Hey hey, teacher friend!! Oh MY, congratulations on landing a teaching job! I’m so INCREDIBLY stoked for you. I remember that feeling and it’s so SO good. Whether it’s your first classroom or maybe you’re going back after being away for a bit, either way that’s super exciting and I know you’re goi
Prep for any absence with the substitute teacher binder! Use these editable forms to give the substitute teacher all the information needed!
9 valuable lessons I've learned about Classroom Management as a middle school teacher!
How many of us have gone to work sick because it was easier than planning for a sub? We just can't afford to do that anymore, especially in the world of Covid. Years ago, I was determined to find an easier, more manageable way to plan for a substitute teacher. I am sure you know the feeling of waking up sick and not knowing how you are going to get everything ready for a sub when you feel so terrible. With that in mind, I created a Substitute Teacher Binder and Sub Tub. In this post, I will share how I prep for those surprise sick days and how I prepare for days that I know ahead of time I am going to be off. I most recently had to plan for a sub for a week, so I will share some tips and tricks for planning for those days off. At the beginning of the year, I create my Substitute Binder. I divide it into sections for easy access to different topics and parts of their day. I print the section cover pages on cardstock and laminate with 3M laminating pouches. You could also just use a clear binder if you don't want to use the rings like I did. (The discs/rings and the paper punch I use are from Happy Planner.) Choose which sections you want to include that are important for a sub to know. I then sit this by my door so that they see it when they come in. If it's a day I had already planned on being off, I put it on my desk or teacher table with everything they need for the day. As for the sub tub, I always put extra worksheets in the bottom of it throughout the year that we didn't get to. This just gives the sub something extra if they need time filler throughout the day. First, let's talk about the sub binder and what I include. All of this is very helpful for those surprise days off. I can just text a teammate and ask them to set out my binder for the day if I get sick. I always sort my worksheets and activities in daily bins, so I ask them to set that day's bin out along with the binder. It makes planning for a sub super easy for me and for my teammates. The tabs on the binder are super important to have. This lets the sub know what's important for them to know and shows them where to quickly turn if they need that section at a particular time. I always have a little WELCOME note to make them feel welcomed. You could also include any special information you need them to know first thing. I include a full page ROSTER of my class. I also print the half sheet rosters and clip them to the front of the binder. They can take attendance on these since they don't have access to our online attendance. Be sure to include a note about that on your lesson plans so they know where to put attendance. The next sections I like to make are STUDENT INFO and IMPORTANT INFO. These are the sections where you will include important health information, such as allergies or other medical conditions they need to know about. I also include emergency procedures, pull outs, seating charts, a class schedule, and any other helpful information about students or special situations that could arise. For RELATED ARTS, I include our rotations. If I know I am going to be out, I include the exact one that we go to that day in my lesson plans. If not, they can just ask another teacher what day we are on. I put my classroom management strategies and classroom rules in the PROCEDURES section. I let them know the specifics of expectations, consequences, and incentives that they can use. I also include another pull out list here, just in case. The ARRIVAL section gives important details about expectations during the first part of the morning. This is where you tell them what students do when they first come in, details about announcements, and how to complete attendance. The LESSON PLAN section includes a basic class schedule in the first part of the section. I then include very detailed plans for our day. For the lesson plans you put in the binder or planner, you can give a general run down of what they do during each part of the day. This will help your sub so much if you are out unexpectedly. I tell them how the lesson generally goes and they can grab the practice from the daily tub. I also tell them where they go and how to do lunch, recess, and all of the other parts of our day. By including these detailed break down of your day, you can ensure that instruction continues as if you are there. I don't like to plan something totally different from the pacing guide, because it throws everything completely off. I include dismissal procedures in the detailed lessons plans, but I also add it to the DISMISSAL section. Be very specific about how students go home, how they pack up and clean up, and what the sub's responsibility is during dismissal. The TRANSPORTATION section includes how each student goes home. I also put a note in there telling them that students have to go home that way, unless they receive a change of