Sunday, March 17, 2013

Change Change Change...

With so many changes in the room
I guess I will have to wait
To share some pics and tell you more
Until after our Spring Break!
  The blog will be back and in full swing
It just needed a little siesta
As do our our kids, thank goodness its spring!
Then we can get back to the fiesta!!!!

See you all next week with pics for the last two weeks.  The blog will continue after spring break...thank you for your patience.

Sunday, March 10, 2013

Orange and white and green...OH MY!

We read a fancy book this week
And made a special flag
The colors different lets take a peek
Not red white blue or plaid!
Orange and white and green abound
We used some glitter too
Mrs. S. loves sparkles (even on the ground)
Just look at all we do! 
Our ULS teaches us all about tools
This month it's what we learn
With plans to make crab cakes here in school
Let's hope it doesn't burn!
Milk and Ice cream are to be bought
As the blender will come in one day
To teach about measuring, cold and hot
Will it be good?? Who's to say!?
Lots of plans in the next two weeks
As school comes to an end
Spring break approaches, so swiftly it sneaks
Helpful rest will be our friend!!!
These kids work hard, so hard you see
To make us stop and see
Communication is a chore for them...
Not coming naturally.

David is ready to work, no time for pics Ms. Krystal give me my Ireland book! :)

Learning choice making on the iPad is very rewarding.

I made a new center near computers, Jon loves this!!

One of my favorite books has pull out masks...the kiddos adored it!


Rug time is new for us, but they are realllly enjoying it and learning a lot more in this ten minutes of reading time.



Art teacher brought shaving cream!





Matthew matching up his hands for his Claddagh.  The children traced ( or painted) their hands and colored them their own skin color and learned about the claddagh and its meaning to Ireland.

Speech lessons with Ms. Spivey.

Making our claddaghs!

David making the Irish flag!

Following directions and sorting, well done David!!!!!

Independent work area.


Sorting penguin clocks out and matching the time! Good Chris!


Using errorless choice, Chase is able to participate and he know where to put the answers too!  Good work little man!

Taking a sensory break...

Still hard at work!

Mr. Potato Head at the end of the day is always fun!

Love his smile!

Listening to the story of the Leprechaun letters!

Computer time.


Friday at about 2:20 pm....I FEEL YA BOYS!!!!!! I was spent this week too!




 Parent Question:  Not really a question, just a concern among several parents about communication needs and their children.

When you look at these blogs please...
Stop and think of all these kids do and how much they actually work.
Some are forced to find a way to speak/communicate daily without using words, without having that capability.  We are trying desperately to help some of these children communicate more efficiently.
While everyone communicates in some way, having a functional and
appropriate form of communication is still our main goal.  When Ms. Spivey the SLP leaves the room, these children still work all day long on speech/communication and conventional methods of language.  These children work 
for up to 6 hours a day, on nothing but trying to communicate, wants, needs, desires, likes, dislikes etc.  Tolerance, for both their teachers who are trying desperately to help them, and for the students themselves, who are struggling to understand why we are pushing them so hard, is greatly appreciated.  As a parent you know the frustration, you live with it 24 hours a day.   Don't forget you as the parent are their greatest advocate and it really shows in all the hard work you do with your children and the hard work they do at school.  Thanks to you parents we are able to further assist these children through your constant support and dedication to their education.  I have a great video about communication if you are interested in watching it or passing it on to others who try to understand how children with autism communicate.
Thanks for everything you do!

Youtube Video of the week:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIaIR28iT-8&feature=player_embedded




 
 




Sunday, March 3, 2013

Marshmallow World!

Holy Cannoli March is here!
With a new morning meeting and spring in the air!
Rainy days lead to warm sunny fun
Out on the playground, these kids love to run!
We finished off community helpers, with something super sweet
By making a mouth! With Marshmallows for teeth!
The iPad has helped, so many along
Making choices left and right, sometimes right, sometimes wrong!
This class is really working, trying hard every day
To make progress and show the world, they can do this, OK!
Up and coming in March, are the leprechauns, NO SHOCK!
And some shamrocks too, maybe corn beef in the crock!
Let's not forget spring break, a time for rest and quiet
Although, who knows a week at home, could start a family riot!
I can not wait to keep on rocking, this class is just the best
See you next week and hopefully your weekend gave you rest!


Torrential downpours!

Matthew is doing well with his numbers! He picked this as a fun choice activity.

Making Mail trucks.

Time to test your site words!

"With these hands...I will change the world!"

"Oh no where'd the mailman go!?"  Matthew asking good questions!

Writing the word Mailtruck

Matthew discriminating, short/long, bigger/smaller, etc.


Great job Corey!  Learning to use the iPad.

Your writing has improved drastically Keegan!

Andre focusing....

Making MOUTHS!



Marshmallow Teeth?

Sorting People and Places


Nice Abbie :)

Time to go home!



Counting and tally marks.

Our snazzy new "I'm Working For..." Cards.  They all love it!!

Fast hands, but making good choices!

Hand Over Hand, but Chase was making sounds while Krystal counted with him! 


Sometimes cleaning up is a necessary part of learning!

Everyone loves the iPad


Having a lovely breakfast together..so peaceful.

Picking what we want to be when we grow up!






David's new reward chart....penny for quiet mouth, sitting in seat and still hands.  He is ready for his reward and to start work!

I got tackled...yes I rough house.


DID YOU SEE THAT????  ...  Not sure what he saw but woah.

Small group Math with Krystal.



Our new neck snake, kept Jon sitting for a long time!

Corey using choice board...he did so well.




Andre looks like a model here! :) Gap here he comes!

Tackled again!

Not sure that is safe Matthew.  




Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Fs81MDwCzk&list=PL95DE65F162D37F50&index=13


Parent Question:
"What ADHD med do you recommend?"   
I am not a doctor and do not recommend any in particular.  I do know of certain meds you can ask your doctor about and know of my own personal experiences with certain meds, but I have no expertise to be offering up medical advice about meds!!!!  Sorry!
 
Class Challenge of the Week
Implementing new afternoon schedules.
 
 
Getting outside resources is another challenge right now.  I am trying to help parents in the classroom receive outside help from agencies.  I am seeking further info from the district and hope to have a list put together soon.  If you have any resources you wish to share PLEASE do so...either here or email me!