A weekly half hour chat focused on improving access to education for PK-12 students through the use of Accessible Educational Materials (AEM), Universal Design for Learning (UDL), and Assistive Technology (AT).
Spring break is nearly upon us! Let's chat about ways to accommodate and re-engage our student vacationers AND staycationers after time off! Catch the conversation at 8:30pmEST tonight (3/20)! #PatinsIcam#INeLearn#ATchat#Spedchat
Spring break is nearly upon us! Let's chat about ways to accommodate and re-engage our student vacationers AND staycationers after time off! Catch the conversation at 8:30pmEST tonight (3/20)! #PatinsIcam#INeLearn#ATchat#Spedchat
A1: Many kids have mixed feelings about break. It is not necessarily a "break" for them. That mixed with others going on lavish breaks can be stressful! #PatinsIcam
A1: For some Ss, school is a safe place...a place where they are fed. Often times behaviors occur before breaks due to that anxiety & unable to express that feeling in a functional way. #PatinsIcam
A1: the schedule leading up is often out of sorts: testing, progress monitoring, holiday parties, daylight savings, report cards etc. state wide tornado drill today threw off my observations! #PatinsIcam
Q3: Learning goes beyond the 4 walls of the classroom. What are some ways Ts can continue learning/sharing experiences during spring break? #PatinsIcam
A2: I am big on "no count down." In my classes, countdowns until break were anxiety inducing. Instead, I tried to make things as normal as possible. Seriously normal. #PatinsIcam
A2: We can alleviate by preparing them for the transition. This could be done with visual scheduling, social stories. Give them opportunities to express how they feel & validate those feelings #PatinsIcam
A3: I love the idea of a vlog or blog that kids can follow if a T is on an adventure. Something fun for kids at home...interactive and pulling in lots of skills (mileage, state recognition, what else is out there!) #PatinsIcam
Q5: Engaging students after a break is difficult for even the most creative teacher. What are some strategies you use when re-engaging kids who have been on break? #PatinsIcam
Right? So many times I am in a classroom before break and the Teachers are so excited about it that it might make a kid feel a bit abandoned. ABSOLUTELY unintentional but yet another interruption from the norm! #PatinsIcam
A3: Invite (not mandate) Ss to create challenges for themselves or between classmates like pages or books read for pleasure, creating artwork, making videos related to a topic, etc. #PatinsIcam
A4: Give them accessible means to communicate their time away to share. I suggest not making it MANDATORY or give anonymous options to share w/T. #PatinsIcam
A5: Small but HUGE gesture: just stand by your door and GREET your Ss back to class & let them know how glad you are to see them. SMILE. That goes for ALL age levels #PatinsIcam That's a bigger impact than some realize.
A5: Without referring to it as a vacation, have students journal and share about one fun thing that happened the past week. Be sure to amp up the fun of a "staycation" #PatinsIcam
A4: making sure #AAC users have a voice on breaks, ready, charged, and vocab files backed up when applicable, perhaps with some ideas for modeling and talking at home #PatinsIcam#AugComm
Q6: Part of engaging students is allowing them to share experiences. What are some ways Ss can express their experiences after spring break that allow for multiple means of expression? #PatinsIcam
A5: I saw something awesome this week...a T taking time to write positive notes to every kid on their desks in dry erase marker. letting them know that they were missed and that you are glad they are back can be monumental! #PatinsIcam
Sometimes the classroom is the only place of stability and consistency for a student. Countdowns and build ups to big events can have the opposite of the intended effect, creating unease and anxiety. #PatinsIcam
Like the wish you well (wishing well) from conscious discipline. Let the kids look around and notice who is gone instead of taking attendance. Take a moment to wish them well! Leave notes on their desks...let them know that people cared! #PatinsIcam
A8: We are going to a fun wedding, Hitting the city museum in St Louis and I will be eagerly prepping to do the Whole 30! The last part (taking care of myself) is highly neglected so I am excited for the focus! #PatinsIcam
My final tidbits: That while most ARE excited for break, we have a LOT of Ss with trauma that only grows larger while extended time outside of their safe/secure place. Pre/Post break planning is so important for those kiddos. Make it happen #PatinsIcam
