Are you one of those people who like to buy a power ball or lottery ticket?  I spent most of my adult life in the Bible Belt where there was NO gambling.  No lottery tickets, no power ball, and certainly no slot machines.  Then I moved up north.  Every grocery store has its own set of lottery ticket machines, and there is ALWAYS someone there contemplating the best one to purchase.  I find it all so interesting.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

One of my favorite movies and books of all time is Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.  I am sure you are familiar with the plot, but basically there are 5 golden tickets hidden out in the WORLD for lucky buyers to find in their next chocolate bar.  Then there is Charlie.  So poor, so hungry, and so cold.  His grandfather gives him a treasured coin to buy a chocolate bar because he KNOWS that Charlie will be a winner and they will get to tour the famous Willy Wonka Chocolate Factory.  Charlie buys his chocolate bar and carefully carries it home so he and his grandfather can open it together.  With great anticipation they peel back the wrapper to find….  no golden ticket.  They have not won a trip to the magical factory.   But later in the story, Charlie DOES find a golden ticket.  He gets to go see Willy Wonka and all his wonderful creations with his grandfather.  

Win a Golden Ticket

I just love this story.  So much, that I decided I wanted to have my own golden tickets to give out.  I am fascinated by the hope people have, as they spend their hard earned money at a machine that spits out a ticket they have to scratch at to find out if they won anything, anything at all.  So, in the spirit of Willy Wonka and his amazing chocolate factory, I am inviting you to come on a journey with me to find 5 golden tickets!!

Every Sunday, I will place 5 golden tickets in 5 random products in my ***store***.  When you purchase a unit, and go to open it up, on page 2 you MAY find a golden ticket!!  

So, obviously I cannot take people on a tour of a chocolate factory.  I cannot even send you a chocolate bar (though I wish I could.) 

BUT, I can offer you a totally FREE unit of your choice.  Yep, each golden ticket is worth a free unit from my ***store***.  Email me the claim code and let me know which unit you need.

I have spent so  much time thinking and thinking about what I could offer to teachers who are so short on time and money.  When I was in the classroom, all I wanted was a free planning day.  Just give me a day off, with no kids, full pay, and time to PLAN.  So this is my attempt to do that for you.  With this free unit, hopefully you will not have to plan for what is next.  It will be ready to go.

So, I hope this brings a little excitement to your day.  And if you win, be sure to share the news with as many other teachers as you can.  Every person who buys that unit from my ***store*** during that week will get their own golden ticket.  So, pay it forward and spread the love.  

I have read a lot of research articles this week on the healing power of gratitude.  It can not only bring you a sense of peace but be restorative as well.  So, I wanted to take just a minute and share 10 things I am most thankful for this year.  Some are big, and some are small, but they are all powerful.

1. My health:  I will turn 50 in a few months.  I am so thankful that I am fairly healthy, have won the battle with obesity, and have found healthy foods and a routine I enjoy and can sustain.

2.  My husband:  Raising a child with special needs is incredibly difficult and can be often devastating to a marriage.  We have found a way to navigate those rough seas, and after 25 years still find ourselves to be best friends (even though we don’t always agree.)

3.  My kids:  I am blessed to have 2 great kids.  They could not be more different and they both bring me joy and fulfillment in very different ways.  I would be lost, and definitely not the same person, without them.

         

4.  Good books:  My love for reading is very strong.  My daughter shares my passion for reading, and you will often find us cuddled up in front of the fire reading a good book.  There is nothing better.

5.  A warm quilt:  Living in the North, I have found my quilts to be even more important to me.  But it is not only the warmth they bring, but it is also the creative release they provide.  Teaching myself to quilt in those first years when my son was diagnosed saved me.  It gave me something to focus on that had nothing to do with the disability world.  So, yes, my house is filled with quilts, but they have healed me as well as kept me warm.

6.  A clear trail:  My daughter also shares my love of running.  This Thanksgiving holiday, we went on a long 10 mile run on our favorite rail trail.  Well, we had an unexpected snow earlier in the week, and it was still on the ground.  Running on snow is TOUGH.  I was so thankful when I would look ahead and see some melted tracks.  It is the little things that can make all the difference.

7.  A good plan:  As I embark on this new journey of trying to find possible employment for Jimmy now that school has ended, I am thankful for a good plan that was put together by a talented group of people.  We forge ahead, making adjustments when needed, and celebrating those small victories.

8.  A willingness to let go:  I have always been able to overcome disappointment fairly easily for some reason.  I am thankful that the bumps in the road have not derailed me.  There is a lot I could be resentful about, but I choose to let it go and be grateful for what I have now.  I have come to realize that this is not easy for many people, and I am thankful that I am able to focus on the present and plan for the future while letting past disappointments fade away.

9.  Good running shoes:  I do A LOT of running.  It is critical for my mental health.  (If you are a runner, you totally get what I am saying.)  At my age, equipment is everything.  Just having a really good pair of shoes that can pound the pavement day after day, is definitively something I am thankful for.

10.  A cloudy day:  It is funny, but on a walk with my son the other morning, I had the realization that I am a cloudy day kind of person.  I love the way everything feels kind of muted and soft.  The colder the better, but cloudy days are my favorite.

I hope everyone find something to be thankful for this holiday season.

It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown, was always a favorite of mine as a kid.  Although winter is my favorite season, fall is a close second.  It is filled with those cooler days and nights, filling me with anticipation of the true crisp weather to come.  And then there are all those pumpkins.  I just LOVE them.  So, I reached out again to some of my favorite teacher authors and bloggers out there, and BOY DID THEY DELIVER!!  I have so many awesome FREE pumpkin resources here, you will be hard-pressed to use them all.

Of course, I had to create 2, brand-new, special FREE pumpkin downloads for you to get this awesome roundup started.

First is this super, simple no cook recipe for Pumpkin Snowballs.  YUM!!  In color and black and white, get your students “cooking” with this FREE picture recipe.

Pumpkin Recipe & Writing Prompt

Next, I have a pumpkin writing prompt.  I have heard you LOUD and CLEAR.  Teachers want more of these simple writing prompts that their kids can create on their own.  So, here is a new one for you that is perfect for November!!

Pumpkin Recipe & Writing Prompt

Now onto the roundup!!  There are lot of good ones here, so take your time, or bookmark this page so you can be sure to grab them all!!

     Math Activities

• From the Elementary Island be sure to grab Halloween and Fall Activities to Engage.  Review those place value skills that you have tirelessly worked all quarter on.  The BEST part?  This can double as a cute hallway display!!!!  You can print the pumpkins on orange paper or have your students do the coloring! Connect some vines and….. VOILA!!! A cute display that can last all fall!
• From the Blooming Mind get this Pumpkin Math Worksheet.  This “Let’s Count Pumpkin Seeds” math worksheet will help your students practice counting 1 to 5! Have students count the dots and cut and paste the matching number beside the pumpkin.
• From the Therapy Mama be sure to check out these Count and Clip Cards.  These cards are a fabulous way to reinforce your students counting skills while targeting fine motor skills as well. They focus on the numbers 1 through 20. They are great for Preschool, Kindergarten, homeschools or special education classrooms.
• From We Heart Teaching grab these Pumpkin Math Puzzles.  These differentiated pumpkin math puzzles are the perfect addition and subtraction practice for your classroom! This resource includes 1 math puzzle with 5 differentiation options.
• From Fantastic Fun and Learning get this Pumpkin pie play dough fractions printable.  For our Thanksgiving activities I put together this quick prep pumpkin pie play dough fractions free printable. It’s a fun and meaningful way to weave in a bit of math alongside our pretend play and sensory activities with pumpkin pie scented play dough.
• From Planning in Pajamas to check out this Pumpkin Roll and Color.  Practice number sense with this Halloween-themed Roll & Color! Students roll 2 die and count the dots, then color in the corresponding pumpkin, until the sheet is full! Excellent math center activity to practice counting and identifying numbers.
• From Smalltowngiggles get these Pumpkin Counting Playdough Mats.  You will receive two (2) free playdough mats from my Pumpkin Counting Playdough Mats.
• From Fun Learning for Kids grab this Editable Pumpkin Board Game.  This pumpkin editable board game is a great way to differentiate your math and literacy centers this fall. It makes learning fun and engaging too. The kids will love this fall activity!
• From Kamp Kindergarten check out this Pumpkin Seed Add the Room activity.  Students use pumpkin graphics to determine the addition equation represented by the number of seeds on the pumpkins. This packet has 10 Pumpkin Seed Add the Room cards and a recording page with matching pumpkin vine and pumpkin graphics.
• From Primary Inspiration get this Patchwork Pumpkin Math activity.  Here’s a subtraction game freebie that will also bring a bit of October art into your classroom décor.
• From Hand to Heart check out My First Bingo Game for Fall.  This game includes 3 pumpkin board templates, a nine grid, a twelve grid and a sixteen grid. Also included are little pumpkin calling cards 0-15, plus directions and suggestions for playing.
• From Momgineer get this Pumpkin Patch Compare center.  Use the picture cards and have your students build and record addition sentences.

