Unprecedented situations, like the one created by the coronavirus pandemic, call for unprecedented actions! During a time of worldwide stress, I find it impressive how teachers are among the first responders, coming together to make sure students’ needs are met and the current events have the least impact possible on their students. However, the new […]
Author: Diana T. Sylvander
Why Do I Have To Do That?
Students challenge authority in different ways. Some act rudely to test the teacher, some refuse to comply with the rules, some reject an assigned task, and some simply show off in front of their classmates. I believe it is safe to assume that every educator has had their authority questioned at least once at some […]
Spanish Social Stories
On the last day of the year, looking towards 2020 with big hopes and dreams, I am extremely excited to launch my Spanish social story series! Starting tonight, I will be adding products to my TPT store until all social stories available in English will have a Spanish counterpart. Woohoo! Enjoy the very first two!
Parent-Teacher Conferences
October-November is the time of year most schools schedule their parent-teacher conferences. Our district had them last week, so I got to sit in a lot of meetings. In the past, as a self-contained teacher, I used to run the show, but since this year I got a new job as a resource teacher, my […]
Rock Your School Day!
September is a very busy month for educators! The school year is hardly underway with procedures and rules to be learned, with transitions and routines to be mastered, lessons and activities to be prepared, and so much more! And yet, teachers around the world embark on a fun adventure that takes up A.LOT.OF.PLANNING: Rock Your […]
Procedures, Procedures, Procedures!
Procedures are a necessary evil! It’s that time of year again when we get to think about what we want to do with our classrooms and how we want them to run. If you’re an organized, super analytical teacher like me, chances are you have a lot of procedures already in place from last year, […]
Helping Students Transition Back to School
While some students can’t wait for a new school year to start and be with their friends again, some others are absolutely terrified at the thought of going back to school at the end of the summer break. For some autistic students, for example, or kids who struggle with anxiety, going back to school is […]
End of the Year Awards for Special Needs Students
Yesterday was the last day of the 2018-2019 school year! Parents, family, and friends came to celebrate the extraordinary efforts of my students this year! We had a beautiful awards ceremony in my classroom and every student was recognized for their academic performance as well as for all the unique qualities they brought to our […]
Comprehension Strategies for Special Education Students
Reading comprehension is often a concern for special education teachers of students with Autism. Not only Autistic students require lots of visuals, but often they also struggle with their auditory processing skills. Finding balance is not always easy. However, it is not an impossible task! I will describe below one of the comprehension strategies I […]
Creating Opportunities for Engagement
I like to bring a little magic to my room every now and then. I feel like my students need an extra boost especially when the lessons are boring, but it is really hard (and tiring!) to create special lessons every day. However, if you look for opportunities to create memorable moments within an everyday […]