Nervous

[arnolamy]

Hi, I am a 1st year teacher in a self-contained middle school classroom. Does anyone have any tips on setting up a basic daily schedule? I was also nervous about activities to do on the first day or week of school.
Thanks for the help…its needed!

[hweber]

There are many threads here about first day activities, just look through the boards or use the search box. There are some great ideas. What grade level are you teaching? Around here in middle school, teachers usually teach 1 subject all day long and schedule is set by the admin.

[FrazzleDazzle]

My advice is to set up a schedule as quickly as possible. :laugh: But seriously, folks....

I hate the beginning of the year when there is no schedule. I don't know how much of my situation applies to you, but here is what I do: First, I set up the aide or aides I might have into working with the kids for big blocks of time so that I can chase people down whom I need for scheduling. I may have kids in a few inclusion classes so I need to talk to Guidance and to classroom teaches, I have to set up a time for specialists (speech, physical therapy, occupational therapy, adaptive phys. ed), and we are able to take 1-2 trips a week with a school bus into the community so I set up a regular pick up time with them so I am not having to set up a time each week. I make a chart of what therapies each student needs that helps with that. My own classes can be worked around those.

Find out what you have that has to be at a certain time and do that first. Make sure that a planning period for you is scheduled. DON'T tell yourself you are "just doing what needs to be done," or "there's no alternative," or spend all of your planning time with students.

[NewTeach]

I agree - the schedule is so hard to do and so confusing to follow! I have 9 student who all go to different pull-outs, different specials, have speech or APE or whatever! I don't have enough people to go with each student, so I have either send a student out to lunch alone and hope they return at some point, or make them miss recess or PE for no reason! I am stressing right now about my schedule/aide situation, but I'm sure it will work out eventually! I just try to make an individual schedule for each student and graph them all on a time chart, and hope we can all follow it!

[Jena]

Maybe you can gather some sage advice from a trusted teacher within your school... you know, see how they might do things. Coincidentally, I found some really good classroom planners from Borders the other day. Though they won't help you plan a curriculum, they will help you to keep your classroom ideas organized and schedules on task. I am going back to purchase one and I'm not even a teacher. Good luck with your planning
and with your career! :clap:

[ms.jodi]

Can you tell me more about your class? I am a self-contained middle school teacher as well but that can mean a million things! What are your students' issues? What subjects do you teach (I get to teach them all!) and are they all new to you, new to each other? I have some good ideas but not sure they'd work since I don't know much about your situation!

[arnolamy]

I teach it all...it is based around functional academics and lifeskills. I have a wide range of abilities: AI, SXI, OHI, CI, and Ei. Some are non-verbal but most are moderatley impaired (right in the middle). Any advice would really be appreciated! Thanks in advance!

[casaazul18]

Have a daily lesson plan... with twice as much work as you think it will be. 1st period lets say is discuss and then write about a topic or journal starter, then reading. 2nd period math, 3rd etc... That way every day is the same, yet students can come and go to related services etc.

Once you figure out your students, you will know which ones like certain activities. Have plenty of word search, coloring sheets, books of all levels and types, hands on games and building etc.

Learning life skills is always important, we do money skills every day, both manipulatives and worksheets.

Read everything you can on these forums and elsewhere. Find a more experienced teacher to advise you.

Hang in there, it does get easier, oh... in about 180 days, lol!!

Debbie:rofl: