Hey, it's been a while! I'm happy to be back online after a 2-year hiatus from the blogging world. Last time I wrote a post I was sharing the news that I was expecting twins. Since then, I became a member of a very beloved club which is the Preemie Parents Community after having our... Continue Reading →
My favourite thing about a new school year is CHANGE. While the bulk of my program stays the same from year to year, I thrive on the opportunity to find new ideas and implement them into my classroom to either improve an area of my teaching or enhance what is already there. This year I... Continue Reading →
The beginning of any school year comes with a lot of anticipation and anxiety. As teachers my husband and I prepare ourselves for the transition from a restful summer to the hustle of back to school by setting our alarms earlier and earlier everyday for the last week of summer. It never works, and after... Continue Reading →
When the school year ends, I like to reflect on the journey from September to June from the lens of the staff and the student. When I think of success in teaching, I think, what was the most rewarding part of my year? It may not have been goals met or marks achieved, but rather, a day... Continue Reading →
April 2nd marks Autism Awareness Day, and is an especially great day for ASD teachers as it allows us to break our focus from the few children that we have focused our entire year on and 'spread the wealth' of acceptance to the rest of the world. In honour of the day when we recognize... Continue Reading →
This weekend marks Mother's Day and a time to reflect on our own journeys through Motherhood and also those who inspire, connect and support us. I have used my good friend Andrea Haefele's posts about her daughter Bella in the past, with the efforts to bring to light the struggles and successes of raising a... Continue Reading →
Discovering a passion for Special Education early in my career, I never gained experience in nor desired to have a "mainstream" class of my own - not yet anyway. In my current position I focus on behaviour needs and have the opportunity to visit many different classrooms outside of Special Education settings - many being... Continue Reading →
Today, April 2nd, marks World Autism Awareness Day. Today we Light it Up Blue in our homes and schools to show support for those who live with Autism, day in and day out. In my career, I have the opportunity to work with extraordinary teachers and families of children with exceptionalities. Having a sibling with special needs myself, I find... Continue Reading →
In a Special Education setting, behaviours must be taught, practiced and reinforced in order to maintain and generalize skills for different environments outside of your classroom. Keep it simple and expand when necessary, starting with these tips. 1. Establish a set of rules. Provide a visual of the rule you want your student to follow. Simple picture communication symbols are... Continue Reading →
The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) was created to develop, implement and enforce accessibility standards for goods and services across the province. Read more about the ins and outs here, but in short the Act ensures that businesses and public spaces allow appropriate accommodations for people with disabilities to participate fully in society like... Continue Reading →
ASD Teach 