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I get it. All the other classes are putting on Christmas plays, assembling their own Polar Express train out of candy bars, and watching every Christmas movie ever made. You, on the other hand, are stuck in your classroom with students, who this time of the year, more than ever STRUGGLE. Our students thrive with regimented routines, and this time of year, even at home, that all seems to go out the window. And as the teacher, you are faced with more frequent and more intense meltdowns and behaviors that threaten to derail your best-laid plans.

Let’s face it, December is TOUGH. And, really nothing I can put on this page is going to make it magically smooth and peaceful. But, I can give you a few tips so you know you are not alone. It also gives you permission to not do what every other teacher may be doing this year. It is totally okay, and preferred, to keep things as normal as possible during this somewhat crazy time of year.

Here are 5 things to keep in mind.

1. Give yourself (and your students) some grace

Going into the month of December with the idea that you will do the best you can, and to accept the bumps in the road goes a long way in setting you in the best possible mind frame. It is okay if things do not run as smoothly as normal. A lot of this is out of your control. There are changes happening at home with the holiday season, that often results in our students being less tolerant and more excitable. Knowing you have students coming to you in the morning in this state, can help you mentally prepare for a more hectic day. Does that mean you should lower your expectations? I, personally, do NOT think so. We still hold our students to the highest of standards. Just do not abandon the entire lesson if you feel your students are not completely “with you.”

There is a lot of talk about mindset when it comes to students and helping them perform at their best. But, it works for us as well. Re-framing is a powerful tool I have recently discovered. When something happens that would normally really upset or anger me, I take a step back and ask myself “why did this just happen? Is there something I can learn from it? How can I just move past it?” See all the focus on what I can do? Don’t focus on why a person did what they did to upset you. You can only control how you feel, your reaction, and your actions moving forward. It is not easy, but trust me, with purposeful intention, this has amazing power to restore peace and positivity to your life.

2. Talk with your parents

During the holiday season, we all try to be respectful of each other’s traditions and celebrations. However, when you teach in a classroom filled with students who have significant communication challenges, it can be difficult to figure out how they celebrate the holidays at home. So, I suggest, going right to the source and ask the parents. You can even send them home a quick form to fill out. I even have one you can download HERE that is editable, so you can tweak it to best fit your needs.

3. Keep you regular schedule (as much as possible)

This is probably a no brainer to many of you. But, trust me, you will be tempted to spice it up and maybe even go a little easy this time of year. Some of you may be in a classroom with students who can handle having class outside as a special treat, or have the regular schedule abandoned for a fun holiday time. And yes, your students can still learn a lot in these scenarios. But, for most of us, this just is not possible. I am here to say it is OKAY to keep doing math at 10:00 and social studies after lunch. It will be so tempting to join in all the fun extra-curricular activities, but if your students cannot handle that much change it is totally, 100% OKAY to just keep doing what you always do.

4. Add the holiday fun stuff into your regular lessons

Does all this mean your students cannot experience any of the fun holiday traditions? Of course not. But, you do need to be mindful of how you weave them into your math, spelling, science and even social studies lessons. Try to keep the subject topic the same if possible, and weave in holiday symbols or connections. For example, if you are studying the scientific method in science, you could find an experiment using candy canes that would totally reinforce what you are learning. But, if you are doing cells, then perhaps you want to find a way to build a model of a cell using holiday candy or supplies.

Luckily, special education teachers are great at things like this. We can tweak just about anything to fit a format our students can not only access but learn from.

I have a great spelling activity for Christmas that you can grab for free in my store. Just click HERE to head over and download it.

5. Spend time focusing on social skills

The holidays heavily revolve around social situations. Many of these situations our students may truly struggle with. This is the perfect time to work on some of those.

