Mrs. D's Corner

teaching from the heart, not the books.

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Planning Academic Centers in a Special Ed Classroom

A common struggle in special education classrooms is not being able to get through all instruction and also work on IEP goal skills. Do you share in this struggle?! Because you’re here reading this, I’m going to go out on a limb and say the struggle is real for you too. While centers do not solve the bigger issue at hand, they do help us special education teachers meet the needs of all of our learners, while providing opportunities for growth and student independence. So let’s chat about how to plan academic centers in any special ed classroom. Before you… Read More

Online Training + Professional Development for Teachers

Depending on the state where you have your teaching license, professional development is required every year or two to maintain an active status designation on your license. So what do you do when all or most in-person professional development opportunities have been postponed or canceled? Or maybe just add to your CEU hours? Take online trainings and professional development courses to get your hours in, of course! With limited time it can be challenging to find programs that are worthy of your time, and that will give you the hours that you need. Not to worry, I researched for you… Read More

Words of Wisdom for Student Teachers

Student teaching is such an exciting time! You get to put into practice everything you have learned and absorb so much more about teaching than you ever thought possible. It’s fun, it’s stressful, and it’s an excellent opportunity to see how schools really work. We asked veteran teachers to share their best advice and words of wisdom for student teachers in our Facebook group, Mrs. D’s VIPs. Their comments were heartfelt, spot-on, and filled with the wisdom that only comes from years of teaching experience. You can see the entire post here or scroll down for their words of advice. If you’re… Read More

Paraprofessional Appreciation Ideas

Paraprofessionals are an integral part of the special education team, and April 1st is Paraprofessional Appreciation Day. It’s a national day dedicated to our support staff (even though they deserve more than one day!) so we can celebrate them and their contributions to the classroom. Showing your appreciation for their efforts can mean the world. But how can you show them how important they are to you and your students? We asked veteran teachers for some of their best tips and tricks for para appreciation, and here’s what they said. Ways to Show Appreciation for Paras Get to Know Them… Read More

Unpublished End of the Year Books Written by Teachers | Teacher Humor

Ah, the end of the school year. It is a challenging time for teachers everywhere. Kids are ready for summer, and, let’s be honest, so are teachers. We decided to have some fun and asked the veteran teachers in our Mrs. D’s VIPs Facebook Group what they would title a book about how to survive the last month of school. Their answers were, as expected, amusing, and spot-on! You can see the original post here if you’re a member of the group. Not a member yet? We would love to have you! Join the group here. Book Titles for How to Survive the… Read More

Education Books to Read During Teacher Time Off

Professional development is always important, but finding ways to fit it in throughout the school year can be challenging… especially when you add in all of the other things teachers have to manage. Maybe you’ve considered reading education-related books during your time off, to learn a new skill, or to learn more information about a teaching technique or intervention. Education books are perfect to read during time off (like quarantine, breaks, or during the summer months) to get in the professional development you need without making it seem like a chore.  I previously wrote a post about Books for Special… Read More

What to Do When You’re Burned Out on Writing IEPs

There comes a time in every special educator’s life when writing IEPs leads to feelings of being burned out. And trust me, IEP writing burnout is real. The constant pressure to make sure your students’ needs are addressed in detail with the appropriate accommodations and interventions can weigh on even the most experienced of teachers. So, what do you do when you are burned out? We asked the inspiring teachers in our Facebook group, Mrs. D’s VIPs, to share their best advice, tips, and tricks for battling burn out and reigniting passion for writing IEPs. Their suggestions ranged from the… Read More

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Making the Most of Your Virtual Teaching Lessons

Teaching is not easy, but planning distance learning lessons is even more challenging. #canIgetanamen From technology challenges to lesson implementation issues, the challenges of virtual teaching can quickly become overwhelming. If you are struggling, know that you are not alone. Thankfully, we have a wonderful group of supportive educators who were happy to share how to make the most of your virtual teaching lessons so that you and your students can both be successful. The teachers in Mrs. D’s VIP group generously shared their advice and expertise to help others in this most unusual time. 1. Provide consistency in scheduling…. Read More

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How to Teach Social Skills During Distance Learning

Reading, writing, and arithmetic are essential subjects, but as any teacher knows, social skills play a vital role in every student’s success in and out of the classroom. Even though your students may be distance learning at the moment, giving them opportunities to practice their social skills is important. We asked the teachers of Mrs. D’s VIPs Facebook group what their best suggestions were for helping students develop the social skills they need. As always, they provided great tips that will help not only fellow teachers but students themselves. 1. Role-Playing Use your virtual lesson time to review social skills… Read More

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4 Things Parents Need to Do With Their Child When School is Closed

