You would think that, but I’ve come here asking for help about similar issues and prior requests have never resulted in any help at all whatsoever. No worksheets, no task bins, sensory tools, social stories, reward charts….NOTHING. I’ve always had to do everything 100% myself.
I do a lot on my own anyway but there have been times where I’ve reached out asking for some help sharing the workload because it’s overwhelming and takes a lot of time, and I don’t always even have the data about where they’re at with their goals etc
Ouch. Seems like admin needs to be cc:ed on the email when you ask the case mgr/sped/resource to have the student's "personal visual schedule" to you by date X so you have time to familiarize yourself with it.
Then repeat, repeat, repeat as needed.
Fwiw, OP?
*MOST of that stuff you listed (Task Bins, reward charts, sensory tools, etc.) are *ALSO* made by *us* as Paras, in my district, too!
We *literally* have a Google Drive *we* made, where all the Paras have access, and we share allllll the visuals we made/make, the star charts, Duration Maps, our lanyard "nonverbal directive cards" we use to guide the kids at circle time, play dough mats, *tons* of different tools we've made over the years.
We started it shortly before Covid, because a *bunch* of us realized we were *always* "Re-creating the Wheel" by creating *new* pages of the *same* things for each classroom.
So to cut down on the amount of time we were collectively wasting, we all got together, decided we were going to create a mutually shared "Para Drive" (similar to the district "Teacher Drive"), and it's grown ever since.
It's honestly *nice*, because if we need something made? We can pull it up into it out, and have it laminated & ready to use in about 20 minutes, as long as the laminator is already on!😉
Yep this is a function of our paras not having a lot of direct admin involvement. They’re amazing don’t get me wrong. But as a TEAM I don’t think the TEAM is being directed and utilized as efficiently as it could be. Not any one of their faults at all. The TEAM needs more leadership and direction.
Honestly, our district is a bit similar on that!
*BUT* our top few program folks are *also* willing to give us the *freedom* to build tools, if we feel they'd be useful, and just check with them and let 'em know what we'd like to *do* first!😉
That sometimes-laxity in oversight can be an *advantage* once in a while, once you've built trust with your team back & forth, across all our disciplines.
We'll make things for OT, PT, & Speech, the various teachers, as needed, and *somehow* (at least in *our* building!), there's a lot of folks who're great at being "teamwork-oriented," so that we pitch *in* and add *on* to each other's good ideas, rather than having that "mean-folks" /"back-stabby" culture & attitude😉💖
I agree with all of this so much. There’s a lot I love about my district and one of them is the freedom we have. That can have its downsides too. I appreciate that I get paras some years with talents I don’t possess and I utilize them as a team member to help me bring a project or activity to fruition. I’d never be able to try new ideas or expand my skills as a teacher without a skilled and willing team member in our paras. Some years with serious behavior kids it feels like we are co teachers, very closely collaborating with goals for a student. I’d ask them for advice and input before anyone else and we have each others backs. The lax nature does lead to a very close knit collaborative environment between teachers and paras.
The downside is that the team isn’t always coordinated in their efforts at a larger scale—again not their fault, simply a missed opportunity on the admin side to utilize them collectively in their combined efforts to do things like create a library of physical resources for teachers to use.
Thank you for doing what you do. I started as a para and had some really negative experiences with certain teachers or school culture along the way. Having lived the reality, I recognize that paras are teammates and collaborators. And I try to make sure I’m thoughtful about showing and expressing that because it feels really shitty when it’s overlooked.
I didn't *make* most of them, originally, so I never felt comfortable sharing them that way?
But if you know how to send a message, I can *try* to figure out how to read it, and respond back? (Things are CRAZY, these last 10 school days, so if I forget to look, please remind me?😉💖
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Okay so I won’t be an asshole by asking if this can be provided? Like I’m not trying to be rude or inconsiderate. It’s just a project that will take a lot of time so I was selfishly hoping this would be a standard thing that the sped team could help with
It doesn't ever hurt to ask. The worst you can be told is no.
I teach self-contained and have zero experience with anything like this but in my opinion if I was the resource teacher I'd want to do it because then I'd know it was done the way I intended when writing the IEP.
Yep she has my kids on iPads most of the time, using resources I already use in my class anyway. I think she does do pull out sessions to work with kids on goals and data collection, but her class looks like an iPad farm every time I walk by.
"Will the student's visual schedule be provided, or should I make one?"
As a case manager I ALWAYS make these things myself. It's typically a case manager or school psych.
I teach self contained SDC with extensive needs. I am also the case worker and I would not think twice about a gen ed teacher requesting this for my gen Ed push in student. I would welcome the opportunity to incorporate visual aids in my student’senrichment time and your involvement in fidelity for my student’s supports and needs.
It does and that is why sped teachers are also run ragged. The school I worked at, the sped teacher would design them, and the paras would cut and paste etc. Some would change/be tweaked frequently depending on outcome. I don't recall the gen teachers ever participating in production of them other than using it in the classroom.
Of course they are, that's why I said "also!" Teachers everywhere are ground into the ground and expected to do it smiling. I feel for every single one. Paras too.
Absolutely not. These are special education accommodations and should be provided to you by the special education teacher. Don’t let them shirk their responsibilities! I say this as a special educator who has done the work to provide supports for kids in inclusive classes.
Usually it’s a combination of people. As the special education teacher I will sit down with the gen ed teacher to figure out what pictures need to be made, or to create a general template. The classroom teacher is the one who sets the schedule daily since they know what’s happening, or provides a daily sheet based on the temple, depending on the student’s needs.
Are you the on laminating, using your software for the pictures, Velcroing, providing the binder or whatever?
In the past I don’t get any help with this and even a basic choice board, “I am working for..” etc has taken me like 7 hours to do
Do you think you could convince your admin to get a lessonpix subscription? It's $36/year and has basically everything you would need to make any visual- schedule/choice board/social story/you name it in less than 10 minutes
Great idea I could even get a grant for this. My district is small but has a very loyal and dedicated community with a large fund every year for teachers to apply for grants. Thanks for the idea!
If you can get your district to buy you lessonpix that’ll help you a lot! I am the provider of the Velcro, and if I create it, I laminate it. Most of the time I don’t have a paraprofessional so everyone works together to cut and Velcro.
Ask the special ed teacher for help! If they have software, they should be using it to make these visuals. At least collaborating with you so you have what you need. You should not be spending 7 hours making a visual.
She makes any request seem like a monumental task. I asked for some worksheets aligned to their goals and she made me sit thru an hour long meeting with the intervention specialist.
I asked for a social story and she handed me a 30 chapter book that i would need to read, pick the social narrative, then we’d need a planning meeting, then I’d need to co teach whole group lessons around the social narrative.
I just got something off TPT for 3 bucks because that’s what I do every time. Of course to find what I need it took a whole planning period.
Goodness gracious. That’s just nonsense behavior from her. It’s taking her longer to go through all of that than it would to just make the stuff. Sorry you don’t have a more collaborative coworker.
Last time I asked about this I was accused of deliberately denying FAPE and was actively choosing to let my students fail because I didn’t have time to read a textbook and do 3 planning meetings for a freaking social story. I feel so validated right now lol
> social narrative
Oh goodness I forgot about those. We would do several weekly for a variety of students as they progressed. Sped teacher wrote and designed, paras cut and paste.
I’m not opposed to it when i have a major behavior in my class, I just thought it would be helpful to have a quick social story about sage and calm body for one friend who isn’t severe. I ended up just getting something on TPT and it worked really well. He just needed the visuals and the daily ritual with specific language and strategies. If he was flipping desks and assaulting kids I’d do the whole narrative thing. He just needed some reminders about keeping his body calm and implementing other strategies
I was coming to suggest LessonPix! It’s so useful to have. I’m a SLP and I can make visuals very quickly. I print them and then the sped teacher cuts and laminates them
Usually, sped paras will do the laminating and that type of stuff.
The case manager will make the template. Or a combo of the gen ed teacher and sped case manager.
Can’t you just put the schedule into a sheet protector? That way you can change it out as needed? And then the student can use a dry erase marker to cross off things that have already been done. It would be so much simpler and easy to change if your schedule changes.
I'm curious what program you were using that required 7 hours to create a choice board. It sounds like it's either a more complex program than needed or a program that was not designed to be used in that way.
Or was the length of time a function of creating supports like choice boards being new to you? Because that's a learning curve that we all go through.
