Kleos Spotlight: Introducing Melissa Lyon

New ‘Kid’ On the Block.

An Introduction

Hello! My name is Melissa Lyon and I have just started working with Kleos as a curriculum developer and a monthly blog writer. I am super excited to be partnering with Kleos because I have been working hard for many years to try to get a job like this. Last June, I graduated from the University of Victoria with a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. I am now working on an online master’s degree in special education at Vancouver Island University. I have also completed certificates for teaching English Language Learners and for creating online curriculum. This past year, I have been working part-time at Camosun College in the Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning. When I am not working at school or work, I am either volunteering with students who have exceptionalities, doing public speaking, spending time with family and friends, or practicing karate as I am one belt away from earning my black belt.

My Story

From my introduction, I imagine you are envisioning a person who has sailed through life with minimal challenges and effort. This is not the case at all! I was born with both mild cerebral palsy and epilepsy. When I was two, I had a seizure that lasted one and a half hours, but luckily it didn’t affect me too much. I continue to struggle with daily small seizures that can’t seem to be controlled by medication. My cerebral palsy mildly affects my fine motor, gross motor, and speaking skills. At school, I did not come by good grades easily - I worked very hard to do well and I have always been determined to fulfil my dream of becoming a teacher. I wanted to tell you my story because I want to emphasize the importance of never giving up and of having a strong support group who cheers you on no matter what. I hope that these messages will be reflected in the online modified courses that I am creating for Kleos.

The Courses I Am Creating

I thought you might like an overview of the two modified courses that I am working on. The first course is entitled “Let’s Learn to Cook”. In this course, students will learn about nutrition and kitchen safety. Many of the activities will be hands-on, so the students will get practice using various kitchen tools while cooking different recipes. They will be asked to participate in the various aspects of cooking; including shopping, preparing, and creating a meal. The students will be given several opportunities to share their recipes and cooking videos with their classmates if they wish. We will also be creating an online Kleos cookbook of our favourite recipes.

The second modified course that I am writing is called, ``Navigating My Community”. In this course, students will be asked to reflect on their place in the community and identify the strengths they have that could be shared with others. They will explore different types of transportation, learn related safety skills, and learn other skills that will be useful when visiting different places within their own communities. Our hope is that these courses will reinforce students’ IEP goals and teach students some new independence skills - they’ll likely have a bit of fun as well!

App of the Month

As I am a bit of a ‘techie’ and I love trying out new apps, I thought that each month in my blog, I would highlight a different app. One of my favourite apps to use when working with students is called Book Creator, so I thought I would make it the focus this month. Book Creator can be used on ipads, Chromebooks, or on the internet. One of the things that I love to do with this app is create photo books where students can take photos of their adventures, add their story, and then record themselves reading their story. A short example of this is a book I made with some students, called I Am Special. This app can also be used to create social stories for students with autism or other disabilities - check out this social story that was written to teach students about meeting someone new. The books can be shared with others online, as a pdf, or even in iBooks. Book Creator is a fun app to play around with. It costs $4.99, but I think it is worth it.

Bye for now! ~ Melissa