Good Evening everyone. I was posting so well during vacation and now it’s crazy busy again and I’m falling behind. It’s 8: 30 p.m. and I hope you are getting your children into bed. I don’t pretend to understand what parents of children with learning differences go through at nighttime. I know, a mother of […]
It is Wednesday, December 3. I had to look it up. I’m on vacation and I lose track of the days very shortly after Christmas and then once again after New Years. I’m going to try to stick with my blog as much as I possibly can. I am trying to get on here every […]
Wow! It’s been a roller coaster this school year. I’ve started a new position and had 3 days of teacher training about the district. Then once teachers had to be in school there were 5 days of additional teacher training. We received a day of time to work in our classrooms. In 29 years, I […]
As a Special Education Teacher, the closing of a school year brings a mixed bag of emotions. We are exhausted and elated that it is summer break, but our students and their families will be struggling. This breaks my heart. I have tried to include activities for your child to do, some independently, to make […]
Unless you are a teacher of special needs students you do not understand the daily emotional inner battle we face. It is exhausting. These are our children at school. Parents depend on us to keep their children safe. We start the day like everyone else being happy, tired, hopeful etc. In a moment our balloon […]
I can’t believe how quickly the holidays come and go. We do all this planning and then within a few hours, presents are unwrapped, food is eaten, and the celebration is over. I forced myself to do some things after surgery that I am paying for now. I feel constant pain now which I hadn’t […]
What is Special Education??? Good question. In different parts of the country, it is known as different things. Special Education, Exceptional Student Education, Special Needs Education, Aided Education, Exceptional Education, SEN or SPED are all used for the practice of educating students in a way that provides accommodations that address their individual differences, disabilities and […]
What are goals for your child this year? Executive Functioning Skills: Cognitive skills that help people control and coordinate their other cognitive abilities and behaviors including Self-monitoring, planning, organizing, reasoning, mental flexibility, and problem-solving. These skills are essential for lifelong functioning in areas such as critical thinking, problem-solving, planning, decision making, and executing tasks. Toileting: A […]
Good evening. How are you all fairing in this holiday break? Is your child ready to go back to school? Are you ready to have them go back to school? Structure and consistency is so very important. Create a home plan so your child can learn what is expected when they are home, so they […]
We all survived the first day back from our week long Thanksgiving break. Students were freezing and so chatty!!! Teachers are trying to rein them in with reminders to follow safe procedures at school. All kids and adults need structure and consistency. Remember that baby you let sleep a little longer so you could get […]
Here we go again. The night before we are back to school. The next three weeks will be filled with parties, baking, shopping, decorating and late nights PLUS state tests, homework and class tests. Sports are still in play as well as afterschool activities. Your child who craves consistency and structure will be struggling. Navigating […]
I touched briefly on assessments the other day, but I wanted to recap. Parents, please, please, please, check to make sure your child is receiving their accommodations. In elementary school, it should be provided for them automatically, but as they get older, they are expected to request them. As a special education teacher, I have […]
Is your child receiving their accommodations? If they’re young enough, the teachers should be advocating for them. If your child is in middle school they need to advocate for themselves. Take a minute and ask them. Reducing anxiety and giving them what they need to be successful is a must!
The first quarter is behind us and we are a few weeks from Thanksgiving. How are you feeling? Does your child like school? Have your questions been answered? I have parents I speak with daily because their child is struggling and we are trying to find a solution. Speaking to a parent for 30+ minutes […]
A special education teacher’s diary from the last 3 months of school.
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Well, it’s been about 7 weeks into the new school year and I’m exhausted. I’ve had a 10 day virus and bronchitis. My car has had a nail in it and I’ve missed 5 days of work. I’ve had to sub for 8 periods already. I’ve had 4 IEP meetings and have had to create […]