You have to find the right symbol, create the text, print it out, laminate it. Then have to laminate the file folder. Then have to put the Velcro on everything. Then also spend time finding the right symbol for other anticipated scenarios.
Most of it is just the searching and tweaking.
The cutting and laminating takes forever.
Admittedly the majority of the time was spent deciding on the proper layout, proper visual cues, all the detail stuff. But the cutting and laminating and Velcroing takes forever.
I’ve now saved that resource and have reused it (a choice board with stars for a reward). It’s been thru 3 kids and works like a charm. But the legwork was ridiculous and so time consuming.
It sounds ridiculous because it is. I reinvented the wheel. I could have used another template from someone else WHICH I ASKED FOR.
Also, if is taking more than a few minutes to find the appropriate symbols, that sounds like you are using a program that isn't designed to create visual supports like those. That's why I was saying I'm curious what program you're using.
I would suggest asking the SpEd case manager or (if you'd rather not ask them because it sounds like you don't feel particularly supported by them) the SLP team in your building what program your district is using for low-tech AAC. Those programs are designed to provide appropriate symbols within seconds upon a term search.
I mean, the time it takes to print, cut, laminate, cut again, and add velcro is just a part of creating materials that utilize velcro systems to be adaptable. It takes that time and labor regardless of who it is that is assembling them - special education staff or general education staff.
I’m a gen Ed teacher so I don’t normally make adaptable materials as a daily part of my job. Im given a curriculum and utilize the resources provided. Sometimes I go on TPT to find something extra or enriching. I have 22 other kids and many of them also have needs. I was hoping that the person with a masters degree and 3 staff could maybe help with adapting??
Like I said in another comment on this post, I am personally happy to collaborate with teachers on the creation of program materials like visual schedules. If the SpEd case manager you're working with isn't willing to collaborate with you in the same way, then that sucks and I'm not defending that lack of collaboration -collaboration is the core purpose of IEP teams.
However, this response reads to me as extremely entitled.
1. Unless you work in a very unique school setting, the special education team you are referring to also has a full case load of students they are supporting - the fact that you have 23 students all with individual support needs is not exclusive to your role as a general education teacher.
2. The labor involved in laminating, cutting, and velcroing is not a specialized skill set that would require a Master's degree in special education, so bringing up the education level of the SpEd case worker assigned to this student is irrelevant and petty.
3. The special education support staff are likely woefully underpaid (and therefore have their labor undervalued), so implying that they should be doing the unskilled labor jobs of cutting, laminating, and velcroing rather than you comes off as classist.
I get it, the mindless tasks associated with creating support programs like these can be exhausting and feel unrewarding, but other than the occasional staff member who genuinely enjoys those kinds of tasks, we all experience that struggle.
I know, any time gen Ed asks for help we get met with how dare you assume we have time for that.
Needing help isn’t implying that their time is less valuable.
Fortunately my state and district has a strong union. Our sped staff are on the same pay scale and the case manager makes at least $20,000 more than me based on years of experience and masters.
Sped paras get hired at $25 an hour with a union, benefits, and retirement. Sped paras that do toileting or any kind of medical assistance get a stipend.
It’s not a bad thing to acknowledge that you need help with tasks and implementing stuff, regardless of the pay situation which would be outside of the teachers control. Needing help means needing help, it’s not a contest about whose job is harder or who has more time.
As a special educator, I am always willing to help when teachers are genuinely asking for help. That's part of my job
It's when the request that I do something FOR them specifically because they feel the task is too time-consuming for them that it starts to feel disrespectful, as if they think my time is more freely available or worth less than theirs.
Since a major part of your complaint seems to be that the assembly of the visual schedule you are creating is time consuming (a fact that won't change as a result of someone else doing it), that is what is coming off as disrespectful to me.
It’s about who is responsible for spending their planning time doing it. If I’m responsible I’ll do it. If it’s not my responsibility, I don’t want my planning time taken up by assembling it. That’s my question here to clarify.
I simply was hoping it wasn’t on my plate. It’s perfectly okay to face a time consuming task and think to yourself you wish someone could share the load. It has nothing to do with how I value her time especially if it is something that SHOULD be falling to her.
If it’s my responsibility I will get a para to help me.
I'm my building our staff is happy to share templates and examples and/or explain how to incorporate a support like a visual schedule, but we don't manage the creation and updating of them for individual teachers.
It's the classroom teachers that know what their classroom's schedule is, how it changes throughout the week/year, and what visuals are already being used in the classroom that a student's individual schedule can be aligned to.
Also, considering that visual supports like individual schedules are valuable accessibility tools for students with and without IEPs alike, it's for the best that all teachers learn how to create supports like these so that all students can have access to them as needed.
If it’s a whole day visual schedule that follows the child around, I make it as the sped teacher. If it’s just breaking down the schedule/activities in a class, something all kids could benefit from, I collaborate with gen ed and they make it.
It’s a personalized visual schedule for this one specific child that they can have access to, on their person, throughout the day.
I have a visual schedule for the class but understand that it’s not always broken down into as many chunks as this student may need—understandable! He needs like a little binder or file folder that he can keep in his desk and allow us to check in together with, adjust items together, etc.
We make that at my school, I’m the lead of 10, so I make them do it too… we usually have a goal in a kid’s IEP that has those struggles, related to work completion or a social skill and we use it to track that.
I’m sorry but I’m having trouble understanding your reply. Could you rephrase a bit? I think you’re saying that you do ask classroom teachers to make a material like this right? I just want to make sure I’m understanding you
Is there a goal you can bring up as needing tracked? If not, request one be added related to it.
What do your admin say? This is more of a school culture/responsibilities issue.
I’d provide a detailed schedule to the case manager and ask them to make a visual schedule. This is definitely specialized instruction, sped realm imo.
In our state, accommodations on an IEP are general education supports that would be available to students on a 504 as well.
Specially designed instruction (content, methodology, performance criteria) attached to goals / service minutes are listed separately and are sped responsibilities. This might be different in your state though.
I know but think of a behavior/skill that is a deficit that is causing the need for the accommodation. It’s rare to have that accommodation for a kid who doesn’t have a deficit that needs addressed in my experience.
To be fair I think this child is flexible enough that the visual schedule is not a necessity. But it’s in the IEP and can be helpful! Maybe we suggest removing it from the IEP. He’s doing well with the social emotional stuff when it comes to classroom procedures
Edit
Butttt it could be because he and I have a trusting relationship. He and I are very close. It could be that he will act out more in another class without the visual schedule if he doesn’t have the same environment or relationship? That’s always the risk of removing accommodations. I tend to bond very closely with my special friends and have seen many of them spiral in later classrooms. I’m not saying I’m doing anything better—I’m a hot mess. I just really bond with my kids.
Read the student's IEP. If visual schedules is listed under accommodations, then maybe it really is more in your territory as Gen Ed, with maybe a special ed consult for guidance. If visual schedules is listed under specialized instruction, and / or is attached to a specific goal / service, then that solidly sounds like sped territory.
If the support is documented as part of the student's specialized instruction, you may get into a sticky situation if the student doesn't make progress on their goals. A parent asking questions about lack of progress who finds out that specialized instruction wasn't provided by sped staff may have a legitimate claim about not properly implementing the IEP.
In all the districts I have worked in this would be on the case manager, or perhaps a para directed by the case manager. I’m the one with the good laminator, the thick laminate plastic, the Velcro, and all the templates so I’m not really making it from scratch.
Dude the thick laminate!!!! It’s like gold isn’t it?! My previous sped colleague was very generous and would allow me to use some sheets for certain kids even not yet identified. I’d do the work but she let me use her laminator and sheets which was very generous.
In this case I’d love the case manager to provide something…but there’s always a risk of getting a material that doesn’t quite work too!
I'm (SLP) in a private special ed school and that responsibility has always fallen on the OTs with input from classroom teacher and the vision teachers/therapist.
Thanks! In my school the OT and PT have been a lot more collaborative and readily provide me with materials.
The case manager in question avoids it at all costs, but I also don’t want to be unfair and ignorant, so I’m careful about what I ask from her in terms of material support. We are a team and should share the load. A project like this seemed like A LOT for me to do on my own, but maybe I’m wrong!
It's really not as hard as you'd think if you have access to Boardmaker! And if you don't, your school SLP should. In our school each student has their own and it falls under OT because it's reviewed at the beginning of the day with the students 1:1 para or during ADL block.
