Classroom+Procedures

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 * 1) As soon as the students arrive, they have to put their backpacks on the paraprofessional's desk so that the paraprofessional can look through and put away their binders. The students then have to hang their backpacks and jackets up on the hooks and put their lunchboxes in the cubby shelf. The paraprofessional asks the students who did not bring their lunchboxes what they want for lunch.
 * 1) Before the school day begins, while waiting for the bell and for all the students to arrive, the teacher puts on //The Cat and The Hat// TV show, and the students can play with toys, puzzles, or games on the large carpet. The students have to keep the toys on the carpet in order to play with them. I like how the teacher does not engage the students in a direct academic activity because if she did, the students who arrive right when the bell rings would not get to complete the activity.
 * 1) Usually the paraprofessional or I take the students who need breakfast to the cafeteria. The students bring their breakfast back to the classroom and eat at the tables while the other students play on the carpet. The students are expected to pour their liquids out in the sink and put their trash in the trashcans.
 * 1) In order to receive help or assistance, the teacher makes the students use their words. If a student holds out a container or throws down their backpack or just starts whining, the teacher says, "Oh, use your words. Say, 'I need help please'." She makes them say "I need help please" before she will help them, which is good because it teaches them to learn to communicate verbally and to be respectful.
 * 1) For lunch, the students eat in the classroom; eating in the lunchroom with all the other students seemed to be stimulation overload. The paraprofessional stays in the classroom with the students who brought their lunchboxes and they start to eat. The teacher walks the students who need lunch to the cafeteria and then they bring their lunches back to the classroom to eat; she uses a cart to set the lunch trays on. She lets the students watch //Sid the Science Kid// as they eat lunch. As with breakfast, the students are expected to pour their liquids out in the sink, put their trash in the trashcans, and put their lunch trays/lunchboxes away.
 * 1) When the teacher plays songs on the Promethean interactive whiteboard, she makes the students either sit in their cube chairs or dance right in front of their cube chairs, depending on the song. The students used to be allowed to dance anywhere and everywhere on the carpet during songs, but they got too rough with each other. If they dance right in front of their cube chairs, however, then they can't dance tumble around and dance roughly with each other.
 * 1) My special education pre-k teacher made a calendar helper poster with the days of the school week on it. She has the students' names on close pins attached to the bottom of the poster. Each week, she moves five close pins to each day of the week to designate calendar helpers. The calendar activities are all on the Promethean interactive whiteboard, and the students sit on cube chairs on the large carpet.
 * 1) To prepare students for table work, the teacher goes through all of the instructions with the students and //then// gives the students the worksheets. For example, if the students have to color only the objects that they can taste, then the teacher asks/tells the students which object they need to color on each page. Hearing the instructions once though is not enough, so at least one adult (teacher, paraprofessional, speech therapist, occupational therapist, or me) usually sits at each table to guide the students through the activity.
 * 1) Another special education pre-k teacher has individual picture schedules for each student. She keeps the schedules in shelves, and the students look at their picture schedules after each activity to have structure and learn responsibility.
 * 1) The following Word documents contain pictures that the teacher can print out, cut out, laminate, and wear on a felt vest or on a ring around a belt loop. The teacher can show the student(s) the pictures to give them visual cues/reminders.
 * 1) The following Word document contains pictures that the teacher can print out, cut out, laminate, and wear on a felt vest or on a ring around a belt loop. When the student(s) need to be calmed down, the teacher can show the student(s) the pictures to give them visual cues/reminders.
 * 1) The following Word document contains a picture that the teacher can print out, cut out, and laminate. When appropriate, the student(s) can tell the teacher if they feel slow or sluggish like the turtle, fast or overstimulated like the rabbit, or just right. Then the teacher can give the student(s) an appropriate activity/material to either stimulate them or calm them down.