Middle School Life Skills Classroom Tour

Welcome to my Middle School Life Skills classroom tour! My classroom is made up of both middle school and high school level students with different needs. We just moved into this larger classroom and I am so happy with the layout and how many new possibilities we have in this space!

Here’s how I set up our classroom for student success!

I teach life skills, and we have students with Autism, low-incidence disabilities, and other intellectual disabilities. I wanted to make sure my students had the essentials:

• Space to work in small groups
• Space to work 1:1 instruction
• Whole group area for our Morning Meeting
• Independent workstation
• Relaxing area to take breaks

Whole Group Area

Our whole group area is a space for all of our students to sit together for instruction. I like this space because it is also available for other things, like sitting one-on-one with a student or using it as a small group space. Just a few times a day, we come together for whole-group instruction. Morning Meeting is one of those times. If you’re ready to set up a Morning Meeting with real pictures, check out this resource from the shop!

We also place our schedules along the back wall where they’re easily accessible! Each student has their own visual schedule that is specific to their day. Most students take each velcro piece off and place into the white buckets at the bottom, but some move a clip down to identify what they’re currently working on. Our schedules are just behind the whole group area, so it’s almost like our home base. Find some amazing schedules here.

Small Group Stations

I have two “horseshoe” tables in my classroom, where we split into smaller groups for instruction. Each of my 2 paraprofessionals can assist small groups or even work 1:1. When doing rotations or centers, students break down and use each table for a different task. The whole group area turns into a rotation when needed as well.

Interested in learning more about centers in the middle school self-contained classroom? Read Alyssa’s blog for advice on making your classroom run smoother and providing more individualized learning opportunities!

Independent Station

I also made sure to include a student independent workstation in our middle school classroom. The 3 drawer work system is there for student independent work, as well as the entire shelf of task boxes. We keep the black curtain closed on the shelf when the shelf is not in use, but students know they can move the curtain to get a box if they would like.

Kitchen

In our Middle School Life Skills Classroom, we do not only touch traditional academics. We work on various life skills and activities of daily living! We have a full kitchen in our classroom. We can utilize our sink, refrigerator, stove, oven, dishwasher, and ample cabinet space. We love using the kitchen for classroom cooking and our Coffee Shop project!

Life Skills

We have a large bathroom in our classroom. It has a walk-up shower to allow access for all students. We also use the bathroom for daily hygiene tasks and practice with our middle school students. I placed many visuals in our bathroom for students to practice with.

Near the bathroom, our classroom has a washer and dryer. Students help with washing clothing for class jobs, a valuable skill they can generalize to their homes.

Sensory Space

We have a small, separate room within our classroom that is currently utilized as a sensory or calm-down space. I put up a string of color-changing lights, we have a swing for sensory input, some beanbag chairs, a tent for students to sit in, and soft mats on the floor. I’ve also placed our bubble tower in the sensory space.

We are so thankful for our space and all the opportunities we have with the space! However you set up your classroom, the important thing is to think about your students and what they need to be able to best utilize the space for growth and independence.

Thanks for visiting my classroom!

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