What Works For Me Monday: binder rings

I've been busily adapting the May Unique unit on Sound. Between the books, picture symbols, word wall cards, sentence strips, and worksheets there is a lot of stuff to keep track of. The picture symbols are so easily lost, misplaced, or separated from their materials. Word wall cards and sentence strips get mixed up. And where is that worksheet when you need it? So....we needed some sort of organizational strategy. Here is what I'm doing:

Each of the books gets printed on cardstock, laminated, and comb bound. I put both the easy and advanced versions of the book in the same binding since we use both fairly interchangably. My kids can typically handle the content in the higher level material but need the lower level for vocabulary and literacy instruction.

I make a set of PCS symbols for key vocabulary to go with each book. Mine are 3" X 3" to accommodate groups and low vision issues. Each symbol has a hole punched in the upper left corner and are strung onto a binder ring. The ring is then clipped to the comb binding on the book. We use the symbols while we read to reinforce visual vocabulary as well as to talk about the book, answer questions, etc. The symbols are always with the book and I make duplicate symbols as needed for additional books so we don't have to "borrow." I prefer separate symbols to the preprinted communication boards (which are included with the unit) because it's easier to accommodate the needs of my students. I can attach them to a velcro board, hold them up in pairs, display them one at time for assisted scanning, remove incorrect answers for errorless learning, etc. Some of my low vision kids also require us to move the symbols to gain their visual attention. And some of my student prefer to pull off their answer rather than point/touch. Of course, those kids who have AAC devices will have appropriate overlays prepared as needed.

Sentence strips receive the same treatment as the symbols. I used the sentences from the simplified book for our sentence strips. This year we are learning about how words are used and how they make up sentences or messages. We are also working on our sight vocabularies. I used the Symbolate feature on Boardmaker for my sentence strips, reducing the symbols to the key concepts contained in the picture symbol cards.

Word wall cards are key words and sight words from the sentence strips. To some words I add a picture symbol to aid in recall. Other words (Dolch words) I want to teach as just sight words or the picture symbols are far too abstract so we might as well just learn them as words. We will use the word wall cards throughout the year, adding to them as we go. They will be used for vocabulary, sight word reading, alphabetics, phonics instruction, and anything else I can think of. These are put into their own collection on a large ring binder in alphabetical order so we can easily find and pull the ones we want to work on. I'd like to find a way to display them on a true word wall in my room but there are space issues as well as problems with my one ambulatory student constantly pulling them off to use for picture exchange (he gets the idea of exchanging a symbol for something he wants but he doesn't really care what the symbol is, any one will do; so we have to be careful what symbols we leave within reach, which would put the word wall way out of reach of the other students visually and physically).

I make a master copy of the worksheets that go with each activity and place them in page protectors. While we are within our copy budget we can copy them for student use. Eventually we may have to start writing the questions and answers into the kids' data notebooks. The worksheets go into a 3 ring binder. I also print and laminate picture symbols matching the choices on the easy worksheet. These are placed in a zippy bag and slid inside the page protector. I have two sets of questions: easy and advanced. The advanced questions are based on the question prompts at the bottom of the pages of the advanced reading material. These do not have picture cues as my students who use this level either use auditory scanning and/or yes/no responses to answer.

The 3 ring binder also contains the activity guide from Unique, my own notes on activities and adaptations, and any additional activities. For instance, with the sound unit we will be doing an experiment with vibrations, comparing loud/soft/high/low sounds, polling peers about favorite types of music, and traveling to Barnes and Noble to listen to different kinds of music. This binder will also contain assessment notes for the kids, notes on the activities for future use, photos, etc.

At the end of the unit all the materials will go into a 2 gallon (or bigger) zippy bag for storage and future use. We use picture symbols in our library cabinet for self selected reading so the books from the Unique units will be available through this format for selection. The picture symbol list lets us include physical books, audio books (on our ipods or CD), and computer books.

We also use binder rings to create portable communication symbols sets for our students. These might be transition cues, wants/needs, I'm upset and this is why, fringe vocabulary for particular activities, restaurant menu choices, etc. Most of my kids who use picture symbols have at least one set of cards with yes/no/more/stop and other important-to-them messages attached to their backpacks. We have also used them for "what to do when __ happens" cards to cue staff, to create photo dictionaries of sign language/gestures, etc.

So, binder rings work for me when I'm organizing materials. What works for you?

Scheduling update

I posted awhile ago about how our schedule was going to change drastically at the start of second semester when my program morphed into a dual middle and high school program. So far our crazy, chaotic routine is working well for us.

Our mornings always start the same with breakfast or peer time/leisure skills followed by Morning Meeting at 8:30 (you can find my Morning Meeting routine on Adapted Learning; log in to access the specific file).

After Morning Meeting we launch into two hours of Rotations. Each staff member not going on community outings has a "specialty" area: Academics/Cognitive Development; Computer Instruction; Assistive Technology; Physical Therapy/Gross Motor Skills; and Structured Sensory-Leisure/Assessment (this one is my area). Communication and Fine Motor Skills are embedded into the other areas. Rotations last 20-30 minutes depending on if we have 4 or 5 that day because of community outings. This is intensive 1:1 time for the kids and the short, highly structured sessions seem to be working well. And because of my "specialty" area, I can usually free up time to work with individual staff members within their areas AND I don't have to worry about training everyone on how to take state assessment data.

