How To Create A Year-Long Plan
I will be honest. There are never enough minutes in a day, but that's probably no surprise! In times of increasing anxiety, I remember to list the must haves of the week. Keeping track of everything is a lot; being a teacher is A LOT! I am big on organization and if...
Who Needs a Picture Schedule?
The question in the title of this post is kind of a trick question. You can use pictures schedules anywhere and everywhere! Depending on the needs of your learners as individuals, they can be all around the classroom. Implementing picture schedules should not be a one...
Setting Up a New Classroom Part Two
Setting up my new classroom This summer I'm taking you along while I set up my new classroom. In part one of classroom set up, we talked about how to think through layout. I started thinking about the things I can't change (doors, windows, etc). I took into account...
Planning For the Extended School Year And Beyond
The extended school year is a wonderful time to practice the maintenance of skills that our learners gained throughout the school year. This is an important time for teachers and families to work together to incorporate generalization opportunities. When planning for...
Focus on Five: Standardized Testing
Even though this has been far from a normal school year, we still have standardized testing to do. I am sure other districts have already started and maybe even finished their standardized testing, but our school starts ours this month. We give our students the...
Focus on Five: Roles and Responsibilities
In special education, we work in teams. Given all the models of instruction we are all implementing (hybrid, in-person, remote), clear communication is essential. I call myself and the paraprofessionals that work in my classroom “Team 301” because we have to work as a...
Touring A Socially Distant Educational Learning Skills Classroom
This month marks one year of a worldwide pandemic! To say that I am proud of us for making it through is an understatement! Underneath all of the stress and tears, my team and I have learned new ways of teaching that we never thought we would need. Veteran teachers...
Basic Learner Level Skills Part 3: Group Instruction
As an early childhood special education teacher, each year I have visions of a smooth-running circle and group instruction time. Sometimes the year started off calm and structured and some years my circle time took longer to get there…and that’s ok! To me, a...
Focus on Five: Writing Social Stories
Recently, my school changed our schedule to accommodate hybrid learning. I also had some new students and families join my class. With both of these things in mind, I decided that utilizing social stories would help prepare everyone for the schedule changes and get...
Managing Smooth Classroom Schedules
The building that my classroom is housed in is an all preschool building. We have 10 classrooms in total with MANY related service team members, and two Early Childhood Assessment Teams. Not only do we have to manage all of our individual classroom schedules, but we...
Play with Multi Age Children
Toys, toys and more toys! As an early childhood special educator for Infants and Toddlers, I have the amazing opportunity to virtually visit many homes (and one day in person again). Many of the families I work with have multiple children in the home and the question...
How to Organize all of the STAR Materials
As we head into winter break, my number one goal is to be prepared and ready for resuming school in January, whether it be in person or remote. Using my plan time efficiently has been a main focus while working from home. Staying organized, on top and ahead of lesson...
The Good That Came From 2020
Pivot! Anyone else tired of that word? If I never hear the words 'pivot' and 'unprecedented' again, I'd be a happy teacher. Oh, 2020. How you've challenged us as teachers! I'm always looking for the positive in any situation. Even though 2020 has brought plenty of...
Focus on Five: Teaching From Home Set-Up
If someone would have told me when I first started teaching that one day I would be teaching from my kitchen, I would have thought they were crazy. Now, almost all of us have had the experience of teaching remotely and we know how important it is to have a functional...
How to Create Engaging Choice Menus
As we get deeper into the school year, we are getting more comfortable teaching our structured program virtually. I know that this can’t last forever! My team and I have a nice groove of posting in our virtual classroom and using The Autism Helper digital resources....
How to Pair Virtually and In School
As a special educator working in early childhood, one of the most common barriers in both virtual and in person learning that has been expressed to me is that the child or student is not yet attending to the screen or table. I often hear “My child won’t sit at the...
Face to Face Early Learning Classroom Set Up
I am so excited that some of our students will be returning to in person instruction. My disclaimer about this post is that this is what we THINK will work. As you know, especially with super tiny humans and an ongoing pandemic, the plan and structure must always be...
Focus on Five: Tips for Using the Google Suite to Manage Remote Learning
If you have been overwhelmed by the start of the school year, you are not alone! I have been teaching for 15 years and full-time remote learning is throwing me for a loop. While I am still figuring out all the ways I can make this new setting work for my students and...
Managing Remote Learning and In-Person Learning at the Same Time
Teaching both in-person and remotely seems all but impossible. When I first heard this was our role, I wanted to cry. I simply couldn't figure out how we'd make it all work. I won't lie, it's not easy to balance everything. I'm still learning this new role and I'm far...
First Week of School Virtually or in Person
My motto this year is to simplify and scale down. This doesn’t mean that my expectations for myself or my students have been lowered, I just want to focus on what is essential and most important. Whether you’re in person or virtual, here are three quick tips to get...