transportation note from the office. I like using this box sheet for each student. I normally have that all typed in here but I used a blank one here for confidentiality purposes. The CLASS section is where each student has a box. They can use this to tell me about any students who were absent or any behavior issues they had that day. The BEST DAY EVER section is where I ask them to leave a note about their day. I have found that this helps to end the day on a positive note. Always let them know how thankful you are for them filling in. Being a substitute teacher is not an easy job. I want them to know that they are appreciated. Finally, I just include a NOTES section, in case they need somewhere to take notes throughout the day. Now let's talk planned days off. The only things I do differently are change the lesson plans and lay everything out for the day. I recently was out for a whole week, so I will show you how I planned for those days off. I color coded everything! First I used the lesson plan section I had already made, but I added more details about each specific lesson, as well as what related arts we went to each day. Just copy and paste the lesson plans pages. I also put the day of the week at the bottom of each packet. I did not put these in the binder. I decided to staple each day's plans printed on different colors of paper. For the sheets that were needed for each day, I used the same color sticky notes to label each day's activities. You could even put the time that they will need each activity. I also lay everything out in order for the day. I just spread it all out across the table for the sub, and it keeps everything organized and the expectations clear. If they needed a teacher edition for that lesson, I also marked the pages with those same color sticky notes and put them in the stacks. I hope seeing how I plan for a substitute teacher helps you plan for yours. So many subs have thanked me for having everything prepped for them, and they love coming back to my class. I have had other teachers request for me to share how to properly plan for a sub, particularly how to put together a proper Substitute Teacher Binder. Often times, teachers do not leave detailed plans, which makes the day difficult not only for the sub, but for the other teachers on your team. You want your sub to feel prepared and to want to come back. It's so hard to find a sub these days, so we want to do everything we can to support them. You might even want to include a little treat for them. We know that chocolate makes everything better! You can grab this free tag by clicking on the photo below. If you have any questions, feel free to send me an email or reach out on Instagram. What tips do you have for planning for a substitute teacher?
This writing lesson and craft revolving around snow globes helps bring winter to the classroom, even if live in a place without snow!
Ideas for making your classroom cozy and comfortable.
This free printable teacher planner is an excellent resource for staying organized. To our dear teachers, this planner is designed with your needs in mind! It includes the basic organizers that can…
Te proponemos algunos juegos para entretener a los niños que terminan las tareas muy rápido en el aula. Se trata de un recurso muy útil para los profesores, que podrán organizar la clase y permitir que todos los alumnos aprendan al ritmo que necesiten. Son actividades divertidas para niños.
I used to take the longest showers, to take a phone call when I was washing dishes, or even let the faucet run while I was brushing my teeth. It was wasting water, yes, but I wasn’t focused on the water at hand; I was focused on the task at hand. On the dishes, or … read on
My favorite part about getting ready for back to school is getting all of the bulletin boards set up around my classroom. Here are some of my favorite ideas.
When you see these classroom setup photos, you'll want to give a raise to teachers everywhere who spend their summers making life nicer for our kids.
3rd grade teacher Deanna shares how she saves time and works more efficiently.
These teacher hacks are brilliant ideas for your classroom that'll make your life so much easier this year. Number nine will change your life!
15 exit ticket ideas for any subject or grade level!
Unwanted talking is near the top of the list of teacher frustrations. In this article, learn the actual strategies to finally get rid of it for good.
Short on time? Feel like you need an assistant? I was sceptical at first but in this blog post I'll share 10 ways teachers can use ChatGPT to save time.
“I want my teacher to know I’m smart in Swahili,” one student wrote, changing the future of this teacher’s practice.
Keep your classroom organized, your sanity intact, and your social media channels popping.
Cuando se adapta la visita al Museo a los niños/as. Caso de buenas prácticas: actividad cultural Detective en el Museo vía @sabope #LaCulturaCrítica
We want students to work at their own pace, but when one student is significantly slower than his peers, it can cause problems for him and for his teachers.
Explore easy classroom management strategies and ideas from other teachers to keep the classroom running smoothly and meet the 3 C's.
Art Lesson Plans for Art Teachers to save you time and restore your work/life balance. Let The Arty Teacher do the work for you.