 ELA Activities

• From the Preschool Toolbox be sure to grab There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed Some Leaves Sequencing and Power Point.  Come explore Lucille Colandro’s book, There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed Some Leaves! This lesson includes tips on how to engage young readers along with sequencing cards, stick puppet printable, and a Power Point to extend the story!
• From Thompson’s Teachings check out Spookley the Square Pumpkin Text to Self Connections.  Includes a text to self reading response organizer for the story, Spookley the Square Pumpkin! A fun little activity for the fall season.
• From Fun Learning for Kids get the Differentiated Pumpkin Spin and Cover game.  These differentiated pumpkin theme spin and cover games are no-prep  literacy centers that are perfect for kids at many different levels of ability.
• From Jasmine McClain grab the How to Make Pumpkin Pie Silly Story.  Fun writing activity students can complete just in time for Thanksgiving. Students will write various words and put them into a recipe template to create a silly recipe/silly story. Students will use the writing guide to come up with various words for their recipe. Once their writing guides are completed, they will insert the words from the guide into the recipe which will create a silly recipe that will have them laughing!
• From the Picture Book Cafe get Ten Little Pumpkins. Ten Little Pumpkins emergent reader is so much fun! This little reader can be sung to the tune of “Ten Little Indians”! Students will practice reading number words and will illustrate this booklet to match the text.
• From Fantastic Fun and Learning check out this Pumpkin Letter Matching ABC game.  This game is a quick prep activity you can set up during your fall theme, pumpkin activities or Halloween theme activities. Use it for independent work time, small groups, or literacy centers.
• From Literacy with Littles get the How to Make Pumpkin Pie Flip Book Expository Writing.  This free flip book is the perfect way to let your students work on expository writing this fall. The transition words are clearly stated at the bottom of each page to help your students logically organize their thoughts into sequential order.
• From the Primary Post check out the Pumpkin Sight Word Game.  It is a free editable sight word pumpkin activity perfect for small groups.

 SCIENCE

• From Anita Bremer be sure to grab the Pumpkin Life Cycle Lapbook.  Provides a unique and hands-on way for students to show their learning!  Printables, instructions, suggestions for use, and photographs of the lapbooks are included.
• From the Bender Bunch get the Pumpkin Observation Activity Sheet.  This activity sheet is sure to complement any pumpkin unit! With this one activity sheet students will learn and list the stages of the pumpkin life cycle, label parts of a pumpkin, measure the circumference, count the ribs, see if it floats, estimate how many seeds, record the actual amount of seeds, draw their pumpkin, describe their pumpkin, and name their favorite pumpkin recipe!
• From the Crazy Schoolteacher come the Pumpkin Life Cycle.  This activity has simple black and white clip art to sequence the life cycle of a pumpkin.
• From Renee Miller get the Pumpkin Craft Sequencing (flip book) activity.   Great sequencing activity to sequence the growth of a pumpkin or a to sequence any other fun Halloween writing!

 And MORE

• From Hola Amigos comes ¡Calabazas! – FREE Spanish Numbers Song (Los numeros).  Elementary (Primary) Spanish instruction for numbers 1-10 using the song “El Número de Calabazas.” Cute one page printable with words to the song.
• From Expressive Monkey-The Art Teacher’s Little Helper grab the Pumpkin Freebie for Halloween and Fall Art Activities.  Whether you are making a pumpkin craft, pumpkin art, or just looking for a fun pumpkin drawing activity during a Halloween class party. These 3 pumpkins will help you get started and give you a variety of shapes for your students to choose from.
• From Pre-K Printables practice those fine motor skills with this Fruit and Veggie Pick Up Game.  Fruit and Veggie cards-that a FREE. Many ways to use.  Included are directions on how to play a pick up game with plastic food.

Don’t forget to grab my FREE resources listed at the top:

PUMPKIN SNOWBALLS PICTURE RECIPE

PUMPKIN WRITING PROMPT

Pumpkin Recipe & Writing Prompt

Oh yeah, and in case you missed it last week, I have a FREE Counting Pumpkins book.  Bring some literacy into your math lesson!!

We are all so busy.  I know how it is, you find the perfect activity, but only about half of your class will be able to complete it.  What if there was a way to take the exact same activity and modify it, just enough, so more of your students were able to not only complete it with less help, but actually learn from it?  Well there is a way.  More than one way actually, and it won’t cost you a ton of time or money…  AND it really works.

(Be sure to read to the bottom so you don’t miss out on some awesome FREE downloads.)

 Sorting Activities

I love having students do sorting activities.  It is a quick and easy way for me to gauge their basic understanding of the material.  Of course, it usually only involves two choices, so they have a 50/50 chance to begin with, but it is a great place to get started.

Let’s look at the following sorting activity:

 

In this example, you want the students to decide if a picture relates to kinetic energy or potential energy.  (This is from my unit on Potential and Kinetic Energy.  It is best for middle or high school.  You can check it out HERE.)  You will probably have a few kiddos that can do this, no problem.  Yeah!  But, let’s add a little extra visual support.

1.  Outline the sorting labels, each a different color.  Then do the same to the sorting choices.

2.  Color in each sorting label a different color.  Then do the same to the sorting choices.

3.   Color in the actual columns of the sorting template to make the distinction even more obvious.

4.  Color in the sorting choices and then place the sorting labels on two pieces of colored construction paper that are the same colors.

Venn Diagrams

I LOVE Venn Diagrams.  I find there are so many questions I can ask about them when done.  For example, when comparing 2 time periods, I can ask which time period had more?  What is one thing that was present long ago and still today?  There are some easy ways to make this activity a little easier for some of your early learners. (This activity comes from my Thanksgiving unit.  You can check it out HERE.)

1.  Outline each circle and the intersecting part a different color.  (You will use 3 colors).  Then do the same with the pictures that go in the diagram.

2.  Color in each circle and the intersecting part a different color.  (You will use 3 colors).  Then do the same with the pictures that go in the diagram.

3.  So some kiddos are just not ready for a Venn Diagram and what it really can tell us about how 2 things are alike and different.  So, for those students, I just use 2 colored circles and print 2 sets of sorting pictures.  I give them a complete set of pictures PLUS those that would have gone in the intersection.  That way, if is was a shared characteristic, they have 2 of that picture.  Then add the level of color coding you think is most appropriate.

Circle Maps

Graphic organizers, in general are so great for students.  They are a perfect visual representation of the information we know about a topic.  I’ve had some teachers tell me this is how their kiddos “take notes” while reviewing.  Very age appropriate, engaging and effective.  (The following activity is from my novel unit, Mr. Popper’s Penguins.  You can check it out HERE.) Here are some ways to take the same circle map and use it with various learning levels.

1.  For your lowest level learners, I would make the activity errorless.  That means, you ONLY include correct answers for them to put in the circle map.

2.  If you include wrong answers mixed with the correct ones, you can outline or color in the correct ones using the same technique we used above.

3.  For even higher level students, you can provide them with an answer key to use to check their completed circle map for accuracy.

Again, for most of the activities above, you are using the exact same materials, just modifying them slightly.  And, it really does not take much time.

Here are some helpful tips I have found:

1.  Do NOT give your students glue sticks until they are done.  That way, you can check their work and easily remove wrong answers and ask them to try again.  Most kids love to glue, so the reward at the end is to be able to glue all their answers down.
2. For students with significant fine motor challenges, I pre-cut the pictures if my primary goal is to assess comprehension of the content.
3. Record data on each student’s initial product.  That is what you should use as your data point, even though they get a chance to make corrections.
4. Use self-checking whenever possible.  Give them a copy of a completed sample to check their work with.
5. Send home the same activity so parents can review it and do it at home.  Always let parents know the level of differentiation you used, or add the differentiation prior to sending it home.

