Use the special ed inclusion documentation forms to keep track of service times, lesson plans, and more. Streamline it all quickly and effectively!
It's Cool to Include - Inclusive Matte Vertical Poster Celebrate inclusivity with the "It's Cool to Include" matte vertical poster, a vibrant addition to any classroom, therapy office, or supportive environment. This eye-catching wall art promotes a culture of acceptance and diversity, making it an ideal choice for SPED teachers, therapists, and anyone dedicated to fostering an inclusive and welcoming space. Perfect as a meaningful gift or as a centerpiece for inspiring positive interactions. Product Details: Inclusive Message: "It's Cool to Include" highlights the importance of acceptance and diversity, encouraging a positive and inclusive atmosphere. Modern Design: Features a contemporary design with a matte finish that blends seamlessly with various decor styles, adding a touch of inspiration to any setting. Premium Quality: Printed on museum-grade matte archival paper (175gsm) for exceptional color clarity and a sophisticated matte texture. Size Options: Available in versatile sizes to suit your needs: 8x10 inches 16x20 inches High-Quality Print: Uses top-tier pigmented archival inks for a vivid and durable print that remains beautiful over time. Indoor Use Only: Designed for indoor display, enhancing your space with a message of inclusion and positivity. Assembled in the USA: Crafted from globally sourced materials, ensuring superior quality and durability. Why You'll Love It: Promotes Inclusivity: Encourages a culture of acceptance and inclusion, making it perfect for environments where diversity is celebrated. Versatile Decor: Ideal for classrooms, therapy offices, playrooms, and any space that values positive reinforcement and inclusivity. Durable and Elegant: High-quality materials ensure that the poster stays vibrant and inspiring for years to come. Thoughtful Gift: A meaningful gift for SPED teachers, therapists, and anyone committed to creating inclusive environments. Additional Information: Materials: Museum-grade matte archival paper (175gsm) Sizes: 8x10 inches, 16x20 inches Care Instructions: Handle with care and frame to maintain the print’s quality and appearance. Tolerance: Please allow for slight size deviations with a tolerance of +/- 1/16" due to the production process. Order Now: Bring a touch of inclusivity and positivity to your space with the "It's Cool to Include" poster. Click 'Add to Cart' to purchase your poster today and promote a welcoming and accepting environment!
Enhance classroom organization, teaching strategies, and student engagement with these innovative tips. Unlock the power of office supplies to create an inclusive and efficient learning environment.
Our home office is one of my favorite spaces in our home. When we built our home, I knew that I wanted it to be a versatile workspace for the whole family.
Special education classroom supply list. Ten must have items for setting up your new special education classroom. Links to free resources for new teachers.
I never would have thought I would be tracking data digitally, I am really not that savvy when it comes to tech, however, when someone pointed out how easy it was, I had to try it. You guys, its sooo much easier than my typical paper and pencil tracking system. I had data sheets EVERYWHERE!! […]
The human brain is a paired organ; it consists of two halves that look alike. What is brain lateralization? Brain lateralization is just the fact that the two halves of the brain are quite different from each other. Both sides have different jobs that they do, and each side is highly specialized in those functions. For example, you may be aware that the left side of the brain is specialized for language. Crossing Midline, or "cross lateralization": We talk a lot in OT about "crossing midline". Crossing midline simply means that a a child reaches across their body with either hand (such as to use his/her left hand to reach across to the right of their body and vice versa). Think of it as if there is an imaginary vertical line down the center of their body, and crossing midline would mean moving a hand or foot across that line to the other side of it. Well, what does this do in terms of brain function? When a child crosses midline, new connections are made between the right side and the left side, and both sides then are working together, rather than independently of each other. It integrates the 2 sides of the brain, and organizes the brain for better concentration and problem solving. This is needed for reading and writing, as a child must cross midline when reading and printing from left to right across a page. Many self help skills require being able to cross midline, as well as sports activities and other daily skills. The ability to cross midline develops as bilateral coordination skills develop. The child learns to coordinate their stronger hand (used for specialized skill) with their helper hand (the hand that they use to assist the dominant hand). See an earlier post titled "Bilateral Integration/Coordination," dated 6-8-13 for activity ideas for improving bilateral coordination. This is an example of a child reaching across midline. You may notice that children who have difficulty reaching across midline often stop in mid-reach and switch hands. Keep in mind that when a child routinely switches hands, each hand then gets equal practice, and true hand dominance does not develop or may be delayed in developing. You may also notice that they turn their trunk to reach toward the opposite side instead of reaching across it. This lack of trunk rotation limits crossing midline, and one way to work on this would be to work on core stability (see earlier post, "Postural Control and Shoulder Stability for Fine Motor Skills," dated 6/3/13 for more info on how to do that). Also, they may exhibit difficulty visually tracking a moving object from one side to the other or have difficulty following along from left to right when reading. "Right handed" child completing a coloring task. Note that the crayons are located on the left side of the paper. Same child- note that when he changed colors, he picked up the crayon with his left hand, because they were to the left of the paper. This is not a child who readily crosses midline. The following are activities that you can do with your child to encourage crossing midline: -Complete sorting or reaching and placing activities: have your child pick up items that are on the right side of them with their right hand, and reach over and place them on their left side (and vice