Teaching special education is very trial and error. Some strategies are successful in some classrooms but are a complete bust in others. Here are a few life-changing, time-saving hacks I’ve learned over the last few years.
1. Post-It Notes
These are probably the most commonly used office supply in my classroom. Sure, I use them for reminders, but post-its serve a far better purpose in my classroom.
They help me lesson plan:
They organize data:
But most importantly, they allow a hands-on approach for student learning.
- student responses
- brainstorming
- labeling
2. Page Protectors
Need extra practice on a skill? No problem! Slip a worksheet into a page protector and they can be used over and over! Change out content as needed.
Tip: Use a fine point Expo marker for more precise writing.
3. Highlighters
Whether you’re working on appropriate letter sizing or practicing your scissor skills, these neon markers are perfect for providing visual boundaries for those working on fine motor skills.
4. Masking Tape (or painter’s tape)
I love this stuff! It allows you to tape directly to surfaces (whiteboard, desks, etc.) without any nasty residue or damage to the walls.
Use it to section off areas of your whiteboards to display objectives or vocabulary words.
I’ve made a “Finished” and “Not Finished” chart on a cabinet. I use it to remind me what testing and assessments I have yet to complete.
Stick a strip of tape onto a cookie sheet and use it during sorting activities.
5. Duct Tape
I use this for the carpet ONLY! Not only does it come in fun, bright colors, but it also helps students become more aware of personal space.
Students have designated tape squares for movement and exercise breaks
The perfectionist in me debated posting this (because let’s face it, that tape looks UGLY), BUT it is an accurate depiction of the tape’s durability after a year of constant wear-and-tear.
6. Timers
I can’t seem to have enough timers in my classroom. We use them to time breaks, behavior duration, station work…
I LOVE timers with magnetic backs. I stick them up high so I don’t lose them.
This timer changed my life! I project it on the screen, set it for 15 minutes on loop, and have the students rotate stations when the timer sounds. It is a great visual for how much time is remaining!
7. Sentence Strips
So many uses:
- labeling items
- highlighting key vocabulary terms
- making table tents for student responses
- word work and spelling activities
I cannot say enough good things about these sentence strips. They are not coated and come in 5 BEAUTIFUL colors.
I could label for days…
Labels, table tents, and vocabulary cards, oh my!
8. Headphones
Our school’s CTA knows to bring me any broken headphones. We snip the cords off and there you have it: noise-cancelling headphones for the unavoidable sensory overload events (assemblies, fire drills, and lunch, to name a few).
9. Clipboards
Grab and go data clipboards make progress monitoring a breeze! (Well, maybe not a breeze, but it does make it accessible and easy for you to grab and collect data at any time).
I purchased these data cover sheets from Little Lovely Leaders
10. Binders
I use binders to make token boards, which we use as positive behavior supports. A binder allows the students to easily transport it with them, holding supplies and activities they will need throughout the day.
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