Email - When I need to communicate to all parents, I prefer email. I was lucky that at my school, all the parents signed up for email. I know that sometimes not all parents sign up for it so that can make it difficult. If a student has had a difficult day, I will email the specific parent to give them a heads up. This is my preferred communication method.

Phone - I don’t like making phone calls in general so this is my least favorite way of communication. However, I call home when it is a serious incident. I would like to call or email about the good moments so that the phone calls aren’t always negative.

Agenda/ Back and Forth Book - I try to have some communication in the agenda but I am terrible about this. I know that in my school, the primary teachers use this as their main method of communication. I know that some students require back and forth books to talk about their night/morning and then day at school so the parents and teacher can make informed decisions.

Class Dojo/Freshgrade - I had attempted Class Dojo my first year but I didn’t really have the parent communication part of it because not all parents signed up. I know some of my fellow teachers use both Class Dojo and Freshgrade and have great success with it. 

Portfolio/ E-Portfolio - Some schools in our district are doing the pilot for the new reporting order and so I know that they rely heavily on portfolios to show student learning and communicate with parents. This is something I would like to learn more about. 

Assistive Technology:
I have touched on this in the past but in my district all Grade 6’s get iPad and because I was a Grade ⅚ teacher, we all got iPad to use as well. I used many features on the iPad to help my students such as:

We also use a lot of different apps that allow for students to express themselves. Some of the apps are:
Explain Everything
Book Creator

Imovie

Green Screen.

I have also had to use a device that magnified my voice to my student’s ears through hearing aids. I would have to turn it off when speaking to other students or leaving the room because the student could hear everything. I found it easy to use and often forgot about it.

Adaptations:
I have a flexible seating classroom, so I have a variety of different kinds of furniture options and seating options. This is an environmental adaptation that I find easy to incorporate. As for curriculum adaptations, I do a few things. I listed a few.

- When we do a novel study, I read it aloud for all the students or we use an audiobook. This helps all students access the text.
- A variety of options for presenting learning - whether it is a video, a paper, a screen recording, a project. The rubric is made with all the students so they know expectations. 
- Use of an iPad for written assignments
- Graphic organizers
- Flexible deadlines for work and time during buddies to get it done

- Buddy class: reading to the K’s helps all students improve their reading
- Partner and Group Work

Modifications:
I have had a student who I have had to make modifications to their curriculum and learning based on IEP goals. They had a medical condition that affected their physical movement and their cognitive abilities. Some of the goals this  student needed to achieve were how to count and identify change, spell their name correctly and identify it and be able to ride a bike. In an intermediate classroom, these were not things that we worked on usually so it was an adjustment for me (this was my 2nd year teaching). These goals were made for their future in mind (being able to buy small things, sign their name or write it on paper, and improve their physical movement.)

Kirn Rai gave a good list of adaptations such as built in brain breaks. This is something that I find the elementary grades really need to help them get out some energy and refocus. This is a great whole class adaptation. He also suggested passion projects. These really tie in UDL. Students have the opportunity to create a project that showcases their learning in the way they know how. By tapping into student passions, students will enjoy the process more. For students with Autism, this allows them to showcase their passions in a unrestricted way.

Charity Leroux talked about the use of the positive “I can” statements and how it gives a foundation for gaining new skills and helps guide self-reflection. I think that sometimes we can get caught up in academic talk and for students to be able to see “I can”, they understand that it is something they can do. Rather than have what they can do shrouded in academic jargon. Positive simple statements are important for accessibility. 

Maddie Kotzer said that the core competencies can help students with ASD to practice and experience different life skills and help them identify areas that are their strengths and area that they may need more explicit instruction. I agree with this. I think it lends itself very well to the strength based IEP where the student can help to identify their strengths and stretches and let it become very student centered.

First of all, what are the goals of the IEP? Are they something that can be measured and how will you measure them? They should be relevant and measurable. This should have been discussed at the IEP meeting. If the student has an EA, are you going to get them to help collect data? It is the teacher’s role to assess and monitor IEP goals as well as communicate to the student’s family.

IEP goals and objectives should be built into the day and run seamless with your classroom. That is what inclusion looks like.

Ways to collect data: 

On the report card, the learning is communicated by what the student can do, what the student needs help with and how to help the student at home or in other ways. Learning will be communicated in all areas, not just the areas of the IEP goals. When giving a letter grade in relation to the progress made, ensure that you state that this is in relation to their IEP. At the end of the year, the IEP goals are assessed to see if they have been met and if they need to be update for the next year.

Calm Down Corner and Windowsill Space: Both of these spaces would be open to students throughout the day. I have flexible seating so a student could choose the windowsill as a space. I would fill the windowsill with pillows and cushions. I would like some light curtains as well that are see-through. This could be a great place to quietly read or a place to de-stress. Similarly, I would have a calm down corner. I would have a tent that students can go in, coloring books, books and some quiet activities that they could access. I would have a beanbag and cushions in there for a variety of seating. This would be somewhere that a student would go when they feel overwhelmed or stimulated. I would have a non-verbal signal so that they let me know they need to go there. It promotes mindfulness, self-regulation, breathing and reflection.

Lighting: I have a bright classroom in the afternoons so I would have the lights off in the afternoon and lamps on so that the lighting is not harsh. I would like soft lighting in the classroom because it can feel more calming to students. I know my students like the lights off when possible. 

Fidget and STEM bins: I would have these at the back of the classroom so that students can grab the fidgets when they need to regulate themselves. There would be a variety of fidgets. The STEM bins would be for soft starts in the morning so that students can explore and experiment in the morning, giving them time to wake up and energize for the day.

Stationary Bike: I would like to have one of these in the back of the classroom so that when a student needs to burn off energy, they can go for a quick bike ride. I know you can also get pedal attachments for chairs so this is something I would like as well. It helps students to focus their energy on the pedalling so that they can get themselves back to their normal space.

This could be used anytime. Ideally, for younger grades you would have an EA supervise them but the upper grades could ask to go and then come back.

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I would have these after long blocks of sitting (so about every 30-45 min). You could have designated movement break time.

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