Teacher Appreciation Week is the perfect time to celebrate the special educators in your life, but anytime of year is just as appreciated. If you're looking for special ed teacher gifts for your child's teachers, your school staff, or your co-workers, we have gathered some that they'll not only love, but that they'll cherish for years to come. The best part? When you purchase your special ed teacher gifts from the stores below, you will be supporting a small business. That's worth ... Read More about Special Ed Teacher Gifts {Teacher Appreciation Gifts from the Heart}
How to Organize an Intensive Support Classroom
Keeping things decorated and organized in an intensive support classroom can be challenging! It's not uncommon to find that at the end of the day, it looks your classroom has exploded... (and not just in this classroom setting, let's be honest!). Thankfully, there are some tips and tricks to organize an intensive support classroom so that you don't have to redecorate every single afternoon. Here's how! This article contains affiliate links to products that might help you. Organize ... Read More about How to Organize an Intensive Support Classroom
Helping Children with Separation Anxiety
Transitioning back to school after a long break or distance learning can cause some children to have separation anxiety. Helping children with separation anxiety can mean the difference between a productive school day and one that is fraught with emotions. If your student, or perhaps your own child, is experiencing separation anxiety here are some ways to help them cope. What is Separation Anxiety? Separation anxiety is distress caused by being away from, or the anticipation of ... Read More about Helping Children with Separation Anxiety
Creating a Sensory Area in the Classroom
Whether it's a sensory corner or a sensory shelf, creating a sensory area in the classroom is a great way to help your students calm down, refocus, and get back on track. But what do you put it in? We asked the amazing teachers in our group, Mrs. D's VIPs, to share with us some of their best tips and tricks for creating a sensory-friendly classroom that all of your students will enjoy! This article contains affiliate links to products that you might find helpful! In full ... Read More about Creating a Sensory Area in the Classroom
Why Use Sorting Mats in the Special Ed Classroom
As teachers we know that kids love hands-on activities. Sorting mats? They provide our students with the manipulatives they love while helping them learn. If you have not tried using sorting mats in the special ed classroom, here are 5 reasons why you should! 5 Reasons to Use Sorting Mats in the Special Ed Classroom 1 - Sorting Mats Offer Hands-on Fun There is just something about being able to work with their hands that helps kids learn. Kinesthetic learners especially enjoy ... Read More about Why Use Sorting Mats in the Special Ed Classroom
10 Resources to Streamline Your Data Collection
Does collecting data have you overwhelmed and exhausted? You're not alone! Data collection can be one of the most time-consuming parts of being a special ed teacher! Thankfully, the 10 resources below help streamline data collection and save you a ton of time! Resources to Make Data Collection Easier When you have a full caseload of students, it can feel like you are constantly buried in paperwork and projects. Having resources to make data collection easier is a must! The 10 ... Read More about 10 Resources to Streamline Your Data Collection
General Education Teachers: What to Bring to an IEP Meeting
IEP meetings can be intimidating for everyone at the table! Making sure that you have everything you need with you, however, can make them a lot less so. General education teachers, here's what to bring to an IEP meeting - and what's not necessary to drag along. What General Ed Teachers Should Bring to an IEP Meeting Even for the most seasoned special education teachers, IEP meetings can be nerve-wracking. Meeting with parents, discussing goals, making sure that everything ... Read More about General Education Teachers: What to Bring to an IEP Meeting
Age-Appropriate Reading Programs for Older Non-Reading Students
Finding great reading programs for older, non-reading students that are not designed for preschoolers is not an easy task. Most programs are either for children who are much younger or who are more advanced with their reading skills. And it can be challenging to find a program that is age-appropriate for older non-reading students! Thankfully, the amazing teachers in our Facebook group have been sharing some of their favorite age-appropriate curriculum ideas. ... Read More about Age-Appropriate Reading Programs for Older Non-Reading Students
What to Do When You Aren’t Given a Curriculum
Ah, teaching. It’s a wonderful opportunity to touch lives and make a difference. Being provided with all of the materials and curriculum you need to teach your students is so amazing. Wait, what?! While teaching is a great profession, many teachers find themselves dropped into schools where there are no resources. So, what do you do when you aren’t given a curriculum? You have to get creative! No Curriculum? You’re Not Alone! Sadly, if you are like most Special Ed teachers in ... Read More about What to Do When You Aren’t Given a Curriculum
Songs Teachers Love to Use During Morning Meeting