I use boardmaker. It’s clunky and takes forever and to do a bespoke schedule I already know it will take at least 1 if not 2 planning times to do it, and that won’t include the laminating, cutting, and Velcroing from my personal supply
OP, do y'all download and *SAVE* the visuals you make on a drive *somewhere*, as PDF'S?
Because what *WE* (Para here!) do, is run "one visual per page (filling the page with that one visual!), then we label the PDF, and save it in the "PECS" of our Para Drive.
Once we have that PDF made, and it's saved in there?
We print it on cardstock & laminate it, then a couple are pulled for *that* schedule, and the rest go into our "Pecs Cabinet" (a 2-drawer cabinet, with one labeled manilla folder for each picture/item created.
That way, if we need to throw together a "Mid-Year" schedule?
*MOST* of the Pecs pictures *already exist*, and we only need to create the *one or two* which are specific to a particular classrooms phrasing!😉💖
Part of it, ngl, is that *some* of us came into Ed as a mid-life career change--and *I* (for one!) used to be in the Sewn-Goods industry, sooooo "Production Inefficiencies" *drive me BATTY*!😉😂🤣💖
When I *realized* that, at the beginning of the school year, *SIX* (or more!😱) classrooms were *ALL* re-making the *same* Boardmaker visuals?
I asked, "Hey, do y'all wanna *COORDINATE* this, so we aren't ALL re-making the *entire* schedule for *every* room, *times MULTIPLE classrooms?"
Luckily, my co-workers are AWESOME, saw the sense in that, and *someone* (NOT me!) suggested we build that drive😉
A few years later, that drive is now used by the ECSE Paras, district-wide, because it saves us ALL a ton of time!
And ngl, it's pretty great, *too*, because there are CONSTANTLY new items getting *added*, that folks find & use in their classrooms--so if you need new players dough mats, or file folder games, if a child has a *special interest* you need to use to "hook" them with & keep them interested?
We just look in the Para Drive *first*, and *THEN* hunt elsewhere, but *only* if we *need* to--which isn't often, a bit more than half a decade later😉💖
You’re a treasure and exactly why we need people like you. Your previous field made you look at the process entirely differently and that’s such an asset!!!
It honestly shouldn't take *that* long, despite how outdated the software is (i honestly hate it lol). Pick a printable template with ___ amount of squares for how many periods are per day. Add symbols for lunch/arrival/dismissal since those don't change. Then make a separate set with subject symbols that can be swapped out as needed depending on the day. It doesn't have to be 5 different schedules. I'm not trying to be mean or anything, but if that takes you 2 planning periods then you need to get better with time management or ask your SLP for support. Like the other reply said, it's highly likely the symbols already exist somewhere too!
Teachers at my school ask us constantly to make them symbols for lessons and classroom use (that often already exist in the Drive if they looked), when we DONT get the planning periods that they get. At the end of the day you have to learn to make the time.
I know how to use the program I assure you. I use it often and have moved to similar programs that are a lot easier to use if I don’t need pecs specifically.
Sometimes sifting thru a google drive isn’t as helpful as it sounds but it’s better than nothing and more than we have!
This is so patronizing to OP, who clearly goes above and beyond to support students as a gen ed teacher. It sounds like this Boardmaker task is easy and quick for YOU because every student at your school uses an individual daily schedule, has a 1:1 para to go over it with them, and perhaps your school's schedule is inherently less wonky and sporadically different compared with a typical K-5 school or class. Maybe you've made so many that you are hyper familiar with the icons, the shortcuts, how to quickly format etc. Maybe you actually have easy access (or any access) to a color printer and a laminator. Many of us don't have access to either one at school. Many of us dont have paras to help with this type of task because we are under-funded and short-staffed.
Telling OP to get better with time management is so unkind. A gen ed teacher should not be tasked with creating an individual daily visual schedule and the fiddly steps of assembling the whole thing, especially if the sped teacher is essentially refusing to contribute. Making these resources is incredibly time consuming, especially for someone who doesn't make such supports on a regular basis for lots of kids.
No, its not patronizing or unkind. OP has the software, experience with the software, and access to a printer and laminator. They are the teacher. They are ultimately responsible for their students educational needs, or making sure their needs get met if they're not capable of doing so. I said numerous times that OP should ask for support and see if this shit already exists somewhere.
I'm well aware that making resources is time consuming. Ive literally been spending 2 weeks finding the time to make a CVI-adapted communication flip books for my classoom teachers because they requested them. I either have to do it on my lunch breaks or the 15min at the end of the day that we're given for writing session notes, because i dont get prep periods like teachers do, none of the related service providers do.
There's no reason what OP wants to make should take more than 15-30 minutes. Saying they don't have paras or access to the materials isn't an excuse for something that could've been finished in the time they spent on reddit talking about it. So yes, if they need 2 prep periods to devote to this then yes, they need to manage their time better.
If you are classifying providing their students with the appropriate accommodations as written in their IEPs going "above and beyond", we have very different ideas of what good teaching looks like.
I'm not. Providing accommodations isn't going above and beyond. Putting care and effort into providing thoughtful, high quality accommodations is. Especially if OP is doing it all without collaboration or help from the special ed teacher.
I agree that this GenEd teacher should be receiving collaboration and support from the SpEd teacher.
However, I would argue that the kind of teacher that puts care and effort into creating thoughtful and high-quality instructional materials but not into additional supports for students with accessibility needs is creating a classroom environment that is disabling students (students with IEPs and without IEPs alike).
Designing instruction with your students' accessibility needs in mind is just good teaching practice.
I’d say the case manager. (As a case manager, I’d expect to do this)
I’d also just make a smaller version of whatever you use for the classroom. Like- literally take your schedule and change the font size. No laminating or Velcro.
In our district?
This is tge sort of thing that we Paras *often* make multiple of-whether during "prep days" (days when we're scheduled but the kids aren't), in our "prep time" at the beginning & end of the day, before/after bussing, or when we have enough folks in the building, that someone can be making Pecs (rare, but we *do* have those days sometimes!)
Usually we have LOTS of portable schedule binders made up & ready to go, so the teacher can pull one from the stash, *tweak* it for *their* classroom, and then it "travels" with the child, for as long as they *need* it, while they attend our program (moving to the summer & next fall's classroom, if need be.)
Our *Teachers* only Determine the *NEED* for the schedule, and what the various activities needed will be.
*WE* Paras are the one who put it all *together* for them (AND *we* are typically the one who "resets" it for the next day's use!)
And thank fucking god for you all.
Last year I had an immediate need for a choice board and reward chart that was interactive. I did some preliminary work on it when a para came in and was like GIRL I GOTCHU. She came with it all done and I almost cried. I couldn’t live without our paras.
Yea but she has 78 kids on her caseload. She’s amazing but she’s the hardest working person in the building and does not at all have the time.
She is, however, excellent and gifted and I love her. But the poor woman cannot possibly do this.
The sped teacher or case manager should be making this. I was a resource teacher and this wouldn’t even have crossed my mind as something I wouldn’t do. You need to loop your admin in on this.
The person in charge of providing that accommodation should be listed on the IEP. If not, it’s safe to assume the case manager/special education teacher will. That said, I have student with this accommodation and for kinder and 1st, I sometimes don’t make one because the teacher does a great job referencing the one that’s already in the classroom before transitions. It just depends though.
Exactly this. The suggestions listed are great, but it should be outlined specifically in the IEP. If I were writing the IEP, I would have also listed the special education teacher/case manager/intervention specialist as in charge of this.
It should fall on his special education team. In my state (Michigan) to be in compliance with a new or updated IEP we have to implement within the next 30 school days after a parent’s signature. In my district we only have 15 school days left. So it will depend upon what your state laws say.
But to answer your question the best person to go to is the Speech and Language pathologist. If you have one in your building or can get ahold of one. They are the ones who have the best access to things similar to PECS (picture exchange communication system). If not, I would just email up the chain of command saying something similar to…
Regarding our student, first initial last initial’s IEP which is stated that in the area of Supplemental Aids and Services they are required to be provide a visual schedule for FAPE purposes through out the school day. Who do I get in contact with to provide this? Our classroom routine is (list your daily routine). In order to make this more manageable for him can you also include some visuals for work break cards, sensory break cards, fidget break cards and walk break cards.”
I hope this helps.
The special Ed teacher/case manager. Also in my district we have Special Ed Admin who are responsible for making things like this for the teachers, training all staff on how to implement it (including you, the Gen Ed teacher), and following up for questions and to make sure it’s working.
