14 BTS FREEBIES & GIVEAWAY!!

 Back to School is just around the corner! It's time to get serious and start focusing on all of those classroom ideas we had on our list! 

I've got 14 FREE set-up resources and posters to help you get started! Just click on the link you are interested in and download! :)

IEP Schedule (Editable)
Open House Sign In Sheet
Check Out List
Line Up Chart
Student Info Sheet
Accommodations Flipbook
BTS Supply Wishlist
Hello Desk Nametags



3-Dimensional Posters
Money Posters
iPad Rules
Subway Posters
Groups Poster
Safe Spot Poster

Want even more free goodies!?! Enter below for a chance to win $50 worth of resources from my store....your choice!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

You might also find this useful if you missed it last year!!! It is a collaborative resource I put together last summer with 24 other special Ed bloggers! It's loaded with tips and freebies from each of us!! Check it out here.

And don't forget this Sunday I'll be hosting "SPEDtacular Freebies" again! Be sure to stop by and link up a freebie of your own or to download some freebies! Last week we had 40 freebies linked up!!! :) If you missed it, you can still grab them here. 

Cheers to a great 2016-2017 school year!!!

MONDAY MADE IT & CLASS REVEAL

Today was the start to our third week back with students and I'm finally getting settled in and catching my breath! No matter how hard I try to go into each new year prepared and organized, it just never seems to go my way! 

Finally, I have a little time to share some things I've made for my classroom and to reveal my class photos!!! I was super excited when I sat down at the computer and also realized that it too, is Tara's monthly Monday Made It Linky Party!!!

These are Skittles candles. I made these for my SPED team to
start the year off "SCENT-Sational!!!"

Now when I pull sticks to choose students, I don't need another cup to put the chosen ones in! Simply flip the stick. If the green side is up, that student has had a turn!

Trash scrap buckets on each table! No more bits of paper everywhere or students wasting time going to the trash can!

And the most genius idea EVER!! Glue sponges!!

I saw these all over blogland last year, but stuck with my glue sticks! After spending a fortune on glue sticks last year, finding caps everywhere along with dried up sticks, glue in hair, on tables, and all over hands, and mushed up glue on papers.......glue sticks became my biggest pet peeve last year!!!!!!! While these have become my best friend! If you haven't done this yet in your classroom, you are missing out! No glue mess in over 2 weeks now!

And although still a work in progress....here's my classroom!!!! 

My room is never done! I'm constantly changing it throughout the year....many times over! I've already made 2-3 changes that aren't even revealed in these photos. I guess I may be a very indecisive person. It's just that I try new things and they don't work, or I don't like the way it looks, or I find a better way!!! And let's face it....I am one that likes change!!! I don't think I've ever started a year out with a PERFECTLY complete room!! 

The pictures are pretty self-explanatory, so I'm not going to elaborate too much. If you have any questions, feel free to leave me a comment! :)

And here's a little line up chart freebie for you!

Sharing Kindness with a Kindness Wall!

I'm very excited about my new kindness wall! My students have been so horrible lately with picking on one another and singling others out in the classroom! Yep, even special needs kiddos can do this once they get to know one another! I know there are so many great ideas out there about how to share kindness in the classroom that work well for general Ed classrooms like writing notes of kindness, compliment chains, and so on....but these don't work so well with special needs students. So I've been brainstorming ways I can get my students to spread kindness in my classroom and how I can make it meaningful for my students! 

And the "KINDNESS WALL" was born!

Most of my students don't know how to interact appropriately. They don't know how to give compliments or how to initiate play! I knew I needed to give them a jump start by providing them clues and something with pictures to help them understand! 

Here's how it works. 

I have 12 students, so as you can see I have paired two students in each of the 6 boxes. These two students will be buddies for the week, getting a new buddy each week. Every morning they will post something nice to their buddy's wall by choosing from the picture bank below the names. Those that can't read, have the picture to help them. The choices allow those that have difficulty expressing their feelings the chance to participate. The pictures choices include nice things like below and are duplicated 3 times so that one student is not limited to one, as others may want to choose the same. 

Let's play at recess
Let's have lunch
I like you
You look nice today
You're awesome
I have a gift for you
You make me smile
 Let's be friends


The students love it and it's providing them with that jumpstart that they needed! I also love that my non-verbal students have access as well!  

How do you inspire kindness in your classroom?

Pics, Phonics, Posters

Here's a little recap from Fire Safety Week! I was so happy my kids got to participate. We tend to always get left out of these events. :( Sad, I know! These events are always scheduled for the general Ed classes and they tend to forget about my little unique and special group of learners on the far side of the campus! BUT NOT AS LONG AS I HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT! So I watch that school calendar like a hawk and make sure my kiddos don't miss anything. We just showed up as usual and the fireman were more than happy to accommodate us! 

As you can see, my students had a blast trying on the fire hats and jackets. They also got to go through the firehouse on wheels which was really cool! The vents actually omit smoke, the door gets warm, and they get to evacuate through the window. Great fun and a great learning experience that my kids need as much as everyone else! 

For the last few years, one of my teacher colleagues has included my class in decorating christmas stockings for the soldiers. So sweet of her to include us. <3 Well she retired last year and still came to the school today to carry out the project....AND as always made sure my class was involved! 

Here are some of them decorating their soldier stockings today!

My aide helping one of my students
and yes...I have one under the table!
That's typical in my room. ha.

 

I posted my phonics sound posters on TpT this evening! Darn it, I hung them in my room yesterday and forgot to take a photo. I've been wanting to make these for a while because my students are on many different levels and are all working on different phonics skills. I was tired of trying to keep the appropriate flashcards organized and handy for each student. This chart will remedy me of that frustration. Now all of the sounds are displayed and right at my fingertips, so I can easily use my pointer and review the sounds I need to with each student. 

I love how they look in my classroom and it worked really well during review today. 

Here is a preview. 

These are full page posters that can be displayed just like your alphabet chart! I have two large whiteboards on each side of my room, so I displayed them over my back whiteboard, where I my small group teacher table is. My alphabet chart is over my front large group whiteboard. 

Click to download.

This is such an exciting and busy month. We have dental hygiene week which is presenting on Thursday, the police dog, "Mr. McGruff and parent conferences coming next week, Nevada Day....yay....no school for us, on the 25th, but we went on Columbus Day, Phoenix State Fair that weekend, our school fall fest, and then.... HALLOWEEN!

What does your month of October look like?? Is your school planning a fall fest or halloween carnival?