Rotations take us to lunch programs. I have 4 out of 6 students who prepare their own meals; the other 2 use g-tubes and have medication and other issues that result in the need for an extended rest break at about this time each day. Following lunch the kids get a 30 minute Independent Leisure break while the adults sneak in lunch.

At 12:30 the kids do chores (laundry, dishes, wipe tables, etc.) then we gather for a Group time activity (art, cooking, literature, game, etc.). Group generally takes about an hour, and then it's time to do bathroom trips and get ready to go home.

We also have each day categorized to make sure we cover all the academic areas, everything on their IEPs, and essential State Assessment skills. Mondays are dedicated to Math related skills, Tuesdays to Writing, Wednesdays to Reading, and Friday is still Sensory Fun Day.

Sounds pretty straight forward, huh? EXCEPT we also have an active Community Based Instruction program:
On Mondays ALL high school-age students (grade 9 and up) go to a nearby high school to participate with same age peers in Circle of Friends activities. Currently that involves 2 students and staff. In the afternoon 3 students go grocery shopping for their weekly food supplies (the fourth student who does meal prep follows a somewhat strict diet so his mother provides his supplies).
On Tuesdays two students/staff go swimming in the morning at an area YMCA on a rotating schedule. In the afternoon all high school students age 16 or older (currently 1 student) go to the Skill Development Center to work on a variety of Home Living and Vocational skills. We also have Speech in the afternoon.
On Wednesdays the 16 and up group goes to the Skill Development Center in the morning, prepares and eats lunch there, then goes to an area YMCA to participate in an exercise program.
On Thursdays the whole class goes out into the community, sometimes together and sometimes in groups of 3 students/staff. We go bowling, to a special movie showing dedicated to patrons with unique special needs, to the video arcade, to the mall, to a nail salon, etc.
On Fridays we stay at school BUT this is our "peer day." It is also "therapy day" as we have both Speech and Physical Therapy. Peers come one class period in the morning for "hang out" time (these kids are from the alternative learning class and work to earn the opportunity to join us) and right after lunch for slightly more structured activities (currently they are helping with Wizard of Oz activities).

This schedule is hectic and makes a lot of work for me in planning, organizing, and preparing materials, but it's been good for the class. The kids don't get stagnant and bored with their programming, the adults are on their toes all the time, and everyone gets a break from the over crowded conditions of our classroom at some point in the week. That goes a long long way to reducing the inevitable tensions that arise when people spend so much time in such close proximity (believe me when I say that is a whole other post!). I'll admit it's been hard for me to release so much control. Up until now I've always been everywhere the kids are. We pretty much did everything as a group and I knew what was going on all the time. Not that I don't trust my paras, because I absolutely do, but it's just not the same as me being there. However, the "release of power" has been good for me too. Other than when I have to go to start new programs, solve problems, or evaluate success, life is actually a bit less crazy for me. Or maybe I'm just used to it by now. Who knows?

Classroom Photos

NOTE: Thanks to Patrick Black from Teaching All Students and the Boardmaker and TEAL listservs I was reminded that I only have photo releases for my students for the school-sponsored web sites. I will repost the removed photos as soon as I receive new releases from the kids' parents. Sorry for any inconvenience. I know you understand the need for privacy and my own protection from angry parents.
Alicia 8/24/08

I've been asked by quite a few people to post photos of my classroom and some of the equipment we use. So here we go! Please excuse any mess. We're a busy place and things don't always get put away like they should.

Here is one of the kids using the "leisure" area of our classroom. He is positioned in side lying on the platform part of a Grasshopper positioning system. This is his favorite position and sometimes the only one he will tolerate. The Grasshopper makes it easier for us to move him from place to place when he's having a rough positioning day. He is using a mood light I picked up at Wal-Mart that is attached to an AbleNet Powerlink with a textured switch that he activates with his chin. He is also listening to his ipod. Yes, you see two TVs here. At the time of this photo we were in the process of reorganizing our sensory "room" and the extra TV goes in there.

This is our Communication Center (see previous blog post). Behind it is Teacher Zone. On the left is the 3 drawer system I spoke about. All our voice output devices, switch mounts, etc. are supposed to be kept in the cabinet on the right. The black crate on the left holds our velcro boards. This was where we kept the object symbol bin but we've recently put it away since all our symbol users are now using photos and PCS. The white crate on the right is the current spot for our newly developed "concept books" (more on these later). To the far right in the back you can see part of the cubby shelves I picked up at Wal-Mart a few years ago where we keep the kids' personal belongings. To the far left is the student computer area.

