A Unique System of Scheduling that is Visual, Written, and Individualized

Have you ever struggled to find a unique way to schedule the daily classroom activities especially for students need to the consistency of routine? Have you ever wondered if visual images are better for scheduling or do some students need the name of the activity in front of them? What about students who participate in their homeroom and struggle with scheduling - knowing what to do and when? We all have. Scheduling is one of the hardest things to do when it comes to the world of special education, but here is a unique, one-of-a-kind scheduling system that incorporates visual images, written words, and can be individualized to meet student needs.

Want to learn more? Keep reading for step-by-step instructions on how to make this scheduling system.

1. To create a calendar schedule that is visual, written, and individualized, first make a weekly schedule that shows all the daily activities from Monday through Friday including the simpler activities. Once you have this made, use it to take pictures of those activities as well as create typed-up activity names to go next to the pictures - have these laminated, cut, and magnetized to stick to the whiteboard. Also, cut out a large, bright arrow and have it laminated, cut, and magnetized; this will be used to show students what activity the class is currently on throughout the day.
2. After all the materials are created, clear a place on the classroom whiteboard - on the left or right side - and put up the pictures then leave a space to write the times and, finally, put up the activity names. This provides students to see the activity, read what is is, and now exactly what time the activity will occur. Our students need structure and routine more than ever and this is the perfect way to provide it while still having the option of switching out images, types, and activity names easily.
   
3. For students who participate in their homerooms and struggle at times with the schedule, create an individualized, small schedule using images that can be placed in that student’s folder to look at. This helps them stay on-task while not drawing negative attention to their struggles.
   

"A Unique System of Scheduling" Example

Examples of Scheduling Material Items
(have bigger images/activity names)

Finished Schedule on the Whiteboard

"Story of the Day": A Home, School, and Language Connection

Have you ever wondered how to make a home-school connection or how to bring in you students likes and interests into the classroom? I have the perfect solution for you that, not only creates the home-school connection, but also gives students multiple opportunities to communicate with their peers and the adults in the classroom. The solution, "Story of the Day!" To create a "Story of the Day" activity for your students, you will need the following materials: jar w/ “Story of the Day” label, laminated student names with their pictures, student folders with laminated home note sheet, laminated and Velcro pictures, and dry erase marker.

Now that you have the materials, lets start creating and implementing this activity into the classroom!

1. To create a “Story of the Day” jar, simple have the students write their name next to their picture, laminate them, and put them in a jar labeled “Story of the Day”. Then, create a folder for every students where notes and assignments can be sent home, but a home note can also be sent back. The home note will be a laminated sheet of paper with lines in the middle, a place that says, “After school I _____” at the top, and a place that says “It was a _____ night.” The blank spaces are where students who cannot write or have a hard time with fine motor skills can place a Velcro pictures off of the sheet in their notebook; these pictures could include things such as played on the computer, read a book, participated in family activities, cooked a meal/snack, etc.
2. Once you have made the “Story of the Day” jar and the each student has a folder, explain to the students what the folders are and how the activity will run - the teacher’s helper (student job) will select two or three names out of the jar each morning and those people can share their home notes with the class. Get the students excited about it! Have them share what their home notes could be on and show them how they can use both pictures and words. This is an assignment all about them and their interests! REMEMBER you will also want to send a note home explaining to parents how the home note program works and, if they have the time, to help their students write their home notes each night. Most are willing to do it as it creates a home-school connection that wasn’t their before.
3. With the home notes being sent home in the folders, the jar made, and the students excited, how the teacher helper start drawing names the very next day. You’ll be amazed at how into this your students gets and pretty soon everyone wants a turn every single day!
   

A "Story of the Day" Example

This is Hannah's home note - written about yesterday evenings activity and using images from her picture sheet- after her name was drawn from the "Story of the Day" jar.

"Grab and Learn" Boxes: A Part of Morning Routine

Ever need an activity to get students motivated to learn whether its when they walk into the classroom first thing in the morning or to fill the time during transitions? Well, I have the perfect solution for you: "Grab and Learn" boxes. "Grab and Learn" boxes are meaningful, engaging, and interactive ways to bring the general education curriculum as well as individualized instruction to our students with mild, moderate, or severe disabilities. To help you understand and create your own "Grab and Learn" boxes for you classroom, I have provided a list of materials, a step-by-step creation process, and examples of my own "Grab and Learn" boxes as well as when I would use these throughout the day.

Ready to find out more? Let's begin!