versa). Sort objects into containers in this manner, place pegs in pegboards, etc. -Complete worksheets or draw on large sheets of paper for which the child has to draw a line from one side of the paper to the other. -Cone or cup transfer: Transfer/stack cones or cups with the right hand from right to left and from left to right. Switch hands. See top photo above for example. -Complete cross crawls: in standing, pick up left knee and touch right hand to it, and then right knee and touch left hand to it, and continue on in this manner, alternating back and forth for a number of repetitions. -Place a long line of masking tape on the floor. Have your child walk along the tape line, scissoring their legs (stand with each foot on each side of the tape line, walk along the line by crossing one foot over the other and stepping on the opposite side of the tape line). Can also do this with their hands while in 4 point along the tape line on the floor, or up a tape line on the wall. -Check out Brain Gym- many of the activities that are Brain Gym based are related to crossing midline. Find out more about this here: http://www.braingym.org/index Here is a link for 10 free Brain Gym Activities: http://sspw.dpi.wi.gov/files/sspw/pdf/sascevanshandouts.pdf
Check out these different ideas on how to create an engaging group lesson for your lower level special education students!
These are the fully editable headings that I made and used to create my Netflix bulletin. I have left them editable on word so you can adjust them to suit the size and style you need. The Bookflix idea was not my own but this is what I used to create my own!
This post contains affiliate links. **Update August 2020 - It is possible to utilize or create a path to fully support social distancing. Such spaces will be all the more important if other practices are limited or modified. For virtual learning, we might support families in creating appropriate paths or spaces at home.** You may have seen the video that went viral of a young boy walking, stretching, and hopping along a path that a special education teacher designed, painted, and implemented in the elementary school where she works. She labored over the path for more than 80 hours, creating something special for the students in her school. A sensory path is meant to help a child use their own bodies and environment to calm themselves down. They use their muscles, breathing, and spatial awareness to make their way through the path and walk away from it reset and refreshed. When teachers know certain students in their class would benefit from movement breaks, they can allow students to leave class (in our space the students would leave with a madrich or madrichah - Hebrew for classroom assistant) and move through the sensory break path. It’s a preventative measure, geared toward improving focus and preventing disruptive behavior before it occurs. In our space we already have students who need breaks throughout the session walking laps around our building. I designed this as a productive alternative. If you’ve seen the sensory path that went viral (image above), it is quite obviously a labor of love, but it is also rather busy. In my opinion there’s almost too much going on. It's always important to strike the right balance between a positive sensory experience and sensory overload. I also think that while wonderful for younger children, this path would seem too juvenile for older elementary and middle school students, who might dismiss it out-of-hand. So, like many others out there, I designed my own. Also a labor of love, I might add; it just took me much less than 80 hours to complete. Rather than paint I used colorful floor tape that can be removed. (Additional items include: large footprint decals, red floor marking tape, green floor marking tape, orange floor marking tape, hand-print decals, spiral wall decal.) I was aware of the limits of our space. Most importantly, our supplemental religious school serves children in PreK through grade 12, so I was wanted to create something that would be appropriate for the variety of ages. All students can use the path from time to time, to ground them on days when they’re feeling hyped up, anxious, or overstimulated in class. As expected, the space was an immediate hit. The most rousing endorsement came from two parents; one who is a physical therapist and the other who is both an early childhood educator and the mother of one of our students who typically walks laps around our building. My favorite moment was when a few third grade boys came to try it out. One, after whipping through it, declared that it was “too easy”. I tried to explain that it wasn’t a race, but he wasn’t listening. Nevertheless, word spread fast and few minutes later the rest of the third grade class wanted to try it out, so back he came along with his peers. Before his turn he again declared, “But it’s so easy.” This time I shared, “It’s not an obstacle course, it’s a sensory path. Do you know what sensory means?” “You mean like our senses?” he asked. “Yes. Some people need a short break from their work to clear their head. Others need to get their blood flowing again so they can get back to work.” “OK,” and off he went, back through the path. As he neared the end I asked, “So, is your blood flowing?” “Yeah, now it is.” The value of using spaces like this, fidgets, or any other tool meant to help a student find success is the context in which the tool is presented. Using the language of “this is a tool to help you” or “let’s take a sensory break,” enables students to more effectively speak about their needs and advocate for themselves in productive and meaningful ways. I think one of our third grade girls had the most important insight of the day: As she completed the path she declared, “Oh, these need to be EVERYWHERE. I’m telling my mom we need one in our house.” For more research on the benefits of sensory breaks read: The Impact of Sensory-Based Movement Activities on Students in General Education. Updated June 2019: ***NEW*** To keep this space interesting for our students I added new elements (and will aim to do so each year). I purchased the spiral sticker and hand-print stickers below. Here are pictures of how this new pieces look: Here are all the products I used to create this space: Contact me to design a sensory break space for your setting or for additional professional development in using such tools effectively. Never miss a post from Removing the Stumbling Block:
Paraprofessional Training in the Special Education Classroom can be tough! Learn how to make paraprofessional training simple with these tips.
