In my classroom, everyone is organized. It’s not a choice. We have so much going on that there needs to be a system for every inch of my room. You might think it’s nutty. I think it’s smart. We don’t waste time looking for things or losing things because we all organized. It takes a little time to get things setup that way – but it’s SO worth it.
Many of our kiddos struggle to get organized and stay organized so we need to set up systems for them and teach them how to utilize those systems. Each of my students have a binder. There binder houses their schedules, calendars, and other academic work used each day. It’s great to have a place for everything to go in one spot.
High Level Student Binders
Low Level Student Binders
The tabs coordinate with our morning agenda. Grab these tab dividers here!
Happy organizing!
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12 Responses
Hi Sasha, I love the way you have organized your students work. I think I might need to add to what I’m using in my class. Do you have a sample of the vocabulary work you are doing with your higher level kids. The vocabulary homework looked very interesting. I have a couple of kids in my class whose parents would really like that. If you could point me in the right direction I would appreciate it. Thanks
Just curious, Sasha, how many years do you have your students? I have mine for up to 8 years. Having trouble setting up quality curriculum without fearing the students getting sick of the same thing year after year. Thoughts?
Hi Sasha,
I recently purchased your leveled grammar packet and I love it! I’m just curious how your incorporate it into literacy block. I see your example of your student’s schedule above and it says “Language Arts.” Is this when you do guided reading? I’m struggling with literacy block and how to best set it up so that we are working on both comprehension, fluency, and grammar during this time throughout the week.
Yep! We use these sets:
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/150-Vocabulary-Words-for-Early-Childhood-or-Special-Education-348625
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/150-Kitchen-Vocabulary-Words-for-Early-Childhood-or-Special-Education-1724036
Typically in my district we have students for 4 years. I definitely understand not wanting them to get bored. I would recommend continuing to challenge them and continue to create more difficult work tasks and programs. Also switch things up year to year – change schedule types, desk locations, etc. Hope this helps 🙂
Hi Danielle! I just responded to your email about this! Let me know if you have any other questions or if my email doesn’t make sense 🙂
Good morning! I’m so happy I’ve found you as a resource! I’ve purchased a ton of your materials from TPT, as well. I have just started teaching a 6:1:2 special needs classroom with students who are lower functioning than those indicated in your low level binder. (Just for a reference, one of my students has a small sized brain whose hemispheres have not connected. All the students are barely communicative. All are deaf but don’t sign and one in also blind.) I also have an assistant who is insubordinate and an admin that feels I need to not only teach the students but also take up the slack from the neglect they receive at home. The students had a teacher from Sept – Jan 4, when I took over, who “didn’t do anything” as I’ve been told. My director wants the students to learn daily living skills such as brushing their hair and washing their faces.
I’ve bought your “basic skills vocabulary unit”, Leveled Daily Work {Level 1}, Paraprofessional Training Manual, Ultimate Packet of Behavior Management Visuals for Children with Autism!, The MOST Space Efficient & Organized Work Task System for a Special Ed Classroom, Seven Steps for Setting Up a Stellar Autism Room {CHECKLIST} and Work Task Mega Pack.
I know I can get these students to have a positive experience in school but I’m going crazy to trying to create everything from scratch with no direction and hardly any supplies. Can you think of anything else I can be doing? Or give me a TO DO list for starting from nothing? Any ideas on what I can ask for on Donors Choose? I’m working 12 hour days 7 days a week and barely accomplishing anything.
I’d be so appreciative of any additional suggestions or videos you can offer.
Thank you every so much,
LisaDiana Delaney
I COMPLETELY understand how you feel! This job isn’t for wimps! I would put a bunch of Donors Choose proposals up for velcro, laminating, and ink because you will always need those. Focus on each part of your room at a time. Get a good morning routine down and repeat it in the afternoon. Have you checked out my life Skills room? There will be some ideas for daily living skills. Make your para a specific and detailed schedule to try and limit issues. Maybe have her work the “independent” work station since it sounds like your students probably still need prompting for work tasks. Hit up a dollar store and make a bunch of work boxes. It’s all baby steps but it will get there. Your students are so lucky to have you!
Hi LisaDiana, Hang in there. We all know its it easy. Celebrate even the smallest accomplishments. Make sure to tell parents about the wonderful things their child is doing at school no matter how small. For your trouble-causing Aid, you could try putting them in charge of something. Make them responsible for the set up and running of an activity for the students – a baking activity, or art activity. It’s always unfortunate when you have staff that are more work than the students. But hang in there. Do your best to focus on the students and not the adults behaving as children ? Good luck! It really is rewarding in the end.
Great suggestions 🙂
Hi Sasha,
Thanks for sharing this! It’s very helpful. Would you share with me what you keep in your teacher binders for the Daily Leveled Math and Language sections? Do you keep copies of the daily work pages? Or just the data sheets, lesson plans, and curriculum map? Thanks for your help….I’m trying to get organized!
Of course! In my teacher binders I keep the curriculum maps, lesson plans, grading rubrics (with pre/post test data sheet), and data sheets. All of the student pages go in their binders. Hope this helps!