Differentiation that makes a difference
Summertime is here! It's a wonderful time to continue learning while enjoying summer activities. Now someone reading this may say "It's summer! Just get out and play!" And I totally agree with you, however, I believe family knows best - if you feel your child would greatly benefit from being actively involved in learning, these ideas are for you. For students I worked with on my caseload, my focus areas are: Screen-Free Ideas for Summer Literacy Hands-down ... continue reading...
Ideas for Summer Packets How many days do you have until the summer break? My students are getting ready for a two month break from school. Lately, I’ve felt blown away by all the progress they've been making recently. It seems like everyone is going through a huge growth spurt since spring break. I’m not sure what’s going on…but I like it! So although I have a countdown for summer break to get my personal life back on track, it’s feels bittersweet to say goodbye to my ... continue reading...
It's Back to School Time - Get ready for icebreakers! How do you feel about icebreakers? Personally, I have a variety of feelings towards this back to school tradition ;) however, I find it humorous that we put our students through very similar paces! I consider myself a bit of an expert with icebreakers (since I've experienced maybe 500-750? oy) and want to share one of my favorites. Back to School Icebreaker - How to Play To start, everyone selects 4 candies - they ... continue reading...
NON-Teaching Back to School Tips Before Returning from Break Back to school tips so soon? Today is my last day of break! As much as I'd love to lounge around and relax, I will most likely stay pretty busy getting all my ducks in a row to return to school tomorrow. Besides the back-to-school shopping hauls I participated in, I also want to make sure my daily routines are ready to go (well, as ready as I can be!). This is not your typical Back to School To-Dos. I ... continue reading...
Here are tips for setting up a resource room classroom space! At the time you're reading this blogpost, it's gone through so many revisions. From Pinterest-perfect classrooms to teaching from a hallway or cart (been there, done that!), we have a lot to consider when setting up a learning environment. The most important thing in my mind as I'm beginning to organize the resource room is student independence and accessibility. In many circumstances, independence and ... continue reading...
Whether it's Back to School season or the start of a new calendar year, there's something special about a crisp, new planner. I don't know about you, but it gives me a sense of hope... This is the year I'm going to be uber organized! I will know exactly when every IEP meeting is going to occur WAY in advance. Unlike previous years, this time I'm going to WRITE in my planner every single day! What type of planner does a Special Educator need? There are so many teacher ... continue reading...
Does your school have a Meet the Teacher event during Back to School? We didn't exactly have one... the school I taught at tried a few different events over the years to support students and families. As I'm listening in on other teachers' conversations, I think my situation was a bit unique. As a special educator, I had to carve out my own style to make sure families knew who I was, how I can help, and definitely how to contact me. I actually ended up preferring it this way because I ... continue reading...
Have you been thinking about incorporative restorative justice practices in your classroom, but have no idea what that would look (and feel) like for our youngest students? That was me! In the summer of 2017, the school I taught at did a deep dive into restorative justice training. It was WONDERFUL! As a result of the professional development, we were all expected to build restorative classroom communities. Even better! But wait... in my resource room, I was supporting students with ... continue reading...
Back to school time is so busy and a time for fresh starts! This often includes how our classroom space is set-up, from desks to tables or flexible seating and functional visuals and bulletin boards! There are so many fantastic ideas and images all over Pinterest and Instagram - beautiful classroom spaces that look bright and inviting. Here's another twist on creating a classroom space that feels welcoming: Student-generated classroom decor is definitely not a new idea, but we don't ... continue reading...
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See full disclosure here.