I hope there are some things in this post that will make your day just a little easier and more efficient.  If you would like access to any of the activities you see above to try it out for yourself, just click the button below to get ALL 3!!

Click here to get all 3 activities

You may be surprised by this blog post.  If you follow my store on TPT, you know I have NO file folder games for download.  It you are on my email list, you know I am focused on more than file folder activities.  BUT, just because I do not specifically create them as a teacher author, does NOT mean I don’t use and LOVE file folder activities.

There are two main reasons I do not spend my time as a teacher author creating file folder activities.

1. There are so many on TPT.  So, why compete with the awesome and plentiful resources already out there?
2. I have a super simple way to turn any of the pdf activities I do create into a file folder activity.  It just takes a laminator, some Velcro and a little time.

Watch this short video on how to turn ANY activity into a file folder game.

So how do I use these file folder activities?  There are so many great ways to effectively use them.  You do have to be careful, however.  Students can become bored fairly quickly if you use them too often or too frequently throughout the day.  That means you need A LOT of variety and strategic planning.

Here are some great ways to use them that are meaningful and engaging:

 

1. Use them to review previously taught material.  

We spend so much concentrated effort teaching a topic, let’s say the solar system.  For most students that information will just stay with them and needs very little review.  For many of our special education students, however, review and repetition are critical to maintaining that acquired knowledge.  After I teach a unit, I will often make several file folder games using the same activities we had done while learning the material using the technique described in the video above.  I then rotate those in their independent work stations.  That way, even when I am teaching about spiders in science, they can still be spending time reviewing what we learned about the Milky Way the month before.

2.  Use them for students who need additional support in a small group lesson.

As I have said before, special education classes can be incredibly diverse.  I often had students who were in 5th grade, reading on a 2nd grade level, sitting at the same table with a kindergarten student who was non-verbal and struggling with a significant intellectual disability.  File folder activities are a great way to engage your lower level students while spending focused time on some of the other students in the class.  If possible, the file folder has something to do with the material we were learning, but let’s be honest, sometimes that was not always possible.  There were times when student A was doing a color matching activity while students B, C and D were learning about addition with regrouping.  So, why keep them all in the same small group?  Due to budgeting constraints, I had very little extra adult assistance in my classroom.  It helped if my assistant was in close range and could interject as needed.  If she (or he) was at the table with me rather than off with another student, we could tag team so much more efficiently.  I tried it both ways, and believe me this worked so much better (for my teaching style).

Just remember, even for your lowest level learners, you need lots of variety to keep them engaged and to minimize problem behaviors.

3.  Use them for early finishers.

For those students (and in they exist in every class) who finish way before all the other students, file folder activities are a great way to keep them engaged and minimize problem behaviors while other students catch up.  I tried to keep some really cool ones for this purpose.  I would go through toy magazines and laminate and Velcro pictures of various toys that could be sorted into categories like: video games, board games, outdoor games, etc.  The kids loved just looking at all those colorful images and it saved me a ton of money on colored ink.  If you know a student has a favorite TV show or obsession, try to make a file folder with that material specifically for use when they finish something early. I never wanted students to feel they were being punished by finishing early, and just getting more work, so I tried to make the file folders as “cool” as possible.  Unfortunately, I did not have the kind of students who could simply go hang out in the reading or play center quietly when done.  They needed something with more structure so I could focus on those kids who were still working.  So keep some fun and  not-too-hard file folder activities aside for this purpose.

4.  Use them for morning work.

My students straggled in every morning over the course of about 30 minutes.  That was a long time for behaviors to erupt if there was not something engaging for them to do.  However, I could not really do a small group lesson with that much disruption and my assistant was usually unavailable helping with car duty or in the cafeteria assisting with breakfast monitoring.  I needed a way to get my kiddos in the door and doing something that was fairly independent.  File folder activities fit the bill perfectly.  It allowed for some review, and kept them busy.  For the most part, I never really had a student who hated doing these file folders.  Maybe I was lucky.   Maybe I just did a really good job rotating them often to provide variety, and creating new ones often that were exciting and engaging.

5.  Use them to collect IEP data.

I LOVED using file folders to collect some IEP data.  I could create some quick activities to probe various goals, like sorting letters and numbers.  It was easy to keep data on these, and note if there was progression or regression.  It also was great because these particular folders all had a special sticker on the front that indicated it was for IEP measurement.  That way any adult in the room knew to put that folder, once done, in a special basket on my desk so I could track it later.

6.  Use them for homework.

Full disclosure, I am NOT a fan of homework.  But, I often had parents who felt their child was missing out on something if they did not have homework just like their siblings.  I also know, first hand, the reality of living with a child who has a significant disability.  The last thing you want to do at night is sit down and attempt to do something that may be challenging.  So, I started sending file folder activities home in big plastic bags for my lower level students.  Parents loved it!!  Of course, I always made it clear it was optional, but more often than not, the folders came back complete, and I never lost a single piece in 10 years!!

I hope this helped explain why I LOVE file folders, but do not make them to sell in my store.  I have hundreds of them!!  

Leave me a comment if you have a great way you use file folder activities that you think someone could benefit from!!

PS  Have you signup up for my FREE RESOURCE LIBRARY YET? 

If not, CLICK HERE!!

Oh my, to teach or not to teach about Christopher Columbus?  It is a hot topic the last few years.  He was not a very nice person, and his actions led either directly or indirectly to the death of almost all the people who were living in the countries he “discovered.”  His actions also resulted in a huge spike in the transatlantic slave trade.  So what are we to do on October 8?  Here is what I did.

So, I did teach about Christopher Columbus.  All the other kids were learning about his voyages and impact on history, so I did not feel I had the right to deny my students the same opportunity.  I did not, however, do a deep dive as many of my regular education cohorts were doing.  There is definitely a trend to “get it right” and teach the real story while still preserving the significance of Columbus’s travels.  We all know that Columbus did NOT discover America in 1492.  He also did nothing to convince the world at the time that the Earth was indeed round and not flat.  So what do we need students to know about this explorer?  Specifically, what do we need special education students to know about him.

Here are the main points I thought were important:

• He was an explorer who made very difficult journeys across the ocean.
• He thought he had discovered a new path from India to China.  He was wrong.
• He had trouble convincing royalty to fund his trips.
• His main impact was showing others that crossing the Atlantic was possible, and this was one of the main factors in more explorers attempting the voyage.

If you would like to download a copy of the book I wrote to use while teaching this unit, click on the button below.  It is a simple, 22 page story that outlines the points above and gives our students some basic appreciation of the history of Christopher Columbus.

Columbus Day book

If you want to do more with this holiday, I have some activities to go with this unit in my store.  There is a circle map (seen above) that students can use to take notes, a cut and paste booklet to review the main points, and an activity where they can practice navigating using the constellations (my favorite).

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE COMPLETE UNIT

It is a difficult choice to make when it comes to this holiday and how much detail you choose to cover.  I am certain older students could handle the real story, but since I was teaching elementary kiddos at the time, this worked for me.  I think we just need to respect how people decide to teach about this holiday, and I wish you luck with that somewhat difficult decision.

What is the one question I get asked all the time?  “Why do I need to teach that?”  Other teachers and homeschoolers often tell me how much they love my units and how thorough they are, but it is often followed up with, “But why would I spend time teaching that to my students?”  I get it, I really truly do.  As special education teachers, we are expected to deal with so much and often have so little support.  We are dealing with significant behavioral challenges and often time-consuming physical needs that so many of our students deal with.  It is hard enough to get through the day just keeping everyone safe, happy, clean and sane.  But, I challenge you to think back…

Why did you become a teacher?

For me, it was the pure love of learning and the desire to share that excitement and discovery with others.  Just because I chose to teach special education, and I taught the most profoundly affected students in our county, did not mean my reason for teaching changed.  It just got more complicated, a WHOLE LOT more complicated.

So, let me share with you the biggest reason why I think it is worth it to find a way to teach REAL curriculum in a meaningful and engaging way that is age appropriate and worthwhile for you and your students.

It is a GREAT way to teach other (incredibly important) skills while getting your students excited about learning and keep you excited about teaching.

As I gathered my small but boisterous class of 7 students, ranging from age 5 to 12, I was faced with the figuring how to keep this diverse group of kiddos engaged, calm, and learning.  It is not easy, and it is (more often than I want to admit) not always that successful.  But, I am persistent and optimistic that I will hit on just that right combination to keep all those eyes looking at me and all those hands in their laps.

