Have you finished a day with students and left feeling emotionally drained? Have you found yourself responding to the personal problems of others as if they are your own?
If you have answered yes to either of these questions it is time to evaluate your boundaries.
 
Setting clear boundaries or limits is essential to a mutually respectful relationship. A healthy relationship, whether student to student, student to teacher, or student to parent consists of two individuals each with a clearly defined sense of his or her own identity.
 
Boundary setting is not about control, being rude or difficult. When done in a positive manner, it benefits both individuals by establishing a climate of mutual respect. Setting boundaries teaches students how to effectively deal with uncomfortable situations, improves self-discipline, develops social skills, and prepares them for life’s challenges. Here are a few pointers to help you create healthy boundaries:
 
Decide what you want:
The first step in setting healthy boundaries is identifying what is necessary to improve the overall educational environment for the student. Ask yourself questions regarding if the class time is being used effectively or if the room is a learning environment. Ask yourself what you would change if you could and look for negative patterns. Self- evaluating your current situation is vital to student success. There are no right or wrong answers here. Boundaries are subjective and depend on the situation at hand, so decide how and with whom to address situations.
 
Be Firm:
After you decide how to proceed or what is needed, firmly state the boundary. Let’s say a student consistently interrupts class with questions that are off topic. Speak to the student individually and state what the problem is and the expected behavior. Have the student restate the issue and the desired behavior including why it is beneficial to all involved.
 
It is important that you remain calm and not justify or apologize for the boundary that you are setting. It is also important to remember that fewer words are usually more effective. Be clear and concise. This is not meant to discourage students, but to foster their ability to handle problems independently.
 
To read more of Jane’s article, click HERE.

The iPad offers many various accessibility features to assist users with vision, hearing, physical and motor skills, and learning and literacy. These features are built-in directly to Apple's mobile device operating system, iOS, and allow all users to access the full range of options the iPad has to offer, regardless of impairment or disability. Some of these features include:
 
VoiceOver - This feature allows users to cycle through and hear the options displayed on screen.  VoiceOver will speak the selected option to the user, then allow the user to either activate that option by double-tapping or select a different option by tapping on something else.
 
Siri - One of the mostly commonly known and used features in iOS is Siri.  Siri is an automated assistant that can facilitate functions directed by the user for anything from setting an alarm for the next morning to researching an unfamiliar topic.  Siri is a very user-friendly feature, which is generally activated simply by holding down the home button, although some of Apple's newest devices allow Siri to be continuously active, hands-free.  When the user says the phrase "Hey Siri" within range of the iPad, Siri will respond and assist the user without any need to press a single button.
 
Speak Screen - Another very helpful feature in iOS is Speak Screen, which allows the user to have the contents of the entire screen in an app or on a webpage read aloud to them.  For a more specified alternative, there is the option to use Speak Selection, which allows the user to select a portion of text to be read rather than the entire screen.
 
Dictation - For those who might have trouble typing or spelling, this feature allows the user to dictate text into a text field for purposes such as text messaging, searching information online, and writing notes.  Basically, any time there is an option to enter text, there is the option to use the Dictation feature.
 
Zoom - The Zoom feature provides a magnified portion of the device's screen to enlarge whatever the user may otherwise have trouble viewing.  Many apps have a built in zoom feature, but some don't.  In these situations, especially depending on the size of a particular device, it can be very difficult for some users to read text or view certain icons.  This feature not only provides support for in-app use, but also for use while browsing through app icons on the home screen or looking through the devices settings.
 
Font Adjustments - When the standard font size is difficult for a user to read comfortably, the Font Adjustment feature allows the user to change the size of the text to something more functional for his or her own personal use.  This feature works within many of the built-in apps such as Messages, Notes, and Settings, and it is even supported by some third-party.
 
With the use of these features Apple has designed for iOS devices such as the iPad, many people that may have previously struggled to reap the benefits of personal technology usage now have the option and ability to gain access to new ways of improving the quality of their lives. iPads have a lot to offer with anything from productivity to recreation, and they can be useful in many various ways. These innovative features make it possible for just about anyone to enjoy the experience of using his or her own personal technology device.