Mathy Monday-Crossing the Decade *freebie*

Today's math game is about crossing the decuple in math.  If you don't know this means going from one decade of numbers to the next, for example 28, 29, 30.  My math group has great difficulty crossing the decade when counting back.  This is important, because the students will need this skill when learning to do subtraction and counting back to answer subtraction problems.  Also, some of my math kids have difficulty recognizing and naming the numerals 13 and 30 or 15 and 50.  This activity shows them where 15 and 50 (for example) are in a series of counting numbers.  

Materials you will need:

Board game, dice or arrow cards (if you use dice-write the numbers 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, and 90, if you use arrow cards use 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90) , markers or pawns to move on the game board

Find a copy of the game board HERE

Directions:

Student 1 rolls the dice or draws out an arrow card. Student will move pawn to the space on the game board that is the number before the decade number they rolled or pulled out.

For example:  Student rolls 60, student will move pawn to the 59 on the game board.

Student 2 takes a turn, following the same directions.

The first person to the finish wins.  This game goes quickly, but I have my student play several times with a different partner each time.

Modifications: Have a numeral roll available so the student can look back to find the number and see what is before.  Have the student start at a higher number and count back, to get the rhythm and pattern in mind before moving his or her pawn.

I'm also linking up for Made It Monday!! :)  Hope you enjoy this game!

Communication-Related Services

This is my final post for my communication series.  Colleagues includes: Related Service Personnel

I have thought and thought this summer about how to better communicate with related services personnel. In case you don't know, these are all of the amazing professionals that come in to our schools to work with students. They are our speech therapists, occupational therapists, physical therapist, teachers for the visually impaired, behavior consultants, just to name a few. I cannot imagine doing my job without them.

The problem lies in that these professionals are not in the building all day, everyday. This can make them hard to find and communicate with. This is no one person's fault, it's just that school is a busy place and sometimes you don't get to make all of the connections you need to make in one day. I've been lucky to work with OTs and PTs and speech therapists that I could call or email and touch base with them that way outside of the school day. As I begin to plan for my new classroom and new surroundings, I began to think about how I could interact more often and more efficiently with my related service coworkers.

My idea is a bulletin board/meeting area. You will have to envision this in a classroom instead of my rudimentary drawing, but I hope you can get the idea, nonetheless:

Clipboards for each related service person
Calendar for upcoming meetings
Notes for communicating when either person is not there
On clipboard-sheet for working on specific OT, PT goals, check off for when certain accommodations were implemented.

My vision is for each related service person to stop in the room and check it what is on the board. They can get notes, documentation, and stay up to date on each student on their caseload, even if they don't have time to talk to a special Ed teacher face to face that day.

I have created a Related Services Communication Pack available on TPT
It includes:
Student Goal Sheet
Notes for communication between related service professionals and teachers
Cover Pages for each Professionals' Clipboards (OT, PT, SLP, and blank for you to write your own)

Enjoy!

I'm linking up with 4th Grade Frolics for Monday Made It!

Communication, Freebie, & A NEW TPT product!

This school year will mean:
1.  A BRAND NEW school
2.  New school district
3.  New students
4.  New parents
5.  New colleagues
6.  New administration

As I begin to consider all of these factors, I have been thinking more and more about communication.  Special education is full of time spent in meetings or on the phone with parents, collaborative teachers, administrators, related services providers, doctors, and the list goes on.  Communication is KEY to making sure that all parties involved with students are...well...INVOLVED!

Today is the beginning to a new series of blog posts all about communication.  Check out the schedule below:




Five Ways to Effectively Communicate with Parents

1. Get off on the right foot Before school begins, I know several regular education teachers send notes to their students to welcome them back to school.  This is also a great time to introduce yourself as the teacher that will be watching out for the students with special needs.  Parents often know all of the classroom teachers, but don't know the special education teachers.  I like to send out a letter to introduce myself before school starts and let the parent know right from the beginning that we are a team.
2. Create Detailed IEP at A Glance SheetsGo through each of those due process folders before school starts!  Examine each IEP and psychological report and get to know about the student, his/her disabilities, strengths, weaknesses, and check for behavior intervention plans.  Before school starts is a great time to get all of that paperwork in line.  WARNING: Waiting to look over paperwork will only push you farther behind once the kids come!  

