1. Meeting the Special Needs of Students in the General Classroom Presenter: Tara Herlihy, M.Ed. Special Education Teacher A.W. Coolidge Middle School Reading, MA

2. “Bless those who see life through a different window, and those who see their view.” -National Autism Association

3. All students have special needs regardless of having “special needs”. The strategies discussed today will help meet the needs of all students in your classrooms, not only the students on IEPs.

4. Adapting to the Needs of Our Students #1 RULE: We are the teachers. We made a choice to spend our lives in school, and we made a choice to educate. We cannot expect our student to adapt to our needs. We MUST adapt to their needs. It is our job to meet their needs in our classrooms.

5. The Significant and Imperative Need for WAIT TIME Even if you feel like you have been waiting forever, WAIT TIME is extremely important. Allowing for wait time is such a simple concept. It takes no extra work, no extra planning and no formal training, yet many teachers are not able to give it. Why????

6. Why is WAIT TIME a challenge: Silence can be uncomfortable Teachers feel the need to help, and to do this they prompt. They add noise to fill the blank silence. Teachers can begin to feel awkward, like the rest of the class is waiting for them to do something, to step in.

7. When you fill the silence with prompting, you meet your need as a teacher to fill that awkward silence, BUT you have just interrupted the thought process of a student. Many of our students with cognitive deficits, sensory integration challenges, spectrum disorders and processing weaknesses appear to know far less than they really do because they are not given the wait time that they need.

8. WAIT TIME Stops us from interrupting student thinking. Allows students to feel like they have a chance at keeping up with the flow of class. Once given this time, they know their teachers recognize how much they have to offer. They will feel more relaxed and less anxious in the classroom setting and most likely as an end result they will get to the point where they will need even less wait time built in. * How can we ever expect our students to believe in us if we don’t demonstrate first that we truly believe in them?! When they feel supported, they will trust us.

9. BRAIN BREAKS Kids can work for about 1 minute per each year they are old. Elementary: 6-10 minutes Middle: 11-14 minutes High School: 15-18 minutes

10. BRAIN BREAKS If we expect our kids to tune in to lecture, note taking, etc. for an entire class period, we have lost the majority of our classes. Ideas: -Have the kids pair up to quiz each other for a few moments. -Stand up an do a quick game. -Exercise/Yoga/Stretching

11. Discuss with your neighbor: What do you believe to be the #1 RULE for… SETTING LIMITS

12. Setting Limits All students need, and want limits. Limits MUST be: 1.Concise 2.Consistent 3.Immediate

13. Choose your Non-Negotiables You are the teacher. Choose your one most important non-negotiable rule. For example: -speaking only when called on -using kind words -holding off on sharpening pencils during lessons -waiting for the teacher to finish before asking questions

14. Make that non-negotiable your: RED RULE Post this rule all around your classroom on red paper.

15. Students will learn: You NEVER break the RED RULE!!! There are clear and consistent consequence for times when this rule is broken. This should be class-wide. Students will own their behavior: “If I choose ______, I will choose ______.

16. Interventions Week 1: teacher gets used to it Week 2: student gets used to it Week 3: student sees if you are really going to follow through *NEVER dismiss an intervention that does not work right away. Your students are waiting for you to tire of it. You giving up will provide them with the reinforcement that they are looking for!

17. Courtesy/Behavior Contracts Contracts Include: 2-3 non-negotiable student rules Ex. 1. keeping a quiet voice 2. keeping your hands to your own body 3. kind words

18. Sample Behavior Compliance #1 In order to have a positive classroom experience, I must agree to a few simple rules. Below are the rules of my contract. I will speak to others in a calm and kind tone. I will ask for help in a kind manner when needed. I will copy homework into my agenda neatly and complete my Do Now fully before I take a break outside the classroom. I will complete classroom writing that requires me to write only single words, short phrases and short sentences. Contracts help keep people accountable for their actions. 8th graders need to be held accountable for their actions. An 8th grader may need 1 to 2 reminders per class to follow the rules. This is ok and expected. Requiring more than 2 reminders to follow the rules is unexpected. Requiring more than 2 breaks means that the contract has been broken. Breaking the contract means: 10 minutes will be spent after school for each class period where the contract was broken Keeping my contract and following the rules means: I will earn a reward that is agreed upon at the onset of each school day with Mrs. Herlihy. Examples of rewards could be computer time or an extra break. Contract signed by: _____________________________on _______ _______________________.