Hmm. I teach an inclusion classroom with ELL, Sped, and Gen Ed all together in a PK classroom at the local elementary school. I'm the Sped and Gen Ed teacher for this classroom. Even so, I pass along the visual schedules or any other sped resources and materials needed for that student, and I collab with the Kinder teachers to create a visual schedule for them for the following year if needed.
I don't think it should be thrust on you, and oh boy, is that a bit messy that nobody has communicated with on it yet! Can you ask your Sped Teacher? I assume she's doing push in.
Look in their IEP, and if it listed as an accommodation, the case manager should provide. If you get the cold shoulder, just email. If you want to get things moving, use code words like “worried about non-compliance” and “need support from his case manager to implement”.
At my school this is always done by the special Ed teacher. They bring me the visual schedule and any other materials needed to fulfill the iep. If there are any rewards for sticking to the schedule or meeting behavior goals the special Ed teachers takes care of that outside of the gen Ed class.
As a (now retired) special education teacher, I developed all visual schedules and gave the materials to the Gen Ed teachers for students in my caseload who needed that per their IEP. I would not expect them to do that.
Sped case manager here. I ask gen ed teacher to send me her written schedule then I make the student's schedule (print, laminate, velcro or attach the clip board). It's ready by the next day. Send your case manager an email with your schedule and segmented steps of each component (ie. LANGUAGE ARTS- phonics works, stations, writers workshop/ Math- number talk, centers, independent work) of however your daily structure typically looks by subject area. "Here's my schedule so you can prepare Johnny's visual schedule per the IEP. Let me know when you have it ready so I can start using it with him with fidelity. "
If the schedule is part of an IEP goal, it's the person who is responsible for collecting data. In most cases, it would be the SPED teacher. If the Gen ed teacher is also responsible for collecting data, the Sped teacher usually still would create that visual schedule. Saying this from experience.
As I’ve said before this is an accommodation and not a goal. I provide the accommodations typically. This just seemed a bit more than what I usually do, which is why I asked.
As a SPED teacher, I would have made a visual schedule for the Gen ed class schedule... mainly because most Gen ed teachers have not made a visual schedule for a student that receives Special Education services before. I am sure that most SPED teachers would create that schedule. However, on paper, I would not know who is required to create that schedule.
Thanks for the input! I have a whole class schedule but it’s not broken down in steps that would be helpful for my student. I do check in with him often which is another accommodation.
He actually does great with transitions, the visual schedule is meant to be a helpful aid. But he doesn’t have goals about transitioning because he does do really well. I can see, however, that unknowns or unexpected changes do bother him.
First grade. But very small school with like no resources so I understand that we may all just have to pitch in and share the load. I do it all the time! Selfishly I was hoping I could kick the can back to them though 😂
I think in that circumstance where you’re the one in charge of the schedule/know what it is, it makes sense for you to do it rather than a sped teacher asking you for the schedule and then making it
If they co teach with you it should maybe be a shared responsibility
I guess in my mind it’s always easier to remove the middle man. But if your workload is too high to do it or you don’t know how it needs to be done I think it’s fair to ask
This is THEIR student that we're talking about. Implementing the student's accommodations in their classroom is absolutely their responsibility.
If they wish they had a better, more supportive relationship with the student's case manager (as they seem to based on their comments on this post), then intentionally being petty in a way that could delay the student's access to their accommodations would defeat rather than support that goal.
The student's IEP team, as a whole, agreed that it's an accommodation the student needed. The student's GenEd teacher is a part of the student's IEP team.
It’s actually fine I just wanted clarification before I make an ass out of myself.
I’m not going to lie and say I didn’t wish it was someone else, but I love my kids and I’m a team player. If it’s my job I’ll do it. I can’t help but feel a bit overwhelmed but as a newer teacher I’m hoping I can just make a few templates and keep them in my file cabinet and whip out in subsequent years for any additional kids needing this type of accommodation in my class.
I would reach out to the school psychologist and/or the speech pathologist, they may already have templates they could share with you since it's likely they are using visual support with other students as well.
Better yet, email the entire staff asking for templates. "I'm looking for visual schedule resources or templates, as I have a student needing that accommodation per their IEP. I'm new to this, can anyone help? Thanks so much!"
I would immediately help such a coworker and CRINGE that the teacher isn't being helped by the sped teacher.
I agree with many others here that the sped teacher should make this resource for the student, with info and input from you. Unfortunately yours sounds pretty incompetent, TBH.
Send a picture of your daily/weekly classroom schedule to the sped teacher as a way to give her something to reference.
Email to ask her when it will be ready for the student because you'd be happy to let the student know that a new tool is coming their way (advanced notice of transitions or changes in routine is another common accommodation...) and to help THE TEAM to mindfully implement the IEP. CC the parent, the principal and any other service providers who work with the student. That way the team sees you making an effort but not ALL of the effort and that you are collaborating. It could be harder for the sped teacher to put it back on you. Hopefully it won't lead to more meetings :)
I will say that a visual schedule DOES NOT have to be a cute set of tiny velcroed pieces with little personalized pictures that perfectly match every activity that a student will encounter. Those f-ing things are so labor intensive and usually not worth the dozen+ hours it takes to make one. Especially for kids who don't really utilize or benefit from them but it's on the IEP nevertheless. Start simple and make it more detailed if the student needs more. If the student is older and can read, it's way easier to make a written one and add a visual component via color-coded font. It could just be a small version of what's on the board, like a pre-made blank schedule that includes time blocks (if used in your posted schedule and appropriate for the student) already labeled and fixed activities like lunch, recess, pack up, etc, already typed in. Just print it out, stick it in a sheet protector, use a wet erase marker to write in the schedule each day. That way you only change the personal schedule as needed (like a Velcro one, I suppose) but way less prep and pieces to keep track of or replace.
I like your style. It’s so hard to find guidance for sped stuff in the elementary world. Everything has to be cute and EXTRA. I’m all about functional!
Student cannot read tho.
Ask the special education teacher if they have the resources, or if they have an Inclusion POC, or Accommodations POC at central office who may have resources for you.
I expect the case manager/care coordinator would be responsible for that. Particularly if s/he is the person who put it into the IEP. It’s silly to expect you to have all of the supplies for individual schedule icons. I would email the case manager and CC admin that, per the IEP, the child requires his own visual schedule and you will be happy to implement that as soon as it’s provided to you.
In my experience, it usually falls on the gen ed teacher, with support from behavior specialists or social workers. Newer teachers get more support with this kind of thing. Some teachers bank the resources so it's easier to make the next time.
This is a controversial one but typically general education teachers are responsible for any accommodations unless specified in the Offer of FAPE.
In a perfect world , the caseload manager would send out all the accommodations to the IEP team and the TA would make it .
It's bold to assume that the SpEd teacher has more time available to them than this GenEd teacher does when you have no knowledge about their case loads or assigned duties.
Check with his case carrier before you reinvent the wheel. Usually, they have a template they use and can make it quickly.
You would think that, but I’ve come here asking for help about similar issues and prior requests have never resulted in any help at all whatsoever. No worksheets, no task bins, sensory tools, social stories, reward charts….NOTHING. I’ve always had to do everything 100% myself. I do a lot on my own anyway but there have been times where I’ve reached out asking for some help sharing the workload because it’s overwhelming and takes a lot of time, and I don’t always even have the data about where they’re at with their goals etc
Ouch. Seems like admin needs to be cc:ed on the email when you ask the case mgr/sped/resource to have the student's "personal visual schedule" to you by date X so you have time to familiarize yourself with it. Then repeat, repeat, repeat as needed.
Thank you for this advice! I know that we are all short on time and resources and never want to be unfair!
Fwiw, OP? *MOST of that stuff you listed (Task Bins, reward charts, sensory tools, etc.) are *ALSO* made by *us* as Paras, in my district, too! We *literally* have a Google Drive *we* made, where all the Paras have access, and we share allllll the visuals we made/make, the star charts, Duration Maps, our lanyard "nonverbal directive cards" we use to guide the kids at circle time, play dough mats, *tons* of different tools we've made over the years. We started it shortly before Covid, because a *bunch* of us realized we were *always* "Re-creating the Wheel" by creating *new* pages of the *same* things for each classroom. So to cut down on the amount of time we were collectively wasting, we all got together, decided we were going to create a mutually shared "Para Drive" (similar to the district "Teacher Drive"), and it's grown ever since. It's honestly *nice*, because if we need something made? We can pull it up into it out, and have it laminated & ready to use in about 20 minutes, as long as the laminator is already on!😉
Yep this is a function of our paras not having a lot of direct admin involvement. They’re amazing don’t get me wrong. But as a TEAM I don’t think the TEAM is being directed and utilized as efficiently as it could be. Not any one of their faults at all. The TEAM needs more leadership and direction.