Here is a list of some skills to consider addressing:

1. Exchanging gifts
2. Opening gifts (I have a blog post with a free download related to this topic!! Read more HERE.)
3. Saying thank you (even if you don’t like your gift)
4. Going Christmas caroling
5. Having to give up your bedroom for family who is visiting
6. Visiting friends and family
7. How to say no-thank you to a food you don’t like
8. How to pass food at the table
9. What to do if it gets too loud
10. Where to go if you need some quiet time
11. Appropriate holiday greetings
12. Understanding some things are not yours (I have a FREE social story on this in my store, click HERE)
13. To hug or not hug a family member; is it okay to say “no?” (the answer is always yes!!)
14. Personal space with friends and family
15. How to deal with changes in routine/schedule
16. When things change at the last minute
17. How to act appropriately in public spaces
18. Visiting Santa (if young enough)
19. Staying with others and other public safety concerns
20. Telling others you need a break

Surviving the holidays is not easy for any of us, but it comes with a different set of challenges for our students with communication, sensory, and behavior challenges. It can also be a challenging time for family members who may not be used to interacting with these special kids. But, with a lot of understanding, preparation, and education we can all have a better holiday.

One last gift for you… Download this free social story on Surviving the Holidays to share with your students or send home to your parents. Just click the button below.

Download your social story

On November 11 we celebrate Veterans Day. For most classrooms, this is an important, but not so challenging holiday to address. But, as with all things in special education, we need to take a different approach. We cannot assume our students have the previous knowledge, or even vocabulary to fully appreciate the meaning of this day. So, how can you go about making sure your students fully understand and appreciate the importance of Veterans Day? Let’s take a closer look. At the end of this post, I have a writing prompt you can download for free to use with your students on November 11.

1. Examine the history

I like to make sure my students have an appreciation of where traditions and celebrations came from. This is also true for Veterans day. Of course, I like to make a book. It doesn’t have to be super fancy, and it should be at the reading and comprehension level of your students.

If making a book does not fit with your time frame, how about a video? A quick search on YouTube will bring up lots of short video options that will teach your students about the history of this holiday.

Here are some good ones I found:

• https://youtu.be/ymCa1eB_qLA
• https://youtu.be/oqgrkeZZe3g
• https://youtu.be/c-qxrCRfcS4
• https://youtu.be/mWD4Oy6fKlo

2. Address the vocabulary

Many of your students may not understand what a veteran truly is. It is a word that may be unfamiliar and hold little to no meaning for them. For this reason, I decided to create a whole second book to deepen their understanding of the word veteran. I knew this would also benefit me when it came to teaching about Memorial day in May.

Don’t forget a vocabulary board! These are so valuable. Once you and your students get used to using them, you will feel lost without it. A vocabulary board is simply a set of picture symbols that relate directly to the topic you are teaching. Students can then use those symbols in class discussions, activities, and even assessments. Don’t be fooled into thinking your students don’t need them or are too advanced. When learning new information, we want to remove as many barriers as possible, and communication is a big one for this population. Struggling to find the right word when asking or answering a question is quickly eliminated with the use of a vocabulary board. If you put the time in once, you can use them year after year.

This is also the perfect time to get a student’s family involved. Perhaps there is someone in their family who is a veteran. That familiarity will help deepen the student’s understanding of this word and how it impacts them personally. I came up with an easy family involvement activity that was very popular with my students. All you have to do, is just reach out and ask parents if there is a veteran in the family they would like to have honored in a classroom ceremony. Parents will hopefully talk about this with their child, and then send in a star with that family member’s name and picture of possible. All of those stars will end up decorating your classroom door the first half on November.

3. Reinforce with lots of activities

We all know our students need a lot of repetition (preferably with variety) to fully master new material. There was no way my students could learn and remember everything I wanted them to about this holiday with only one day’s worth of lessons.

First, I reinforced the content of the books I had written through allowing students to “take notes” on the important points. Since most of my students were non-readers, and almost none of them could write legibly, I found circle maps, using pictures, was the best way for them to independently record this information. I always had 2 versions available. One circle map would be errorless. Students just needed to cut out the pictures and place them in the circle. The other circle map had wrong answers (or distractors) mixed in. This was perfect for my older and higher level students.

I like to integrate a theme into as many subjects as possible to help students with generalization. So, we did some patterns in math that used common picture symbols from unit.

I also wanted to reinforce calendar and number skills. So simply being able to find the correct date (November 11) on a calendar was a perfect addition to my lesson plan.

I am not always a big “arts and craft” person, but we did add some to this unit, and my kiddos loved doing them. I had one for my students who were able to cut and paste on their own, and one for students who could not.

By now, you know I love writing prompts. They are an errorless way for students to freely communicate something they have learned about the material. You can get this writing prompt for free by clicking the button below.

