Setting up for Success - Back to School

As each student enters his/her classroom on the first day of school we are reminded of the importance of providing structure and predictability from the start.  The classroom schedule and room arrangement are vital components of the overall program for secondary students.  Providing both students and staff with a consistent schedule maximizes student engagement and instructional time.  Creating a daily schedule that incorporates a variety of student needs can be a daunting task both at the beginning of the year and throughout the school year as needs change.  Providing staff with a daily schedule that includes details of student supports can be pivotal to increasing student independence in routines.  Here is an example of a detailed schedule of supports that was created on the STAR Media Center E-Scheduler:

Click here to learn more about the Links Curriculum!

Another way to accomplish consistency and predictability within the school day is by setting up the classroom environment to increase independence. Both general and special education teachers arrange classroom environments to maximize learning and encourage independence. Here are a few recommendations for setting up your classroom for success:

·         Create distinct areas within the classroom for different types of instruction/activities

·         Use clear and consistently located visuals and labels

·         If needed, design one to one areas to support instruction in Links Lessons

·         Create locations in the classroom to support Links routines such as leisure, cooking and independent work areas. 

Below is a classroom map example