It is November, and we are learning about life in colonial america.  I read the book I have written and illustrated with photos to the group as a whole.  I have been reading this same book for the past 7 days, so by now some are excited to chime in.  But more importantly…

***They are all sitting (relatively still) and looking at me (or at least in my general direction).***

That is a HUGE skill they have learned.  They can sit and be quite while the teacher is reading and not distract the other students around them.  It has taken a while to get to this place, and every time we start a new topic with a new book, there is some re-learning that needs to occur.  But it is an awesome sight.

I ask the youngest, non-verbal student what he sees on this page (it is a photo of a wild turkey).  He looks down at his communication device, and with some help from my amazing assistant, finds the correct picture and tells me it is a turkey.

***It has taken 3 months, but he is using his communication device to tell me what he has learned!!***

So many of my students have had communication devices.  It seemed like every single device was different, and they all required my time and attention (and fresh batteries) to keep them working and relevant to what we were studying.  Oh, and my sweet little kiddos (of course) all wanted to play with the device their neighbor had instead of their own.   Teaching students how to use their communication devices may seem easy to an outsider, but it takes so much time and a really conscious effort on the teacher’s and assistant’s part to make it part of their regular communication exchanges.  Having well-planned out lessons have helped me do that.

My oldest student has got some super challenging behaviors.  He is one of those kiddos that will strike out at you so quick you don’t even see it coming.  But, he has to sit near me to keep the other students at a safer distance.  He wanted to answer the turkey question, and I can tell he is angry that someone else got to do it this time.  I prompt him (by pointing) to his “I need a break” card and he kind of throws it at me.  “Yes, you can take a break,” I say.  Off he goes to a quiet corner to regroup.

***He did NOT hit me.  He did NOT hit another student.  He did NOT get to be in charge of  the lesson and answer every question.  He DID ask to take a break.  He DID (eventually) return to the group.***

Working on behaviors is something we do every minute of every day in special education.  I find this can be the most difficult part of my job because these behaviors are often so complex and need carefully constructed plans and strategies to overcome.  But, I don’t want to work on them in isolation.  It just does not seem practical (and not much fun for me or the student).  I want to work on them while I am also teaching.  This, again, takes a lot of pre-planning and clear communication with all the other adults in the room, but I have found I am happier when I can address those things while doing what I love.  And, if I am happier, I am more likely to follow through and be consistent with my plan and strategies.

After we read the story, we “talk about it for a bit” and then I have a planned activity.  Today, we are sorting things the pilgrims were likely to see on a typical day versus what they were not likely to see.  I have ONE activity for all 7 kids.  And, believe it or not, I can differentiate it so they can all participate with some form of independence.  Here are some things I typically do:

• Pre-cut out pictures for students who really struggle with scissor skills
• Gather some simple objects for one student who is really struggling.  I have a piece of corn from the kitchen play center and a jeep from the car bin.
• Use color coding for students who need a little more help.  This is a quick and easy technique, that you can read more about here:
• Challenge my highest kiddo, (who has just returned from the chill out area).  He gets a blank sorting template and a pencil.  He can either look at everyone’s pictures for ideas or come up with his own for each column.

***They are all working as independently as they can (with the help of some amazing assistants) on the SAME activity.***

This may sound like a crazy amount of prep-work, but I don’t know how else to do it.  I am not a big fan of hand over hand assistance.  I love using eye gaze for my students with significant gross motor challenges.  I give them two choices to look at, and they choose the one they want by looking at it.  Is everyone’s activity correct?  Absolutely not.  But, I guarantee you that parents don’t want perfect work coming home all the time.  They want to know their kids are doing things themselves.  Do we talk about the wrong answers?  Of course.  I also encourage parents to talk about their kid’s work as well.

Really, I could go on and on with the various skills my students learn as we work through these units.  But here is the main point:

I think we would all agree that these are super important skills to work on. 

So, why not work on them in the context of real curriculum?  I know materials are not easy to find.  I have spent years making things for myself.  But it is so worth it.  It won’t be perfect right away.  But, you can get there.  Never underestimate what a kid can do.  They will rise to the expectations we set for them.

So, do you want to try it out?  Want to take a leap of faith and teach a unit that is based on the SAME content as the other students have access to?

I am setting your bar high:

I challenge you to try it!!  And to get you started, I am going BIG with this free download.  I want you to try teaching your students about the Magna Carta.  I have a complete European History bundle available in my store, but I want you to start here with something smaller and more focused.  It may feel ridiculous and totally out of your comfort zone, but try it.  And remember, be persistent and be optimistic!! 

Complete Magna Carta unit

I am a big fan of Rachel Davis’s Podcast Elite Edupreneurs (link below).  Earlier this year, she did a special series spot lighting TPT authors from countries other than the United States.  I learned so much!!  I am so impressed with how other countries focus so strongly on content and rigor in their curriculum.  I also learned there are things in my special education units and products that may be problematic for them.  I want to try and fix that!

Measurement

One of the biggest issues is that the Untied States is still one of the only countries still using the US standard system rather than the metric system.  This is unfortunate, especially for our students with special learning needs, because the metric system is so much easier to use and understand.  BUT, no worries, I have already tackled this issue.  All of my measurement units are already available in the standard system AND the metric system.  Whew!  Problem 1 solved.

Spelling

There are some definite spelling differences as well as word usage that differs between the United States and other countries.  Most of us know that across the Atlantic they spelled it “colour” not “color.”  There are also phrases that differ.  For example, in Australia they use the word autumn not fall.  Hmm.  I have not addressed this, BUT I am more than willing to!!

Holidays

In the US we LOVE our holidays.  I can remember spending about 2 weeks teaching about and using themed materials for Valentines Day.  Teachers seem to love incorporating holidays into every lesson plan possible during peak times.  I guess that is because, as a society, we are so excited about these holidays.  Christmas decorations show up in the stores starting in October!!  But, in many other places, teaching about holidays is not a big priority.  In fact, I heard one teacher from New Zealand say she could not imagine teaching about St. Patrick’s Day as part of her curriculum for March.  In addition, many countries simply have different holidays than we do here.   Hmm.  Another issue I need to tackle, and I WILL!!

So, I just wanted to reach out to all my fellow special education teachers around the world.  If you purchase a product from me, and need the spelling changed, need holidays removed or swapped out, or just tweaked to fit your students’s needs, LET ME KNOW.  I will adapt any product you purchase to fit your specific needs.

My hope and mission is to positively impact as many students with autism and special learning needs all over the world.  So, if that means a little extra work, I am totally on board.

Just send me and email after your purchase, and explain what you need customized.

specialneedsforspecialkids@gmail.com

Want to learn more?  Check out Rachel’s podcast, by clicking here:  Elite Edupreneurs Podcast

I am putting down my teacher hat for this post, and picking up my mom hat.  However, I think teachers will find my thoughts helpful and thoughtful if you teach high school students.

In most states, our kids with special learning needs can continue in the public school system until they are 21 years old.  Depending on how old your own kiddo is, this may seem like a long way off, but, believe me, it is right around the corner.  From the time my son was 2 years old, the school system has been charged with not only educating him, but providing a safe and engaging place to go for most of the day so I could live my life and pursue a career.  As we entered the 2017-2018 school year, we were faced with the scary reality that Jimmy would turn 21 in February and his school career (and likely mine) would be over in June.  It was beyond terrifying and, the waves of sadness and panic would hit more often with every passing month.  I had no idea what we were going to do.  I had done all the right things:

1. Contacted the Office of Vocational Rehab to start a customized employment plan
2. Made sure we were on every waiting list possible for funding assistance
3. Tried to start lining up and finding some qualified people to help me
4. Made sure the school was teaching him good job skills
5. Went to every training opportunity and even became certified in customized job development

It wasn’t enough.

1. The Office of Vocational Rehab lost my application for the third year in a row.
2. The waiting list is REALLY long.
3. The few people I tried to hire, were in no way able to handle Jimmy’s behaviors.
4. The transition coordinator at the school quit for the third year in a row (thus my lost applications to the Office of Vocational Rehab).
5. There are so few opportunities for kids and adults who have significant behavioral challenges.  Pretty much, one strike and you are out policy for most opportunities I found.

