Kid Kindness Month

Promoting kindness is a necessary skill a teacher must focus their students’ attention towards. Knowledge without applying kindness is pretty much useless since we want our learning to impact others positively. The contest, hosted by CouponBox, is an effort to help kids think of others in need. Details of the contest are below.

  • Kids aged 7-13 who live in the USA can submit an entry (with video, text and/or photos) describing how they would spend $1,000 to spread kindness or help a group of people or cause.
  • Kids can submit individually or as a group or class. Each entry must have a sponsoring organization (school, religious group, scouting group, athletics team, etc.).
  • There will be (3) winners chosen. Each winner will receive $1,000 to implement their idea and an additional $1,000 given to their sponsoring school or organization.

My class is so excited to submit our idea. Here is a link for more information: https://www.couponbox.com/kidkindness

New App That Promotes Accessibility

The app Map My Day promotes accessibility in cities and raises awareness for places that are accessible. Locals download the app and record data on areas that need improvement and places that are safe for all to travel to. The screenshots below highlight the important information of the app. Please visit Map My Day for more information.

apps technology for disabilities

technology for disabilities access

technology for disabilities

apps for disabilities technology that helps

Check it out here: http://www.mapmyday.org/en

***all photos used on this post are screenshots from the website above.

Who’s Who: A guide to exploring Autism

For people who are interested in learning more about autism, I recommend researching the following people who have contributed to our understanding of disabilities and inclusion.

A. Self-Advocates 

1. Temple Grandin: Leader scholar in autism, self-advocate, researcher, and speaker 

autism advocate and advice

2. Carly Fleischmann: self-advocate, co-author, student

Carly Flesichmann

 B. Individuals recommended by Dr. Temple Grandin

  • Neil Postman
  • Donna Williams
  • Michelle Dawson
  • Laurent Mottron
  • Tito Rajarshi Mukhopadhyay
  • Leslie Lemke
  • Clara Claiborne Park
  • Daniel Tammet: Born on a Blue Day
  • Michelle Dawson
  • Dr. Tony Attwood: leading expert

 

“Everybody Has challenges. We Have Adventures” Eagle Mount

In one of my email correspondence from working with the Accessible Icon Project, I came across a person who works at Eagle Mount, a recreational center for people with cancer and disabilities. This Montana based center provides skiing, ice skating, swimming, horseback riding, golfing, and more for people of all abilities. Centered around the philosophy that “Everybody has challenges. We have Adventures”, this 19 acre campus is open to all. With program enrollments totaling more than 1,400 last year, it took more than 1,500 able- bodied volunteers, donating over 30,000 hours, to help with all the activities. They believe that recreation is more than just play time. For them, it translates into “re-creation,” bringing strength, confidence, focus, joy, and freedom into all aspects of a person’s life.

Check out their website here and look for ways you can volunteer or participate in their programs.

The Painting of the Accessible Icon

Step by step pictures of Dr. Brian Glenney painting the Accessible Icon at one of the parking spaces at Gordon College.

Beyond Disabilities Week: Brett Olson “Examining the mess under the carpet”

Watch and read his testimony on our Beyond Disabilities Page.

Art is a behavior, a process, a way of life.

Art is a fundamental part of being human. After reading Conversations Before the End of Time by Suzi Gablik, I realized most classrooms (and myself) were guilty of holding a modern western mindset about art—a mindset that viewed art as a luxury rather than a way of life.

When I first read that art was a biological need for humans, I wasn’t sure if I fully agreed. I started thinking of what I have been taught about art in school and what little time we spent in art class. I realized I had a limited understanding of art since I viewed art as something specific: such as painting, coloring, or drawing. I saw art as more of a masterpiece or something hung on the wall, rather than a behavior, mindset, and lifestyle. Although I believed art had the power to transform, change, and hold meaning to human beings; I underestimated the importance of art since I did not see it as fundamental to existence. However, I realized this was because I bought into the idea that art was a thing—rather than a life style. When we start to view art as a behavior, then we start to see art as universally important. Since art is about creating, reflecting, and doing, art is part of reflecting and living a well-lived life.

In your classrooms, do you equivalent art to being human? What ideas about art do you hold and share with your students?

With much love,

-Teachertalk4all