Adding songs to morning meeting can be a great way to set the tone for the day and capture your students’ attention. If you need some new favorites to add to your playlist, check out our favorite songs for morning meeting! Music for Morning Meeting Students love music, and anytime I get a chance to incorporate it into lessons, I do. Morning meeting is one of those times when music can generate excitement, prepare students for the day ahead, and set the mood in the classroom. Playing the ... Read More about Songs Teachers Love to Use During Morning Meeting
Teaching Students Online with BrainTrust [VIDEO]
Teachers are hard workers. We always go the extra mile. Whether it’s creating incredible resources and lesson plans to inspire students, designing a beautiful classroom to engage and support learners, or writing endless emails to calm parents’ concerns, teachers are dynamos. And luckily for parents out there, many educators also bring that brilliance and dedication to individual students as private tutors. Which is why I am so excited to introduce Braintrust to you! Braintrust is a ... Read More about Teaching Students Online with BrainTrust [VIDEO]
Interactive Calendar Mat for Morning Work in Special Ed
Interactive calendar mats are going to change the way you think about differentiated materials and morning meeting. Here’s why: When I first started teaching, I struggled to make sure that my students had the differentiated resources and materials that they needed. There wasn’t a lot out there – especially for our Morning Meetings – so it was a constant struggle and a lot of work to prep everything for each student. I knew there had to be a better (and easier!) way. As I’ve mentioned ... Read More about Interactive Calendar Mat for Morning Work in Special Ed
Tips on How to Cope with Trauma After Being Injured by a Student
Teaching is a challenging profession, but when you are injured by a student in the classroom, it can create trauma that no one ever prepares you for in teacher prep college classes. So how does one cope after being significantly injured by a student? There is no easy answer and, as with all trauma, no right or wrong way to handle the emotions that come up surrounding the event. For some, it may not impact them immediately, and the emotional reaction will be delayed by days or weeks... ... Read More about Tips on How to Cope with Trauma After Being Injured by a Student
Para Binder for the Special Education Classroom
Paraprofessionals play a vital role in the classroom. After many years of working with different paras, I quickly realized that not all paraprofessionals have the same level of experience and teaching background as others. I also realized that their expectations and my expectations for their role in the classroom sometimes varied greatly. As the teacher, it was my duty to support them and make sure that they understood what I expected while giving them the tools to succeed. From IEP ... Read More about Para Binder for the Special Education Classroom
Para Expectations and Jobs During Virtual Learning
Distance learning is full of challenges, but figuring out what to have your para help with should not be one of them. Paraprofessionals can be a fantastic asset to any classroom – even a virtual one. However, figuring out how to have them help in the non-traditional classroom setting can be overwhelming. We asked veteran teachers what tasks they assigned paras in their classrooms throughout virtual learning and had some great responses. Depending on your relationship with your para ... Read More about Para Expectations and Jobs During Virtual Learning
Book Companions: Must Have Resource for Teachers + Substitutes
Picture books are on my list of must-have teacher materials. They are great for any grade, and students love them. There's just something about being read to that makes even the most resistant learners pay attention. But I always struggled with turning those wonderful read-aloud moments into lessons that would reinforce comprehension skills and give students a hands-on learning experience that could be applied to reading skills they needed to work on. Enter Book Companions. They ... Read More about Book Companions: Must Have Resource for Teachers + Substitutes
The Difference in Student Levels: Grade Level, Instructional Level, and Ability Level
Understanding the differences in a student’s levels can lead to more effective teaching, improved comprehension, and increased student success. And not only does understanding the "level language" help the child, but it also helps you write better IEPs. When it comes to how a student can and will learn and at what "level", you have to think of 3 things: Grade LevelInstructional LevelAbility Level And for neurodiverse students, teachers don't often have to think about all of these ... Read More about The Difference in Student Levels: Grade Level, Instructional Level, and Ability Level
Creating Open Communication Between Home and School with a Daily Communication Notebook
Establishing an open line of communication with parents is essential for teachers. The printable Daily Behavior Communication Notebook makes it easy. Like many teachers, there was not a lot of emphasis placed on how to establish communication with families during my teacher training. So, going into the classroom, it was a lot of trial and error. I knew I needed an effective way to communicate with my students' parents, but I also knew it couldn't take me forever to record the information ... Read More about Creating Open Communication Between Home and School with a Daily Communication Notebook