So, I just prayed and hoped it would all somehow miraculously work out.

But, then in January, something changed.  I will never really know what it was, as Jimmy cannot communicate very much to us, but suddenly, after 18 years, he no longer was willing to go to school.  I mean, he fought it every step of the way.  He is 220 pounds, so when he doesn’t want to do something, he doesn’t do it.  He even tried to jump out of the school van as it was going 65 mph down the highway on the way to school one morning.  Eventually, the police were called that day to get him safely off the shoulder of Interstate 81 and take him to the school.

I thought it was the van ride, so I started taking him to school myself before leaving for work every morning.  It was 30 minutes out of my way, and left me with a 90 minute drive to work, but I was willing to try anything.  I just wasn’t ready for Jimmy to be done with school and me done with my career.  But, after watching Jimmy be dragged out of my car every morning by 4-5 grown adults, Jimmy screaming no, and seeing him laying in the parking lot as I drove away, I realized whether I was ready or not, the time had come….  school was over for Jimmy Joy.

It was a really good ride, and I am so thankful for all the great teachers, assistants and other people who made his time with them happy and safe.  I also think, God had a hand in all this, as He knew I was literally counting down the days and weeks when it would all be over.  This way, I didn’t have time to get myself worked up into a full-blown state of depression.  It was just suddenly over,  and Jimmy and I were now on our own for most of the day.

The sad reality:  I did have to quit my job (the third career I have lost over the years due to this illness, autism).  Jimmy’s behaviors have also not diminished, so going out into the community is not much of a possibility at the moment.  We are working on it however.  We also got waiver services (YEAH!) BUT, cannot find anyone willing or qualified to work with him at the moment.  We take it one day at at time.  We take a walk every morning which is a huge victory I am thankful for every day.  And, there is a plan in July to start working on customized employment possibilities for Jimmy in our town.  It is hard to remain optimistic without being constantly disappointed, but I am learning to enjoy this new life, and I know it was time.  It was most definitely time.

  

Time is so valuable.  If you are a teacher, you know the time spent out of the classroom is significant.  Special education teachers face the added challenge of often not having ready-made, published curriculum handed out to them that is applicable or accessible to their students.  We spend hours and hours making our own materials at home.  We use our own money, our own supplies, and tons of lamination and Velcro.

So, in an effort to help teachers, specifically special education teachers, and even more so those of you who teach in severe and profound settings, I have been collecting amazing resources I have found from so many great teachers on my Pinterest page.  Have you checked it out?  I even have a page just for FREE resources.  Check it out here:

I also have tons of other boards like:

     

Finally, I have a board dedicated to each subject area, and many holidays.  So, if you are looking for a good reference library of resources specifically for students with significant learning challenges, you should definitely check my page out and follow me.

Click Follow Me below.

Follow Me

Ok, so I admit it.  As a teacher I hated teaching hygiene skills.  I am somewhat of a germaphobe.  I like things to be neat and clean.  Keeping track of 5-10 hygiene kits meant LOTS of mess and potential for germs to spread.  I felt I had to:

• Make sure the bathroom was clean enough to practice tooth brushing
• Make sure the kits dried out so mold and mildew did not grow
• Keep students from painting with toothpaste and licking deodorant sticks

It was all more than I felt I could keep up with.

Oh, and track all that data.  Yep, these were IEP goals.

• How much prompting was used? Was it faded?
• Were the top AND bottom teeth brushed?
• Did deodorant end up in the right place?  Under BOTH arms?

As a mom of a son with significant needs, I hate having hygiene taught to Jimmy in school.  I feel, as his mom, I am best suited to teach him these skills.  I can ensure things are clean and can follow up with more care if needed. (I always brush his teeth myself after he is done.)  We also put deodorant on when it is appropriate, like getting dressed in the morning.

Ok, so I know what some of you are thinking:  “But, these things are often NOT done at home.”  This often occurs because the student has behaviors that impede the parents from being able to do this with their own children.  This happens more often than most people think.  For this reason, I do still advocate teaching hygiene skills in school.  Sometimes, we as teachers have more adult support and more strategies at our disposal to help deal with these difficult behaviors.  The goal should always be teaching the skills in a systematized way so that the student is then able to reach independence and  complete the task at home.  Sometimes this can take years.

So, I do still hate having hygiene taught in school, but I get it.  And, I am thankful for all the teachers out there, who may be germaphobes like me, who push through and teach our (my) kids to “stop licking the deodorant” and “don’t put that on your shirt.”

Here is a FREE social story to download and make this task a little less yucky :).  It is a social story about picking your nose.  Yup, we all have those students.

Click below to download your FREE social story.  I also have an entire unit on teaching students about Good Hygiene in my TPT store.  It has almost 100 pages of material to help you teach this, oh so important, topic.

                                  

Better get a Tissue social story

So this is Jimmy.

Jimmy has had a book in his hands since before he could walk.  He LOVES his books, especially Sandra Boyton, Dr. Seuss and Eric Carle.  I have even made him a quilt of one of his favorites, Brown Bear Brown Bear.

 

But, Jimmy has a problem.  A problem that many of our students have as well.  He loves books too much.  He has developed a compulsion that is truly out of his control.  He rips books apart.  It is so sad.  Even his board books end up in pieces in the trash can.

Sure, we got him a Kindle so he can still enjoy his books without destroying them.  But, it is not the same.  Like me, he wants to hold the book, feel the pages, and get his eyes off a screen for a while.  So I have tried laminating books (he ripped the plastic off), tried sitting right next to him (he is too fast and still tears the book in half), and even tried giving him tons of old magazines to tear to satiate this need (he is too smart for that, didn’t work).  So, knowing I have had students who are terribly hard on books, and trying to find something Jimmy could “read” I turned to my second passion, quilting, and my ridiculous fabric stash (this is only a small part of it).

I took some of my most popular social stories from my TPT store and turned them into a simplified version made from fabric.  They are colorful, tactile, durable, and MACHINE WASHABLE.  I had many, many students who would mouth objects.  It was a sensory need; putting random objects in their mouths.  These books would be perfect for a preschool classroom or an elementary classroom with students who love books a little too much like Jimmy.

And, I am happy to report that Jimmy loves them and (so far) has been unable to destroy them.  Because it is the tearing and ripping sensation he craves, he has no interest in trying to rips these quilted versions, and he seems to really enjoy the feel and colors they contain.

So, if you are looking for a new way for your students to enjoy and interact with books, take a look at these quilted versions.  You can also get them as part of  bundle that includes digital (paper) resources as well so all your students can benefit from the material regardless of their learning style.  All the links are at the bottom of this page.

To download a free digital version of my Emotions preschool social story, click here or on the image below.  Available in color and black and white, it gives students a chance to personalize their books through the use of crayons, markers, or paints.  Be sure to visit my store to get the quilted version of this story as well as more quilted stories.  I have also created some custom books if you would like something specific.  Just send me and email!!

 

Here is a list of the quilted books I currently have available in my store.  Just click on the title to be directed to the site.  Remember to check out the bundles as well to save money and get even more activities and resources.

• Emotions Quilted Book
• Being Kind Quilted Book
• Being Kind Bundle
• Making Good Choices Quilted Book
• Making Good Choices Bundle

Be sure to hop to all the blogs and sign up for ALL the giveaways!! Just click on the image below to see all the amazing teacher-authors who are participating.

I am such a sucker for books.  I love to read, and I love to see kids reading.  While teaching, I would use a favorite story to teach a math concept, clarify a science experiment, and even gets kids excited about exploring new lands and space.  So, when it came time for our social skills group, I of course, found myself reaching for a book.  What I found, is that it became one of the most effective ways for my students to connect with the social skill we were targeting that week.  This may seem counter-intuitive for some special education teachers, especially if you teach students with autism.  Most of us were taught that students with communication and social deficits often have a hard time making inferences and confections with make-believe material.  Would they really make the connection that it is important to be prepared and work hard after reading the Three Little Pigs or would they need a more direct translation in the form of a social story?  Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE social stories as a tool to teach students appropriate behaviors.  But, I found that the addition of a favorite book had a strong positive effect that I could not ignore.

Why Do I Think They Work so Well?

1. Increases student engagement
2. Is predictable and less threatening
3. Gives teachers a place to build from

I have not done any blind studies, or extensive research to answer this question.  I only have my 20 years of working with kids and students with autism to use as my evidence.  There are a few reasons why I think this method has been so effective.  First, it greatly increases student engagement.  Most students love books, particularly those with good pictures and simple text.  My kiddos especially loved when I used a familiar favorite; one they often could recite by heart.