19. Sample Compliance Contract #2 In order to have positive experiences at both school and at home, I must complete my homework. I will not be expected to complete more than one hour of homework each night. Below are the rules of my contract. I will work for one hour on homework and/or studying for upcoming assessments. I will ask for help in a kind manner when needed. Homework will be completed following snack, and play time will now happen after dinner. This will allow me to fully relax during media time, dinner time, play time and bedtime activities. Contracts help keep people accountable for their actions. 6th graders need to be held accountable for their actions as they are nearing young adulthood. 6th grade is a fun stage between being a little kid and being a teenager. A 6th grader may need 1 to 2 reminders per night to stay on track with his homework. This is ok and expected. Requiring more than 2 reminders to complete homework is unexpected. Requiring more than 2 reminders, thus not fully working during the 1 hour of homework time, will mean that my contract has been broken. Breaking the contract means: seeing Mrs. Herlihy during lunch losing points from my overall homework grade not earning my 10 minutes of ipad time Keeping my contract and following the rules means: I will earn 10 minutes to play a game of my choice on an ipad at school on Friday. Contract signed by: __________________________on _______________.

20. Replacement Behaviors Provide students with 2-3 replacement behaviors to take the place of the disruptive behaviors: Reason: You can’t poke a friend if you are playing with putty! Ex. 1. silent scream 2. a sheet of paper to jot down negative feelings (you need to promise not to look at that paper) 3. sensory fidget toys

21. Response to Problems Before responding to ANY problem in your classroom ask yourself these 2 questions: 1.Is my next step going to de-escalate the problem? 2.Is my next step going to maintain a positive learning environment for all?

22. Inside Secret: sometimes we cause the problems in our own classrooms Did we forget to notify students of a change in the expected schedule/routine? Were our expectations clearly defined and visible for all students? Did we speak really quickly and forget to build in transition time? Did I use an accusatory tone with a sensitive student?

23. We cannot always blame the kids! The success of our students may lie in our ability to better meet their needs!!

24. Verbal Praise Must be: FREQUENT IMMEDIATE SPECIFIC

25. Consistent Language Keep Language Consistent. -Expected/Unexpected Behavior -Comfortable/Uncomfortable Thoughts *These are neutral and non-judgmental choices that really seem to be grasped by students that have social and cognitive deficits.

26. Class Changes Notify students of changes in class schedule or routine as far ahead as possible. No surprises!!! Some students may need social stories to grasp and deal with these changes. Others may benefit just from having the chance to think about the changes and process them.

27. Idea #1: Keep a Procedural Handbook Type up all the classroom procedures you feel are important to the success of your class. Procedures for: -pencil sharpening -asking to use the restroom -writing down homework -requesting teacher assistance

28. Procedural Handbook cont. Use the first weeks of school to really go through these procedures. Give the students a short quiz on their knowledge of your classroom procedures. Let them know that from time to time extra credit will be awarded for positive following of classroom procedures. Keep the procedures in a binder in the classroom for students that need a review from time to time, and refer them to the binder as needed.

29. “Secret Student” In the front of the classroom, post 2 positive behaviors you would like to reinforce. Ex. -using kind words -remaining in your seat -positive attitude -remaining quiet while the teacher is talking -contributing to the class discussion

30. “Secret Student” cont. You will decide on who your secret student will be prior to the onset of class. If the secret student does not comply with the 2 posted behaviors, the class simply does not earn the reward. Choosing the reward gives the secret student (and the rest of the class) the feeling that they earned this special treat for their entire class. Change the profile of the secret student: kids that have lots of room for behavioral improvement and those that really have nothing to improve on should all have chances to be secret students.

31. “Secret Student” cont. With 5 minutes remaining in the class, announce who your secret student was. If the student did not earn a choice from the privilege menu, simply do not tell the class who you had selected. Will give several students a reason to reflect on their class behavior. Allow the Secret Student to choose a reward for the entire class to enjoy in their honor from the privilege menu. A Privilege Menu is a list of fun activities that can target working on social skills and can be done in a 5 minute time period.

32. YES tickets Choose a student to get a “YES” ticket. On the ticket, you will fill in the behavior that you will be targeting and trying to reinforce. Every 5 minutes the student achieves the set behavior, they will get a stamp on their “yes” ticket. If they fill up their “yes” ticket, they can turn the full ticket in for a class treat in their honor selected from the privilege menu.

33. Sample Privilege Menu 1.Class hangman 2.Class yoga led by the secret student 3.5 minutes to listen to music 4.A short video clip on the Smartboard 5.Silent ball 6.Game cards (Would You Rather)

34. Non-verbal Cuing Cards Simple, yet effective. Write varied things on simple index cards: Ex. -thank you for your silence -please stop -I appreciate that you are listening to my words -stay in your seat please

35. Making Bargains Make bargains with your students, but always make it clear that YOU make the rules. You are the teacher, you control the outcomes. Bargaining can in fact work for the TEACHER! *It works for me everyday!