Veterans Day Writing Prompt

4. Assessment

Preassesesment was hopefully the very first step in your process. I love giving my assessment to students prior to starting a unit. That way, not only do I have a clear understanding of what they know, but I also have a way to measure their growth. This unit was short, so I opted for a simple close worksheet. It worked great.

I truly believe with this format, your students will not only have some cute artwork to take home, but will have a deeper and more personal connection to this holiday. Of course you can get my entire unit on Veterans Day. Just click HERE to check it out.

I am such a lover of books. One of my favorite things to do is to curl up with a great book and a cup of my favorite tea. So, obviously, I want to pass on that love to my students.

I have written a few blog posts about my feelings on the importance of reading novels to your students regardless of their ability to comprehend all of the story. If you missed them, check these related posts here after you read this one and grab the free downloads.

• Reading novels to a low incidence class <click HERE>
• Not your average novel study <click HERE>
• Why I don’t create adapted novels <click HERE>

I get so many requests for novel units from teachers who are discovering that reading the same novels their general education peers are using is not only possible but engaging for their students. Some of the requests lately have been from books I had never read before. And, as I dove into these new stories, I was amazed at how the subjects are so timely for experiences many of our kids are facing today. I applaud all the teachers out there who are leaving some of the classics behind in favor of titles that will not only get kids excited about reading, but allow them to connect on a more personal level. Let’s look at a few so you can see what I mean.

Restart

Restart, by Gordon Korman, was such a great book, especially for boys. It has football, athletes, jocks, and all those things middle school boys live for. It is a story about a boy, Chase, who was once the star quarterback and a truly terrifying bully. In short, he was NOT a nice person. Then, one night, he falls off the roof at his home and develops amnesia. All of a sudden, because Chase can’t remember the bully he once was and has a second chance to be a good guy. But, then he struggles with the memories of who he used to be as his memory slowly returns. Finally, he must come to grips with the reality of some pretty awful things he did before the accident, and how he treated other students and people in his community.

I love this book. First of all, because we need more books that appeal to boys, and this one definitely does. Second, it also takes a very honest and raw look at the devastating effects of bullying. Finally, the idea that it is never too late to start over, is so appealing that it makes you stop and think “what if I did something different starting tomorrow?” If you teach middle school, then absolutely put Restart on your reading list. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Esperanza Rising

Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan was another novel requested by a teacher, and I dove into it this summer. This is the story of a young girl, Esperanza, who was living a privileged life on her family’s ranch in Mexico. But after a family tragedy, Esperanza and her mother are forced to flee to California. This story takes place during the Great Depression, and Esperanza’s life of luxury is quickly replaced by one of a poor migrant worker. Her struggle to see herself in this new role and understand the change in her family’s status takes us into the darker world of migrant workers here in the United States. But, in the end, she learns what and who is really important and necessary to make a person happy.

I loved this book because I read it at a time when the news was filled with what felt like anger and hate for people not born here in the United States. It seems like we have forgotten how our country was literally built, on the backs of immigrants, many of whom were unwilling slaves. In this book, Esperanza has to face the reality that she is now an outsider and looked down upon by most people in the neighboring communities. Undoubtedly, you will have students in your class you are dealing with some of these same feelings. On top of that, the fact that the main character was a girl just made me feel even sadder and more discouraged at how we can treat people who are different. Again, if you teach middle school or even high school, and teaching about immigration is in your curriculum, Esperanza Rising is a great book to use to ease into this emotionally charged topic. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

The War with Grandpa

I actually just finished the novel unit for The War with Grandpa by Robert Kimmel Smith. This story, seemingly funny on the surface, takes a hard look at a common situation families are faced with today: having an aged parent (or grandparent) come and live with the family. Peter has to give up his room to his grandpa, and he is so upset about it, he declares war and engages in battles to try and force his grandpa to give up the bedroom.

How many of your students are finding themselves in this situation? An aging relative not only comes to live with them, but might actually end up taking over their bedroom. I think this is an important conversation to have, and one that may be easier for a kid to have with a teacher than a parent. I like how this story is good at identifying feelings. Yes, Peter says he feels really bad about the tricks he is playing on his grandpa, but, as Peter says,” this is war.” If you teach students in elementary or middle school The War with Grandpa is a good one to talk about some challenging family issues. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Wonder

So, I would be totally remiss if I did not talk about Wonder, by RJ Palacio. I got so many requests for this novel unit!! It is the perfect story to teach kindness to all students. Most of you know already, but if you don’t, Wonder is about a boy named Auggie, who has a significant facial deformity. He suffers through many surgeries and health problems, but finally enters the school system in fifth grade. His struggle to find acceptance and true friends is portrayed in a realistic way, that often makes your heart hurt. But, in the end, it all turns out okay with one of those tear jerking moments of triumph.