Perhaps unlike typical students who would grow bored hearing the same story over and over, I found my students with autism LOVED listening to the same book read time and time again.   I knew once I had them hooked, I could more easily slip in the social skills lesson I was targeting for the week.    Second, the predictability of a well-known story makes the topic less-threatening.  Once of the most anxious things for students with autism in not knowing what comes next.  This is not only true when it comes to their daily schedule, but it can also be true of a story you are reading.  If the book you choose is familiar, there is less anxiety about what will happen and how long they will need to listen.  I believe, this allows the students to be more open to making personal connections to the story’s content.   Third, it is more interesting to the teacher and parent, so he or she is more likely to reinforce and follow through with the lesson.  Teaching a social skills lesson can not only be intimidating, but it can also be a little boring.  Using a story, not only provides predictable structure for the student, but it also gives the teacher a starting point and a source of material to expand upon.  For me a good book is like going down the isle at the farmer’s market.  There is so much inspiration to choose from right in front of you.  Just grab whatever looks or sounds good and go from there.  A good book will never leave you empty of ideas.

How to Use a Book Effectively

Again, I can only share my personal experience that I have come to tweak and modify over the years.  I usually focus on the same social skill for about a week.  We usually do 20-30 minute sessions, depending on the maturity level of the students at the time.  I have even done as short as 10 minute sessions during those more challenging years.  I always start my lesson by reading the story.  Because most of my students do not like anything changed or altered, I just read it as is every time.  It gets them settled and thinking about the characters or content.  Then, we do a structured activity that helps relate the social skill and the story.  (At this point, I have not directly talked about the social skill yet.)  We often do cut and paste sorts, circle maps, or a group activity that will get them up and moving.  We end the session with a social story that I have written that pulls in the skill we will focus on that week.  With each passing day of the week, I try to pull in more and more commonalities between the book we chose  and social story I have written.  By the end of the week, it becomes more seamless, and some of the students will actually start to interject parts of the social story into the book as we are reading.  It is quite amazing to see, but takes a slow, methodical, and consistent daily approach to get there.

Lasting Benefits

Finally, what I found most interesting is that during later weeks when a social situation would arise that we had previously addressed using the method above, I could refer back to the book we had read.  Because the student often had a long history with that book, they could recall the message more quickly.  Also, it was less threatening, as I could address it in a more indirect way, rather than saying “Remember how we talked about using a calm voice?” I could say, “remember how grouchy that ladybug sounded?”

So, maybe I am just a sucker for a good book, and that makes this approach work for me.  But, isn’t that half the battle?  Find the tool that works best for you and reap the benefits with your students.

So, if you would like to try this technique out, click on the button below to get download a free social story using the favorite book Elmer by David McKee.  I have many other literacy units with social stories included available as well in my store at teacherspayteachers.com.  I hope this work as well for you as it did for me!

Being a Good Friend

As a previous elementary teacher in an autism classroom, I often got asked why I was not more affectionate with my students.  Don’t get me wrong, I did the occasional hugs, but in general I was not a big one for physical affection with my students.  This was sometimes mistaken as aloofness or coldness, but that was certainly not the case.  I simply had first hand experience of what showing a lot affection to young students in an autism classroom setting could lead to… lots of problems and behavior to un-learn.

My son is now almost 19 years old and has severe autism.  I am lucky because he has never shied away from giving me physical affection.  He loves his hugs.  However, somewhere along the line, he also started displaying very inappropriate ways of showing others (even strangers) physical affection. He used to want to kiss and smell everyone’s knees.  It is still by far his favorite body part.  I think it was partly due to the huge amount of time we spent at swimming pools when he was younger.  Everyone thought it was kind of cute when this 4-5 year old, who was just over knee high to many adults, would come up and kiss their knee.  Most knew he had autism, so they would just ruffle his hair and say “How sweet.”  Not the same response however when he was in high school.  With a lot of hard work from teachers and therapists, we were able to shape that behavior to kissing and smelling the top of a person’s arm.  Still kind of weird, I know, but it seemed the best we could do.  I look back now, and wish I had simply stopped that behavior at the pool all those years ago.  If I had just told people, that is going to be a big problem down the road, so let’s not encourage him.  Ah, hind sight…

So as I entered the classroom, I was already armed with this knowledge.  I knew how I interacted with my young students and how I allowed them to interact with each other would create a strong impression upon them that could last for years.  So, I emphasized to the other adults and peers who worked with my students, that hugging was probably not the best idea.  We did a lot of high fives and fist bumps.  I know it may have seemed cold to some of the people and parents I worked with, but I hope the middle and high school teachers who later had my students would appreciate the expectation we had set.

Showing affection can be a very difficult topic to address in special education settings, but setting clear expectations and models for appropriate behavior can be quite powerful tools.  In my store on teacherspayteachers, I have several resources you may find helpful.  I have a social story on showing affection that you can purchase alone or as part of my Valentine’s Day unit.

                                                                  

Finally, as a thank you to all of you who take the time out of your busy day to read my blog, here is a FREEBIE for you!!

Valentine’s Day Spelling

I love Christmas.  I love coming up with the perfect gift for my teenage daughter.  There are so many great things I can find for her.  My son, however, is another story.  He is almost 19 but has interests similar to a 2 year old.  He loves sesame street, veggie tales, and yes, even Barney.  Ugh, how I hate buying these toys for my adult son.  But what to do?  As a person with autism, he has very narrow interests, none of which are age appropriate.  In addition, most of the things I buy for him he really could care less about it.  So, a few years ago, I just decided I would not buy him anything for Christmas.  The problem was I had done way too good a job teaching him how to open presents.  He said, “open present” that Christmas morning, and the scramble was on.  We all scoured the house for anything we could wrap up, that he may like.  It was not easy.  Ever since that disastrous holiday, I  find myself searching for anything he may like.  Usually, my “finds” fall flat.  He opens what I think is the perfect gift, only to never play or look at it again.  UGH!!  I am sure there are so many other parents out there in my shoes.  It is so difficult to find gifts for our kids who are significantly affected by autism.  So, I thought I would share my “finds” for this year in case there are other parents out there looking for that elusive gift their child MAY POSSIBLY be interested in.

Because he seems to like things that light up, I got:

He also likes things that make music (plus I can use it as a decoration!) I got:

Oddly, he has a weird affinity for yo-yo’s (oh, and it HAS to be green)….

For the sensory side of him, I got these (accidentally bought a dozen of the spiky balls; that should last us a while!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Over the past 2 years he has really started to love to draw.  Of course it is hand over hand, which makes me wonder if it is the drawing or just the undivided attention from Mom.  Either way, I got these which I think he may enjoy (while probably giving me a headache):

Finally, a 5 pound bag of treats from Sams.  That may last a few day.

I am not sure if this will help anyone else out there or not.  While shopping online, I am always searching under the keywords “autism toys” but rarely come up with something that really fits the interests of my son.  Please comment below if you have any great finds you would like to share.  I may just steal them for myself 🙂

 

Remember how excited you would be Christmas morning as a child?  All those presents under the tree just waiting to be unwrapped.  Just as excited were the family members who had carefully picked out the perfect present for you.  They waited anxiously to see your excited response when you would reveal the treasure under all that Christmas paper and ribbon.  Sadly, that often is not what happens in families who have a child with significant autism.  These kids often do not want to open their presents, and when they do, they either have no reaction or have a negative reaction to what is inside.  Extended families, especially, can be confused or disappointed.  The more they pressure the child to open the gift and explore what is inside, often makes the situation only worse.  So, what can you, a special education teacher, do to help this situation at home?  After talking it over with your students’ parents, read below to find out how to incorporate a present unwrapping routine in your classroom.

1.  Set a consistent time

What ever type of class scheduling system you use, make sure there is a clear and consistent time set aside to work on this skill.  I liked to start in the beginning of December, and even my most affected students made significant progress by Christmas.  However, you may choose to start earlier if you feel your students will need more time.  This consistency is critical for minimizing anxiety for your students around a routine that may have some historically negative feelings attached.  In addition to this set time, make sure there will also be time after the present is opened for the student to engage with the item that was wrapped.  That may mean playing with a toy, watching a video, or eating a small snack.  The immediate reinforcement will be very important to learning this skill.

