One Lovely Blog Award!

I have been awarded the One Lovely Blog Award! I am BEYOND excited and honored to have been awarded this by Ms. Whiteley at Toad-ally Exceptional Learners! Thank you Thank you Thank you!

The rules to this award are as follows: 

1. Follow the person who gave you the award (Check!)
2. Link back to the person who gave you the award (Check!)
3. Pass the award on to 15 bloggers (Check it out below!)

I love how these rules show appreciation, gratitude, and share the love, but I felt they were lacking something! I want to do more than thank and link back to Ms. Whiteley, so I decided to scour her blog and share with you my favorite post! 

So allow me to add a personal, Rule 4:

4. Highlight your favorite awarder’s blog post to share with others!
It wasn't easy, but here goes...

You MUST check out these Tips for working with and teaching students with Autism on her blog! Such a great reference, and such great reminders! This will be added to next year's tool belt for sure! 

I hope you enjoy checking out these Lovely 15 blogs as much as I do! 

Special Teaching in the Middle
A Cupcake for the Teacher
Thinking of Teaching
Fun in Room 4B
Beg Borrow Steal
Ladybug's Teacher Files
Clutter-Free Classroom
Cooperative Learning 365
Frog Spot, A Blog From the Pond
3rd Grade Gridiron
KindergartenWorks
Create Teach Share
On the Road to Accomplished Teaching
Teaching in the Early Years
Special Education Strategies and More

Enjoy :-)

Sometimes, It's OK to Cheat

To continue working on, Better Juggling My Many Hats of Special Education, I’ve created another organization strategy that will hopefully help myself, as well as the other professionals working with my upcoming kiddos, to manage student paperwork.

As a Special Education teacher, you know the binder-sized packet of information that accompanies each student. I’m not sure about you, but I have a very strong love-hate relationship with the countless stacks of information I’m handed every year.

On the one hand, this paperwork offers you key insight into your student’s family life, academic abilities, behaviors, and personality. I think of it as an extremely undecorated scrapbook of the student year’s past, as well as a projection into this year’s future. 

Of course this information is incredibly helpful. How you decide to differentiate your lessons, seat students in class, and assign groups may be contingent on the contents of these files. Not to mention, it makes you feel as though you already know and understand your students before you even meet them. There is no denying that this paperwork sets you ahead of the game in the planning and preparation of your Healthy Classroom Environment.

Yet, on the other hand, these student scrapbooks can be downright overwhelming. For my students in the middle years, that’s about 7 years of academic and behavioral past to sift through. And lets not forget the IEP’s of which are about 15 pages each. So many times have I skimmed files to find an important document or piece of information, only to wind up pulling up a chair, losing a half hour of my life, and still turning up empty handed. 

And I’m not the only person with mountains of paperwork to read and follow. I know particularly for paraprofessionals with large caseloads or special area teachers whom see almost the entire school in a year, they are swimming in seas of paperwork alongside me.

We need a lifesaver. Stat. 

I realized that what I wanted was to have that, "pull up a seat and lose a half hour of your life," to happen only once. And that one time would be my initial reading of all the important documents. Because from there on, I would create a simple document containing all the important student information that I, as well as other teachers, could reference throughout the year.  I like to think of it as a way to transform those lengthy scrapbooks into simple, photo snapshots.

So I’ve created Student Cheat Sheets!

A one-page summary of:

·      Student information

·      Special Alerts

·      Related Services

·      Daily Living Skills

·      Reading, Writing, Math, and Social Skill Levels

·      Modifications and Management

·      Testing Accommodations

Here is a blank document:

While this Cheat Sheet can really be designed to highlight any aspect of the student scrapbooks, these were the areas I found to be most important according to the level of my upcoming kiddos. 

I think these sheets will not only quickly and easily assist me in placing students and creating differentiated lesson plans, but I can hand a copy of this to any professional also working with my students. While they may not have time to sift through an entire scrapbook like me, they will have time to skim this quick Cheat Sheet. In a way, these sheets are a guarantee that everyone working with my students will have a base understanding of who they are.

