Five for Friday...March 28, 2014.....The Special Educator's Toolkit.....making changes!

Join us in linking up with Doodle Bugs !

Thanks to the assistance of Cindy Golden's The Special Educator's Toolkit, I have been restructuring my classroom. My most recent changes:

ONE

Transition/Waiting Area
Our classroom has visuals to mark where to line up when they prepare to leave the classroom. However, if everyone is not ready at the same time (and let's be real, there are always doddlers), the standing in line thing does not last very long! So I created a waiting area with the expectations posted.

TWO

Cool Down Area
Sometimes students have trouble controlling their behavior. There is a need for a place to cool down in. It should be free of distractions with minimal visual clutter. Items to include in this area may be: Cool down steps, social stories, a timer, a choice of sensory items to help the student become independent in becoming calm. the area should also be easily seen by staff.

THREE

Organizing the Walls and Teaching Boards

Dr. Golden recommends cutting back on the visual clutter and making the walls useful. Each area should have visual clues as to the area's function.  The OMAC system renames the decorative bulletin boards as teaching boards. She suggests devoting the wall area to the subject: reading, math, social skills and so on using basic visual supports that is helpful to the students. Another idea is to make the walls interactive.

This wall has been for decoration all year, cute, but not serving any purpose. The class was ready for words, so creating a word wall in this big space seemed logical. In just two weeks it has been useful for learning high frequency words and a spelling resource when we are writing.

FOUR

"In terms of "purposeful decor", consider traffic signs to help arrange your classroom. Students with autism spectrum disorders do not generalize skills well, so this is a tremendous opportunity to use signs such as Stop, Yield, Danger, Phone, Bathroom, Enter, and Exit. Because these are typical symbols found in the real world, these signs help students reintegrate into society."
Cindy Golden
The Special Educator's Toolkit

One of my students pointed out that the girl and boy are on the wrong side! This is our bathroom checkout poster, I will probably end up fixing it.

FIVE

Spent a fun day with our grand daughter this week! 

I went into the plastic maze at Carl's Jr. with her first......

Then passed the torch to her Aunt! She got to do more exploring with her! 

and that's my week,

Talk later,

Paula

See previous posts inspired by The Special Educator's Toolkit:

January 7, 2014: The Introduction
February 15, 2014: The Classroom Environment
February 24, 2014: Classroom Traffic Flow and Setting up Boundaries

Five for Friday...March 21, 2014...Linking party

It is time to link up with Doodle bugs  for the week!

ONE

It is officially Spring! The roads are clear of ice and snow (there is still plenty in the shady spots), the "ice heaves" are back, the sun is shining, the temps are up to 40 degrees Fahrenheit. It's springtime in Alaska.

SUN!

TWO

The last quarter of the school year has begun! This time of year I look at how much progress has been made and kick it into high gear. I work with a small reading group who have really taken off (thank you Zoo Phonics), I am so proud of them. They know their sounds, they are beginning to blend them into words, they are ready to read! This week I restructured the time we spend together, we have 45 minutes daily. 

 The kindergarten high frequency words went up on the word wall. We started reading them every day as a group along with the word families that are in our phonics reader. Now the tricky part....keeping them busy while I read with each one individually. 

The mini drawers are very helpful for individualizing and organizing my small number of students. They are keeping their journals, readers and Zoo Phonics stick puppets in them. They also provide quick access to unfinished work . The students like having their own space. I am also thinking about partner activities they can do on their own. This week was mainly to learn what to do and how to do it while I was listening to a reader.

Anyway, I am much happier with the space now, it is less cluttered and feels more functional.

THREE

The deadline for ESY paperwork is due at the end of next week, I half heartedly prepared it, now I need to figure out when to meet with the team to complete it all. ugh, yuck...I HATE paperwork.

FOUR

Started exercising this week! We have a gazelle glider that has been folded up on the back porch for a while, my husband got it out and dusted it off. He sets it up in the living room for me every night (isn't he a sweetie) and I stumble around in the morning, get on it and go! So at least I'm doing SOMETHING.

FIVE

I am running out of juice, so I will finish with a picture of a pair of cute kitties, who happen to live with me!

Mother and daughter

I have a technology delay, so I have no idea why this picture would not allow me to crop it. It's still cute! You know...if you like cats....

Until next time,

Paula

Math Skill Tasks

Here are some easy to make task ideas for math skills. These are not only great for students with Autism, but for all students. It allows them another way (that looks like fun) to practice much needed skills.

Skills: counting by 1's with fine motor that requires handling small Legos which means getting those fingers working on fine motor objectives

Skills: addition facts using touch dots. Large index cards, velcro, and laminating film...makes adding more interesting then a worksheet.

Skills: recognizing money by name and value. Designed for a student who can read.

Homemade book

Skills: Reading, money name and value

Even if these are not EXACTLY what your students need, they might steer you toward an idea for your students.

Leave me a comment with a link to your ideas! 

