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Simply Special Ed

Resource Downloads & Teaching Advice

 

 

Latest

What to Include in Your IEP Binder for Middle School Special Education

As a teacher of Middle School Self-Contained Life Skills, each of my students has an individualized plan for their education. As a Sped teacher, you are probably (definitely) in the same boat. Keeping all your information and data for each student can feel tricky, but it doesn't have to be hard to stay organized when it comes time to attend ARD meetings. Pro tip: the IEP Binder! I keep a binder that is a lot of things rolled into one. It is like an Emergency Binder, a Sub Binder, and an IEP ... continue reading...

Setting Up a Middle School Life Skills Classroom

You don't have to wait until High School or Transition to begin working on essential life skills and vocational skills! For your students in Life Skills, it is all about blending structure, accessibility, and real-world relevance. Here is my advice for your Middle School Life Skills setup! Map Out Your Spaces Like a Pro The first thing I do is think about the areas that I want to include in my classroom. I like to have an explicit area for: Think of your classroom setup like a floor ... continue reading...

My Preschool Special Education Schedule

Hello, and welcome to a sneak peek into my half-day preschool special education schedule! Since my program is half-day, I have an AM group and a PM group. I will only be discussing and reviewing my AM schedule in this post, since I repeat the same thing for my PM group. Above is a quick look at my AM preschool special education schedule. You will also see a brief snapshot of me and my paraprofessionals' responsibilities during each scheduled time. Above is a quick snapshot of my large ... continue reading...

Preschool Self Contained Classroom Tour

Hi! Welcome to my special education preschool self-contained classroom tour! My class is a half-day program for 3-year-olds who are not quite old enough to stay for full-day pre-k. I love a very structured space that is also fun and welcoming for my kiddos. Come along as I show you how I set up my classroom! Schedule Wall The first stop in my classroom is my backpack cubbies (not shown) and schedule wall (shown above). All of my students are color-coded in my room. This includes their ... continue reading...

New Teachers

A Day in the Life of a Self-Contained Teacher

Welcome to my self-contained classroom! I teach students with multiple disabilities in grades 3-5 at a public intermediate school. Take a look at how a typical day in my self-contained room ... continue reading...

Pros and Cons: District Employee vs. Contracted Therapist

If you are looking into school-based occupational therapy (OT) jobs, WELCOME! As a pediatric therapist, I can firmly say that I love working in the schools! However, I also recognize that there is a ... continue reading...

Free Downloads

Ten Ways to Show Para Appreciation All Year Long

Paraprofessionals are vital to making special education classrooms run smoothly! The amazing paras I know are some of the hardest working staff members with the biggest hearts. As teachers, we can ... continue reading...

How I Use The SSE Morning Meeting Calendar Resources in OT Sessions

As an occupational therapist (OT) working in a school setting, I focus on student access to their learning environments. I look at their strengths/needs and compare them to what is required of the ... continue reading...

In Case You Missed It

Getting a Doctorate in Occupational Therapy

I recently chose to continue my occupational therapy (OT) education and pursue my post-professional doctorate degree. For those of you who are not aware, there are a variety of different ways to ... continue reading...

How to Plan for Para Support in a Self-Contained Classroom

If you teach a self-contained classroom, you know that paraprofessionals can be extremely helpful for both you and the students. It can be difficult to plan for exactly how you'd like to utilize their ... continue reading...

Hi amazing teachers!
I'm Alyssa Shanahan -- a former Elementary Special Ed & Life Skills teacher. My classroom focus was always to keep things simple, increase communication, and build independence. Simply Special Ed's goal is to help teachers and students reach their full potential in and out of the classroom!

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