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How to Use Radical Candor With Your Students Relationship Building % %
"I need to come up with some ideas for my son' teacher. My son is on the spectrum. The teacher is really struggling with his behavior as well as his learning style (he's a very visual learner, I know, and he doesn't do well with lengthy verbal instructions)." Research has identified classroom characteristics that promote success for children with Aspergers and High-Functioning Autism (HFA: individualized instruction, interesting curriculum, positive reinforcement, predictability, short working periods, small teacher-to-student ratio, and plenty of structure. Research has also identified optimal teacher characteristics: consistency, firmness, frequent monitoring of the child’s work, humor, knowledge of behavior management strategies for students on the spectrum, patience, personal warmth, and positive academic expectations. Based on this research, here are 70 quick and simple – yet highly effective – tips and tricks to use in teaching your students who are on the autism spectrum: 1. Allow the child to change seats and places as long as she or he stays on task. 2. Allow the child to chew gum to reduce anxiety if needed. 3. Allow the child to stand or walk with a clipboard (if possible) as long as she or he remains on task. 4. Allow the child to use learning aides, computers, and calculators (for different parts of the task). 5. Allow the student to manipulate an object, doodle, squeeze a ball, bend a pipe cleaner or paper clip, or handle another non-distracting item as long as she or he attends and is on task. 6. Assign a capable "study buddy" who can remind and assist the active or disorganized child. 7. Assign another child to be a "support buddy" who works with the distractible student, and provides one-to-one attention to assist in completing tasks. 8. Assign duties that require self-control (e.g., line leader, materials distributor, etc.). Prepare the student for the duty, encourage the student, and reinforce the student during and after that activity/task. 9. Assign the child to a seat that best allows him or her to observe you while avoiding distractions (e.g., away from doors, windows, pencil sharpeners, etc.). 10. Assign the test grade based on performance on different aspects of the assessment (i.e., organization, writing mechanics, penmanship, subject knowledge displayed, etc.). ==> Teaching Social Skills and Emotion Management to Children and Teens with Asperger's and High-Functioning Autism 11. Be sure you have the student's attention before you start. 12. Develop good rapport with the child. Aspergers and HFA students are more likely to respond to emotional connections than contingent consequences. 13. Devise interesting activities. 14. Eliminate excessive noise. 15. Eliminate excessive visual stimuli and clutter that might distract the student. 16. Employ study carrels or seat the child in the area of the class with the least distractions, and/or face the desk toward the wall. However, do not isolate the student for long periods of time because it may stigmatize the student. Allow the child to engage in group work too. 17. Encourage moms and dads to build physical activity into the student's out-of-school schedule. 18. Ensure that your style of presentation is enthusiastic and interesting. 19. Give a general overview first. Let the child know what will be learned and why it is important in life. 20. Give your attention to appropriate behaviors. 21. Have another child place carbon paper under the Aspergers and HFA student’s paper while writing down homework assignments. Give the carbon copy to the child to take home. 22. Have the child progress through the following steps while learning: See it, say it, write it, and do it. 23. Have the child underline or highlight directions. 24. If social rewards/reinforcement is insufficient to bring about the desired behavior, pair social recognition with earned activities or tangible reinforcers. 25. If you get a lot of defiant behavior, review how often you say negative things and give commands to the student. Children who hear too many negatives and commands will shut off the teacher they come from. Get positive, encourage the student, and focus on progress, however small. 26. Ignore as much of the negative behavior as possible. 27. In a multi-part task, provide visual cues that are written on the child's desk or on the chalkboard for each part. The child then engages in that next step. 28. In cooperation with the child, create a "secret cue" (e.g., tugging on your ear lobe, clicking your tongue, saying an odd word such as "huckleberry") that reminds the student to attend. 29. Incorporate movement into lessons. 30. Involve the child's interests into assignments. 31. Keep directions and commentary short and to the point. Avoid "overloading" the child with too much verbiage. 32. Keep unstructured time to a minimum. 33. Make a tube that the child uses as a telescope, keeping you in view and blocking out other distractions. 34. Motivate the student by having him or her "race against the clock" to finish the task (or part of it). 35. Move nearer to the child when she or he becomes restless. Offer verbal encouragement or touch. When misbehavior occurs (or threatens to occur), move closer and soften your voice. 