2.  Use high interest

When I did this program with my own child, I began by wrapping up his favorite things.  I found things like books and toys around the house and would wrap them up.  There is no need to go out and purchase new items, just use things you know your student REALLY loves.  I also used food, but this may be more difficult at school.  It is critical in the beginning to only use things you KNOW your student will want to engage with immediately once he or she unwraps the package.

3.  Use hand over hand prompts and fade

Find the least intrusive level of prompting necessary for your student at the beginning.  You need a prompt invasive enough to ensure there is no anxiety, yet still allows as much independence as possible.  Do not unwrap the present for the child, however.  When working with my son, I had to start with hand over hand prompting.  He hated unwrapping presents.  Years of too much commotion, noise, people, and expectations had led him to have a very strong negative reaction to opening presents.  So, I would help him open the present by taking my hands in his and ripping the paper off as quickly as possible.  After a few days, I could tell he was building up confidence that there may be something good under that paper, and I could quickly fade to simply pointing and gesturing.

4.  Keep it realistic

My personal preference is to keep the wrapping minimal, but realistic.  You want your students to be able to open a present that most people will give them.  That means using tape and some sort of bow.  If you start this at the beginning, it is one less step you need to teach later.  I also sometimes used boxes, and sometimes I did not.  If something comes in a box, that is just one more “task” the child has to complete before the “job” is done.  It is good to practice with and without boxes, so the child does not simply stop once the box is revealed.

5.  Making it intermittent

Once you find your students are easily opening their presents with little to no prompting, you need to start varying the level of desirability of the item.  There are two main reasons for this.  One, not every present they unwrap will be of high interest to them of course.  This is especially true when gifts are coming from people who may not know the child very well.  The second, and more crucial reason, is that intermittent reinforcement is the strongest form of reinforcement there is.  Proven again and again through research, we know a person is more likely to persist in a task for a longer time when they occasionally get reinforced rather than every single time.  Every gambling institution depends on it!!  So, slowly introduce items that the student is not averse to, but may not be of peak interest to them.  This will ensure they will not  get tired of opening presents before Christmas morning is over.

Finally, I would provide the following tips to  your parents, who should then share them with extended family members and friends:

• Limit the number of presents.  Go for 1-2 fun things; don’t worry about all the kids getting the exact same number of items.  That is not fair to anyone involved.
• Give the child time to open the presents on their own schedule.  My son loves opening presents, but I still find I need to space them out, and give him time to play with the items in between.
• Remove all unnecessary wrapping.  If they toy is shrink-wrapped, then remove all the packaging before wrapping the item.  This was hard for some of my family.  They loved how it looked in the box, and did not want to remove it before wrapping.  However, more often than not, my son lost all interest before someone found scissors strong enough to cut through all the security wrapping.
• Put batteries in ahead of time if needed.  For the same reason above, you want the child to enjoy the toy immediately when unwrapping it.
• Keep it simple.  Encourage parents and family to buy favorite snack or drink items and wrap them up.  It may seem silly wrapping up a snickers bar, but the reaction is likely to be 100 times better than wrapping up a pair of jeans.

So, that is my helpful hint for this week as we enter a crazy holiday season that is so challenging for our special learners.  At least this can be one fun part of your day.  Now, my son will open anyone’s present when I am not looking!!  I think I did too good a job 🙂

Here is the FREEBIES I promised.  Click on the images below to grab them from my TPT store.

                                  

I have other December units available as well to enhance your special education classroom.

                                                             

 

If you know me or have visited my store on teacherspayteachers, you know I write a book for EVERYTHING even math.  When I was teaching in an autism classroom, I loved starting my lessons with a book, and so did my students.  Of course, I had a hard time always finding a book that was at an appropriate level for my students, but it got to the point I could write one up in about 20 minutes.  So, I wanted to share some reasons why this is such an effective strategy for starting your math lesson as well as some FREEBIES at the end so you can give it a try yourself.

Predictable, Calming, and Repetition

We know students with disabilities struggle with unstructured time as well as an inconsistent flow to the day.  Starting your math lesson with a story is a great way to cue your students that there is a change in subject matter, and it gives them time to settle in.  Reading can be a calming routine especially when it is paired with engaging pictures and simple language.

If you had kids yourself who liked to watch Nickelodeon, you may have noticed that the same episode of Blue’s Clues would run every day for 5 days.  That was not a way for the network to save money.  It was actually based on research!  There was a study done by the creators of Blue’s Clues (click here for the link) that demonstrated typical children need to see and hear subject matter about 5 times before they begin to internalize the material and make those personal connections. I had heard that in a training early in my teaching career, and it totally made sense.  So, I decided I would use the same book to start my math lesson for 5 days.  On day 1, many of the kids were fiddling with toys, falling out of their chairs, and seeming to not even hear me reading.  But, by the end of the week, many were chiming in and following along.  It took that much consistency to get their attention.  Of course, by mid-year, they were following along much more quickly, but I always kept the same book for 5 days.

IEP Data

When you read a story, it is a perfect time to work in some of those IEP goals and gather data.  My assistant and myself always had our clipboards with the IEP goals  for each student with us.  That way as I was reading I could work in lots of “wh” questions as well as measure and track level of engagement.  Of course, as these stories were dealing with math content I had lots of opportunities to work on counting, identifying numerals, size, and other topics that were addressed on individual IEPs.

Generalization

Students with disabilities, especially autism, have a lot of difficulty generalizing information they have learned to new situations.  This is very true of math.  I often had a student that could count an array of objects as long as they were in a straight line.  But show them a picture with a group of puppies, and they were totally unable to count them.  Very, very typical and very challenging as a teacher.  You think your student has mastered a skill, but when you attempt it in a more real-life situation, and they seem to have no clue what to do.  Pulling literacy into your math lessons is the PERFECT way to work on some of these generalization skills.  It forces you as a teacher to present math in a less traditional format.  While keeping IEP data, I would have different codes if a student was successful at a skill in a traditional format or was successful in a new, more generalized format.  It was a great way to ensure I continued working on skills I thought the student has mastered until I could prove they could do it across environments, people, and material or stimuli.

Typical Math Lesson

So, what would a typical math lesson look like in my classroom which consisted of students kindergarten through 5th grade with significant autism?  The lesson would be about 30 minutes.

• 5 min : Counting or other math song
• 5 min : Read a math story
• 10 min : Group activity using manipulatives
• 5 min : Individual work (This usually meant that my assistant and myself would have to help students one on one to complete a product for the parent to see what we are working on and for me to keep as a data point.  While helping one student, the other students were given access to the book for the week, previous math stories or other math manipulatives.  This would keep them engaged with appropriate materials while we were focused on other students.  They actually loved “reading” these books on their own.)
• 5 min : Math game

Reading a story to start your math lesson has many benefits.  Students find it calming and predictable, you can gather IEP data and generalize skills to make more personal connections, and the repetition reinforces the math concepts you are currently trying to teach.

Below are some free stories I have used in the past.  Click on the buttons below to download them for free.  If you find this strategy works for you, try writing your own stories.  It is quick and easy to do!

                              

 
Every Dog Needs a Bone

Counting Pumpkins

Shopping Story

So here are 5 things about me…

1.  I am a veterinarian.  I graduated in 1995 from the College of Veterinary Medicine in Raleigh, NC.  I practiced small animal medicine until my son was born in 1997.  I LOVED it.  But, due to his needs and diagnosis of autism,  I gave up my career to try and “cure” him.  Nope, didn’t work.  Thus fact 2…                                                      
2. I have an 18 year old son with severe autism.  I love him to death, despite the fact it certainly is not the life I though I would lead.  I went back to school and learned all I could about autism and other disabilities, which led me to getting a master’s in sped ed.  (For those of you who are counting, yes, I have a bachelor degree, a doctorate degree, and a master’s degree.  Luckily, I LOVE school.)                                 
3. Reading is my absolute favorite leisure activity.  I find time to read every day, usually when I am done with my TPT work.  A glass of wine and a comfy chair and I am in heaven.  I will read anything.  My favorite reads are books with complex family sagas.  I also love a good thriller.
4. So I would say I love to quilt, but I find it cuts into my obsession listed in number 3.  I usually put time aside on the weekends to quilt, forcing myself to take a step back from the computer and constant work on my TPT store.  Thus, it maintains my sanity.  I used to make a different quilt to hang outside my classroom door every month of the year while I was teaching.  The kids loved it; now my friends and family are the benefactors of this hobby.                                  
5. My family spends as many days as we can at my in-law’s small house on High Rock Lake in NC.  It is tiny with only one bathroom, but I could move out there and live happily today.  It sits on the water with a long dock that faces the most amazing sunsets I have ever seen.  My son loves it there, and I know that eventually he, I and my husband will end up living on the water.  I just have to be patient, but I cannot wait!!

