School Field Trip Day

Greetings. Field trip day is always a very exciting time for your students. If you have students with special needs, this day has to be very organized and planned out in advanced. First, you have to decide where your students want to go and then plan from there. Most children with autism spectrum disorder need plenty of warning that a big event is going to take place. This is where a picture schedule for that particular day can be very handy.

This a grand time for parents to volunteer and get a chance to meet other parents and students. Every school has guidelines and a protocol to follow when arranging a field trip; to how many adults need to be present, carrying a first-aid kit, having a parent list available, organizing school lunches, and a cellphone for emergencies.

Best of all, everyone has a great time.
Ms. C

The Gap Between The Classroom and Home Setting

Greetings. As a special education teacher, I always looked forward to a child's IEP (Individualized Educational Plan) meeting or a parent conference meeting because this was my opportunity to interact directly with each child's parents.

During those meetings, I would share with each child's parents how their child was progressing on their goals and objectives and what goals and objectives needed to be continued. It also was important for me to discuss with each child's parents some of the teaching techniques and tools that I'd used successfully with their child.

I would encourage parents to try some of the same teaching techniques at home with their child. What I found is that parents really needed a hand with setting up a variety of teaching tools (picture schedules, behavioral plans, environmental arrangement) in their home. I could show parents what I had developed and how it should be used with their child, but for parents to actually make it, it took time they did not have. This was discouraging for me because I didn't have the extra time or resources to make teaching tools for parents to use with their child in the home.

Please, your comments and ideas are important!
Ms. C

Happy Cooking

Greetings. Is everyone recuperating from the holidays? I feel frazzle dazzle from all the potlucks that we had at our place. Why are potlucks so much work? Don't they suppose to be easy because friends and family are bringing dishes too? Anymore, I suggest dishes for my guest to bring and that seems to work. In the past, I would always say, "bring what you like to make" well I found out that most of my friends are not culinary people. Sometimes only a dish or two would present itself at the dinner table.

Well, happy cooking in your kitchen!
Ms. C