Using audiobooks for Universal Design for Learning

Expanding student access to reading

audiobooks for Universal Design for LearningAs a school librarian, I needed to think how I could adopt Universal Design for Learning (UDL)  in my own teaching and library space, but I also needed to think about how I could support my teachers as they implemented it in their classrooms.  With UDL, teachers can allow students to have choice and flexibility to interact with the content.

And one option that I could help provide was audiobooks.

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Tackling school change as a community

Community conversations about education

community conversations about educationWhat would you tell your neighbors about your school? What do you think they’d say in return? The Washington West Supervisory Union has set out to find out, by hosting a series of community conversations.

Life LeGeros, a Tarrant Institute professional development coordinator and WWSU community member, is taking part in those conversations, and sharing out what he learns.

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What makes for good goal-setting in a PLP?

Life’s four guidelines for goal-setting

what makes good goal-settingIn my experience as a teacher and administrator, I noticed a pattern to goal-setting in my school and classroom. We would do some good goal-setting at the beginning of the year and then at some point during the dark depths of winter I would realize that I was too overwhelmed or embarrassed to try to resurrect them.

There were some notable instances when goals were powerful for students, though.

In those cases I saw the potential of goals to cultivate so many important things in my students: self-direction, a sense of efficacy, and a connection to schooling, to name a few.

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4 educators reflect on personalized learning

Setting goals for summer learning and beyond

reflections by middle school educators
Welcome, Mill River Union! We are very curious as to what you guys are up to.

It’s Day 3 of the 2015 Middle Grades Institute, a gathering of more than 200 Vermont educators all passionately invested in technology-rich, student-centered educational change. And with the Act 77 deadline requiring a Personal Learning Plan for every student in Vermont grades 7-12 coming up in November, talk around personalizing learning and capturing evidence of personalized learning are at the forefront of everyone’s minds.

Let’s hear from four schools attending MGI about their engagement with the personalized learning process, as they spend their first week of summer planning for the coming year.

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