If you read forums for teachers, job satisfaction surveys, or listen to conversation in the teachers’ lounge you will often hear a common theme in the complaints of teachers. Teachers who are unhappy feel unappreciated and unrecognized for their hard work. Although a raise would put a smile on teachers everywhere, this may not be possible with the current state of economics. Have you read Malcom Gladwell’s book, The Tipping Point? One of the examples he gives in his book is the NYC subway system. George L. Kelling was hired as a consultant in 1985 to test his broken windows theory. The city cleaned the subway system of graffiti. Graffiti was quickly cleaned any time it appeared. The theory was that small crimes lead to bigger crimes. Purging the subway of graffiti was the tipping point to make the NYC subway system safer. Small crimes lead to bigger crimes. I think a few negative comments can spread quicker than 48-hour flu in a school. Soon it seems like the entire staff is infected with negativ-itis. It is possible to make teachers, staff members, and co-workers of your school feel appreciated and recognized for their hard work. The best thing is the school climate doesn't have to be the responsibility of one person in the school. Do you think your co-workers are feeling a little stressed? Do you hear more snips and snarks than comments of appreciation? Have there been changes on your campus . . . new team members, administrators, curriculum, or expectations? If this sounds familiar, you could be the change agent at your school. Sometimes it is the administrator, team leaders, or Sunshine Committee than plans school climate and community building events. But, one thing I have found through the years. Everyone loves a helping hand. If you step up to the plate, you will have their undying gratitude. After a few community building events, you will have a happier place to work. So, it is a win-win for everyone. For whatever reason, I have always enjoyed planning these type of things. I know it is crazy, right?!! I have been on a social committee for my neighborhood homeowner association, a school's Sunshine Committee, and planned monthly luncheons for my daughter's middle school. Through all of these experiences, I have picked up a few tips and tricks that make putting on a luncheon for a large group a little easier. Food brings people together, it bonds them, it is just that simple. If at all possible it is best to plan the date of your luncheon on a day when everyone can eat lunch at the same time. Do not forget to include everyone in your school family like the custodial staff and secretaries. If you do plan the luncheon on a day when you have multiple lunch periods, set out fresh food each lunch period. I just added a new School Climate packet that includes what you see above. Each luncheon has a PDF that is "PRINT & GO" prefilled for your luncheon. There is also a blank signup in the EDITABLE file so you can personalize it to fit your needs. The sign is EDITABLE, too so you can add the date, time, and place. There are also notes (6 per page) so you can write little notes of support, encouragement, thank you, and give treats. There is room that you can write a note or attach a treat. Who doesn't love to get a little note in your mailbox? Some of these are colorful and some are black & white. Look for the Positive is a system where staff members recognize other staff members. This system could also be used with students. Staff members fill out a nomination about another staff member who is: ALL HEART: A person who is kind and helpful to others. ALL STAR: A person who shines at his or her job and goes beyond what is required. ALL SMILES: A person who has a positive attitude and a joy to be around. OUR TREASURE: A person who is worth his or her weight in gold. Prizes can be whatever you want. I made these signs to hang outside classrooms to recognize teachers. I bought the supplies at Hobby Lobby. At one of my schools, the prize was a front row parking spot. That was a very popular prize! If a luncheon seems like a bigger job than you want to tackle this year, I included monthly events that are still fun, but on a smaller scale. The signs are editable so you can add the date and time. Click HERE find out more plus get a FREEBIE in the preview file. Click HERE to check out the preview file. Sources to make my blog post graphics can be found HERE. Click HERE to read my blog's disclosure statement.