        Once I have been through each IEP and psychological report, I make a IEP at a Glance Sheet for each student.  This     
         is a quick way for me to "see" the child without digging out the due process folders every time I need a date, phone 
         number, or category of disability.  Grab your freebie by clicking picture below:



3.  Send Out Parent Surveys 
This will be the first year that I will be sending out surveys.  This information will help me get to know each student as a person and not just what I can find on paper.    This insight into the student will help me to plan lessons, behavior plans, and allow me to beginning building relationships with the students.


 4.  Call Parents or Send a Note Home

As a parent, I love hearing good things about my own children and I have to remember that when working with other people's children.  I love to call home or send a note to say, "Hey, this kid is awesome! He had a great day!"

5.  Establish an Open Door Policy
Make parents aware of the times you are available and BE available!   Invite parent's to see their children's work, talk about progress, or just say hi.  Unfortunately, the only time I get to talk with some parents is during an ARC meeting.  That is not exactly the time to get to know each other.  This is an area that I personally want to work on this year.  I want to know my kids, their parents and their families.  Relationships are so important!  Kids and parents need to know they are valued and appreciated.  Afterall, that's how I want to feel as a parent and teacher.

And finally....some BIG, BIG NEWS and a LOT of work...I would like to present to you:
My Parent Communication Binder!!!!  This binder is designed especially for special education teachers, but classroom teachers can also find several of the documents useful as well!  I print one of each page for each child on my caseload and place in a tabbed binder.


In this Parent Communication Binder Packet you will find:
Beginning of the Year Note Home
Parent Contact Sheet
Getting to Know You (Parent Survey)
Parent Contact Log
Parent Input Sheet (send home before meetings to get parental input)
Positive Parent Notes Home
Parent Communication Binder Covers
Beginning of the year Note:


 I have printed these Getting to Know You Parent Surveys on front and back of a piece of paper...save a tree! ;)

 

Here's a quickie Parent Contact Sheet...one glance for all the info you need:


Parent Contact Log.  I print one for each student on my caseload.


Go now to my TPT shop and download your Parent Communication Binder TODAY!
What are you waiting for?!

PS:  From now until midnight (eastern time) the Pack will be half price!  So hurry!

Mrs. H's Resource Room TPT Shop
Special Education * Parent Communication Pack



I'm also Linking up with 4th Grade Frolics for Monday Made It!

Made It Monday with the Kiddos

Linking up today for my first Monday Made It of the summer!  

My kids and I are making the most of this summer by giving each day a specific task and it just so happens that Monday is our Make It day! :)

Today we made Jolly Rancher suckers.  You've probably seen them floating around Pinterest.

You will need:

 Jolly Ranchers

Sucker sticks

Parchment Paper

Unwrap the Jolly Ranchers and put them in groups of three on a parchment lined cookie sheet.  Leave room between each group of candies so they don't all melt into one gigantic Jolly Rancher.

Here, Bear is organizing his candies before he puts them on the tray.

Candies are ready for the oven.  Heat your oven to 275 degrees and bake in oven for 6 minutes.

When time is up, place a sucker stick into each candy.  Give it a little twist to help stay put.

Our finished product! Yum!

Want to know what else or how we organize our summer fun?  I borrowed the premise for my idea here, but tweaked it to fit our days and our desires.  The kids are asking everyday, "What day is it?  What does that mean we are going to do today?"  They are really staying motivated to follow the schedule, so I thought a little visual would help them remember and help me plan what we are going to do each day.  Feel free to borrow this if you like :)  To download a printable click here!

And finally, calling all special ed. teachers!  Don't forget to go by my TPT store and download my new special education teacher planner!  It is chocked full of organizers to get your new year off on the right foot!  Click the here to be linked to the customizable lesson plan/teacher planner product!  Below you will see the customizable front cover, 1st page of the lesson planner, and a quick reference sheets for IEP goals and benchmarks!

