Some teachers are so excited to head back to school. Some teachers are nervous or even feeling overwhelmed. Most of us have been in both of these places at some point or other. The important thing is to start your school year off with some quick wins that can make a big impact in your classroom. ... VIEW POST
New on the Blog
A new look at a back to school favorite: The Kissing Hand
The Kissing Hand, by Audrey Penn, has been a long time favorite story to use for back to school. Especially for our younger students who deal with separation anxiety, often for the first time, this story helps teachers talk with students about their feelings. I loved using this story. But, in a ... VIEW POST
Teaching spelling in a self-contained classroom
Teaching students to spell in a classroom that often contains multiple grade levels and multiple learning levels can be a challenge. You have some students who are non-readers, some who are just emerging with their reading skills, and then you may have a few who read at a level that is just 1-2 ... VIEW POST
The First Men on the Moon
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 ... VIEW POST
The one activity you should add to your small group lessons
If you teach in a special education setting, especially if you teach in a self-contained classroom, then you may find most of your teaching is done 1:1. That was me for the first two years. But, then I got tired of trying to block out the chaos (on the worst days), or the boredom (on the best ... VIEW POST
STEM activities in a low incidence classroom
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 ... VIEW POST