I can also edit these sheets throughout the school year to ensure they are constantly reflecting current levels, and complete a final updated version at the end of the year to share with next year’s teachers.

And of course, copies of these sheets will so neatly tuck into next year’s Me Binders as well!

I hope you find this idea helpful!  Please feel free to share any ideas you have for managing student paperwork!  

Student Goal Tracking

As Phase 1 of achieving my goal: To Better Juggle My Many Hats of Special Education, I’ve created a new strategy for myself this year to assist in tracking and reporting on the dozens of IEP goals I’ll be required to manage!

I’ve mentioned before how important I think goals are for student encouragement, motivation, and progress.  And as I look over the paperwork for next year’s kiddos, I realize now more than ever how imperative it will be for me to make student goals a priority.

My new classroom will primarily focus on daily life skills, thus next year’s goals are crucial benchmarks to basic daily academic and communicative functioning in both the school and community. Not only are these goals important milestones, I’ve noticed they are also significantly more specific than the goals I was used to in my former life as an inclusion teacher. This change is not only due to the life skills program, but also due to the levels and abilities of the students. Let me give you a quick example:

Inclusion Goal:

Will write a paragraph of 3-5 sentences with topic sentence, details, and concluding sentence.

Tracking:

Quarterly Progress

Life Skills Goal:

Will demonstrate an improvement in the readiness skills necessary for reading.

1.1  By November, will Identify 13 of 26 lowercase letters in isolation

1.2  By January, will identify 26 of 26 lowercase letters in isolation

1.3  By April, will identify 13 of 26 uppercase letters in isolation

1.4  By June, will identify 26 of 26 uppercase letters in isolation

Tracking:

9 out of 10 trials, every 2 weeks

Yikes. Lot more detail. Lot more benchmarks. More frequent reporting. Much more frequent tracking.

So, what I‘ve decided to do is to create “Goal Tracking Sheets” to help ensure I am tracking all student goals consistently and accurately. What I did was take each student's goal and write them on a separate sheet, with the appropriate tracking schedule provided below. Goal sheets are color coded with a border (courtesy of Graphics From the Pond-Love their graphics!) according to what kind of goal they are (Reading, Writing, Speech, etc.)

Here are a few examples:

You’ll notice that there is little room to write in each box, however, this is intentional. I intend on only writing a quick note each time, as I have to so frequently comment on so many goals.

Each tracking time, students will either receive a specific assessment score or a simple:

PS: Progressing Satisfactorily

NP: Not Progressing

A: Achieved

While I think this will help to ensure I am tracking and reporting on schedule, there is still the challenge of finding the time to DO all the assessing, especially considering some of my kids have very unique goals from others. Whole group assessments to report back on goal sheets are simply not an option for me.

What I plan on doing is giving each student a “Me Binder,” that contains all of the Goal Tracking Sheets I have created for them. Behind each goal sheet, will be actual activities and assessments for the student to complete that will provide me with the data I need to report on.  I have already outlined time in next year’s schedule for “Me Binders,” where students will grab their binder and complete a task that will provide me with the necessary data.  

Now, when I have to attend a committee meeting and report progress, I can just grab the student's “Me Binder,” filled with goals, tracking, and student work to share! Easy!

I hope you find this useful! I would love to hear feedback on this idea, as this is a summer planning initiative and I have not yet tried it!

The Many Hats of Special Education

As a Special Education Teacher, you know that you are incessantly required to plan and collaborate with numerous professionals on a monthly, weekly, or even daily basis. For me, this is what makes the job so rewarding, so interesting, and so fun. I love the opportunity to work together with others to create an education program that is so dynamic for my students. Besides, the reality is I can’t be an expert in every area, so this collaboration is key to the success of my students.

The challenge of this collaboration, however, is that as the Special Education Provider, you are the “Middle Man” between all of these fantastic professionals. It’s your job to teach differentiated curriculum, execute behavior plans, follow through with motor and speech and language benchmarks, create and track progress reports, write IEP’s, and on top of all this and more, be prepared at a moments notice to share and demonstrate evidence of student progress in all of these complex areas to parents, specialists, and administration.

