Having a plan when heading into a new school year in the elementary special education classroom is essential to setting your year up for success. It reduces anxiety, establishes routines, and provides guidance for paraprofessionals.  Let's face it... in August the days are LONG! Especially without related services pulling students yet. And your students have a lot to learn about being at school… especially your Kindergarten students and students transitioning to a new building or classroom.  Don't worry! I have gathered some great ideas and resources to save you time and get you started off on the right foot this August! Click on an image or caption to find the resource in my TPT store ! ...

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......

Believe it or not it is time to start looking ahead to another school year! Over the years, although the times may change and I may add or modify some activities, my classroom schedule was pretty streamlined. I always followed the same sequence of steps when scheduling which made the process so much easier! Steps for Scheduling Develop a scheduling grid.  Rows: Determine best time increments (5 or 10 minutes) to develop the schedule layout. Boxes can be merged to account for longer activity blocks. Columns: Each person (staff and students) has their own row. Color code students for added organization.  Non-Negotiables : Input any prescheduled activities that are beyond your control such as arrival/dismissal, breakfast, lunch/recess, specials (music, art, PE, library, computer lab), medical needs (medication, catheter, etc), and inclusion times.  Denote in red to prevent you from rearranging later.  It is important to schedule non-negotiables for staff too such a......