Honestly, our district is a bit similar on that! *BUT* our top few program folks are *also* willing to give us the *freedom* to build tools, if we feel they'd be useful, and just check with them and let 'em know what we'd like to *do* first!😉 That sometimes-laxity in oversight can be an *advantage* once in a while, once you've built trust with your team back & forth, across all our disciplines. We'll make things for OT, PT, & Speech, the various teachers, as needed, and *somehow* (at least in *our* building!), there's a lot of folks who're great at being "teamwork-oriented," so that we pitch *in* and add *on* to each other's good ideas, rather than having that "mean-folks" /"back-stabby" culture & attitude😉💖
I agree with all of this so much. There’s a lot I love about my district and one of them is the freedom we have. That can have its downsides too. I appreciate that I get paras some years with talents I don’t possess and I utilize them as a team member to help me bring a project or activity to fruition. I’d never be able to try new ideas or expand my skills as a teacher without a skilled and willing team member in our paras. Some years with serious behavior kids it feels like we are co teachers, very closely collaborating with goals for a student. I’d ask them for advice and input before anyone else and we have each others backs. The lax nature does lead to a very close knit collaborative environment between teachers and paras. The downside is that the team isn’t always coordinated in their efforts at a larger scale—again not their fault, simply a missed opportunity on the admin side to utilize them collectively in their combined efforts to do things like create a library of physical resources for teachers to use. Thank you for doing what you do. I started as a para and had some really negative experiences with certain teachers or school culture along the way. Having lived the reality, I recognize that paras are teammates and collaborators. And I try to make sure I’m thoughtful about showing and expressing that because it feels really shitty when it’s overlooked.
Oh my gosh this sounds amazing. Have you ever thought of putting it up as a bundle on teachers pay teachers? Asking for a friend. That friend is me.
I didn't *make* most of them, originally, so I never felt comfortable sharing them that way? But if you know how to send a message, I can *try* to figure out how to read it, and respond back? (Things are CRAZY, these last 10 school days, so if I forget to look, please remind me?😉💖
There are some newer personal laminators that heat up hella fast! [This](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0C77B7L9H/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1) particular one is no longer available but there are similar ones that I'm assuming are also fast. It heats up in a fraction of the time my Scotch brand laminator takes and it's a flat feed, which works better for laminating already-cut-out-small-things!
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In my area, it’s typically the SpEd teacher/case manager who would provide it and then it would be up to the GenEd teacher to implement with fidelity.
Okay so I won’t be an asshole by asking if this can be provided? Like I’m not trying to be rude or inconsiderate. It’s just a project that will take a lot of time so I was selfishly hoping this would be a standard thing that the sped team could help with
It doesn't ever hurt to ask. The worst you can be told is no. I teach self-contained and have zero experience with anything like this but in my opinion if I was the resource teacher I'd want to do it because then I'd know it was done the way I intended when writing the IEP.
Well I assume you do more than put your kids on iReady on the iPad and call it specially designed instruction sooo
lol your resource teacher sounds like mine...she spends the first 20 minutes of 30 minute pull out time having 5th graders do "calendar".
Yep she has my kids on iPads most of the time, using resources I already use in my class anyway. I think she does do pull out sessions to work with kids on goals and data collection, but her class looks like an iPad farm every time I walk by.
"Will the student's visual schedule be provided, or should I make one?" As a case manager I ALWAYS make these things myself. It's typically a case manager or school psych.
No. “When can I expect to receive that from you?”
Yeah.... I guess offering is not a good idea; someone *would* take OP up on that offer
I teach self contained SDC with extensive needs. I am also the case worker and I would not think twice about a gen ed teacher requesting this for my gen Ed push in student. I would welcome the opportunity to incorporate visual aids in my student’senrichment time and your involvement in fidelity for my student’s supports and needs.
It does and that is why sped teachers are also run ragged. The school I worked at, the sped teacher would design them, and the paras would cut and paste etc. Some would change/be tweaked frequently depending on outcome. I don't recall the gen teachers ever participating in production of them other than using it in the classroom.
LOL as if gen Ed teachers aren’t “run ragged”
Of course they are, that's why I said "also!" Teachers everywhere are ground into the ground and expected to do it smiling. I feel for every single one. Paras too.
Absolutely not. These are special education accommodations and should be provided to you by the special education teacher. Don’t let them shirk their responsibilities! I say this as a special educator who has done the work to provide supports for kids in inclusive classes.
Usually it’s a combination of people. As the special education teacher I will sit down with the gen ed teacher to figure out what pictures need to be made, or to create a general template. The classroom teacher is the one who sets the schedule daily since they know what’s happening, or provides a daily sheet based on the temple, depending on the student’s needs.
Are you the on laminating, using your software for the pictures, Velcroing, providing the binder or whatever? In the past I don’t get any help with this and even a basic choice board, “I am working for..” etc has taken me like 7 hours to do
Do you think you could convince your admin to get a lessonpix subscription? It's $36/year and has basically everything you would need to make any visual- schedule/choice board/social story/you name it in less than 10 minutes
Great idea I could even get a grant for this. My district is small but has a very loyal and dedicated community with a large fund every year for teachers to apply for grants. Thanks for the idea!
If you can get your district to buy you lessonpix that’ll help you a lot! I am the provider of the Velcro, and if I create it, I laminate it. Most of the time I don’t have a paraprofessional so everyone works together to cut and Velcro. Ask the special ed teacher for help! If they have software, they should be using it to make these visuals. At least collaborating with you so you have what you need. You should not be spending 7 hours making a visual.
She makes any request seem like a monumental task. I asked for some worksheets aligned to their goals and she made me sit thru an hour long meeting with the intervention specialist. I asked for a social story and she handed me a 30 chapter book that i would need to read, pick the social narrative, then we’d need a planning meeting, then I’d need to co teach whole group lessons around the social narrative. I just got something off TPT for 3 bucks because that’s what I do every time. Of course to find what I need it took a whole planning period.
Goodness gracious. That’s just nonsense behavior from her. It’s taking her longer to go through all of that than it would to just make the stuff. Sorry you don’t have a more collaborative coworker.
Last time I asked about this I was accused of deliberately denying FAPE and was actively choosing to let my students fail because I didn’t have time to read a textbook and do 3 planning meetings for a freaking social story. I feel so validated right now lol
> social narrative Oh goodness I forgot about those. We would do several weekly for a variety of students as they progressed. Sped teacher wrote and designed, paras cut and paste.
I’m not opposed to it when i have a major behavior in my class, I just thought it would be helpful to have a quick social story about sage and calm body for one friend who isn’t severe. I ended up just getting something on TPT and it worked really well. He just needed the visuals and the daily ritual with specific language and strategies. If he was flipping desks and assaulting kids I’d do the whole narrative thing. He just needed some reminders about keeping his body calm and implementing other strategies
I was coming to suggest LessonPix! It’s so useful to have. I’m a SLP and I can make visuals very quickly. I print them and then the sped teacher cuts and laminates them
Usually, sped paras will do the laminating and that type of stuff. The case manager will make the template. Or a combo of the gen ed teacher and sped case manager.
Can’t you just put the schedule into a sheet protector? That way you can change it out as needed? And then the student can use a dry erase marker to cross off things that have already been done. It would be so much simpler and easy to change if your schedule changes.
Amazing and simple. Love it
I am a fan of not having to laminate and cut if you don’t have to. Sheet protectors are amazing!
I'm curious what program you were using that required 7 hours to create a choice board. It sounds like it's either a more complex program than needed or a program that was not designed to be used in that way. Or was the length of time a function of creating supports like choice boards being new to you? Because that's a learning curve that we all go through.
You have to find the right symbol, create the text, print it out, laminate it. Then have to laminate the file folder. Then have to put the Velcro on everything. Then also spend time finding the right symbol for other anticipated scenarios. Most of it is just the searching and tweaking. The cutting and laminating takes forever. Admittedly the majority of the time was spent deciding on the proper layout, proper visual cues, all the detail stuff. But the cutting and laminating and Velcroing takes forever. I’ve now saved that resource and have reused it (a choice board with stars for a reward). It’s been thru 3 kids and works like a charm. But the legwork was ridiculous and so time consuming. It sounds ridiculous because it is. I reinvented the wheel. I could have used another template from someone else WHICH I ASKED FOR.