Yes, it’s a lot. And you can feel as though you are being pulled in dozens of different directions. You attend a meeting with behavior specialists and leave with a whole new mindset of managing student behaviors, only to attend a literacy meeting that reminds you of how often you need to be instructing and assessing reading strategies. Well, which do you do first? Where should your focus lie? Where do you put most of your time and energy?

I speak from experience when I say that there is nothing worse than feeling so accomplished by your recent focus in one area, only to realize you have been slacking in another. There needs to be a balance in all of the areas you are required to support your students in. Your hats need to be readily accessible, and they need to fit correctly when you put them on. You owe this to yourself and your sanity, but more importantly, to your students.

So, as I continue with my incessant planning for my new position as a self-contained classroom teacher, I am trying my hardest to get organized now and create some tools that will help me to stay on top of my game, in more than just one area.  

My personal goal for myself this year: To Better Juggle My Many Hats of Special Education.  

If you can relate to this post, and would like to better learn to juggle your hats as well, I encourage you to check back to my blog this week! My upcoming posts will outline a few ideas I have created thus far to share, along with images or links to the documents for your feedback and or download.

Come back to visit on Wednesday for an idea to help you track and report on student goals!

My life Has Become So Pinteresting

To say that I have a slight obsession with Pinterest would be an extreme understatement. Pinterest has literally changed my life. Literally. Not only has it remarkably stolen consumed hours of my life, it has exposed me to a plethora of content I otherwise would never have found. Particularly, in regards to teaching.

If you follow me on Pinterest, have ever glanced at my boards, or checked out my recent activity, you know that I am not exaggerating about my obsession. Since my recent welcomed challenge, I have been frantically frequently pinning new lessons and ideas for my upcoming classroom. This is in part due to the fact that my mind is always fixated on my job, but also because the “See More Pins” button is flat out addicting. “See more” classroom ideas to make your lesson planning, classroom organization, and management easier? Um, yes please!

After entering the blogging community and searching the “catalog” of Pinterest, I stumbled upon TeachersPayTeachers. If you don’t know what this is, or haven’t visited the site very often – allow me to pass this life-altering torch to you and remind you to go back and visit.

TeachersPayTeachers is the world’s first open marketplace where teachers can buy and sell original downloadable education materials. The best part is that teachers are sharing, selling, and purchasing amongst other teachers. Hard working teachers are thus rewarded for sharing the activities and designs they post, while the teachers who purchase are saving the time and energy of creating these resources on their own.

Sound amazing? It is. And just when you think it can’t get any better, allow me to point out that the items for sale are at very reasonable prices. Even if you decide that the price is too much (although I doubt you will), remind yourself that your money will be going to another hard working teacher.  Say goodbye to reinventing the wheel, and say hello to teacher collaboration!

Aside from my ramblings above, there are two extra special things that I LOVE about TeachersPayTeachers:

1.     There are THOUSANDS of FREE DOWNLOADS!! Yes, thousands. For all different ages, subjects, classrooms, and levels. Remarkable. I know.

2.     You get to link to hundreds of teaching blogs! SO many people who share resources on TeachersPayTeachers run their very own blogs. And who doesn’t love to link up with more teachers, bloggers, and even more content!?

So, in case you're wondering what I'll be up to later -

And of course, perusing TeachersPayTeachers!

Check out these 5 Fab Feebies I recently found on TeachersPayTeachers to pin to my teaching boards!

1. Classroom Design

You MUST check out these files and more from Graphics From the Pond!

2. Student Encouragement 

How adorable are these Printable Tags from Dana at 3rd Grade Gridiron?!

3. Literacy

Check out these 24 Guided Reading Prompt Cards by Shelley Gray. Students can choose the ready made cards and answer the prompts!  

4. Math Manipulation

I love the "I have, Who Has" Game. It practices academic skills while simultaneously working on listening and cooperative learning. Here's a favorite of mine from Michelle Hunt to review Money!

5. Word Work

There are hundreds of sight word games on this site, perfect for students to do in centers. I love this Monster Mash Sight Word Game from Olivia Cason!

And don’t forget to Follow Me on Pinterest!