 

Kim

Week 2 of Menu Mondays! & Monday Made It

I'm going in to week two of menu planning!  Last week was a success and I am ready to try some new meals this week!  I have to say that having a plan makes life after school so much easier.  I feel good about coming home and having everything planned out and ready to cook.  This week's menu is:

Pork Roast and Potatoes

Bacon Ranch Chicken Pasta

Buffalo Chicken Tacos

Apple Cider Pork Chops w/Rice

Pizza Casserole

These are all recipes I have found on Pinterest.  You can follow my "foodie" board here.  You will notice that most of it is desserts!  Don't judge me!  :)  This girl loves some sweets!  If you have any good MAIN COURSE recipes that aren't too difficult please leave me a comment and a recipe! ;) 

Now for some Monday Made It with 4th Grade Frolics!

Our school follows the CHAMPs procedures for school wide behavior management.  I developed CHAMPs procedures for my students to use when they need to cool down or take a time out. 

(Border by 3AM Teacher)

These items are referred to in the procedures:

C.O.P Notebook (Chill Out Plan)

I found a great idea here about a notebook of ideas that can help a student calm down.  I have not started my social skills group yet this year, but this will be first on our agenda.  The gist of this activity is for the student to make a list of ideas that would help that student "chill out" if they are angry or anxious.  The student will glue this list into the inside of a composition notebook that he/she will use to write or draw in during a cool down or break time.

Some suggestions for the list of "chill outs" are:

• Imagine yourself on vacation
• Take a deep breath and let it out like you are blowing up a balloon
• Use a stress ball
• Imagine yourself in the snow (the snow will cool you off when you are hot because you are mad)
• Read
• Listen to music
• Draw
• Count to ten
• Break craft sticks (I liked this idea from the School Counselor Chronicles---sometimes we just have to get that aggression out)

As soon as I get my classroom painted and the furniture organized (I am praying that will happen this week) I hope to get a cool down area set up.  I can't wait to have pictures to show you all of this in action!

And finally...a little blog hoppin' with Blog Hoppin' & What the Teacher Wants

1.  I want my classroom painted and organized.  The paint I can wait on, but living in the disorganization is killing me!

2.  Some more cute sandals (with backs).  Read my Teacher Clothes post for that little fun bit!

3.  An extra pair of hands to do all of the projects in my mind!!

Kim

Catch Up Time! & B2S #3

Internet is back on!!! Wooo hoooo!!!

Today was my first day back at school--without kids--at PD!!  It was a great PD! We did lots of math make and takes.  I will share some of those jewels with you later this week!

So, today I have two days to make up for!  First up,

 

This is my first time to link up with 4th Grade Frolics and I was so disappointed yesterday when the internet went kaput!!  Without further ado, here is what I made:

So, they are not exactly education/school, but they are something that you could adapt and make something cute to hang in your room.  My kids and I made these to hang in their new playroom.  

Materials:  11x13 canvas (2), letter stickers, fingerpaint

HOW TO:

Place stickers on canvas using your favorite Bible verse or quote

FINGERPAINT!!!!!

Let dry and remove stickers!

My kids were proud of their creations!!

As for today...

I think the first day back to reality deserved a Starbucks for breakfast!! :)

Here is a little freebie for you to go along with my behavior daily points sheets.  I am going to start sending this note home with my students this year when they make poor choices.  This SMART CHOICE sheet gives the student ownership of their behavior and informs the parents of what has happened at school.

SMART CHOICE SHEET

Enjoy!

I hope those of you that are back to school are having a wonderful year!  As for the rest of us, our time is coming....quickly!!! I have been loving the pictures of classroom setups and I can't wait to get in mine and to get busy!!  This Friday!!  Can't wait!! I am starting to get nervous about getting everything done, but it is what it is!  Kids are coming on the 15th ready or not! :)

Kim