The daily tasks in a special education classroom can be overwhelming! Occupational therapists (OTs) might have some tips to help! OTs are all about independence! The most your students can be independent in their daily routines, the easier your day will be as the teacher or classroom staff. Plus, the students will be gaining valuable skills that will take them far beyond your class. Incorporate More Visuals for Daily Tasks My #1 tip for increasing independence for your students to make ... continue reading...
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Classroom Layout Tips for Elementary Self-Contained Classrooms
Setting up a self-contained classroom can feel overwhelming, but the right layout can make all the difference! In a self-contained setting, structure, routine, and organization are key to helping students succeed. A well-organized classroom promotes independence, minimizes behaviors, and supports smooth transitions throughout the day. Here are some classroom layout tips to help you create a space that works for you, your students, and your staff! 1. Define Clear Learning Zones In a ... continue reading...
Why My Classroom Floor Plan Works
Designing the floor plan for your special education classroom can seem like a daunting task! There are many factors to consider, such as behaviors, schedules, and class size. It took some trial and error, but I have a classroom floor plan that I love, AND that makes sense for me and my students. Read on to see why it works for me! Centers-Based Floor Plan My main academic subjects are run with centers. So, when deciding on my floor plan I knew I needed to maximize my space to allow for ... continue reading...
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 ... continue reading...
TK-1 Moderate/Intensive Self-Contained Classroom Tour
Welcome to my TK-1 Moderate/Intensive Self-contained classroom tour! In this classroom tour, we will explore various areas of my classroom. The Campfire The campfire, a designated area for whole-group instruction, is located front and center in my classroom. This area is intentionally kept clutter-free to avoid visual overload for my young students. Before Morning Meeting, the campfire looks as pictured above. Throughout the day, we display anchor charts related to the content we cover ... continue reading...
Occupational Therapy Classroom Tour
Welcome! Welcome to another tour of one of my occupational therapy (OT) classrooms! You may have seen my previous OT classroom tour, but as many of you know, I travel between numerous buildings within my district. Therefore, I've created an updated classroom tour in another building! We have a lot of the same equipment, but each room has it's own uniqueness. This tour, like my first one, is for an elementary building. This shared space is for OT and physical therapy (PT) treatment ... continue reading...
Schedule Tour for an Intermediate Elementary Class
Welcome to my classroom! I teach a self-contained class for students with multiple disabilities. I work at a public intermediate school, which is grades 3 - 5, and this year I have three students in each grade level. Let me tell you a little bit about our schedule and how the day goes! Arrival and Morning Work Students start arriving at school around 8:10. My classroom paraprofessionals meet the students at their buses, while I wait outside to greet students and help with hallway ... continue reading...
How to Use Daily Calendar Worksheets
Understanding the sequence of days and months is such an important life skill for our students! Looking for a way to practice this skill in your classroom? Daily Calendar Worksheets are for you! Read on to learn all about this amazing resource, and see how I use it in my room! What are Daily Calendar Worksheets? Daily Calendar Worksheets are a one-page sheet that covers crucial skills for every day of the school year! Each worksheet has the following activities: -Circle the day of the ... continue reading...
Junior High Classroom Tour
I’ve had a lot of changes this year. My class size almost doubled! I have a pretty small room. Having just six students, we fit just fine! Now, I had to prepare for eleven. I had a lot to think about and had to totally rethink my layout. Here's how I set up my Junior High classroom for this year! I work at a school in a small town in East Texas. My Junior High and High School class is made up of students with moderate to severe disabilities. I teach life skills, and we have students with ... continue reading...
How to Use Switches in OT
My multiple disabilities support (MDS) teacher is my "go to" for support on how to use adapted switches with my students in occupational therapy (OT) sessions. She uses them daily with her students, and we often collaborate on ways that we can adapt activities for all of our students, regardless of mobility or cognitive limitations, can fully participate. While there are TONS of ways to use switches, I've included my top three suggestions in this blog! For more great information on how ... continue reading...
Our High School Self-Contained Schedule
My classroom is self-contained for all academic subjects and what we call “Activities of Daily Living.” Although I teach Life Skills, I still incorporate all academic subjects alongside our self-care, occupational tasks, and vocational skills. Every subject, any time of the day, can be an opportunity to increase independence and communication skills; it doesn’t have to be specifically written into your schedule. Look for those teachable moments! Building Our Schedule With seven students ... continue reading...
K-4 Self-Contained Autism Classroom Tour
What comes to mind when you think about your dream autism classroom? For me it's lots of space for movement, bright light shining in from windows, plenty of storage, and NO carpet please! As teachers, the room we're given is hardly a choice. Chances are, you just have to make the most of what you have to work with. This Summer, my school is under construction and I will be moving into a new classroom. One that needs a *little* bit of a makeover. Although I've taught several years, changing ... continue reading...
10 Budget Friendly Flexible Seating Options for Special Education Classrooms
Flexible seating has become increasingly popular in classrooms, offering students with special needs opportunities for comfortable and supportive learning environments. However, finding budget-friendly options that cater to diverse needs can be challenging. In this blog post, we'll explore ten affordable and versatile seating solutions tailored specifically for special education classrooms. From sensory-friendly options to ergonomic choices, these seating alternatives aim to enhance engagement, ... continue reading...
3rd/4th grade 6:1:1 Classroom Schedule Tour
Here is how I structure my daily schedule in my 3rd/4th grade 6:1:1 classroom! Pictured above is a schedule that one of my students keeps on his desk that he checks off throughout the day. It includes our daily schedule along with his pull outs (and its dinosaur themed- dinosaurs are his favorite!) Background about my Classroom I work at a K-12 Special Education school that is run through an agency. Many of our students have experienced trauma and have an emotional disability (ED). We ... continue reading...
Working with ELLs in the Self Contained Classroom
Do you have students who are English Language Learners (ELLs) in your special education class? Working with these students can be a challenge. But, with some easy-to-implement strategies, you can support your ELLs and help them make academic gains! Use Visuals All students benefit from multiple means of representation! Pairing visuals with your verbal or written instruction helps ELLs to engage with the information being presented. I love using the Boardmaker Vocabulary units with ... continue reading...
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