The edition I happened to get out of the library had a bonus section with a chapter from Julian’s, the antagonist, point of view. I found this chapter to be especially insightful because it shows you how you never know the struggles others may be facing. It also deals with the issue of a hidden disability. This chapter really gave a lot more depth and meaning to the story for me. I wrote a blog post about it with a bunch of extra activities you can download for free. Read it HERE. Wonder is a must read if you are looking to teach your students about kindness. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Number the Stars

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry is my last review for this post. This is the story of a young girl, Annemarie, living in Denmark during World War 2. Her fear and struggle with the imminent Nazi invasion, makes this novel a perfect companion to your social studies curriculum focusing on European history or World War 2.

The main reason I am including this novel, even though it may not feel timely, is that I wanted to make sure you knew you could get this COMPLETE novel unit for free in the resource library. So, if you are on the fence about doing a novel unit with your students, then here is a risk free way to try it out. Plus, it is a truly important story and one students will be able to identify with. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

If you have not joined the resource library yet, then click HERE to get the password. If you have, but did not know this was there, then click the Resource Library tab a the top of this page and look under the ELA section.

To access these novel units in my store, then click below:

• Restart <click HERE>
• Esperanza Rising <click HERE>
• The War with Grandpa <click HERE>
• Wonder <click HERE>
• Number the Stars (in the library for free!! click HERE to get the password)

September 17 is Constitution Day. If you teach in a special education classroom, especially if you teach students with truly significant challenges, you may be at a loss about how to teach this material. You may even be asking yourself IF you should even bother teaching about this topic.

If you are asking yourself IF you should even bother teaching about the Constitution, then the answer is YES. If other students in the school are expected to learn about the Constitution, then your students deserve the same opportunity to learn how this important document shapes everything about our government and who we are as a democratic country.

So, once you decide to tackle this challenging content with your students, many of whom may not even be able to read, the next question is HOW. That is what this post is about. HOW to teach your students, even those with significant intellectual disabilities, about the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. So, let’s dive in…

1. Finding appropriate information

Let’s face it, once you leave elementary school, it can be very challenging to find text books and other printed material that your students can access in a meaningful way. That means we often are left modifying resources provided to us by our administrations, or we are supporting students so heavily that they are not truly engaging with the content we are using.

Unfortunately, the best option can be a time-consuming one: writing our own books. It is critical that we start with a resource that can build that foundation of basic knowledge we can then start to build upon.

No worries, I have you covered on this one. You can download this book I wrote on the Constitution for FREE by clicking the button below. In the unit I created, I actually have challenging and easy versions for this book. (Below is the example of easier version.)

Constitution Book

2. Building vocabulary

As we introduce this new content on the Constitution, there are so many new words that our students may have never been exposed to. Focusing specifically on new vocabulary should be an intentional part of your lesson. Once you identify the vocabulary words you want to focus on, be sure to read my blog post about 10 activities you can do with those words to help students practice them in engaging and effective ways. Click HERE to read that post.

3. Making it visual

Another crucial step in teaching about something like the Constitution, is to make it as visual as possible. I am a big fan of circle maps as a way to organize material so students can quickly look at all the facts and see how they are all related and support the main topic. You can choose to make it errorless by including only correct answers, or mix in wrong answers to make it a little more challenging for high level students. Just be careful… this is NEW content for many of your students, and even though you may think they are ready for a non-errorless option, it may not be the case. It may take a few days or weeks of repetition before the students are able to discern correct vs incorrect choices.

Another good visual tool when teaching about the Constitution, and specifically The Bill of Rights, is to have students do collages. This is very similar to the idea of a circle map, but just in a different visual format. Using different materials is one way to increase the likelihood the material you are teaching will generalize and deepen the student’s understanding.