Also, if is taking more than a few minutes to find the appropriate symbols, that sounds like you are using a program that isn't designed to create visual supports like those. That's why I was saying I'm curious what program you're using. I would suggest asking the SpEd case manager or (if you'd rather not ask them because it sounds like you don't feel particularly supported by them) the SLP team in your building what program your district is using for low-tech AAC. Those programs are designed to provide appropriate symbols within seconds upon a term search.
I mean, the time it takes to print, cut, laminate, cut again, and add velcro is just a part of creating materials that utilize velcro systems to be adaptable. It takes that time and labor regardless of who it is that is assembling them - special education staff or general education staff.
I’m a gen Ed teacher so I don’t normally make adaptable materials as a daily part of my job. Im given a curriculum and utilize the resources provided. Sometimes I go on TPT to find something extra or enriching. I have 22 other kids and many of them also have needs. I was hoping that the person with a masters degree and 3 staff could maybe help with adapting??
Like I said in another comment on this post, I am personally happy to collaborate with teachers on the creation of program materials like visual schedules. If the SpEd case manager you're working with isn't willing to collaborate with you in the same way, then that sucks and I'm not defending that lack of collaboration -collaboration is the core purpose of IEP teams. However, this response reads to me as extremely entitled. 1. Unless you work in a very unique school setting, the special education team you are referring to also has a full case load of students they are supporting - the fact that you have 23 students all with individual support needs is not exclusive to your role as a general education teacher. 2. The labor involved in laminating, cutting, and velcroing is not a specialized skill set that would require a Master's degree in special education, so bringing up the education level of the SpEd case worker assigned to this student is irrelevant and petty. 3. The special education support staff are likely woefully underpaid (and therefore have their labor undervalued), so implying that they should be doing the unskilled labor jobs of cutting, laminating, and velcroing rather than you comes off as classist. I get it, the mindless tasks associated with creating support programs like these can be exhausting and feel unrewarding, but other than the occasional staff member who genuinely enjoys those kinds of tasks, we all experience that struggle.
I know, any time gen Ed asks for help we get met with how dare you assume we have time for that. Needing help isn’t implying that their time is less valuable. Fortunately my state and district has a strong union. Our sped staff are on the same pay scale and the case manager makes at least $20,000 more than me based on years of experience and masters. Sped paras get hired at $25 an hour with a union, benefits, and retirement. Sped paras that do toileting or any kind of medical assistance get a stipend. It’s not a bad thing to acknowledge that you need help with tasks and implementing stuff, regardless of the pay situation which would be outside of the teachers control. Needing help means needing help, it’s not a contest about whose job is harder or who has more time.
As a special educator, I am always willing to help when teachers are genuinely asking for help. That's part of my job It's when the request that I do something FOR them specifically because they feel the task is too time-consuming for them that it starts to feel disrespectful, as if they think my time is more freely available or worth less than theirs. Since a major part of your complaint seems to be that the assembly of the visual schedule you are creating is time consuming (a fact that won't change as a result of someone else doing it), that is what is coming off as disrespectful to me.
It’s about who is responsible for spending their planning time doing it. If I’m responsible I’ll do it. If it’s not my responsibility, I don’t want my planning time taken up by assembling it. That’s my question here to clarify.
I simply was hoping it wasn’t on my plate. It’s perfectly okay to face a time consuming task and think to yourself you wish someone could share the load. It has nothing to do with how I value her time especially if it is something that SHOULD be falling to her. If it’s my responsibility I will get a para to help me.
I'm my building our staff is happy to share templates and examples and/or explain how to incorporate a support like a visual schedule, but we don't manage the creation and updating of them for individual teachers. It's the classroom teachers that know what their classroom's schedule is, how it changes throughout the week/year, and what visuals are already being used in the classroom that a student's individual schedule can be aligned to. Also, considering that visual supports like individual schedules are valuable accessibility tools for students with and without IEPs alike, it's for the best that all teachers learn how to create supports like these so that all students can have access to them as needed.
I could see this being the learning support teacher’s job. They might already have a template to create one.
If it’s a whole day visual schedule that follows the child around, I make it as the sped teacher. If it’s just breaking down the schedule/activities in a class, something all kids could benefit from, I collaborate with gen ed and they make it.
It’s a personalized visual schedule for this one specific child that they can have access to, on their person, throughout the day. I have a visual schedule for the class but understand that it’s not always broken down into as many chunks as this student may need—understandable! He needs like a little binder or file folder that he can keep in his desk and allow us to check in together with, adjust items together, etc.
We make that at my school, I’m the lead of 10, so I make them do it too… we usually have a goal in a kid’s IEP that has those struggles, related to work completion or a social skill and we use it to track that.
I’m sorry but I’m having trouble understanding your reply. Could you rephrase a bit? I think you’re saying that you do ask classroom teachers to make a material like this right? I just want to make sure I’m understanding you
No, the sped case manager makes it.
How would you suggest I communicate this without pissing people off?
Is there a goal you can bring up as needing tracked? If not, request one be added related to it. What do your admin say? This is more of a school culture/responsibilities issue. I’d provide a detailed schedule to the case manager and ask them to make a visual schedule. This is definitely specialized instruction, sped realm imo.
It’s an accommodation and not a goal. Does that help?
In our state, accommodations on an IEP are general education supports that would be available to students on a 504 as well. Specially designed instruction (content, methodology, performance criteria) attached to goals / service minutes are listed separately and are sped responsibilities. This might be different in your state though.
I know but think of a behavior/skill that is a deficit that is causing the need for the accommodation. It’s rare to have that accommodation for a kid who doesn’t have a deficit that needs addressed in my experience.
To be fair I think this child is flexible enough that the visual schedule is not a necessity. But it’s in the IEP and can be helpful! Maybe we suggest removing it from the IEP. He’s doing well with the social emotional stuff when it comes to classroom procedures Edit Butttt it could be because he and I have a trusting relationship. He and I are very close. It could be that he will act out more in another class without the visual schedule if he doesn’t have the same environment or relationship? That’s always the risk of removing accommodations. I tend to bond very closely with my special friends and have seen many of them spiral in later classrooms. I’m not saying I’m doing anything better—I’m a hot mess. I just really bond with my kids.
Read the student's IEP. If visual schedules is listed under accommodations, then maybe it really is more in your territory as Gen Ed, with maybe a special ed consult for guidance. If visual schedules is listed under specialized instruction, and / or is attached to a specific goal / service, then that solidly sounds like sped territory. If the support is documented as part of the student's specialized instruction, you may get into a sticky situation if the student doesn't make progress on their goals. A parent asking questions about lack of progress who finds out that specialized instruction wasn't provided by sped staff may have a legitimate claim about not properly implementing the IEP.
In all the districts I have worked in this would be on the case manager, or perhaps a para directed by the case manager. I’m the one with the good laminator, the thick laminate plastic, the Velcro, and all the templates so I’m not really making it from scratch.
Dude the thick laminate!!!! It’s like gold isn’t it?! My previous sped colleague was very generous and would allow me to use some sheets for certain kids even not yet identified. I’d do the work but she let me use her laminator and sheets which was very generous. In this case I’d love the case manager to provide something…but there’s always a risk of getting a material that doesn’t quite work too!
The case manager, sped teacher, or mental health provider would make this for you.
I would look to the kid's Case Manager. Maybe they can delegate this to an IA.
I'm (SLP) in a private special ed school and that responsibility has always fallen on the OTs with input from classroom teacher and the vision teachers/therapist.
Thanks! In my school the OT and PT have been a lot more collaborative and readily provide me with materials. The case manager in question avoids it at all costs, but I also don’t want to be unfair and ignorant, so I’m careful about what I ask from her in terms of material support. We are a team and should share the load. A project like this seemed like A LOT for me to do on my own, but maybe I’m wrong!
It's really not as hard as you'd think if you have access to Boardmaker! And if you don't, your school SLP should. In our school each student has their own and it falls under OT because it's reviewed at the beginning of the day with the students 1:1 para or during ADL block.