This is another shot of the side of our Communication Center. This is Ben's schedule board. He loves the sensory room but if we let him have it too soon he completely chills out and shuts down and refuses to do anything else. So we made him a reward board. We put symbols for all his required work over the symbol for the sensory room. As he completes each activity he pulls off the symbol, which we also use as transition cues (I've never been very successful using more traditional schedule systems). He has to complete all his work before he can use the SR. Unfortunately for him, he can't rush through and do everything at once because some things happen only at certain times. The wireless mouse I use with the Smartboard is also shown here (the Smartboard computer is actually positioned behind the board; the wireless mouse lets me see what I'm doing when I need to use a mouse vs. the touch screen/board).

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This is the student computer area. This computer has all our adaptations like Intellikeys, Intellitools Classroom Suite, Boardmaker/Speaking Dynamically Pro, jelly beamer switches, Magic Touch touch screen, and the Smartboard software. This kiddo actually HATES computer time but I managed to catch this shot of him giving a big grin after discovering the visualizer on itunes. Teacher Zone is to the right.

Next to the computer station is our swing set/sensory play area. Here you can see one student playing with chimes and other toys hung from a bungee cord on the left. Another student is playing in the toy tunnel. The swing set is by Class Champs, a subsidiary of the Playaway Toy Company that makes the Rainy Day Indoor Playground. These guys are awesome. They custom built the swing set and drove it all the way from Wisconsin to install it for us. The toy tunnel is the Actitunnel from Abilitations. We have mirror panels mounted on the wall behind the swing and blinking Christmas lights everywhere. The LCD projector for the Smartboard also projects over this area, letting us use the itunes visualizer and screen savers for sensory activities.

Using the net swing with a SoftTouch sitter for positioning. There's a Tumbleforms feeder seat to the left. We like the SoftTouch better, can you tell?

This student is using our HOPSA harness. He and another student have such severe orthopedic issues that they can't do weight bearing in a stander. The HOPSA allows them to be in an upright/standing position with as much or as little weight bearing as we choose. The swing set has a slider bar which lets the other student take steps, something she finds very exciting. In this picture you can also see our SparkleFlex lights.

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Here's the toy tunnel in action. We hang all sorts of toys and objects from it. Surprisingly, most of my students prefer highly tactile items over the auditory toys I thought they'd prefer. This student is playing with an inside-out ball stretched over a bag of marbles (no, they are NOT hanging over her head!), a skwish ball, a tangled up bead curtain of mini disco balls, a mylar pom pom, and a set of metal chimes. I'm sure there are a few other things in there as well as she likes lots of toys to choose from. She is using a large Huggz pillow to keep her from falling to her side. To hang the toys in the tunnel we use either link-a-doos (found in the infant/toddler department) or, my favorite, shower curtain rings. Shower curtain rings are cheaper than link-a-doos AND they lock, which keeps the toys from accidentally slipping off. We use elastic hair bands knotted together to give the toys "springiness." There is also a bungee cord stretched along the side where we can hang still more toys. This is especially useful for students who play while in side lying. Other favorite toy tunnel toys include: various tactile/"squishy" balls, koosh balls, tangle toy, metal measuring spoon, a styrofoam ball covered in feathers, wind chimes of all sorts and sizes, and a fuzzy bat I found at Halloween.

The Smartboard in action. It's on a portable stand so it can go in the closet when we're not using it. The LCD projector is mounted on the ceiling behind the boys. They are playing SwitchMan by R.J. Cooper.

This is our "sensory room." It's made up of a PVC pipe frame that is anchored to the wall. We used shower curtains for the sides and a plastic drop cloth for the top. And yes, the weight of the shower curtains makes the pipe bow but everything is glued together and then wrapped in duct tape so it's really stable. Inside we have blinking Christmas lights strung across the ceiling with various mobiles hanging down. We have a Somatron Cloud chair hooked up to a stereo. We usually have a TV in here too. We add other sensory items such as chimes, switch adapted mood lights, etc. as needed. Things like pillows, blankets, and bean bags tend to get stashed in here as well. On top we put the wading pool we use for a ball pool. This year we are going to adjust the sensory room into a "white room" by adding white curtain liners on the inside and across the ceiling so projected lights show up better. The door to the left is our bathroom.

This is a shot of our "kitchen." As you can see, it's not a real kitchen. We don't even have a sink in the main classroom, something I'm hoping will change in the near future as our building is slated for some major remodeling. We are fortunate to have a full-size refrigerator and a microwave. Those are Talking Symbols Notepads from AbleNet stuck on the side of the fridge. We use the bookshelves on the left as a room divider. The leisure area is on the other side. The door to the right is to our closet, half of which is taken up with a transformer and breaker box. The paras have dubbed this "the garage" as it's where they stick the wheelchairs when they're not in use. In the front right you can see our table area. I didn't get a picture of this space, but this wall has several cabinets that I purchased at Wal-Mart to store work bins and work materials, art supplies, etc.

As you can see, we don't have an overly large space. After 12 years here, I think we've managed to maximize what we have. We're hopeful that with the upcoming building remodel we'll be able to get the classroom that's on the other side of the back wall of the kitchen (this is the wall to that room's closet) with a door installed so we can effectively double our space. We're also hoping they'll install a real kitchenette for us. Fingers crossed that this will actually happen!