Happy New Year

My regular education students have been building relationships with their autistic 'buddies' each week during the first semester of the school year.  It has been fun to watch the students grow and change as they work and play together.  It was especially encouraging to see two of our autistic students compete in the grade level geography bee.  One student in particular stated some outlandish things while he was waiting for the competition to begin.  Being nervous effects students differently.  How do your students behave when they are anxious?

Bring in the New Year

This week is the first week of school for our Year-Round schools.  Since I am on D track I don't start until August 15, however, I am looking at my new class list and preparing to meet my new Gang.  I find myself evaluating my teaching practices, planning for the first day as well as the first few weeks, being very intentional with the tone I set in the classroom. I'm rethinking procedures I need to teach. I know I need to allow students plenty of time to practice those procedures.

I already have the paper work for the four resource students in my class.  I'll meet with the Special Education teacher next week in order to discuss schedules and special accommodations.  I don't want to have too many preconceived ideas about any student, but I don't want to be unprepared, either.  I already have plans in place to be 'buddies' with the autistic classes again this year.

I'm looking forward to a great year ahead.

What do YOU do?

Are you a regular education teacher, special education teacher, principal or GT teacher?  No matter what your position, how do you interact with special needs students at your school?  How can educators help these students grow and learn?  What bothers you about having special education students at your school or in your class?  What changes would you like to see?

End of the Year

Students with disabilities need extra attention at the end of the year.  I made recommendations to the principal for the type of teacher these students will need next year.  One student cannot have her classroom in the portable buildings, she must stay in the building.  The principal selected a teacher who was currently in a portable classroom, so she had to move all of her teaching supplies to a different room in the building.  I wrote individual memos on each SWD student in my class and passed it along to the new teacher, the special ed. teacher and the principal.  I shared instructional methods and behavior interventions that were helpful in the classroom this year.  I understand these students are no longer under my care, but I did want to pass along helpful information to the next teacher.  We are all in this together-every child is a learner.

Letters for buddies

Today my class wrote a letter to their buddy.  This was in response to the buddy writing them a letter last week.  My class used the template from Comic Life.  It had 6 panels to fill in.  My students drew pictures and wrote encouraging notes.  We hope our buddies like our letters.  Using technology is great, but sometimes the old fashioned form of communication works well, too.

Hurray for 'buddy' classes

My 5th graders are 'buddied' with the students from the autistic cluster units at my school.  Today, my class was walking down the hall just as one of the boys from the autistic cluster class came around the corner. This 1st grader was intently looking at each of my students until he found the one who was his buddy. A huge smile appeared on his face when he finally found him in my long line of 'big kids'.  My student stopped, talked with him, gave him a 'high five' and a 'knuckle touch'.  Both boys were smiling at the encounter.  I am amazed at the small kindnesses that give such pleasure.  It was cute to watch and made my heart happy.

CRT testing

Today I administered the CRT math test.  Four of my 28 already took their test with their resource teacher.  The teaching assistant took those four students to an empty classroom while the other students were testing in my classroom.  The assistant monitored their activities.  One student worked on a late assignment, two students used laptops to visit school appropriate sites, and another student worked on a math test.  This student needs the 22 question math test to be given over several testing sessions.  She cannot handle seeing all the questions at once.  We literally cut the test apart, or give her only one page a day.  I was grateful to have the assistant work with me today.  It would be very difficult to manage the class without her.