Schedules

All the Schedules

We are talking about schedules in part 3 of the Teach Task Box Inspire mini-series. Schedules play a crucial role in setting up an effective autism classroom. In this episode, we focus on comprehensive schedules for students and classroom staff. Carefully creating those schedules ensures a smooth functioning classroom setting.

Not only do schedules benefit the students, but the staff as well. You won't want to miss this episode of the mini-series.

Episode Highlights:

Chunking Time for Classroom Activities: Lisa advises organizing the schedule in 15, 30, or 45-minute increments based on the students' age levels. Using tools like Excel or Google Sheets, she recommends plotting students against time slots to create a structured timetable.

Prioritizing Non-Negotiables: Essential activities like lunch, recess, arrival, dismissal, and special areas/electives should be scheduled first. Collaborating with the school's master schedule ensures student inclusion and avoids conflicts.

Scheduling Whole Group Activities: Lisa stresses the importance of whole group meetings for various classroom activities. While these meetings might not always be perfect due to individual needs, they should be prioritized within the schedule.

Coordinating with Service Providers: It's crucial to meet with all service providers early to secure optimal time slots. This process can be complex due to overlapping schedules, requiring careful coordination and negotiation.

Implementing Center Activities: Lisa recommends integrating center activities (e.g., Teacher center, Computer center, Vocational Center) into the schedule. Color-coding centers help in visualizing student rotations and ensuring comprehensive engagement.

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More About Teach, Task Box, Inspire: The Podcast:

Teach, Task Box, Inspire: The Podcast is your go-to educational podcast dedicated to making your job as a special education teacher easier and more enjoyable. Your host, Lisa Hollady, is a veteran special education teacher with a passion for helping teachers like you make a real difference in the lives of your students.

In your demanding roles, you’re constantly juggling various responsibilities, from differentiated instruction and Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) to data collection, and, of course, teaching. That’s where task boxes come in.

Task boxes aren’t just teaching tools. They’re the key to unlocking student independence, student engagement, and personalized learning. Through this podcast, you’ll uncover the incredible task box benefits for your special needs students and practical implementation tips that you can take to your classroom.

Tune in each Monday for a new episode that will equip you with essential strategies and motivation to approach your week with confidence and enthusiasm. Topics will include task box activities, social and emotional development, adaptive teaching, inclusive teaching, supporting diverse learners, classroom management, scheduling, visual aids, and more.