Quarantine life has teachers scrambling to learn how to deliver lessons to students via virtual learning… and parents are very quickly learning how important teachers are, while also having to cook meals, keep the house clean, keep the kids from fighting, stay sane, not run out of toilet paper, and 1,000+ other things. The quarantine struggle is real for everyone. But there’s a common fear amongst the parents I’ve spoken with over the last few weeks, and it all comes down to this: how do I help my child learn so they don’t regress? With home schedule ideas floating around… Read More

how to quiet the teacher guilt voice

Quick Tips to Hush Teacher Guilt on Weekends

Weekend teacher guilt – we have all felt it. It’s that nagging sense that papers must be graded, reports should be written, and lessons need to be planned. It can turn a perfectly beautiful, fun weekend into one that’s filled with stress and anxiety. Hushing the teacher guilt on weekends is not only a good idea, but it’s also vital for your mental well-being and family relationships. Leaving work for the workweek sounds like it should be easy to do, but every teacher knows that’s not the case. So how do you quiet that guilt and relax? We asked veteran… Read More

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10 Vocational Tasks for Any Classroom

As students get older, it’s important to include more exposure to vocational and transitional tasks that will serve them well in the future. These types of tasks give students practice with everyday experiences that they will need to learn to navigate on their own, or with limited assistance. Providing this practice while in the safety of the school environment can build students’ confidence and comfort with those everyday life tasks. We asked the veteran teachers in Mrs. D’s VIPs Facebook group to share some of their favorite transitional/vocational tasks for any classroom or age. You can see the entire post here when… Read More

What Special Education Teachers Want Admins to Know

Administrators have a lot on their plates, but Special Education teachers do too. The key to working together is to create a relationship based on respect and trust. Sometimes the lines of communication, the very thing that builds those relationships, can get shut down or tangled. To help administrators understand how to support their special education teachers and create that atmosphere of respect, we asked veteran teachers what they want their admins to know. Here are the top 10 things special education teachers want admin to know about who they are and how they can be supported. 10 Things Special… Read More

heavy work tasks for any classroom, home or student

Heavy Work Tasks for Students of All Ages

Heavy work tasks can improve sensory integration, regulate emotions, and help students display appropriate behaviors throughout the school day (or at home). Proprioceptive activities, or heavy work tasks, can be done in a whole group setting or in centers. Here are some heavy work task ideas for school, home and a few for physical exercise. AT SCHOOL Carry books or stack books. Hold door open for others. Erase the board. Sharpen a pencil with a hand-held pencil sharpener. Stack chairs. Carry a heavy bag. Wipe tables. Knead dough. Squeeze stress ball. Rip cardboard or thick cardstock. Move heavy bricks or… Read More

Digital Learning in Special Ed

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic currently throwing all of us in education for an unplanned loop (and the rest of the world), as educators we are naturally born ready to handle whatever is thrown at us. In the VIP Facebook Group, we’ve been talking about distance learning, online learning, distance education, digital learning… it has a lot of names, but basically it means no school and your students are learning from home right now. While distance education or e-learning may not be a current occurrence for you and your students, this is a very real thing taking educators through yet another… Read More

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Building Relationships with Students

Building meaningful relationships with students is important… if not more important than the curriculum you teach every day. Here are a few things to keep in mind, or ideas for additional ways on how to build rapport with your students. Learn student names (names are part of our identities!) and use them. Say hello to each individual every morning as they enter your classroom. Say hello in the hallway, in the cafeteria, on the playground, at bus duty… help make them to feel seen. Be respectful. Treat students how you want to be treated. Know that as the teacher, you… Read More

how to get a teaching job after leaving midyear

How to Get a Teaching Job After Leaving Midyear

I am a huge advocate for Mental Health, and in being so, if you need to leave a teaching position mid-year to better your mental health, I will be your personal “YES! Take the time for you!” cheerleader. Why? Because I’ve done it. Twice, actually. Once when we moved to Texas and then a second time a few years ago due to my mental health. I’m open about it. I have nothing to hide. Yes, I left mid-year, but I’ve also gotten jobs after leaving mid-year and gone on interviews that led to job offers. That’s what this blog post… Read More

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How to Use Laminated Alphabet Stickers in the Classroom

Have you ever laminated alphabet stickers to use in your classroom? No… what! I am about to change your spelling, writing, and alphabet identification centers forever… and save you a bunch of time in prep! Before we get started, if you’re not sure how to laminate stickers, you’ll want to check out this blog post tutorial first. If you’re in need of the first 5 lamination hacks, you can find those here too. Now that we’re all on the same page together and ready to laminate alphabet stickers, let’s start with a few supplies. Supply list: Stickers – you can… Read More

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