Sonja+B.

 Helen Morgan School Sparta School District - Special Education Teacher Grade 5 Teaching for the past fourteen years has been an exciting adventure! I have taught in Paramus and Sparta having kindergarten through eighth grade special education students, as well as teaching first and fifth grade regular education. My first masters is in Teaching and Curriculum: Learning Disabilities from Teachers College, Columbia University and then I earned my Educational Leadership second masters degree from Montclair State University. As I continue to improve my teaching practice, it has been beneficial to take classes from The College of New Jersey through the Regional Training Center.I love to spend time with my family and friends, relax by the lake, read, ride my bike, garden, practice the piano, and play my French Horn as a mentor in the Sussex County Youth Orchestra. As the orchestra travels every other summer and I love to travel with family and friends, I have enjoyed going to: Austria, Belgium, China, Norway, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Honduras, Italy, Kenya, Luxembourg, Mexico, Spain, St. Croix, and Switzerland. Can't wait for my next trip! :-)

__Elevator Speech - What is UDL? __Universal Design for Learning is used for implementing curriculum in order to provide an optimal learning environment for students. Incorporated in lessons that meet the needs of all students are goals, methods, materials, and assessments. The "Representation" recognizes the "what" for learning which happens in different ways, the "Action and Expression" incorporates strategies "how" to learn, and the affective "Engagement" is the "why" or choices of learning. These different pieces of learning occur in various places in the brain which provide evidence that different parts of the brain are being activated, and therefore reaching all styles of learners.

__Part 1 -- Toolbox #1 __ 1. What did I learn and find interesting? With all of these modes of social networking the world seems like a smaller place. I learned that many of these networks can be used personally, but are also extremely beneficial in my professional world. Students and professionals will broaden their knowledge base, as well as be able to share topics of interest with numerous people. 2. How will this technology help make curriculum more accessible to students? Social Networking will enable students to reach out to other youngsters and adults concerning ideas of interest. They can seek information from people around the world, increase their knowledge base, and have a broadened perspective. Increased resources and valuable data will provide students with enhanced learning.

__Part 2 -- Toolbox #2 __ Reflection concerning Toolbox #2 The National Center on Universal Design (udlcenter.org) provides an abundance of information pertaining to what UDL is and how it is being used in different states. The Center for Applied Special Technology site has information for teachers to create lessons, build books to develop reading, and provides resources to help teachers and students actively search for research online. These sites and information concerning UDL are beneficial because they provide ways in which to help our students learn as we implement the curriculum. I have learned that I need to be patient when using some of websites, as I need to just take time to work with them. It was challenging to use the Voki and Delicious at first, but once I have more practice it becomes easier

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Culminating #3 <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Digital natives are people who are active users of digital technology. They feel comfortable with using diverse means of multi-media technology, such as using, manipulating, and creating wikis, blogs, podcasts, movies, and search engines. They are members of the present "Generation I" born after January 1998. <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">I would share the information concerning digital natives and Universal Design of Learning with the following people: special education colleagues, members of the child study team, regular education teachers, principal, and my brother, who just finished his doctoral degree on using Technology in secondary and higher education and the beneficial aspects of its implementation.

**__5, 4, 3, 2, 1 Daily Reflection__**
<span style="color: #800080; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 130%;">5 new technologies to try <span style="color: #800080; display: block; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; text-align: left;"> <span style="color: #800080; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 130%;">4 ideas to share with others 3 principles of Universal Design for Learning <span style="color: #800080; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 130%;">2 changes in your teaching to reach all learners in the Digital Age <span style="color: #800080; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 130%;">1 BIG idea to implement in the Fall
 * Glogster.com
 * Voki.com
 * Delicious.com
 * Twitter
 * Edublog
 * Wiki
 * Glogster.com
 * Delicious.com
 * Edublog
 * Benefits of Universal Design for Learning in the classroom
 * Representation--show in different ways
 * Action and Expression--doing
 * Engagement--choices
 * Incorporating more technology in the classroom will benefit my learning disabled students, as it will reach a broader set of students with a broader range of knowledge.
 * Realize the benefits of incorporating effective technology in the classroom.
 * "Learning is diversified."