Do you see what I see?

Ever wonder what the world looks like with a learning disability.  Here's your chance!  Try to decipher the following examples.  Leave comments of your interpretation below.

Dyslexia: 

Dysgraphia:

Dyscalculia:

Which number is easier to see?  Would a dyscalculia student say the same?

iBaby

With a new technology era in front of us, with a landscape of ever changing data and tools children are being exposed to technology often from the day they were born.  I remember sitting in the waiting room of the hospital getting text messages from my brother and his wife- count down, doctor said it's time to push, and an hour later, before we were even allowed to see her, we had a mass picture message sent to our phones.  My niece, who is now nearly two, will sit on my lap and flip through my iphone, giggling, toggling around- even taking picture of herself and laughing.

Dispite our best intentions, many professional suggest that computers are not developmentally appropriate for children until about 3 years of age.  The rational for this limit is closely tied to Piaget's theory of childhood development.  Under the guide of his work, Piaget suggests that children at the age of three are learning and absorbing on a active bases.  They are exploring symbols, language, pictures and numbers are are mobile and active learners.  Reinforces by the work of Howard Gardner, age three is when students are learning in a variety of ways, not simply the direct teacher student model.  For these reasons it makes developmental sense to include technology when working with students 3 and older.  Technology offers many new and exciting ways to engage students in learning from an early age- hopefully making students intrinsic and life long learners!  Now what parent wouldn't want that!!

Some early ways of integrating technology are listed below:

Early Childhood ipad apps

Brain Pop!

MET for Kids

Click for more information on development abilities:

Early Childhood

Mistakes Welcome Here

One of the most rewarding lessons to teach children is the lesson that mistakes are okay! In fact some of the most significant discoveries have been created from mistakes- the discovery of America, Penicillin, even the cave of Lascaux in France. This less constrained way of thinking allows students the freedom to activity participate in their learning, without fear or ridicule and to engage in new and intresting dialog, and experiment and interact with their own learning.

English As a Second Language or ESL programs have steadily begun to promote this concept in hopes of giving students a way of developing, practicing on honing students skills so they gain comfort and confidence in their use of English.  Technology has been a huge help in promoting a fear free style learning.  Schools have been using programs like board maker and writing with symbols as a means of engaging students in learning in a visual and exciting way.

The ideology established by ESL programs is not just restricted to teaching English.  The concept of a fear free and engaging method of teaching is a huge component of any good art program.  As an art teacher one of the critical foundations of teaching art is teaching students how to take risks with their work and ideas.  In order to do this, teachers must engage students in activities that encourage and recommend "mistakes" or play as a means of discoving and learning the content.

Below are several really cool suggestions of mistake welcome art activities.  Click on the titles for more details.

Peach Pit Painting

Magic Milk Painting

No Paintbrushes Allowed

Marble Paper