is an easy and free screen recorder for Chrome. You can record your camera and screen with audio and instantly share the video with your team, friends, and family! “ (L:G; SA:A)

The Noun Project – “Quickly find the icon you want, change its color & size, then insert it right into your Google Slides and Docs.” (L:G; SA:A)

Youngzine – “Youngzine is a one-of-a-kind Web site where children can learn about current news and events shaping their world -- in a simple, engaging and interactive manner. Our goal is to help parents and educators create a vibrant community of globally aware young citizens in an increasingly connected world. Along with news stories written specifically with our young audience in mind, Youngzine strives to inform using fun trivia, compelling visuals and videos to make the connection between classroom learning and the real world.” (L:G; SA:A)

Chem Collective – “The ChemCollective is a collection of virtual labs, scenario-based learning activities, tutorials, and concept tests. Teachers can use our content for pre-labs, for alternatives to textbook homework, and for in-class activities for individuals or teams. Students can review and learn chemistry concepts using our virtual labs, simulations, and tutorials.” (L:T; SA:S)

Hacking STEM – “Browse our library for downloadable, hands-on, teacher-tested projects and activities that use everyday materials to make STEM affordable, accessible, and fun for everyone.” (L:T; SA:S,M)

Original photo by Pat Hensley

Tips and Tricks for Teachers

I am giving a presentation at the Converge Autism Conference today on Tips and Tricks for Teachers. Below are the slides that accompany my presentation.

Tips and Tricks for Teachers from Successful Teaching