Richard D. Solomon's Blog on Mentoring Jewish Students and Teachers: Web tools for teachers working with students with organizational challenges

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Web tools for teachers working with students with organizational challenges

When mentoring our pre-service and in-service teachers we need to describe and model both research-based and clinically tested best practices, and demonstrate how these best practices can be applied in the real (i.e. physical) and virtual (i.e. online) classroom for both teaching and teacher training. The combination of face to face instruction in a physical setting and online learning is called blended learning. In this section of the blog we will describe how the internet can serve as a supplemental resource for instruction and the mentoring of pre-service and in-service Jewish educators. In this post we will discuss web tool and resources for teachers working with students with organizational challenges.

Note: In no case should this blog be construed as a major or primary resource on special education.

Assumption: The teacher or mentor teacher has a interactive white board (i.e. SMART Board, Promethean, etc.), a Tablet PC (also called a Slate or Blade), a computer presenter or computer with internet access attached to an LCD projector in the classroom. It would be ideal if students or mentees had access to their own laptop computers or Ipads. Given parental and school approval, and the development of specific guidelines, smartphones can be used to enhance instruction as well.

Note: Although the web tools and resources described below can be applied in the Judaic Studies blended learning classroom, it can be also be used for training pre-service and in-service Jewish educators for professional or staff development. It is our hope that Jewish educators around the globe will form an online community of practice, a CoP, a group of people who share an interest, a craft, and/or a profession, to enhance the delivery of instruction and training of Jewish educators. For example, here is a CoP you might want to join.

Note: The web tools and resources listed below can be used in both a physical and virtual Judaic Studies classroom.

Web resources and tools for students who have challenges with organization from http://www.teachingtips.com/blog/2009/09/07/100-useful-tools-for-special-needs-students-educators/

ListPool: Students can easily create to-do lists that they can share with tutors, teachers and parents here.
Todoist: Todoist is another straightforward task manager that works along with an online calendar.
MyStickies: Students can immediately jot down ideas on websites using MyStickies.
Notefish: Notefish is a web tool that lets you manage projects while you research online. Special needs kids will like being able to drag and drop images, color pages and annotate notes right from their browser without having to wait until later.
Diigo: Diigo is another tool that lets students highlight, bookmark, add sticky notes to and basically customize websites so that they’re easier to read, manage and share.
Nutshell: Students can work off their to-do list as they work online with Nutshell.
Remember the Milk: Help students stay focused on homework assignments and everyday chores with this to-do list, which can send you reminders via IM, text or e-mail.
MyProgress.com: Students will like this easy goal tracker that allows them to see how much progress they’ve made.
ChoreBuster: Teachers and parents of special needs kids can depend on this chore organizer to keep their home or classroom on track.