Paula

Five for Friday...March 7, 2014....Dr. Seuss...and a fun word game

 It's the Doodle Bugs Party! (AND I have never linked this early on a Friday!)This is an especially sweet Friday because it also marks the beginning of Spring Break! Yeaaaaa! So link up with Doodle Bugs here and join the parrrrrttyyyyyy!

Naturally, since Spring Break is around the corner, our incredibly mild winter has decided to dump some snow on us.

Of course, we celebrated Read Across America this week as I'm sure many of you did! 

Crazy hat day

I have a great team of people to work with! This lady is also very creative, the net on her hat is a child size tutu!

Crazy hair day

and here is my co-worker again with the most awesome Dr. Seuss character costume!

Crazy sock day

New Game: Green Eggs without the ham

For practicing decoding words, I made up this game!

Materials: pan or skillet, spatula, green construction paper with words on a contrasting color.

Lay the "eggs" word down, scoop up one, turn it over...

Read the word and place it in the pan! Slide the pan to the next person. The students really liked it, but asked me where the ham was!

Door Decorating contest

I found this idea on Pinterest, thank you Trisha Cox!
The best thing about this door is that the kids created most of it!

The grass: nice easy fine motor skills being practiced, using scissors to cut short straight lines. 

The socks: Students were presented with a variety of materials and told to create! They did not disappoint!

The fox: I traced the fox, one of the students took it over, added the socks and made the eyes. He did awesome!

and here's the really awesome part....we won! Here are our  prizes.....

nice...right?

We had a workday Friday to give us some time to put in grades and in my case, complete IEP progress reports. This is my least favorite part of my job, and I appreciate a paid day to work on it!

I am so looking forward to NOT setting my alarm clock!

Five for Friday......February 28, 2014

It is time to link up with Doodle Bugs! I have been lapse in joining this party lately because my weeks didn't look like something anyone wanted to hear about and I like to have pictures, which I haven't been taking...and I'm still not taking...but oh well!

I will begin with the

NEW KITTEN!

who is at this very moment sitting behind my head batting at everything that moves including my hair! (I am trying not to move my head)

ahhhhhh!

She looks very docile in this photo, but you can see it in her eyes, can't you?

Second

Weight Watchers Online

Two weeks into it and 4 pounds down! yea! I haven't began to exercise (yuck) I don't like to exercise, I don't find an inner thrill to exercising! But I'm really going to try to find something I might do regularly....stationary bike in my living room maybe?

        

Knowledgeable friends recommend the one on the left, it is easier on the back.
The weather is improving...I can start walking....

Third

Next week is Dr. Seuss time! fun fun fun! we are having crazy hat, socks, hair and so on going on, as well as a door decorating contest. I looked online for some ideas, there are lots! Here are a couple......

   

Source: http://hwh.grsc.k12.ar.us/pages/Departments/Communication/Press%20Releases/Press%20Release-6.html

I'm looking for an idea that the variety of students who pass through our doorway can help create. I'll let you know what we came up with next week.

Fourth

The Iditarod is tomorrow, well today is the ceremonial start in Anchorage, but real Alaskans know that's just for show, the real deal is tomorrow out at Willow! We haven't gone for a few years and I kinda want to, but it's a lot of trouble and a lot of traffic, so.....I don't know!

They have an awesome website, and for some $$$ you can follow the whole race through video updates:

http://iditarod.com

But there is nothing like standing on a frozen lake, listening to hundreds of dogs bark excitedly, people watching and waiting for each team to run by!

This year will be harder on the mushers and their teams, our weather has been too warm with less snow!

You people in the lower 48 have been getting all the good stuff!

Fifth

Preparing for the end of the third quarter! This one has gone very fast! Only one left! woooo!

I began assessing this week and am very happy with the students' progress. One in particular who has struggled with learning letters, sounds, and blending words is doing awesome! We have been working one to one using Reading Mastery and in a small group using Zoo Phonics! 

He can now identify all the common letter sounds and 24 out of 26 letters by name! He also is blending 3 letters into words for 3 out of 5 words. I am very proud of him.

Now the next step, phonics readers! The small group is ready! The decodables at their grade level that come with our core reading program are too difficult for them at this point, the lower grade level is too easy and they have already been through those. My friend and co-worker uses Learning Pyramid readers and I'm going to try those. I checked for them online and they seem to be out of print so I will be borrowing hers!

That's my five for Friday! (even though today is Saturday).

Have a great weekend,

Paula

The Special Educator's Toolkit- Classroom traffic flow and Setting up Boundaries

I am loving this resource for teachers! The Special Educator's Toolkit by Cindy Golden is a wonderful guide to organize your chaos. I feel that I am an organized person, but it takes me FOREVER to actually get it in place. The process that is described in this book really helps to get it together much quicker.

This is the third post regarding this toolkit and I am still in the first half of the book. Previous posts:
Introduction
The Classroom Environment

This is a continuation of the chapter addressing organizing your classroom environment. Traffic flow creates a pathway to follow around the room. When you consider your flow, your student's physical, educational and emotional needs must be considered. Retail Stores use it very effectively. We do the same thing in our classrooms using visual boundaries.

