Really cool idea ALERT!

Ohhhh, I LOOOOVE when I stumble across a really awesome idea.  I get all giddy and excited because not only do I get to put the idea to use, but I also get to share it with anyone who will listen!

Today's idea comes from a Special Education teacher at the school I work at.  

There is a student in my class that has struggled every day since the beginning of school in August to remember how to start class - the routines and procedures that have been in place since Day 1.  Now, this student is completely and utterly lovable, but we are wanting him to get to a point where he is more independent on getting started with each class (because they rotate through 3 different teachers). 

Up until this point, this student would just sit there at his desk and be afraid to ask "What am I supposed to be doing?" So, in pops that Special Education teacher like a Fairy Godmother!

I was referred to her by my Principal because she has worked with students like this in the past and has many, many, many ideas and strategies to help them manage their days.

The strategy that we decided on for my little kiddo is a "How to Start Class" folder that he will carry with him to each of his teacher's classes.

There are 4 parts to our students' days at my school, so she broke it down in to 4 sections:

1. How to start.... My Morning - arriving at school and listening to announcements

2. How to start....My Writing/Social Studies Class

3. How to start....My Reading/Science Class

4. How to start....My Math Class

She put the task lists in order from the beginning to the end of his day and in order of what he's supposed to do first, second, third, etc etc in each class.

Wondering what it looks like???

OBSERVE....

 

The COOLEST part about this little folder is that it is made with Velcro, which makes any task list immediately better!

There are 2 lines of Velcro.  If his task is sitting on the left line of Velcro, it is a "To Do," and as soon as he has finished that task, he moves it over to the line of Velcro on the right, which is aptly named the "Done" column.

What I love even more about this idea is that I am able to share it with his mom with the hope that she can find a way to tweak it to her needs for all of his routines at home. She and I have had many talks this year about what a struggle it is to get him to follow a morning routine.  She's created checklists that hang on the wall, she's done picture checklists, she's done verbal lists - calling it off 1 item at a time.  Basically, she's done everything she could think of and was, ultimately, getting nowhere.

My hope is that she can create something like this for him at home so that there is a sense of consistency for what to look for to know what to do.

I also let her know that, due to our students moving in to Middle School next year, it would be a great tool for her to tweak and re-create for an increased number of teachers and, hopefully, help him achieve a higher level of  independence.

I'm hearing Velcro rip somewhere...and it's a beautiful thing,

the craft rookie