VIDBE-Q Volume 65 Issue 4
progressing effortlessly fast until we all learned a lesson. I showed one student the
small catapult, explicitly reviewing each portion, and then I left them with a
projectile to launch. As I stepped away to help another student, I witnessed the
prior student's entire catapult flying through the air. Yes, the entire catapult! It was
a beautiful display of parabolic motion which tragically ended abruptly as the
catapult slammed into the classroom door. We all giggled at the misunderstanding
later, but realized had that mistake not occurred, the student would have believed
that catapults are launched, not the ones doing the launching. It was through
assessments, questioning, hands-on real-world experiences, and an environment
that respects mistakes that made mastery of this math concept possible while also
developing missing ECC concepts arisen from a lack of incidental learning.
Goal Day. One of the most exciting days for my students with multiple
disabilities was a day they crafted themselves. They labeled the day "goal day"
after a self-determination unit based on setting goals. For these middle school
students and many students in general, setting goals is difficult. We spent several
weeks on this topic to gather input from their families, residential life staff, and the
students themselves through assessments and surveys. Proudly and after lots of
modeling and practice, the students created their own goals! The students' goals
ranged from braille literacy, brushing teeth, participating in new sports, practicing
with assistive technology devices, cleaning tables, and organizing their