"Classroom flow strengthens the structure of the room's environment".

Cindy Golden

 It helps students to know where and what each part of the classroom is for.  Traffic flow for students with disabilities should be arranged in a manner that makes sense to them. Many students with developmental delays have difficulty reading nonverbal social cues, they need visuals that help structure the unwritten rules of the environment and provide cues to know what is expected from them.

Visual boundaries are created in a classroom by positioning available furniture and shelving.,Students benefit from knowing what the function of the space is, where it begins and ends and the expectations within the space.
The author provides some different ways to create visual boundaries in a classroom. 

Some of the ways we have created boundaries in our classroom:

shelf and a rolling cart

Cardboard! easy to move around, this is a temporary barrier

My husband made these several years ago, he has modified them a couple of times, they are invaluable!

Two file cabinets, back to back.

the other side of the cardboard wall

Classroom Zones and Purposeful Spaces
Each area in your classroom should have a purpose and contain visuals to provide structure for the students. It will make  it easier to find materials. You can go a step further and color code the different areas! The author promises to discuss that later in the book.

 No matter what shape or size your room is, it can function as a classroom when planned and organized to make the most of the space.

"Every classroom will be different and sometimes certain areas may serve double or triple duty. You also need to build on the room's strengths."

Cindy Golden

Suggested areas to consider:

• Individual academic areas
• group area
• coat/ backpack storage area
• data keeping area
• centers or work stations
• leisure area
• transition/waiting area
• cool down area
• staff work area

There is more information and suggestions for each area.

I have been doing this for awhile. I start with a blank piece of paper, draw a basic map of my room minus the furniture, (sketch in the items that are permanent-like the promethean board) I make a list of the areas I want to set up and I make a list of my available furniture. I almost always have to make an area (or 2) have a dual purpose.

Looking at the author's suggestions and applying them to my situation...

• I don't have a waiting area, I would like one.
• My cool down area is also the leisure area which is ALSO the library, is that a good idea? (I think NOT)
• I like my individual stations
• The teacher/staff area works
• ahem....I don't have a data keeping area

This is where we will leave off. Next time, I will share and ponder...creating a waiting area, maybe change my cool down area, organizing the walls, schedule areas, step six, and color coding! 

Paula

The Special Educator's Toolkit- the Classroom Environment

This is the second article about implementing the OMAC (Organization and Management of a Classroom) system outlined in the book, The Special Educator's Toolkit, by Cindy Golden. The first one, the Introduction, can be seen here.

We will begin to review and apply the next chapter- Organization of the Classroom Environment.

STEP ONE: Really LOOK at your classroom. Ms. Golden provides a handy form, "How's My Classroom?" List what's working and what's not working.

 STEP TWO: Next is the Clutter cleaning.  The author suggested: Throw Away, Share with others, and definitely keep.  

STEP THREE: Inventory your materials. The author provides a list of suggested materials. Most of the materials are supplied by school districts. There are some items that would be out of your pocket.

STEP FOUR: Questions to answer....
What will you do with the space?
What kinds of activities will be happening in the space?
Are there specific limitations?
Are there specific needs of people using the space?
What is the overall goal?

In the first chapters of the book, a form that assists you in determining each student's individual needs is provided. This is helpful when you are starting from scratch with a new student.
This form simply has columns labeled, who, what, where, when and how.
Your students' needs, educationally, as well as physically can be sorted out on this form and it will help in answering these questions.

STEP FIVE: At this point, Cindy directs you to look at what information has been gathered, it is a starting point to making a layout for the classroom. It is not completed yet, she shows us a couple of sample layouts. I love layouts, they can provide a new idea on setting up a room. In my case, my classroom is already set up, but there are areas I don't like.  

Before moving on through The Special Educator's Toolkit, let's try this system out on one of my "not working" spots.

This shelf has been our "catch all" place all year. When I wasn't sure where to put something and  didn't want to lose track of it, this was the spot! As the year progressed the use of that area changed, so the materials that were needed on a daily basis got stuffed into the shelf too. 

Everything was removed from the shelf and laid on a table. I sorted into piles for throw away, keep in the shelf,and put away. I had sorted and shared a lot of items at the beginning of the year, but I never miss a chance to give away one more thing.

Out of necessity,  the same containers are used,and each one was uncluttered, they were holding lots of unnecessary junk, especially that clear box on the top shelf!

This shelf is in the area where small groups of students meet with a teacher for instruction in math and reading. At the time of the pictures, there were two different groups, now there are three (groups) meeting here! This is a great use of this area, I'm loving that our classroom can be used by other teachers. I want this shelf to be a neat, clean storage place for the materials required for each group, and because the groups are taught by different teachers,  it  should  be labeled.

In retrospect, I should have taken pictures of the inside of each container because that is where the real changes happened! The clipboards are another suggestion from the author, they have the daily lesson plans and the student's objectives with space to mark  progress.

This makes it easier for teacher assistants to know what students' expectations are and help to keep data.

There's more to do here of course! The bottom shelf needs more work...........

Until next time,

Paula