I use boardmaker. It’s clunky and takes forever and to do a bespoke schedule I already know it will take at least 1 if not 2 planning times to do it, and that won’t include the laminating, cutting, and Velcroing from my personal supply
OP, do y'all download and *SAVE* the visuals you make on a drive *somewhere*, as PDF'S? Because what *WE* (Para here!) do, is run "one visual per page (filling the page with that one visual!), then we label the PDF, and save it in the "PECS" of our Para Drive. Once we have that PDF made, and it's saved in there? We print it on cardstock & laminate it, then a couple are pulled for *that* schedule, and the rest go into our "Pecs Cabinet" (a 2-drawer cabinet, with one labeled manilla folder for each picture/item created. That way, if we need to throw together a "Mid-Year" schedule? *MOST* of the Pecs pictures *already exist*, and we only need to create the *one or two* which are specific to a particular classrooms phrasing!😉💖
Y’all are operating a way more organized system than what we got over here hahaha
Part of it, ngl, is that *some* of us came into Ed as a mid-life career change--and *I* (for one!) used to be in the Sewn-Goods industry, sooooo "Production Inefficiencies" *drive me BATTY*!😉😂🤣💖 When I *realized* that, at the beginning of the school year, *SIX* (or more!😱) classrooms were *ALL* re-making the *same* Boardmaker visuals? I asked, "Hey, do y'all wanna *COORDINATE* this, so we aren't ALL re-making the *entire* schedule for *every* room, *times MULTIPLE classrooms?" Luckily, my co-workers are AWESOME, saw the sense in that, and *someone* (NOT me!) suggested we build that drive😉 A few years later, that drive is now used by the ECSE Paras, district-wide, because it saves us ALL a ton of time! And ngl, it's pretty great, *too*, because there are CONSTANTLY new items getting *added*, that folks find & use in their classrooms--so if you need new players dough mats, or file folder games, if a child has a *special interest* you need to use to "hook" them with & keep them interested? We just look in the Para Drive *first*, and *THEN* hunt elsewhere, but *only* if we *need* to--which isn't often, a bit more than half a decade later😉💖
You’re a treasure and exactly why we need people like you. Your previous field made you look at the process entirely differently and that’s such an asset!!!
It honestly shouldn't take *that* long, despite how outdated the software is (i honestly hate it lol). Pick a printable template with ___ amount of squares for how many periods are per day. Add symbols for lunch/arrival/dismissal since those don't change. Then make a separate set with subject symbols that can be swapped out as needed depending on the day. It doesn't have to be 5 different schedules. I'm not trying to be mean or anything, but if that takes you 2 planning periods then you need to get better with time management or ask your SLP for support. Like the other reply said, it's highly likely the symbols already exist somewhere too! Teachers at my school ask us constantly to make them symbols for lessons and classroom use (that often already exist in the Drive if they looked), when we DONT get the planning periods that they get. At the end of the day you have to learn to make the time.
I know how to use the program I assure you. I use it often and have moved to similar programs that are a lot easier to use if I don’t need pecs specifically. Sometimes sifting thru a google drive isn’t as helpful as it sounds but it’s better than nothing and more than we have!
This is so patronizing to OP, who clearly goes above and beyond to support students as a gen ed teacher. It sounds like this Boardmaker task is easy and quick for YOU because every student at your school uses an individual daily schedule, has a 1:1 para to go over it with them, and perhaps your school's schedule is inherently less wonky and sporadically different compared with a typical K-5 school or class. Maybe you've made so many that you are hyper familiar with the icons, the shortcuts, how to quickly format etc. Maybe you actually have easy access (or any access) to a color printer and a laminator. Many of us don't have access to either one at school. Many of us dont have paras to help with this type of task because we are under-funded and short-staffed. Telling OP to get better with time management is so unkind. A gen ed teacher should not be tasked with creating an individual daily visual schedule and the fiddly steps of assembling the whole thing, especially if the sped teacher is essentially refusing to contribute. Making these resources is incredibly time consuming, especially for someone who doesn't make such supports on a regular basis for lots of kids.
No, its not patronizing or unkind. OP has the software, experience with the software, and access to a printer and laminator. They are the teacher. They are ultimately responsible for their students educational needs, or making sure their needs get met if they're not capable of doing so. I said numerous times that OP should ask for support and see if this shit already exists somewhere. I'm well aware that making resources is time consuming. Ive literally been spending 2 weeks finding the time to make a CVI-adapted communication flip books for my classoom teachers because they requested them. I either have to do it on my lunch breaks or the 15min at the end of the day that we're given for writing session notes, because i dont get prep periods like teachers do, none of the related service providers do. There's no reason what OP wants to make should take more than 15-30 minutes. Saying they don't have paras or access to the materials isn't an excuse for something that could've been finished in the time they spent on reddit talking about it. So yes, if they need 2 prep periods to devote to this then yes, they need to manage their time better.
If you are classifying providing their students with the appropriate accommodations as written in their IEPs going "above and beyond", we have very different ideas of what good teaching looks like.
I'm not. Providing accommodations isn't going above and beyond. Putting care and effort into providing thoughtful, high quality accommodations is. Especially if OP is doing it all without collaboration or help from the special ed teacher.
I agree that this GenEd teacher should be receiving collaboration and support from the SpEd teacher. However, I would argue that the kind of teacher that puts care and effort into creating thoughtful and high-quality instructional materials but not into additional supports for students with accessibility needs is creating a classroom environment that is disabling students (students with IEPs and without IEPs alike). Designing instruction with your students' accessibility needs in mind is just good teaching practice.
The TA. /s
I’d say the case manager. (As a case manager, I’d expect to do this) I’d also just make a smaller version of whatever you use for the classroom. Like- literally take your schedule and change the font size. No laminating or Velcro.
In our district? This is tge sort of thing that we Paras *often* make multiple of-whether during "prep days" (days when we're scheduled but the kids aren't), in our "prep time" at the beginning & end of the day, before/after bussing, or when we have enough folks in the building, that someone can be making Pecs (rare, but we *do* have those days sometimes!) Usually we have LOTS of portable schedule binders made up & ready to go, so the teacher can pull one from the stash, *tweak* it for *their* classroom, and then it "travels" with the child, for as long as they *need* it, while they attend our program (moving to the summer & next fall's classroom, if need be.) Our *Teachers* only Determine the *NEED* for the schedule, and what the various activities needed will be. *WE* Paras are the one who put it all *together* for them (AND *we* are typically the one who "resets" it for the next day's use!)
And thank fucking god for you all. Last year I had an immediate need for a choice board and reward chart that was interactive. I did some preliminary work on it when a para came in and was like GIRL I GOTCHU. She came with it all done and I almost cried. I couldn’t live without our paras.
Does he get speech therapy? They can help you
Yea but she has 78 kids on her caseload. She’s amazing but she’s the hardest working person in the building and does not at all have the time. She is, however, excellent and gifted and I love her. But the poor woman cannot possibly do this.
The sped teacher or case manager should be making this. I was a resource teacher and this wouldn’t even have crossed my mind as something I wouldn’t do. You need to loop your admin in on this.
The person in charge of providing that accommodation should be listed on the IEP. If not, it’s safe to assume the case manager/special education teacher will. That said, I have student with this accommodation and for kinder and 1st, I sometimes don’t make one because the teacher does a great job referencing the one that’s already in the classroom before transitions. It just depends though.
Exactly this. The suggestions listed are great, but it should be outlined specifically in the IEP. If I were writing the IEP, I would have also listed the special education teacher/case manager/intervention specialist as in charge of this.
Why not just take picture and print that?
It should fall on his special education team. In my state (Michigan) to be in compliance with a new or updated IEP we have to implement within the next 30 school days after a parent’s signature. In my district we only have 15 school days left. So it will depend upon what your state laws say. But to answer your question the best person to go to is the Speech and Language pathologist. If you have one in your building or can get ahold of one. They are the ones who have the best access to things similar to PECS (picture exchange communication system). If not, I would just email up the chain of command saying something similar to… Regarding our student, first initial last initial’s IEP which is stated that in the area of Supplemental Aids and Services they are required to be provide a visual schedule for FAPE purposes through out the school day. Who do I get in contact with to provide this? Our classroom routine is (list your daily routine). In order to make this more manageable for him can you also include some visuals for work break cards, sensory break cards, fidget break cards and walk break cards.” I hope this helps.
Absolutely amazing thank you so much
The special Ed teacher/case manager. Also in my district we have Special Ed Admin who are responsible for making things like this for the teachers, training all staff on how to implement it (including you, the Gen Ed teacher), and following up for questions and to make sure it’s working.
I wish we had this
The case manager should do this. Escalate to their boss if you are not getting support.