Before you create your own "Grab and Learn" box, you will need to gather the following materials:

• Box or Basket
• Manila Folder w/ Checklist
• Any number or activities, worksheets, or games
• Pencils

Now that we have our materials, let's create our boxes:

1. To create a “Grab and Learn” Box, simply select a wide range of materials - activities, worksheets, games, etc. - that is related to subject area (i.e. math, science, reading, etc) and can be designed to help your students learn new skills, practice emerging skills, or generalize skills to different areas. Once you have gathered a wide range of materials, create a checklist for each box that gives students a variety of options - have them check-off three our of five or five out of seven of the activities available to them in the box. REMEMBER these materials need to be connected, not only to the general education curriculum, but also be individualized and tailored to the needs of your students in the classroom.
2. When you have created all of your “Grab and Learn” boxes - I recommend having 4 at a minimum, introduce the boxes to the students during a group meeting. Explain what the boxes are for, what materials are in them (show an example of activities within one box), and when the students will be using those boxes.
   
   • For example, I would have five different “Grab and Learn” boxes - one for each subject area - placed around the room when the students enter the classroom. As part of their morning routine, students will need to select a “Grab and Learn” box and complete the number of activities dictated by each box’s checklist - each activity needs to be checked off by a para-educator or myself. This is to help student’s get their minds awaken in the morning and provide ample opportunities to work within the general education curriculum in a meaningful, engaging, and interactive way.
3. After the introduction of the “Grab and Learn” boxes, have students split into pairs and, working with a para-educator or yourself, complete a “Grab and Learn” box checklist.

Now, it’s your turn to try it! Create these “Grab and Learn” boxes and implement them into your classroom. They can be used as part of a morning routine, a way to challenge students in their learning, or given to students during down-time! Be creative and have fun with these! Your students will love them!

A "Grab and Learn" Math Box Example

Folder w/ Checklist

"Catch that Number" File Folder Activity

"Counting" File Folder Activity

"Touch-Dot Numbers" Activity

"Item Count" Activity

"Roll that Dice" Game

"David Goes to School" Booklet Project

Have you ever read "No, David!" by David Shannon? If you have, here is the beloved sequel by many of our elementary students: "David Goes to School." This book is filled with laughter as David enters school continually being told "No" by his teacher. He makes plenty of mistakes, exhibits inappropriate behavior, but, at the end of the day, still manages to earn a "Great Job, David!" from his teacher. In this lesson plan, students will not only get to read "David Goes to School", but also discuss what behaviors would earn them a "Great Job" from the teacher and create their own "Great Job" booklets. Ready to find out how?

Let's get started:

1. To begin, have students gather together at the meeting area or stay seated in their desks. Introduce the title of the book and ask students, “Has anyone ever said ‘No’ to you? Well, this book is about a little boy named David who hears the word ‘No’ many times during the school. Let’s read and find out why his teacher is always telling him ‘No’.”
2. Throughout the book, stop and ask student why the teacher says ‘No’ to David...“Is he breaking a school rule?”
3. At the end of the book, ask students why the teacher said ‘Great Job, David!”...“What was David doing right?” Have students list examples of behaviors at school that would earn a “Great Job” from the teacher. Write them on the board - leave enough space by each of them to draw an illustration.
4. Once you have a completed list on the board (guide your students to come up with your classroom rules), have them talk about what this looks like. Examples might include: “Eyes on Me”, “Quiet Hands”, “Listening”, “Hands and Feet to Self”, “Be Happy”, etc.
5. As students come up with what each one looks like, put the pre-made illustration by the written behavior on the board.
6. Once you have a complete illustrated and written list, explain to the students that they will be making their own “Great Job, ________!” booklist. There name will go on the outside and inside they can pick five examples of behaviors that would earn them a “Great Job” from the teacher. On each page they will write and/or use the typed up behaviors and draw and/or use the pre-made illustrations. Once you have a complete illustrated and written list, explain to the students that they will be making their own “Great Job, ________!” booklets. There name will go on the outside and inside they can pick five examples of behaviors that would earn them a “Great Job” from the teacher. On each page they will write and/or use the typed up behaviors and draw and/or use the pre-made illustrations.
   
   • NOTE: The teacher may need to quickly print more pre-made illustration if new behaviors come up. Also, teachers can modify and adapt this step according to the individual needs of their class - have students trace the rules, color in pre-made images, gluing text/images to the pages, writing the rules and drawing the images, etc.
     
7. After everyone has complete their booklet, go around the room and have students share what behaviors would earn them a “Great Job”.
   

HERE IS AN EXAMPLE BOOKLET:

"Great Job" Booklet Cover
"Great Job" Booklet Page Idea

To extend the lesson further, teachers could do the one or more of the following:

1. Throughout the first weeks of school, every time a student shows a desired behavior (such as having their eyes on the teacher during calendar time), then stamp or put a small star sticker on that page of their “Good Job” booklet. This is just meant as a positive reinforcement and can be faded out after the first few weeks.
2. Copy pages from the students’ booklets and create a classroom “Great Job” poster where students can be reminded of appropriate behaviors that they themselves came up with and drew examples of.