Do you find yourself getting frustrated with your paraprofessionals during large group activities? Sometimes you feel like you are swimming in a rocky ocean all alone... and other times you can't hear yourself give directions over the level of verbal prompts happening. 🫣😬 Typically this boils down to a couple things... lack of training and communication. Remedy this common struggle with these tips: Set Clear Expectations : Define roles and responsibilities for paraprofessionals during large group activities. Clarify their support tasks, behavioral strategies, and communication protocols. Bright Rainbow Editable Paraprofessional Role Sheets Team Communication : Foster open communication between teachers and paraprofessionals. Regular meetings ensure everyone is on the same page and can discuss any concerns or improvements. I liked to meet with my team weekly to discuss current questions or concerns and discuss lessons for the week ahead.  This helps paraprofessionals feel heard, c......

Each week in my special education classroom we do cooking and craft extension activities related to our thematic unit. We have had a lot of fun over the years with all of our different projects! Each week, we use a visual recipe for students to follow along. On the front, are icons for all of the ingredients and supplies. On the back, are picture-supported directions for each step of the recipe.  Are you interested in implementing some thematic cooking activities in your classroom? My Visual Recipes for the Entire Year resource has 50 different visual recipes that can be printed and ready to go each week!  My paraprofessionals are in charge of planning our thematic cooking and craft activities each week. This gives me an awesome opportunity to be on "the other side of the table" assisting students and seeing how they all do with group activities without the stress of managing the group as a whole. I love switching it up like this and giving my paras something special that th......

Back to School season is upon us! I know I can't believe it either. To make heading back to the classroom easier I have compiled my top 10 special education resources for your classroom. Click on any of the cover images below to find the resource in my TPT store! Resources for Teacher Organization Before the students even start, it is essential to get organized! So much of the SpEd world revolves around paperwork so these resources are great time (and sanity) savers! 1. NO PREP IEP Organization Kit : This kit provides helpful resources for IEP planning and progress reports. Check out this blog post for a page-by-page snapshot of what's included: Must-Have IEP Organization Kit   2. NO PREP IEP Progress Monitoring BUNDLE : This bundle includes over 100 progress monitoring sheets covering TONS of skills in Math, Reading, Writing, Communication, Vocabulary, Daily Routines, and Fine Motor that are ready to print and go! Resources for Routines The first week (or two!) of school shoul......