Hurricane Harvey Recovery
Many readers have reached out to find out how my family is recovering after Hurricane Harvey. This is an update I started a week ago,… Read More »Hurricane Harvey Recovery
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Hurricane Harvey Help
Dear Readers and Friends, I need help. Like so many others in the Greater Houston area, I nearly fell to my knees this morning… Read More »Hurricane Harvey Help
Survive and Thrive in a Self Contained Classroom
Survive and Thrive in a Self Contained Classroom
When I walked into my first LIFE Skills classroom I was teaching so many different leveled students so many subjects (seemingly at the same time) I really didn’t know where to start. Like a lot of new teachers, I thought I could teach in self contained like I taught before- whole groups where I “performed” and called students to perform back on cue. Problem is self contained does NOT work that way. When you ask for a performance, you’ll likely get something you did not anticipate. I was in the classroom with non-responsive students, high functioning Autistic students, emotionally disabled students with a bevy of behavior problems, and students with Down Syndrome and varying levels of functioning depending on the task. I had a hard time planning lessons. After much trial and error, I found that the following things were absolutely necessary to survive and thrive in a self contained classroom.
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Adapted Books in Autism Units
Wanting to add more and meaningful activities to your classroom?
Have you tried adapted books?
Learn more about using adapted books in Autism Units!
Using Adapted Books in Autism Units
I love adapted books. LOVE! They are one of my favorite tools in Autism classrooms. When it comes to working on basic skills, advanced concepts, content area ideas, or even personal information, adapted books are a great way to effectively target specific skills in a way that is engaging for students.
Laminating Hacks for Teachers
Are you looking for a cheap and easy alternative to laminating pouches? We’ve got 5 laminating hacks for teachers plus a bonus you can find in your kitchen!
Free Visual Supports for Students with Autism
You know you need visuals in your Autism Unit and when you work in any self-contained classroom, but which ones are the right ones? Here’s a roundup of FREE Visual Supports for Students with Autism for you to consider!
6 Mistakes Autism Unit Teachers and Paras Make
Working with students in self-contained settings or those with severe or multiple disabilities is hard. I see the same teacher mistakes in special education classrooms over and over. Teachers and paraeducators don’t realize the consequences. I would actually argue that these 6 teacher mistakes are signs of poor classroom management and ineffective teaching of special education students.
Do you do any of these? STOP!
If you stop these 6 mistakes in the classroom, your special education students will be the better for it- I promise!
6 Mistakes Autism Unit Teachers and Paras Make…
Fix #1: Stop Talking So Much!
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Autism Classroom Setup
Autism Classroom Setup: 10 Things Every Autism Classroom Teacher Needs from Amazon
The other day I was walking in Wal-Mart and I was so sad to see back to school stuff! Fourth of July picnic and party supplies are not even on final clearance yet… why are they reminding me that school will be back in session before I can even toast my buns on the grill and down my summer adult beverage.
The one thing that does satisfy my summer relaxation and obsession with school perfection is shopping for school supplies. I have even taken to letting my kids order their school stuff on Amazon as opposed to schlep the whole crew to the store and fight the impulse buys and the marker boxes that are not exactly what was on the back to school list. They like it and with my Amazon Prime subscription, it comes to my house shipping-free and hassle-free.
This year is the first time I will order my back to school essentials from Amazon as well. With all the browsing and price comparison, I thought I’d share my order top 10 so you can see what I think are essentials for every teacher in Autism Units or Self-Contained settings.
Social Skill Building Tips
Social Skill Building Tips for Students with Autism
You take your students out on a Community Based Trip and they… well, they stick out. You work in the classroom all the time to get your students to interact in socially appropriate ways, but it’s just not sticking when you get out in public. What can you do?
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