My students

I have one goal with this semester we are currently in, from a personal perspective. Survival in 685, and a workable grant proposal in my other class that will allow me to get some money to purchase some much needed equipment for my classroom. I have been exposed to the smartboard, and I really don't think I would be able to fulfill my teaching style as well as I could without it. I'm a connected kind of guy, I use multiple methods to get my point across, and the smartboard seems to be the nexus of the next wave of instructional technology. It would really improve my engagement in the classroom, but at the same time, I realize that its just a modern whitewash of an old tech standby, maps/charts/paper/pencil/chalk/chalkboard. The only techie-ness about it is that it makes all the old stuff appear new.

On another level, I have one other goal for this year. To help one of my students, Josh, see better. He is legally blind, can only see about 5%, and what he does see is b/w. He has a device that helps him see a little better, a camera attached on a level about eighteen inches above his desk, tied into a flat-screen monitor that allows him to write and see fairly well. Its not perfect by any stretch, but using it, he is fairly well able to function. Until, of course, someone stands, leans forward, or raises their hand in the path of the camera. then he's sunk, and I can see his demeanor physically change when that happens. It upsets me, and I'm going to fix it. I also want to figure out a way to allow this device to run on battery power. First, though, an extra set of articulation joints should allow the camera to be moved UPWARD, so he can be over the kids in front of him. I have an uncle who runs a welding/machinist shop. we may be able to come up with something, putting our heads together, to improve the design. My father in law suggested a different kind of mount for the camera housing as well.

the following link details Josh's machine. http://www.clarityusa.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=23&Itemid=38 if you think you might be able to help me out or have a suggestion for improvement, drop me a line.