4. Adding movement when possible

All students like to get up and move around the classroom. In a special education setting, having kids moving around can sometimes lead to problem behaviors. So, I like to make this as purposeful and clear as possible. Timelines are a great activity to use when teaching about the Constitution, and it gets kids up and moving around.

I do have timeline cards included in the unit I created, but if you are doing this on your own, it does not have to be that fancy. Simply writing the number of the amendment on a large piece of Construction paper and the date is was passed is all you need. Students take a card and then they position themselves in the correct order in the front of the room.

For even more structure, tape a small index card on the floor for each amendment so students know exactly where to stand. By the end of your time teaching about the Constitution, you will probably be able to remove these small reminder cards.

Finally, read my blog post all about how to use timelines most effectively as part of your lesson. Click HERE. It is a great way for kids to access the information in a more interactive way.

5. Assessing what students have learned

After all the work you put into teaching about the Constitution, surely you want to know how much, if any, material your students have learned. Doing a formal assessment, however, starts on DAY 1.

Before you ever start teaching about the Constitution, you need to give every student a pre-assessment. I recommend using the same assessment you will be using at the end of unit. This way, you will know exactly how much growth your students have had over the course of the last few weeks.

And, there is one other great benefit to doing a pre-assessment. By giving a pre-assessment, it forces you to create the assessment before you even start teaching. Why does this help? If you are planning a trip, the route you take is based on where you are now AND where you want to go. If you are not clear on exactly what you want your students to learn, then you risk teaching a lot of disconnected facts that never create a full picture. So, take the time to make an assessment BEFORE you start teaching about the Constitution, and administer that to your students as a pre-assessment tool before you begin to teach a single thing.

I hope this has inspired you to create your own unit on the Constitution. I have done the heavy lifting for you by providing you with the book you can base all the rest of your activities on.

But, if you are still stretched for time, and just want the complete unit, then be sure to grab my complete unit from my TPT store. You can click HERE to check it out. There are over 200 pages of material, including 2 weeks of lesson plans. Wouldn’t it be nice to just have the right tools for once? Let me help you claim back some more time, and make your lesson planning a little bit easier.

This weekend as I was trying to decide what to add to my free resource library, I was watching all the coverage on the 50th Anniversary of the Apollo 11 landing on the moon. So, I knew I wanted to do something to honor those brave men, and give students in a special education setting the ability to connect with this historical event.

So, I sat down and did some research and wrote a short story about this special moment in history that I thought students with significant challenges could understand and appreciate. You can see a video preview below and download the book for free.

This brings me to the topic for this particular blog post. I want to share how I go about writing the books that go with my units, and is the same method I used for writing this book on the Apollo 11 landing. That way, you too, can write your own stories to supplement your lessons and content this year.

1. Do research

This is always my first step. Even when I feel I know the content fairly well, I like to do some research. I spend a few hours, or even an entire day, searching and reading about the topic. I like to add the qualifier “for kids” when I am doing google searches. For example, if I am researching about evolution (my current project), I would use the search terms, “evolution facts for kids.” That way, I tend to get back results that highlight the most important things to know in simple terms.

Once I have combed through all those results, I like to do some reading without the “for kids” qualifier. I find it helps me get a deeper understanding of the material. I may not use much of this content in the finished product, but it is important for me to truly comprehend the content.

The very last thing I like to do is watch some YouTube videos if I can find them. When I was in the classroom, I did this to help me find some appropriate ones to show the students. Now that I am no longer in the classroom, I still search and watch them because I find it is just one more way for me to assimilate all the information. If I can watch a video and feel like, “oh, yeah I totally get this,” then I know I have researched the topic enough.

2. Take notes

So, as I am researching, I am taking TONS of notes. I am a paper and pen person. I have my favorite pen and yellow legal pad that gets me inspired and ready to tackle even the toughest subject.

When I say I take a lot of notes, I mean A LOT. I paraphrase and rewrite things in my own words that I know will work with my students. I am taking notes on the main points and supporting details. Honestly, much of what I write, I don’t always use. But I like to have a lot of material to choose from and reference while writing.

You may also notice that I highlight certain words. I like to create vocabulary lists to go with the books I write. So as I am taking notes, I am highlighting any words I think are 1) important to the content and 2) may be unfamiliar to the students.