A Welcomed Challenge

As you know from reading my blog, I’ve mentioned that I’m a Middle School Special Education Inclusion Teacher. Well, as of recent weeks, I am now a former, Middle School Special Education Inclusion Teacher. 

 Yep, you got it: I’m moving classrooms!

In the fall I will be transitioning into an 8:1:1 self-contained classroom as the lead teacher.

And my reaction?

I’m ecstatic!

Don’t get me wrong, I have loved my years as an Inclusion Teacher – mainly because the job allows you to:

·      Collaborate with numerous adults and professionals in the building

·      Co-plan and co-teach content areas, meaning, you always have someone to bounce ideas off of and assist you in the classroom with your preparation and execution

·      Be actively involved in the normal building routine and schedule

·      Attend classes with general education students, allowing you to work with all different students at your grade level

·      Work with students who need your support and assistance, but who can still be immersed in grade level content, routine, and structure 

But if I take a very candid reflection of my years teaching thus far, I have to be honest that I have been craving my own classroom, and a new challenge. The chance to create an environment, routine, and daily schedule, all on my own, where I can have complete control over what is taught and how it is taught. The chance to organize and decorate a classroom beyond just a resource room setting.  And the chance to work with a population of students who need much more support, and are at such different and varying academic and social levels both from each other and from what I am used to.

So as I take a step outside of my comfort zone, I am not only up for the challenge, I can’t wait for this challenge to begin! 

My mind has been swimming with ideas since I received the news! But my problem: I have a classroom full of inclusion, content rich lesson plans and materials.

What I need: academic, social, and behavioral resources at an early childhood, elementary level.

So excuse me while I so calmly shout:

HELP!!!!

I know that I am new to the blogging world, and throwing this out there may result in nothing but crickets, but I have to try! I have leaned so much from other bloggers since entering this community, and this transition could not have come at a more perfect time; right when I have become a member of a such a supportive network of educators!

So here goes….

If anyone has any ideas or resources that they can pass along I would be more than grateful and appreciative! 

Please feel free to comment and share your resources or simple words of encouragement!

Remind101

Since I’ve entered the blogging community, what I’ve discovered I really love about blogging is that each post is like my own online notebook or diary of teaching information that I want to remember and apply. So while I do enjoy using my blog to share my lessons and ideas with others, sometimes it’s just as useful as an electronic future planner!

On that note – similar to my enthusiastic share of Voki, I’d like to share another amazing technology tool I’ve found! I’d like to eventually implement it in my classroom, so my hope is, if I write about it, I won’t forget to use it!

It’s called: Remind101

What It Is:

A website that provides a safe way for teachers to text message students and parents!

How It Works:

1.     Teachers sign up via email

2.     Add your class (you can add up to 10) – and a unique code is generated

3.     Students/parents then send a text to that code to “subscribe”

4.     From here, anytime the teacher sends a message – all subscribed will receive it

Why It’s Amazing:

1.     Remind101 is currently FREE!

2.     Students are identified by name, so no teacher ever sees a student’s number and no student sees a teacher’s number

3.     It works with any phone – not just a smartphone

4.     You can schedule messages to be sent later at different times

5.     You can view your Account Page where you can:

·      Review your history to see when your messages were sent and who they were sent to

·      View the students/parents who are signed up for the notifications

Additional Information:

·      Remind101 is currently in “beta” meaning it is new and still in the testing stage. There are actual testimonials and use cases on the website proving Remind101 is in use.

·      Standard messaging rates apply

How I Would Use It:

1.     To send reminders about homework, projects, or upcoming tests and quizzes

2.     To send reminders/confirmations for parent conference times

3.     To inform students of the work they missed when they were absent

4.     To remind students of school activity days (i.e.: spirit day, pajama day, etc).

5.     To report Daily Behavior Contract ratings with parents 

6.     To remind students/parents what Schedule Rotation Day we are on after a break from school

I am really hoping it is as wonderful as it sounds! I am always interested in new ways to communicate with parents and students, so it doesn’t hurt to try! Particularly for my population of students, this would be fantastic for the families who do not have access to a computer at home to receive email contact from teachers!

Here’s to hoping we find success with Remind101!

For more information on Remind101, click here and here!