Appropriate Physical Intervention (API). Never really, had I ever really considered that this would be a necessary area of my professional development as a teacher. However, in my current setting as a teacher of students with special needs, it was quickly becoming apparent that this type of training would be very useful in my classroom almost everyday.
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At the beginning of the year during some of our training and PD, I remember learning about the Crisis Cycle. I didn't know then, really how crucial knowing and understanding this concept would be to my teaching and everyday classroom management.
It didn't take me to long to start to look at student behaviours (positive & negative) and see their place on the Crisis Cycle and being able to identify and predict behaviours from my students. As I learn more about my students each day and develop deeper relationships with them and learning what their triggers may be that bring them to the escalation and crisis phase, I can use my knowledge of my students and of the Crisis Cycle to use specific strategies with individual students to help them de-escalate, stabilize and return to baseline. I have also noticed that as my relationships build with my students the longer students are able to stay in the baseline phase, or the quicker I can respond and get them back down to baseline if they have started to escalate. This is definitely as skill that will follow me to all my future teaching endeavours! I am so thankful for having learned this. Well, due to my hubby's job relocation we find ourselves owning our first home and I have a new teaching job. It has been an eventful summer, full of tearful goodbyes and exciting possibilities for our future.
I was ecstatic when I was offered a job with Renfrew Educational Services as a Gr. 2/3 teacher. However, after the realization settled in that I had taken a job that required working exclusively with students with special needs, I'll admit a slight panic started to set it. What had I done?! I've never worked with with special needs children on a professional level before. But I had never taught a three grade split classroom before either, and I think I did pretty good. So I figured this can't be too much different. I can handle this task. Once seeing the school, my classroom, and the resources available I was put more at ease. Then when my principal informed me that one of the two Child Development Facilitators (CDFs) I would be working with had about 20 years experience with the school I calmed down even further. My other CDF was also new to the school, like myself, but not new to working with people with special needs. After having a few days of training and sitting down and planning with my new classroom staff, I was soon ready for my students to arrive and knew it was going to be a great year. The relationships that were building between the three of us in the classroom were getting off to a strong start and we seemed to all work together well. What a better way to end off the year than with a camping themed unit! As the teaching year winds up and all my final assignments are finished that are report card worthy, I thought I'd end my year with some camping. With the help of a good friend, I transformed my classroom into a campsite in the woods!
I found some great ideas from Pintrest, and awesome teaching ideas from Teachers Pay Teachers. I've taken bits and pieces from each to teach in my classroom.
WOW, I can't believe it. I have my very own classroom. I am a TEACHER! So I didn't get much a Christmas holiday but I have officially gone from student to teacher. It's still hard for me to comprehend. Here is some before and after shots of my Gr. 1/2 classroom at Cherry Coulee Christian Academy (CCCA). BeforeAfterLike any budding new teacher, I was over the moon to help my teacher mentor Doddi Matz set up our classroom. I was actually surprised that we wouldn't be using desks, but "U" shaped tables instead. Doddi is using a Dr. Seuss theme throughout the classroom this year.
I can't wait until I get to start decorating my first classroom. In fact, in the staff work room before the school year starts, teachers put classroom resources, decorations, and supplies that they no longer have use for for other teachers to take if they would like....for FREE! I thought that was a brilliant idea, and especially great for teachers just starting out. Then I was totally overwhelmed when staff members said that I too was welcome to the goodies. So, I'm not yet a holder of my own classroom but I have a good start at classroom decorations for when I do. Learning and remembering names of people has always been a challenge for me. Now in this situation, the task of learning then names of approximately 140 students is daunting, to say the least! Mr. Saler thankfully, has a seating chart for each class. This resource will help me immensely. I have also asked the office to print me off the visual class attendance list of each of my classes. Hopefully, having picture references to the students will help me remember student names faster.
Knowing student names is an important part of relationship building as well as with classroom management. The faster and better I know the names of the students, the more successful my teaching will be. For my first lesson for all my classes, I have decided to have the students complete a student interest survey as well as a learning strengths inventory. This will help me to get to know the students better and know how to best teach them. It has been challenging to actually get through a fully planned math lesson with my grade 5's. However, today was the day I finally did it!
It was a good change in the lesson to have ample time for the students to work individually on the math assignment, rather than myself doing direct instruction. I found it also to be a good opportunity to observe and assess where the students were in their learning. I could focus my time on particular concepts with individual students that were struggling to understand. I am starting to be more conscious of my body positioning and what is going on around me and the classroom when I am helping students individually. I am thankful for the helpful suggestions from my university consultant and classroom teachers, these little tips really help out with classroom management. |
GaddzuksI am a dedicated wife and hockey mom, who wishes to educate young minds on the side! Archives
November 2016
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