3. Write the story

I know this may be intimidating for many people, but this is my favorite part of the entire unit. The beauty of doing so much research, is that the information gets totally saturated in my brain. So, when I sit down to write the story, it just flows out naturally. I do refer back to my notes a lot, but the sequence and flow of information is easy for me to put into words.

It is critical to think about the students who will be reading your story. I keep the sentence structure super simple. If at all possible, I stay away from big words. I tend to use words like “great” rather than “distinguished.” I also try to only have 2-3 sentences at most on each page. Focus on the BIG picture.

5. Add photos

The last part is finding some engaging photos to go with the story. I like to use pixabay.com because they have tons of free photos. Unfortunately, there is not a lot of diversity there, so I do find I sometimes have to purchase a photo from another source. But, if at all possible, I try to find something that will work on pixabay.

I hope by sharing my process it will inspire you to write your own story to go with your curriculum content. Most textbooks are just not going to work for our students, but they still need access to the material. This is a GREAT way to help your students make deeper connections to the information.

Here is the book I wrote to celebrate the Apollo 11 landing 50 years ago. You can download the actual book below.

Click below to download the book.

First Men on the Moon

If you would like more information on the moon, check out these units I have below:

The Earth, Sun, and Moon Unit (CLICK HERE)

The Moon Unit (CLICK HERE)

You see it everywhere, STEM activities and project based learning. But if you teach in a classroom with students who have significant intellectual, fine motor, gross motor, communication, and behavioral challenges, you may be thinking it isn’t for you. BUT, with the right support in place your students can participate in these activities in a meaningful way that will keep them engaged and excited about the material.

So, let’s think about the supports we can put in place:

1. Visual structure
2. Peer support
3. Conducting the experiment
4. Social/communication support
5. Sharing the finished product

1. Visual support

As with most activities in classrooms that serve students with significant challenges, there is a heavy emphasis on adding visual structure as a main support. This can be challenging when it comes to using a main-streamed regular ed activity like a STEM activity. But, it can be done. And, after you do it once, it will be easier to repeat the process with similar tasks.

The first thing to do is to is add some structure when it comes to choosing supplies for the project. Take pictures or use symbols for the materials students will have to choose from.

2. Peer support

Forming teams of students is great opportunity to capitalize on certain strengths individual students have. Making sure there is a student with strong fine motor skills in each group is helpful. It is also good to balance communication skills and behavioral challenges.

In the end, it is always better to have another classmate or peer help a student with specific challenges than have an adult step in.

3. Conducting the experiment

So, here is the thing, doing STEM with these kiddos can get pretty interesting and messy. But, I really encourage you to let it flow and give students as much independence and control over the process as possible. Having an amazing looking product at the end that adults had a heavy hand in creating, means very little to the students or to the parents who are entrusting you to guide and support their kids.

If students are truly struggling, ask lots of questions. Give students many choices so they are able to control as much as possible the flow of the STEM activity. The end product may look NOTHING like you expected. But, really, it is so much more about the process then the end product.

Finally, the more you incorporate this type of activity into your lessons, the better your students will get at it. In the beginning, it may feel like they have not gotten much out of it at all. It may feel like it was lot of work for nothing. (I know. I was in that exact same spot for many months. But, by mid-year, I could look back and see definite growth.) By using the SAME format, students were able to master different parts every time. So, at first, I may have ended up with literally a pile of supplies with no obvious purpose. But with time, it started to slowly change into a more meaningful placement of materials in that pile, and eventually became something we could all recognize as a finished product.

4. Supporting social interactions

One of the best things about STEM activities is giving students a chance to collaborate and work together. This often does not happen naturally or unsupported in many of our classrooms. Luckily, with a few critical changes, you can support this interaction in a way that encourages independence and true social interactions.

I like to purposefully call them a team, and have students record their names as team members. This may seem overly simplistic or obvious, but in our classrooms, the team is often made up of, or led by, adults. This activity, as much as possible, is student led and student supported. So declaring them a “team” and having the students record that is surprisingly powerful.

The next thing is to give students some structure to recognize and evaluate any problems that come up in the process. By having a space to specifically record any problems, acknowledges that there are likely issues that will happen, and they will happen to almost every team.

5. Sharing their finished product

The last thing I feel is super important is giving students a chance to share with others their finished product and how the process went. Allowing students to use their communication mode of choice is powerful, and with the right support, you will see that twinkle in their eye that tells you it was all worth the extra effort.