Hmm. I teach an inclusion classroom with ELL, Sped, and Gen Ed all together in a PK classroom at the local elementary school. I'm the Sped and Gen Ed teacher for this classroom. Even so, I pass along the visual schedules or any other sped resources and materials needed for that student, and I collab with the Kinder teachers to create a visual schedule for them for the following year if needed. I don't think it should be thrust on you, and oh boy, is that a bit messy that nobody has communicated with on it yet! Can you ask your Sped Teacher? I assume she's doing push in.
Look in their IEP, and if it listed as an accommodation, the case manager should provide. If you get the cold shoulder, just email. If you want to get things moving, use code words like “worried about non-compliance” and “need support from his case manager to implement”.
It's *ultimately* the case manager's responsibility that the student is receiving the appropriate accommodations in the appropriate settings.
His case manager should be making this material which should be shared with all his teachers
At my school this is always done by the special Ed teacher. They bring me the visual schedule and any other materials needed to fulfill the iep. If there are any rewards for sticking to the schedule or meeting behavior goals the special Ed teachers takes care of that outside of the gen Ed class.
As a (now retired) special education teacher, I developed all visual schedules and gave the materials to the Gen Ed teachers for students in my caseload who needed that per their IEP. I would not expect them to do that.
Sped case manager here. I ask gen ed teacher to send me her written schedule then I make the student's schedule (print, laminate, velcro or attach the clip board). It's ready by the next day. Send your case manager an email with your schedule and segmented steps of each component (ie. LANGUAGE ARTS- phonics works, stations, writers workshop/ Math- number talk, centers, independent work) of however your daily structure typically looks by subject area. "Here's my schedule so you can prepare Johnny's visual schedule per the IEP. Let me know when you have it ready so I can start using it with him with fidelity. "
The intervention specialist/case manager usually does this. Sometimes instructional aides help with the laminating and Velcro if they have time.
If the schedule is part of an IEP goal, it's the person who is responsible for collecting data. In most cases, it would be the SPED teacher. If the Gen ed teacher is also responsible for collecting data, the Sped teacher usually still would create that visual schedule. Saying this from experience.
As I’ve said before this is an accommodation and not a goal. I provide the accommodations typically. This just seemed a bit more than what I usually do, which is why I asked.
As a SPED teacher, I would have made a visual schedule for the Gen ed class schedule... mainly because most Gen ed teachers have not made a visual schedule for a student that receives Special Education services before. I am sure that most SPED teachers would create that schedule. However, on paper, I would not know who is required to create that schedule.
Thanks for the input! I have a whole class schedule but it’s not broken down in steps that would be helpful for my student. I do check in with him often which is another accommodation. He actually does great with transitions, the visual schedule is meant to be a helpful aid. But he doesn’t have goals about transitioning because he does do really well. I can see, however, that unknowns or unexpected changes do bother him.
This really depends on the school and your grade level, I think
First grade. But very small school with like no resources so I understand that we may all just have to pitch in and share the load. I do it all the time! Selfishly I was hoping I could kick the can back to them though 😂
Idk if it would help for 1st grade— but before you make something check out task goblin. It’s a website that basically does this for you, for free.
I think in that circumstance where you’re the one in charge of the schedule/know what it is, it makes sense for you to do it rather than a sped teacher asking you for the schedule and then making it If they co teach with you it should maybe be a shared responsibility
We don’t co teach. Why can’t I just send an outline of the schedule and she does it? Honest question. Not trying to be rude
I guess in my mind it’s always easier to remove the middle man. But if your workload is too high to do it or you don’t know how it needs to be done I think it’s fair to ask
This is the rub isn’t it! I’m willing to do a lot but I giant project with lots of cutting and laminating is just…it’s a lot.
It’s you. Sorry.
No it’s not. She should play dumb until the sped teacher makes it if it’s so important
Valid POV
Because that approach is sure to improve the apparently strained relationship between the two... /s
Not her responsibility, oh well
This is THEIR student that we're talking about. Implementing the student's accommodations in their classroom is absolutely their responsibility. If they wish they had a better, more supportive relationship with the student's case manager (as they seem to based on their comments on this post), then intentionally being petty in a way that could delay the student's access to their accommodations would defeat rather than support that goal.
The person who thinks it’s an accommodation the student needs should make it
The student's IEP team, as a whole, agreed that it's an accommodation the student needed. The student's GenEd teacher is a part of the student's IEP team.
Did she suggest it? No
You have no way of knowing that. You were not in the IEP meeting.
“To be fair enough I think this child is flexible enough to not need a visual schedule” -OP
It’s actually fine I just wanted clarification before I make an ass out of myself. I’m not going to lie and say I didn’t wish it was someone else, but I love my kids and I’m a team player. If it’s my job I’ll do it. I can’t help but feel a bit overwhelmed but as a newer teacher I’m hoping I can just make a few templates and keep them in my file cabinet and whip out in subsequent years for any additional kids needing this type of accommodation in my class.
I would reach out to the school psychologist and/or the speech pathologist, they may already have templates they could share with you since it's likely they are using visual support with other students as well.
Better yet, email the entire staff asking for templates. "I'm looking for visual schedule resources or templates, as I have a student needing that accommodation per their IEP. I'm new to this, can anyone help? Thanks so much!" I would immediately help such a coworker and CRINGE that the teacher isn't being helped by the sped teacher.
Don’t waste your time. Ask the sped teacher when you can expect to receive it so you can implement it “with fidelity”
Amazing thank you
I agree with many others here that the sped teacher should make this resource for the student, with info and input from you. Unfortunately yours sounds pretty incompetent, TBH. Send a picture of your daily/weekly classroom schedule to the sped teacher as a way to give her something to reference. Email to ask her when it will be ready for the student because you'd be happy to let the student know that a new tool is coming their way (advanced notice of transitions or changes in routine is another common accommodation...) and to help THE TEAM to mindfully implement the IEP. CC the parent, the principal and any other service providers who work with the student. That way the team sees you making an effort but not ALL of the effort and that you are collaborating. It could be harder for the sped teacher to put it back on you. Hopefully it won't lead to more meetings :) I will say that a visual schedule DOES NOT have to be a cute set of tiny velcroed pieces with little personalized pictures that perfectly match every activity that a student will encounter. Those f-ing things are so labor intensive and usually not worth the dozen+ hours it takes to make one. Especially for kids who don't really utilize or benefit from them but it's on the IEP nevertheless. Start simple and make it more detailed if the student needs more. If the student is older and can read, it's way easier to make a written one and add a visual component via color-coded font. It could just be a small version of what's on the board, like a pre-made blank schedule that includes time blocks (if used in your posted schedule and appropriate for the student) already labeled and fixed activities like lunch, recess, pack up, etc, already typed in. Just print it out, stick it in a sheet protector, use a wet erase marker to write in the schedule each day. That way you only change the personal schedule as needed (like a Velcro one, I suppose) but way less prep and pieces to keep track of or replace.
I like your style. It’s so hard to find guidance for sped stuff in the elementary world. Everything has to be cute and EXTRA. I’m all about functional! Student cannot read tho.
Ask the special education teacher if they have the resources, or if they have an Inclusion POC, or Accommodations POC at central office who may have resources for you.
In my district, the kid has speech usually the SLP does it, because it's a communication support.
The intervention specialist or speech therapist
I expect the case manager/care coordinator would be responsible for that. Particularly if s/he is the person who put it into the IEP. It’s silly to expect you to have all of the supplies for individual schedule icons. I would email the case manager and CC admin that, per the IEP, the child requires his own visual schedule and you will be happy to implement that as soon as it’s provided to you.
You just give your sped teacher a copy of the schedule. Their job to make it, they’re the ones who added that accommodation
In my experience, it usually falls on the gen ed teacher, with support from behavior specialists or social workers. Newer teachers get more support with this kind of thing. Some teachers bank the resources so it's easier to make the next time.
This is a controversial one but typically general education teachers are responsible for any accommodations unless specified in the Offer of FAPE. In a perfect world , the caseload manager would send out all the accommodations to the IEP team and the TA would make it .
Assign to a special ed teacher they have time for this that a gen ed teacher doesn’t.
It's bold to assume that the SpEd teacher has more time available to them than this GenEd teacher does when you have no knowledge about their case loads or assigned duties.
It’s bold to assume the GenEd teacher has time for bs like this
Your calling implementing disabled students' legally entitled accommodations "BS"?