36. Place instructions on an audio tape that can be replayed by the child as needed. 37. Play soft background music without lyrics. 38. Present the assignment in parts (e.g., 5 math problems at a time). Give reinforcement for each completed part before giving the next segment of the task, or have the student mark off his or her progress on a chart. 39. Provide "do now" activities for other children while you focus the child. ==> Teaching Social Skills and Emotion Management to Children and Teens with Asperger's and High-Functioning Autism 40. Provide a "squeeze ball" for the child to manipulate if he or she becomes frustrated. 41. Provide a bouncy inflatable seat cushion. The child may put his or her energy into squirming on it, but he or she will stay in the seat. 42. Provide a grown-up to whom the child reports at the beginning and end of the day to organize his or her work and assure assignments are in-hand. 43. Provide a laptop computer to children who lose papers (but not books). 44. Provide a second set of textbooks for the forgetful child to use at home. 45. Provide a special "transition object" (e.g., puppet, small stuffed animal, etc.) that accompanies the child to other classrooms, providing a sense of consistency and support. 46. Provide an individualized written schedule to which the child can refer. 47. Provide extended time to finish. 48. Provide opportunities for physical movement (e.g., erasing the blackboard, running errands, distributing and collecting materials, etc.), and build physical activities into the daily schedule. 49. Provide some choice or variation in assignments to maintain the child's attention. 50. Reduce the length of assignments so that child does not lose interest. 51. Repeat and simplify the directions. 52. Seat the child next to appropriate models. 53. Set expectations for behavior BEFORE an activity or event. 54. Set up routines that prepare the student for upcoming transitions. 55. Teach memory techniques and study strategies. 56. To block out distractions on a page, create a "window" in a piece of card board that exposes only one or two lines of print. 57. To ensure understanding, have the child repeat the directions in his or her own words. 58. To gain the attention of younger kids on the spectrum, give directions through a puppet. 59. To increase reflection and concentration, have the child identify the correct answer AND cross out incorrect answers on multiple choice tests. Inform the child that there may be more than one correct answer. 60. Use a clock to remind the impatient student that the next activity must wait until a certain time. 61. Use alert cues to get the child's attention before giving directions. 62. Use color and highlighting to accentuate certain important words or phrases on worksheets. 63. Use concrete objects to assist in keeping the child's attention. 64. Use examples that capitalize on the child's interests. 65. Use game formats to teach and/or reinforce concepts and material. 66. Use more than one modality when giving directions. Supplement verbal instructions with visual ones. 67. Use oral testing if that format will keep the child's attention and better assess his or her knowledge. 68. Use pantomime to capture the attention of the child to give instructions. 69. Use performance testing. Have the child do something or make something. 70. Use progress charts and other visual records of behavior to encourage more appropriate behavior. Use colorful charts and cards to motivate the student and recognize effort. ==> The Complete Guide to Teaching Students with Aspergers and High-Functioning Autism More resources for parents of children and teens with High-Functioning Autism and Asperger's: ==> How To Prevent Meltdowns and Tantrums In Children With High-Functioning Autism and Asperger's ==> Parenting System that Significantly Reduces Defiant Behavior in Teens with Aspergers and High-Functioning Autism ==> Launching Adult Children with Asperger's and High-Functioning Autism: Guide for Parents Who Want to Promote Self-Reliance ==> Teaching Social Skills and Emotion Management to Children and Teens with Asperger's and High-Functioning Autism ==> Parenting Children and Teens with High-Functioning Autism: Comprehensive Handbook ==> Unraveling The Mystery Behind Asperger's and High-Functioning Autism: Audio Book ==> Parenting System that Reduces Problematic Behavior in Children with Asperger's and High-Functioning Autism
Have your students demonstrate their understanding of many different math concepts while designing a map of their own town! This hands-on math activity is a project that will definitely engage your students. File Type PDF
Past, present, and future.
Being a new special education teacher can be overwhelming and stressful. Check out The FIRST thing to do as a new special ed teacher.
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Some ideas for teaching plot elements to help students recall stories in sequential order, summarize stories, and understand theme.
Students will use this template and their imagination to create their own lego man. They will use the graphic organizer to describe their lego man and write a narrative to go with it. ...
Real-life kindergarten spaces!