36. Making Bargains There are some kids that are not motivated at all by the possibility of punishment or disappointing a teacher. Not all kids are good at “doing school”. Bargaining shows the student that you care and are willing to work WITH them. Give choices, but make them choices that you are comfortable with. Make them choices that will undoubtedly move your students in the right direction. *Remember fair does not always mean that each student hands in the exact same work but rather that each student is able to have his/her needs met in your classroom.

37. Bargaining Examples Teacher: I know you are feeling really overwhelmed with the amount of math homework you have tonight. Student: I hate math and I hate you. Teacher: It is ok to have these feelings, but it is not ok to speak to anyone like that. I really want to help you feel better. Can we make a deal? Student: What is it? Teacher: If you begin this math in the next two minutes, I will be ok with you just doing the odd #s. If you do not settle, you will do all the problems and remain after school with me for 20 minutes due to you inability to cooperate and the time you have chosen to waste. Do we have ourselves a deal? Student: I guess so. * As the student gets to work, be very SPECIFIC, IMMEDIATE and REPETATIVE with your verbal praise. Keep praising the student for their choice to turn their behavior around. Step back and be amazed at how that non-compliant child is now working diligently and be proud because YOU made that happen!

38. Last, but certainly not least: The ability to IGNORE can be the most powerful tool you will ever use as a teacher?

39. What IGNORE does not mean… It does not mean to say, “I will not speak to you until you say sorry, until you clean up, until you…” It does not mean you follow the student around staring at him/her. It does not mean you discuss him/her with another adult or student in the room. It does not mean you call their parent to discuss the issue where they can hear your conversation.

40. Ignore means: Speaking NO words to the student displaying maladaptive behaviors. Pretending to go about with something entirely unrelated to the student. Answering no questions or demands of the student until they have turned the corner and are complying with school rules. Being certain that your student is safe, but having no correspondence, verbal or non-verbal and having absolutely no eye contact. REMEMBER: When a student is in tantrum mode, never allow their words to insult you or influence how you handle them. Their words have NOTHING to do with you. They are a result of feelings within the student. If this is something new for you, I assure you, you will get very good at it.

41. It always helps us keep perspective when we step back, take a minute and remember… That these little people we are responsible for educating are someone babies. They are the loves of their parents. Their families have hopes and dreams for them. They are single people in the world, but they are the world to their parents and family members. What if that was my baby, my sister, my nephew, my grandson??? All of our students are SPECIAL, and this is why they all deserve to be educated in a special way!

42. WELCOME TO HOLLAND by: Emily Perl Kingsley

43. ha I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability - to try to help people who have not shared that unique experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel. It's like this...... When you're going to have a baby, it's like planning a fabulous vacation trip - to Italy. You buy a bunch of guide books and make your wonderful plans. The Coliseum. The Michelangelo David. The gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It's all very exciting. After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, "Welcome to Holland." "Holland?!?" you say. "What do you mean Holland?? I signed up for Italy! I'm supposed to be in Italy. All my life I've dreamed of going to Italy." But there's been a change in the flight plan. They've landed in Holland and there you must stay. The important thing is that they haven't taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It's just a different place. So you must go out and buy new guide books. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met. It's just a different place. It's slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you've been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around.... and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills....and Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts. But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy... and they're all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life, you will say "Yes, that's where I was supposed to go. That's what I had planned." And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away... because the loss of that dream is a very very significant loss. But... if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn't get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things... about Holland.

44. You buy a new dress… It doesn’t quite fit right, but you are going to work with it. You see something special about that dress so you put the time and effort into it. A hem here, a tuck there, and when you are done, it is AMAZING! Your TLC really paid off. You are so pleased with it because you made it work. This beautiful dress is the product of your vision. You are so proud of the time and effort you put into it. You feel so accomplished, and you cannot believe you ever doubted this dress. I mean, it is stunning! In fact, you may even feel some level of guilt for the doubt you once had. It is your favorite ever, and there will never be another dress to compare to this one. You will remember it always. This dress is your student. He may take a little extra care, several innovations and a great deal of patience, but he is SO worth it. He has made you better. He has taught you about yourself. He has made you realize that sometimes the best outcomes are worth fighting for. AND you have shown him you care. You were not the one to pass him by and dismiss him as too great of a challenge, no, you were the ONE to show him how very, very special he is!

45. Thank you so much for coming to this session! I appreciate that you took the time to be here. If you can take even one of my ideas and use it for good, I consider this day a success! Please feel free to contact me with any further questions, comments or ideas. Tara Herlihy A.W.Coolidge Middle School, Reading, MA tara.herlihy@reading.k12.ma.us