This has been an interesting couple of weeks with my family, so I thought I would take a break from school posts and write something more personal that I know so many of my friends with special kids can relate to.

So, as most of you know I have an 18 year old son, Jimmy, with autism and a 17 year old daughter, Gina who is a typical and wonderful teenager.  Gina has been busy applying to colleges which has led me to helping her proof read some essays.  Many of which she has chosen to write about Jimmy, and it has been very enlightening to me.

Trying to raise a child with such demanding needs as Jimmy, has meant that all of us have had to make some sacrifices.  As much as we tried to protect Gina and give her a “normal” childhood, I have come to realize that it was impossible to shield her from the stress of raising a child with special needs.  When Gina was about 4 years old, she asked us, in a very worried voice, if she was going to have to take of Jimmy when we got old and died someday?  Even at that point, she knew what a tremendous burden (I know some of you want to say blessing….) it can be having a kid like Jimmy.  I tried so hard over the years to keep things as normal for her as possible.  She had sleepovers, danced and swam competitively for years.  I am not sure we really denied her anything.  I figured we had done pretty well.

Then, I read her essay to Duquesne University.  She talked about having to grow up so fast at such a young age.  How she had to learn how to take of herself as well as her brother long before she was ready.  She talked about missed opportunities and lost family vacations.  All true.  But I don’t know how we could have done it any differently.  I know so many of my friends will recognize this struggle and realize there is no magic answer.

Yesterday, we went to hear a speaker talk about getting into the college of your choice.  She and her Dad had just spent the weekend at an open house at Duquesne, her first choice.  It as an emotional weekend for her dad who is not ready to see his baby girl move away.  The talk was full of doom and gloom, and Gina left feeling like there was no way she was going to get into any good colleges, let alone Duquesne.  When we got home, she grabbed onto her Dad and cried and cried.  He did his best to reassure her.  But, it was what she told me later that really spurred me to write this post.  She said that Dad was just overly emotional about things, and I really seemed to have no emotion at all most of the time.

That was a crushing blow to hear.  But, I think she is right.  I think when Jimmy was diagnosed, and I realized the dream I had of my life was gone, I had to make a choice.  I could get swallowed up by resentment and grief, or I could play the cards I was dealt the best I could.  So, I soldiered on and didn’t let myself think about what could have been.  I think over the last 16 years, that has led to a dramatic change in my personality.  It has made me put up walls that I just cannot afford to take down.  I can deal with just about anything now.  I am the rock of the family, but I am not sure that is such a good thing.

I wonder how Gina will look back on her childhood and our relationship.  Every parent wishes they could have done something better, so I know that I am not unique in that situation.  I know there are so many of my friends who have similar situations and read this and wonder if their kids feel the same way.  I think every kid is different, and every family is different.  We did the best we could.  I am not sure how we could have done it any differently.

It is the first week of school, and all the teachers are going through the school rules with their students.  You see them in the hallway, in the library, and in the cafeteria.  They are all standing at attention (even the kindergartners) listening attentively and being quiet.  BUT then there is your class.  Your class used to be my class.  The class with the kids that NEVER stand still or are quiet.  The class that takes more adults than kids to get from one place to another on the school property.  Yep, it is the special ed class.

I always hated those first few days of learning the school rules.  I knew I could not try to teach proper hallway behavior while staying in the classroom, it just would not generalize to the real situation.  I also knew that once we were out in the hallway, my kids would be so distracted and/or anxious that there was no way they could listen to me about proper hallway etiquette.  Then I found out about structured walks!

The  main issue with my students was they did not know what they were supposed to be doing in the hallway, and they had no idea how long it would be before they could get back to the safety of the classroom.  A perfect recipe for disruptive behaviors and anxious kids.  I started doing structured walks my second year.  It basically is set up like a scavenger hunt.  I would have someone place some pictures around the school in obvious locations, and the kids would have a blank template to show them how many pictures we were looking for.  We did talk about hallway behavior, but I found once they had a clear goal of what they needed to accomplish, and how long it would take (ie fill the 10 blank spots) most of the problem behaviors disappeared or lessened greatly.

I have included this link so you can download complete directions and a set of symbols to use on your own structured walk.  Try it, you might be surprised how a little structure can go a long way in eliminating problems and anxiety.

  Get your free guide to structured walks

Well we made it through the week with minimal issues.  Just one night of almost no sleep which is pretty good.  Jim had asked me to water the new grass we had seeded while he was gone.  It would take about an hour and needed to be done either early in the morning or later in the evening.  I chose the evening, and decided to ask Jimmy if he wanted to help.  Shocker, he said ok.  If you know Jimmy, he usually does not enjoy anything that 1) takes him away from his iPad and 2) requires him to be in a vertical position.  Well, we had a great time.  Every night he would help me for most of it.  He seemed to really enjoy himself, and it was good to see him out of the house and especially out of his bed.  We did have a few issues, however.  The first night, I took out a drink with me (a gin and tonic) in a blue cup with a lid and straw.  Silly me, that is normally Jimmy’s cup.  Well, he would not leave me alone, and was really mad I would not give him the cup even after I got him his own drink in a different cup.  Really, my fault.  I should have known better.  So, I just gulped down that drink and did not make that mistake again.  The next day, Jimmy somehow saw, across the dirt, this unhatched robin egg.  I have no idea how he even saw it, or why he would be drawn to it.  But, off he went and before I knew what was happening, he had squeezed it all over himself.  Ewww!!!!  But after a quick wash, we were back at it.

So, in all it was not such a bad week.  I learned that Jimmy really likes to water and play with the hose.  I also re-learned not to use his cup and to keep him as close as possible.  Thanks to everyone who send me warm wishes for success, it worked.

So as I sit down to start writing more curriculum pieces this morning, my mind immediately goes to social stories.  They are by far my biggest seller on my teacherspayteachers store.  It is also ironic, as I almost always thought I had students that were functionally too low to really benefit from this sort of intervention.

What are social stories?  These are short stories that usually target a social, behavioral, or communication difficulty a person may have.  The stories address what the problem is, when it may occur, and how to deal with that problem all in a positive and affirming tone.  They are most often used with individuals who have autism, but their use has spread to many other situations as well.  They were first started by Carol Gray, and although I never took one of her seminars, it did not stop me from writing my own.  I found almost every story I wrote was unique to a particular student or situation, so it was always difficult to find a “ready-made” one that would fit.

How do you use social stories?  These stories are NOT meant to be used when the problematic situation is occurring.  They should be introduced in a place the student feels safest because it is likely that talking about a social situation may make them uncomfortable.  I would usually try to have set times in the student’s schedule to read the story.  Definitely first thing in the morning, and then shortly before I thought the situation may occur, like lunch time.  I would also review it again at the end of the day.  A copy always went home so the parents could read it with their child and also know how we were approaching a difficult situation they may also be experiencing.  After a few days, or when it seemed the language of the story was becoming part of the student’s internal dialogue, I would try role-playing.  It was a way I could assess their comprehension of the material without any formal test.  I would also be very aware of when that social situation would possibly occur and be ready to feed them cues we practiced from the story.

Here is a short video on how I use social stories:

Did they work?  Sometimes.  But here is the coolest thing I discovered about social stories:  I WAS THE ONE WHO LEARNED.  It helped me as a teacher and as a parent remember what cues to give the student when the situation occurred.  It became part of MY internal dialogue.  Once this “aha” moment occurred to me, I realized I should be using social stories for every single one of my students because they made me a better teacher and parent.  Yes, it did help some of my students, and most loved the cool pictures I would find to insert into the story, as well as the repetition and predictable text patterns.  It is so cool, how something specifically written for a kid helped me as an adult.

That is why I LOVE social stories.  

Here is a short video on how to write your own social story:

I have written a lot of them, and you can check them out in my store:  Special Needs for Special Kids.  But remember, anyone can write a social story so give it a try!!

Grab this freebie while you are there (click on the image below):