Want to give it a try? Click on the button below to download a FREE STEM activity that comes from my Old Yeller Novel Unit. It pairs well with Chapter 10, as Travis tries to create a stretcher to pull Old Yeller behind his donkey, Jumper.

To download this free STEM activity click the button below.

Make a stretcher to carry Old Yeller

To check out my novel unit on Old Yeller, click HERE.

Go back to that first day in your classroom with students.  Remember how excited you were?  You just knew you would make a difference.  You knew you could take your students who were often 3 or more grade levels behind and catch them up by the end of the school year.  After all, you spent 4 years in college learning all there was to know about how to teach students with special learning needs.  You had all the tools, and you could feel the excitement like electricity coursing through your veins.

Then the students started arriving.  Some walked in.  Some came in wheelchairs or walkers.  Some may have even come through the door like a ball of fire.  It felt like a lot, right off the bat.

You gave yourself some grace and time to get adjusted.  In your mind, you were thinking, okay 2 weeks, and I will get this running smoothly.  Then 2 weeks became 2 months in the blink of an eye, and you were completely, and utterly exhausted and disenchanted.

Sound familiar?

Since leaving the classroom, I have taken what I learned and used it to craft very specific resources for teachers to use in a self-contained, multi-grade level classroom.  My focus is that 1% population.   Those students who are the most severely impacted by their disability, and they are often all grouped together in the same classroom. 

So, here is the bottom line.  I have figured out the tools that work.  I have been creating them and providing them to teachers in my store on teacherspayteachers for more than 5 years.  But, just like in the classroom, I have come to realize that simply providing those tools to teachers is not enough. 

Teachers absolutely need those tools.  There is almost no content out there that is curriculum based for our severely impacted students.  Tons, and tons, and tons of file folder games… YES.  But not true curriculum.  Don’t get me wrong I LOVE file folder games as a tool, but not as a curriculum

So, here I am 5 years later asking “How can I help?”  And what I hear is:

• I need more lesson plans
• I don’t understand how to make this work
• I love this unit, but I need more support

Thus, my idea for a community to support one another and teach the HOW was born.  I want teachers to walk into their classroom so excited to teach that day. I want them to wake up before their alarm, not hit the snooze button.  I want teachers to exude so much excitement for what they are about to teach, that it is literally contagious to the students and other adults in the classroom.

But for that to happen, I have to give them more than just tools.  I have to show them HOW to use the tools.  Let’s say someone gave you this tool:

They even told you the name, it is an extractor.  They told you it was a great tool and would make your life so much easier.  But, then they walked away, and you were left with this amazing new tool, an extractor, but had absolutely no idea how to use it.  Worthless right???

The same thing can happen when we find a really cool resource on google, or Pinterest, or even teacherspayteachers.  We think, oh my goodness, I love this.  This is perfect.  But, then you find yourself sitting in front of 5-10 kids, all with issues too difficult to name, and you have no idea how to make this amazing resource work for them.  No matter how great it seemed, it was a total waste of time and money.

So, as I start on this new journey, answering the question, “How can I help?” I heard you.  You have told me how much you struggle to maintain control of your classroom.  You have told me how your principal just does not understand what you are doing or why.  You have told me you are at the end of your rope. 

I now realize that just giving you more tools is not the answer.  You need to understand the HOW.  And not just how for a few kids.  You need to understand HOW to use these resources for a wide range of learning levels and challenges.

Do I have all the answers?  I wish I could say you bet.  Just sign up, and I will tell you all you need to know.  But, I know we are all smarter than that.  Every student is unique.  Every challenge feels new.  So, I may not have all the answers, but I do promise to figure it out with you.

As we build a community of teachers with the same passion and interests, we can all work together to support one another and find that best path through the chaos. 

So, let me be your guide.  Let me be the person who can provide not only the tools, but the instruction manual as well.  So when someone gives you a tool like that extractor, you will know it is just the right thing for pulling those pesky weeds out our your garden and yard.

Click on the button below to come on a journey with me, as I explore creating an instruction manual for teachers, so the tools I create are more powerful and can make more of an impact for our students.

But don’t wait, membership is only open for a short time, several times a year, and I wouldn’t want you to miss out.