I have just moved to a new school district in another state. I must have been very spoiled in my first district, because I only taught English/Reading to grade 9-12 students. I have gone to my new classroom, visited with one of the other LD teachers, and I am scared to death that I am in it over my head. I will be teaching English/reading, Math, Social Studies, Science, and Study Skills, and up to three subjects at a time during the same class period. On top of that, I will be required to do all of the required paperwork for a caseload of 35 students. (in my old state, there was a diagnostician who scheduled the meeting and did most of the IEP, and all I had to do was write goals and objectives) I have looked at the materials provided, and they are poor. The teacher I am replacing let the students nap and play cards, so I have a lot of work to do even before classes start. I am also losing the benefit of a teacher’s aide, which I used to have.
My first question is how do I organize all of this? I just don’t know how I can teach each student what they need to learn this year.
My second question is how to find good yet cheap material, and what is some good material? The students who will be taking social studies and science are very low readers. I don’t know about the rest.
Please help.
Amy
Re: Teaching multiple subjects at a time:orgainization and m
Sounds like a lot of work!!! I teach 7 and 8th grade spec. ed. math. My ld students are in reg. ed. classes except for math. I go with them to their reg. ed. classes and help them as the reg. ed. teaches. It really has made a difference in helping me to feel more organized. Every school is different.
What I would suggest is looking on the internet for interdisciplinary lesson plans. There are many awesome lesson plan sites where you can punch in grade level, subject and a list will come out. Or find a lesson that covers science, reading, math. If you think about it, many of these skills can be blocked together. Although I work on math, my students work on reading skills. They really like working on shopping, writing checks, working out a budget. Real life opportunities.
Science and math can be put together. Use measurement with a science experiment. Percentages in a science experiment. Maybe for each week or month, work on a theme and combine subjects. Find out what the reg. ed. teachers are doing and modify it for your kids. That is what I do. As time goes along you can add more things.
Good luck, any questions feel free to ask.
Rebecca
Re: Teaching multiple subjects at a time:orgainization and m
Hi, I’m a parent of an LD child;
I have a few tips:
1.) Read this book!
Dr. James Levin, associate professor in the graduate school of education at Penn State, and Dr. John Shanken-Kay, a psychotherapist and educational consultant in private practice in Doylestown, Pa., were the instructors. They are co-authors of the book The Self-Control Classroom: Understanding and Managing the Disruptive Behavior of All Students, including Students with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder).
In the workshop, they focused on providing teachers with tools and strategies to manage their classrooms and positively change the educational experience for their students and themselves
2.)Locate your local or school LD support group and be aware of their concerns so you can implement them in the classroom.
3.) Provide lots of Encouragement, patience, and do not judge
4.) Turn the table and ask the students how they would like to complete the work, etc.
5.) Offer monthly reports to the student with words of encouragement no matter how discruntled they may seem.
6.) Every child no matter how old loves to earn privliges (ex. less homework)
Re: Teaching multiple subjects at a time:orgainization and m
Dear Amy,
I am an aide, and studying for certification in SPED. I read your letter with alarm! I wondered what your first move could be, and then I realized it isn’t so much the outrageous paerwork that could overwhelm you, it is the students. I would try right away to establish a good relationship with the kids, and let the “subjects” cover themselves. Weaving in and out of all the material, can you make your own multidisciplinary lesson plans?
I wouldn’t presume to advise, I am hoping to learn something !
Prentice Hall has fabulous lesson plans on their software in Teaching Across Technology, are they useful to you?
Nicola
Re: Teaching multiple subjects at a time:orgainization and m
I appreciate your help, guys. I have been in my new classroom going through all my books and getting organized. There are lots of things that I threw away. (GASP!) I will look for “The Self Control Classroom,” and look for lesson plans on the Internet. I refuse to do packets, because they just deserve more than that.
Re: Teaching multiple subjects at a time:orgainization and m
I would strongly suggest integrating science and social studies into reading/language arts. I found the best way to do this is to create thematic units around a science or social studies topic. Then use authentic literature about the topic to read aloud for comprehension. Then have the student engage in a writing activity, ex. a brochure or diary, about the topic. You can give to separate grades, one for writing and one for the social studies and science. While the students are engaged in the activity, conduct mini lessons in small groups about a writing strategy or lesson or study skills that pertains to the activity, and require them to use the new strategy in the product. You can apply this to math as well in math journals or having them apply the concepts to real lofe situations. Students feel they are learning more when the curriculum is integrated and not chopped up into fifty minute time periods. They feel they can get more in depth with the subject matter and ther are more opportunities for self-initiated learning.
Remember while students are sharing with peers or during free time you can collect information for all that paperwork. See if you can’t get a couple of sample IEP forms to use as guides and for good IEP language and terms. Once you have a basic format and basic language it will become easier to write.
Good luck with the school year. I bet this will be a very rewarding year.
Suzanne
The previous teacher let them nap and play cards because this job as designed would be overwhelming to most teachers, as it is to you right now. It asks you to create order out of chaos.
You need basic supplies. What math books are used? what about combing English/Reading/ Social Studies into one?
And forget study skills. I wouldn’t drum up a separate in class curriculum for that. That they’re with you and working is study skills enough.
How can you possibly do high school science? Do you have a lab in your classroom? Any beakers or bunsen burners? Without a lab, you can’t do science.
Give your science students who are, as you say, poor readers, a science book to read and give them the science of that while working on their reading skills.
good luck to you. These kids and the community are fortunate to have someone like you who’s willing to take such a daunting task on.