Do you include Makerspace in your classroom? I've been intrigued with the concept ever since I heard about it! I'm pretty sure every undergrad paper I ever wrote somehow included a quote from Howard Gardner #nerd I kept the thought of offering Makerspace opportunities in my mind as a "someday" for quite awhile (too long!). Why did I wait so long? Number 1 - I'm not a Science teacher nor STEM-certified Number 2 - I'm not a classroom teacher, either! I am a ... continue reading...
A Special Educator’s Introduction
It's Back to School and time for teacher introductions! I've seen so many clever ideas for meeting and greeting new students. Some include props, like treats or school supplies, and others feature an icebreaker activity. So many different ideas, but the one thing that is the same is that these "meet and greets" are especially appropriate for the general education classroom. So how does a special educator introduce himself or herself to new students? In my last blogpost ... continue reading...
Special Educator’s First Day
Are you a special educator preparing for your first day of school? Whether it's your first year of teaching special education, or your last, the first day of school is an exciting day to look forward to! Students are arriving with smiles (or maybe a few tears) and the general educator will probably be accepting bags and bags of supplies, tissues, and hand sanitizer. So what exactly is the role of the special educator on the first day? It will probably look different from school to ... continue reading...
Toolbox Learning
Teacher Toolbox...for your students! I'm so excited to share this project...I've been working on it for months! Have you seen the Teacher Toolbox? Most likely you have...it's been a DIY project that I first learned about in 2012-ish and has only gained in popularity the past few years. I quickly made my own teacher toolbox and LOVED having my "everyday materials" accessible at my fingertips, plus it looked great in my classroom! Every year I tweaked it a bit with updated labels, ... continue reading...
Free Reading Level Charts
What's your reading level? Does that question make you wonder or cringe inside (or maybe a little of both!)? Reading levels have been the topic of debate in many educator circles. To learn more, I enjoyed reading this post from Learning at the Primary Pond and this article from Psychology Today. With a brief glance at both articles, you may think that I have already formed the opinion that tracking reading levels does more harm than good. HOWEVER, based on my own experience in ... continue reading...