So I have to tattle on myself – I haven’t started inclusion until this week! I know, I know, I know – it’s October and we are one month into school. By the way – how the heck did that happen?? I feel like it was just yesterday that I was doing a crossfit type workout lugging around desks and shelves and huge bins setting up my 100 degree classroom. This month FLEW by. I am actually pretty pleased with how things are going – all my planning is seeming to pay off but the one thing I let completely fall to the wayside was… inclusion.
My students go to inclusion for library, gym, and music. Since I teach upper grades, I have a difficult time doing inclusion for academic areas since the gap between the general ed curriculum and what we are working on seems to just keep getting bigger. I love to do reverse inclusion (post coming on this soon!), inclusion for special events (DARE, field trips, parties), and other hands-on activities when they come up. But the main thing are the specials. My students go with their grade level and an aide. I normally prefer to start the 2nd week of school – since the first week can get chaotic. I like that they start the year doing these classes and are there for the initial class organization stuff. But that did not obviously happen this year…
5 reasons why I’m rationalizing that it’s okay I haven’t started until now:
1. We really needed to get down our routine in the afternoon for our new Guided Reading Schedule and may I the schedule is working out amazing – so I think that paid off.
2. The first month of school is a buffer time period, right?
3. It could be worse – it could be November.
4. Since the classes only meet once a week – they have only missed a few class periods.
5. Maybe the specials teachers were able to get a good routine going and my students can start when the classroom management and organization kinks have all been worked out.
I know, still bad. My kids were SUPER excited to go yesterday. They love it so much. My aides were amazingly super and actually decided amongst themselves who will be going to each period – I kinda LOVE that they did that. I love when they take ownership in the classroom and if they feel like they have some say in their schedule – I think they are much more likely to cooperate, follow the schedule, and take initiative.
So here is our inclusion schedule:, posted with all my other schedules on a centrally located bulletin board. We need easy access to this schedule. Even at the end of last year, I couldn’t tell you my inclusion schedule off the top of my head even if you offered me free money.
And then of course – the data. You may by now be realizing a theme here with my embarrassing data obsession. It’s my ABA background, I swear. So here is where I post my inclusion data sheet – right near the door with a pencil velcroed to the bottom (of course!). So when my aides come back from the class they can quickly and easily put down their data.
In inclusion we keep track of the amount of prompts the adult needed to provide the student. I love data sheets where you can circle the prompt degree instead of writing it in – so much faster! Especially in the hustle and bustle of our afternoon! You just need to write the date, the class, and circle the prompt level. Done!
Here is a freebie paraprofessional data sheet. You can write in the number of prompts that you would consider min, moderate, or max – since that may depend on your student or class!
Here are the downloads:
Paraprofessional Data Sheet – Word
Paraprofessional Data Sheet – PDF
If you are looking for more data sheets, check out my Packet of Data Sheets on TpT. It’s one of my bestsellers – 20 different data sheets for $2.50. I just want to share the data love 🙂
- Planning for the Fall: Part 4 and 5 – Visually Structured Tasks and Routines - January 30, 2026
- Using TAH Curriculum for Homeschooling from a Homeschooling Parent - September 10, 2022
- Using The Autism Helper Curriculum for Homeschool - August 8, 2022
