All instructional assistants are not made equal. We have so many that are outstanding. Some are even certified teachers or students who are working their way through college. We have some assistants who have a family member with special needs so they bring a valuable perspective to our classrooms. And then there are the assistants who have never worked with children with special needs or the assistants who just took the job […]
Read moreOnce again, I’ve found a little magic that I just have to share! A couple of years ago, one of our SLPs had this magic wand that she brought out here and there to get kids to pay attention and work on their articulation, language or social skills. I’ve wanted one of these ever since. I told one of my friends that I wanted one and one day, it showed up […]
Read moreYou just never know what’s going to work with any given student. For me, sometimes it’s been a bracelet turned into a superpower or a pillbox turned into a reinforcement treasure chest. I think sometimes if you can have on hand something that surprises a student, something that is interesting or novel that he or she actually momentarily forgets why they were not being compliant in the first place! That brings me […]
Read moreDid you ever wish you could have a visual for one of your students that he or she could see at all times instead of needing you there all the time to prompt to not do something? I’ve had several students who needed this. There was the guy in middle school that would zip up your hoodie, jacket or sweater in a hot minute if it was not zipped all […]
Read moreI feel that every conference or training that I go to, if I can get just one new idea, strategy, or tool that I can take back to share with others, then I consider it worth my time. When Sarah Ward came to present, we were all taking part in a fire hydrant turned to WIDE OPEN!!! It will take me weeks to process all of the information I learned […]
Read moreWe’ve been revamping our Early Childhood Classrooms in terms of how we evaluate and monitor our students’ growth like using the Early Start Denver Checklist and the STAR Program that I’ve highlighted before. To continue with that tweaking process, we’ve added some more structure to our classrooms so that students could better understand what they need to do in each of the spaces or centers. I have with me today, my friend and educational […]
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16
Sep
2018
An Amazing App for Executive Functioning Skills!
Are you the schedule for your students, or your child? If so, you may be dealing with someone who has some challenges with organization and planning! Do those same students waste time and then complain about not having enough time to finish their work? Many of our students struggle with executive functioning issues and actually need our help to understand things like making better use of their time by planning ahead! […]
Read moreIf you work with pre-school students or older students with special needs, chances are you have had someone along the line drive you crazy with switching your lights on and off! I know I’ve seen this many, many times. So what is the solution? I’ve seen stop signs near the switch, I’ve seen furniture pushed in under the switch (at least at the door), I’ve seen teachers put an informal […]
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27
Aug
2018
Executive Functioning Event with SARAH WARD!!!
As a teacher or parent, if you find yourself being the schedule, being the time keeper or worrying more about a student getting assignments doneor to places on time, then you need some expert help! Executive Functioning guru, Sarah Ward, MA. CCC-SLP is coming to Indiana! Westfield Washington Schools has invited Mrs. Ward to come and share her incredible strategies to help us help students succeed when it comes to […]
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14
Aug
2018
The Wrong Colors and Visual Clutter Can Create Problems You Don’t Need in Your Classroom!
It’s that time of year to really be purposeful when you think about the learning spacefor your students. Physical structure will work for you or against you. The wrong lighting can set students off as can the wrong colors and visual clutter. Don’t set yourself up for more stress than you need to. You want to set your students up for success. Think more about your teaching space than where all […]
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