Special Needs School Strategies I Learned Along The Way!

I have learned many Strategies along the way. I haved used these for myself personally and in the classroom with my special needs students.

First/Then Board. This is a simple board that tells the student first activity and what comes next. For example... first work/then snack. You can use this with their schedule.

Close Your Eyes and Deep Breath - Telling you student to this during stressful times can help relax them. You might have to demonstrate it.

Going For A Walk - Is a way to move away from a stressful situation, talk and regroup and then come back.

Thinking Outside the Box - This where you have to be creative. Ask the students what they like, who are their favorite characters, then use that your advantage to make teaching fun. If someone says Micky Mouse is their favorite character, make an assignment using Micky Mouse. This is only one example. But little things like that will peak their interests.

Practice Tools- If a child is struggling sometimes it is beneficial to bring out some practice tool, before challenging them. These may include File Folder Games and Other Teaching Tools.

Practice- Easy Hard Easy - This has to be one of the tips that is my favorite. While doing an assignment with your child, start with a easy problem. A problem you know they can answer quite easily. This will give your child confidence and it builds self-esteem. Praise them on what a great job they did. Then give them a little bit of a more challenging problem. If they get stressed. Tell them, It is ok, You got this. I am so proud of you for trying. Break it down for them. Give them supports to help figure it out. If they still can't do it. Let them know it is OK. We can try this problem again tomorrow. Try this problem. Give them another easy problem, that you know they can do. Tell them they did a great job. Give them a high five. Doing this will help build their confidence at the end. Never leave on a negative note.

Working in a separate Place. Sometimes certain Students need to work in a very quiet area without distraction. You can alway pull a desk into the hallway or go to the library. You also can get desk blinders.

Making A Students Work Less Stressful - Each time my student got an answer right. We would do a quiet high 5 or a quiet high 10 or I would give him or her a thumbs up. If it was wrong, I would quietly say to them, You Got This! Let's try again. If they are stuggling I remind them that I appreciate them working so hard. I would bring over a tools that might help them. I would continue to do the easy, hard easy plan up above to leave on a positive note.

Adult Positivity In The classroom - It is sometimes impossible to be positve all the time. We did a lot of joking in most of the classrooms I worked in. I got along with the teachers and my co-workers great. It is definitely important to a team player. I got to know all the kids very well. I may be 1-1 with my student, but if my student was working quietly, I would help my co-worker with their student, if she needed me. Saying that I always knew what my student was doing. Working with special ed can be a tough job, but if you smile more and laugh more it makes the day go smoothly. And it is the best, when you see the kids smiling and giggling.

Negavivity In The Classroom - Kids easily get stressed out by the assignment, kids bolt, Kids scream, yell and kids sometimes try and fight you. Some classrooms it only takes 1 student to turn the mood of a classroom upside down. This includes teachers, aides and student. Yep Been there, Done that. Thing to remember, this is not the childs fault. It is your job to try and change the behavior. So how do you do that. Many kids can not communicate what is the matter. So it is important to get out the PECS and the Feeling Chart and try to figure out what is wrong. It the student is all over the place, all day long. This may be sensory overload. Look into other resources such as weighted vests, weighted lap pads and Wilbarger Brush. Also deep pressure helps has a calming affect.

Note- I will be talking about sensory issues in an upcoming blog..

Having the teacher and the aids being consistant with stategies are important. Have this discussion before school starts. It is great to have everyone on the same page and have a game plan if stressful times come. And they probably will. Good luck in Sepetember. Remember to embrace the growth you see in the kids. Always smile, laugh and enjoy.