Special Education teachers are the masters of data collection! At times, collecting data can be overwhelming, especially when you sometimes have to outsource the collecting to other teachers, specialists, or teaching assistants. Tracking accommodations is necessary to make sure an IEP is being followed and can be helpful in determining which accommodations should be added to or removed from the IEP. Believe it or not, collecting data on accommodations and modifications does not have to consume your life! Share Information Be sure to share vital information with all teachers and assistants that work with your students. I have an accommodations organizer that I organize all of the information of my class. The information is in one place which is helpful for sharing information with assistants, special area teachers, and substitutes. When I first began teaching, I did not bother sharing such information with special area teachers until it was brought to my attention that a student of mine did not complete a test in physical education class. That student had trouble reading and was supposed to have his tests read. The PE teacher was unaware of his accommodations and therefore did not deliver them. I use a special form that reminds me of who needs to be informed of accommodations and modifications at the beginning of the school year and after an IEP annual review. Train Your Team If you have paraprofessionals in your classroom working with students, it is important to train them in how to deliver and how to track accommodations and modifications. Some interventions are more detailed than others. Observe your team while they are working with students and provide feedback as needed. The time you put in to properly train your team to record data the same way you would is so well spent! Use Checklists When I first started teaching, I used to write notes on a post-it that included which accommodations and modifications were used on assignments along with their effectiveness. It was very time consuming and often times, I forgot to add some things. Finally, I came up with a few checklists and forms to help the process. Level of Support One of the forms I use tracks the level of support a student needs from an adult. I use this one to determine the need for a 1:1 teaching assistant. It is useful before adding a TA and to collect data to see if continuing the intervention is a necessity. The adult that works with the student at that time fills it out while working with the student. Accommodations and Modifications Tracker I use this form two ways, depending on what I am collecting data for. As an IEP meeting approaches, I like to review the need for the interventions on the IEP. I can track the types of interventions are needed for different types of assignments and activities. More importantly, I can track the effectiveness of such interventions. I can also cut this tracker apart to staple it onto work samples. The work samples can be to show the Committee on Special Education the student's growth or regression. I also like to send work home with students with the form filled out from time to time so parents can see what kind of help the student needs in order to complete assignments at school. Frequency Tracker Another way I like to track the use of accommodations and modifications needed in school is with a frequency tracker I created. This gives me a quick visual of which interventions are being used and which are not. I focus on this during the weeks before a meeting so I can determine which accommodations and modifications need to remain, be added, or be removed from an IEP. Data collection is so important but it doesn't have to take over your entire life. Once you create a few checklists that fit your classroom or purchase one of the many checklists and charts from my TpT store, you will save yourself a ton of time and will have more data than you've ever had before!
Keeping an organised class has been much easier since I created My daily planner for my young learners. On Page 1,2 – About me Pages 3-4 include days of the week and seasons pg. 5-6 schedules…
This IEP accommodations overview sheet makes it easy for Special Education Teachers to list all accommodations for every Special Education student on one sheet. Since this is used in Google Sheets, you can easily share it with other teachers, making it easy for them to see each student's current accommodations. This IEP Accommodations Overview Sheet has customizable drop down options for eligibility, services, and goal areas. I fill this out at the beginning of each school year and share it with general education teachers. It's easy to update after each meeting, and changes update on their copy as well. There are two options for this sheet. One of the sheets is color coded in a way that keeps eligibility, services, and goals easy to navigate. The other sheet has no color coding. Please let me know if their are any questions or problems!
Are you looking for free preschool curriculum? This is the ultimate list of free preschool curriculum to help you make the best choice!
Let kids choose where and how they sit.
Are you scaffolding or rescuing your students? Learn the difference, which is important to use in your classroom, and why with these teaching tips!
In this article, I outline survival tips for first-year special education teachers. My survival guide includes advice about planning, IEPs, networking, prioritizing, and more with lots of resources.
Use the special ed inclusion documentation forms to keep track of service times, lesson plans, and more. Streamline it all quickly and effectively!
During my first few segments in the 'SLP 101' series, I've mentioned 'Working Folders'. I thought I'd explain what that means to me! I actually have 3 different systems this year because I'm in 3
Put writing tools at your elementary student's fingertips with theses Writer's Offices!
Friends~I finally figured it out-2 for 1 composition books! I have been loving the composition books that have been cut in half recently. I have seen them on several blogs and I have gone to Lowes and Home Depot as suggested to have my 12 books cut in half so that I had 24 smaller books. Doubling my lot! (The kiddos never use a whole page anyway:) Here's my journey for the 2 for 1! I first made several trips to Lowes and Home Depot but they left me defeated. Don't get me wrong the guys that helped me and tried to cut the books were super kind but their saws ate, destroyed, tore, and mangled my books. After the loss of my 2nd book the man at Home Depot suggested that I try Office Max. Look-ie, Look-ie! It was less than $3 to have these 2 for 1 babies cut! Office Max can cut around 8 at a time. I am so super excited about it! Check out my labels below for the front of the books. I am using one for my calendar journals and one for spelling. You can download the labels that I plan to use on the covers for My Calendar Journals next school year by clicking the images below. If you do so, I would love for you to leave a comment and follow my blog so you don't miss any Back to School Freebies!
