An Introduction…

Hi All!  Greeting from what feels like the surface of the sun!  I hope that my video shows up and you can see it (it looks good from here).  I am really looking forward to working with all of you over the next 7 weeks.

As a teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, I find it quite challenging to find materials for my students that do not need extensive modification.  I find inspiration from several blogs that I read and follow, such as Edutopia, TeacherswithApps, Google Education and most especially, I follow the Tweets of several fellow Deaf educators.  The person I look to most for ideas is a fellow educator on the forefront of Deaf Education, Deanne Bray (she is an actress as well, so she may look familiar to you).  She often hosts Facebook Live sessions to discuss ideas and application.  I also turn to many of my co-workers.  They are young and new to the profession, so there are many ideas to be had!  The biggest challenge that I face is finding accessible materials for my students.

I hope to learn and grow with you all during this 7 weeks.

 

Respectfully,

Meghan

10 thoughts on “An Introduction…

  1. Hi Meghan!

    It’s great to “meet” you! I love your enthusiasm for learning, and I commend you for making the decision to go back to school because, like you said, the world now is a brand new world from what it was twenty years ago!

    I can’t imagine being the only English teacher and not having anyone else to collaborate with; at least through technology you can connect with an unlimited number of educators around the world to share ideas and learn with. It’s so great you are getting another teacher to work with soon!

    I hope it has cooled down a bit since you posted your video; I can’t even fathom how it must feel if it is that hot!

    I look forward to working with you! – Kate Rock

    • Hi Kate!
      We are down to a cool 112. I know that it sounds still hot, but 112, while hot, is manageable, 121 was not. We have hired a new English teacher, so that will help in addition to having all of core teacher being required to teach a reading lab this year, hopefully will be of great benefit! I look forward to working with you as well!

      Meghan

  2. Hi Meghan –

    It is nice to meet you, and I enjoyed watching your video very much. I can understand why you would feel somewhat isolated in your position as the only English teacher. Using technology to stay connected is even more important for you! Great that you are using Twitter to follow others who work in similar capacities. You may want to investigate blogs that are applicable as well, and Feedly can help you to do that. Have you used it before, and did you get it set up for this class?

    Good luck this summer – I live in Maine, so kind of the opposite of Arizona – lots of snow, and never 129!

    Thanks,
    Kelly

    • Hi Kelly!
      I moved to Arizona specifically because of the lack of snow, I hate it. I was offered a job in Vermont and ran screaming 🙂 My kids are desperate to experience snow, so next winter, up to Flagstaff we go! I have used Feedly before, but on a limited basis. I find it not user friendly, but maybe, since I will be using it more, I will apply it more than just get by. I look forward to working with you during this class.

      Meghan

    • Nice to “meet” you as well. Believe it or not, it was 112 today and that 10 degrees is a big difference!

      Meghan

  3. Hi Meghan,
    I really enjoyed your video and learning all about your PA background. I can’t imagine the heat that you are experiencing right now. I complain when it’s 90 degrees here in Lancaster, PA.

    What a special talent you have, working with the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. It sounds like you will be able to collaborate quite a bit with your new coworker. Deanne Bray is also a wonderful resource, what a cool resource to have available :-). How many students do you typically have in your class? Does your school provide them with technology to use in the classroom?

    Thank you so much for sharing with us and I look forward to working with you over the next several weeks!

    -Erin 🙂

    • Hi Erin!
      Typical class size for me if 5-6 students, but last year I had about 9. Being the only English teacher can do that. We just hired someone, so I am looking at the 5-6 range again. Since I am in this program and use technology, I usually am the first to get access. As for their communication technology, that is parent or medicaid supplied. I look forward to working with you as well!

      Meghan

  4. Hi Meghan,

    I am glad to see that there is someone else who is not living in PA. While I do love the area, many of my classes have been filled with people solely from the same time zone. Coordinating projects, call times, and other things has been complicated when I am out 6 time zones. And, someone who understands the lack of daylight savings time change and lack of snow!

    Anyway, it was very nice to meet you. While I do not teach special education, I do understand being on an island (literally and metaphorically, I guess), since I only have one other teacher in my school and we teach opposite subject areas.

    I hope you do find great tools and information during this course!

    Trevor

    • I feel ya! I thought I was far from Wilkes, you win! And I thought I was in a small school, you win again!! I look forward to your contributions.

      Meghan

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