Sharing my experience in the classroom as a life skills special education transition teacher and providing resources and solutions for fellow educators.
How To Teach: Table Manners
Jan 31, 2022
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Importance of Meal Manners
While you may think manners only happen at the ‘dinner table,', meals can happen anywhere. However, regardless of if your student eats at a dinner table, a pop-up tray, on the floor, or at a restaurant high-boy, they need to know what to do at each point...
How To Teach: Packing Skills & Keeping a Wallet or Purse
Jan 24, 2022
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Importance of Packing and Wearing or Using a Wallet or Purse
As students become teenagers and young adults, being able to hold their own things shows a level of independence. Holding on to a bag and keeping the bag with them as they move from one environment to the next will allow them to...
How To Teach: Self Advocacy Skills
Jan 17, 2022
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Importance of Self Advocacy
Adults advocate naturally constantly throughout their day, we just don’t come right now and announce that we are doing it (however, we really should). Therefore, advocating for yourself is not something that is typically modelled for our students on a...
How To Teach: Cleaning A Room
Jan 10, 2022
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Importance of Cleaning a Room
Some people are born with the need to have things clean and orderly and others...just aren’t. However, learning to keep a room clean (like a bed room or dorm room) is a useful skill. Not only will students increase their feeling of accomplishment because it...
How to Prepare Students (and Families) for Life After Special Education
Jan 04, 2022
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You may or may not have started counting down the days until summer break, but if it feels within reach to you then you know your students and young adults are feeling it too.
Students and families start to feel that final countdown stress probably before you do. They know the bus...
Meaningful Homework for Students In Life Skills (Special Education)
Dec 15, 2021
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It never fails, one family each year on my caseload requests that I send homework for their student to practice after school and on the weekends. I completely agree when families ask for ways for their students to practice the skills they have learned in school at home.
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How To Teach: Phone Skills
Dec 13, 2021
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Importance of Phone Skills
Answering and talking on the phone may be a life line in the case of an emergency. Making a phone call may be necessary to set-up a doctor's appointment. Texting may be the best way to communicate with a manager or supervisor. Phone skills are important for our...
How To Teach: Doing The Dishes
Dec 06, 2021
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Importance of Doing the Dishes
If you eat, you create dirty dishes. Since we all eat, about 3 times a day, we are bound to create at least 10 dirty dishes. Washing dishes comes with enjoying the meal, it is a part of the process.
Teaching your students how to ‘do the...
Technology I Use as a Special Education Transition Teacher
Dec 01, 2021
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If you teach special education, then you know technology can really be both your best friend and worst enemy. Below I’ve listed my favorite technology websites, features, and programs and I’m a harsh critique as I have a list of the technology that falls under Worst Enemy.
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How To Teach: Laundry Skills
Nov 29, 2021
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Importance of Doing Laundry
Washing, drying, and hanging clothes is a mundane chore that will truly never end. Students can greatly increase their self confidence by learning how to sort clothes, start the washer, flip clothes, unload the dryer, and fold and hang. Laundry also incorporates...
Book Recommendation for Special Education Transition Teachers
Nov 16, 2021
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One thing that came from the recent pandemic for me was time to read and I’ve made a conscious effort to continue the practice as the world began to open up.
While I may not have nearly the amount of free time now that I did back then, I still found time to read and learn.
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How To Teach: Cleaning Skills
Nov 14, 2021
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Importance of Learning How to Clean
Cleaning is a great way for students to maintain their own space AND contribute to their home, no matter if they live with family or in the community. Cleaning skills also cross over into just about every vocational job, so it’s a worthy skill for...
How To Teach: Time Management Skills
Nov 08, 2021
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Importance of Time Management
Like it or not, being able to manage one’s time is a quality that is often judged. If you are late, then you are lazy, unaware, or unmotivated. If you are early then you are prepared, punctual, and responsible. Being able to manage time is a skill and it...
Consumer Math Weekly Practice Resource
Nov 03, 2021
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When something works well, there isn’t a need to fix it. However, when you can improve it and expand it, why not?
The Functional Weekly Practice worksheets are a big hit and a single page version is included in every Consumer Math Lesson Unit.
I was recently...
How To Teach: Problem Solving Skills
Nov 01, 2021
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Importance of Problem Solving
If, ‘Ow, looks like we have a problem to solve.’ isn’t a part of your teacher phrases, then consider adding it! An important step to living more independently and holding down a volunteer or competitive job is to be able to identify and solve...
How To Teach: Email Writing and Management
Oct 25, 2021
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Importance of Writing an Email
I hear families say over and over again that they wish their child could socialize with their peers in the evenings and on weekends. Teaching students how to email gives them an avenue to communicate with others. A student doesn’t need to be verbal to...
What I Pack for Community Based Instruction Outings
Oct 20, 2021
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My schedule allows me to take my young adults into the community every day of the week. Yes, 5 days a week! Since so much of our time is spent on community based instruction (CBI) outings, we need to be prepared for anything and everything at all times.
With many years of...
How To Teach: Exercise and Fitness Routines
Oct 18, 2021
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Importance of Fitness
P.E. or Gym class may have been a time to relax, to work on social skills with peer buddies, or to get in physical therapy or occupational therapy minutes. When a student’s schedule begins to allow autonomy in their fitness routine, then the activity will have new...
How To Teach: Recreation Leisure Skills
Oct 11, 2021
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Importance of Recreation Leisure skills
Humans engage in recreation leisure activities because it makes them feel happy, it reduces stress, and it provides a mental break from other thoughts or tasks. Since these are all good things, we must support our students in being able to find the ...
Buying Special Education Classroom Furniture: What To Consider
Oct 06, 2021
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My co-teacher and I did some ‘window’ shopping to find new tables/desks for our class. The tables and desks we had in our room were no longer going to meet the needs of our incoming students, so we requested funds to purchase new furniture and were approved!
Whenever...
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