The long-term success of a classroom requires many steps, but luckily, I have outlined a few within this blog that have helped me create an environment that meets the needs of my exceptional education students.

1. Communication

When it comes to communication in the classroom, the best thing to keep in mind is that you and your team are all working toward the same goal: helping your students reach their full potential.

The first step in this process involves keeping an open communication system between all those involved in the student’s educational life. This team includes, but is not limited to, paraprofessionals, therapists, administrators, and parents/guardians. We must communicate each student’s progress, needs, and any adaptations required to break through barriers.  

In my classroom, when students return from physical, occupational, or speech therapy, I make sure to discuss with the therapist about how the session went, what the student worked on, and how I may work toward those goals on a regular basis in the classroom. At the end of the day, I go over this shared information with the guardian to inform them about the student’s day and how they did. Over time, I have seen tremendous carry-over from therapy, to class, and even to home.

2. Organization

Classroom structure is key when it comes to classroom management and effective collaboration. Being well-organized and following a routine is essential to help both you and your students to thrive.

For example, in my classroom we have a schedule for every day. Of course, the content of the lessons may vary every two weeks and lesson delivery can change from day to day, but this helps keep students engaged. My students do know, for example, that morning snack time comes after the class calendar, and after morning snack comes math. This also helps keep my team prepared and focused. I have my classroom schedule posted on my wall to provide a visual reference throughout the day.

Our classroom schedule helps my team prepare for each learning circuit, as they know the content of the lesson and when they are starting. I print out my lessons for the week and have them posted in the classroom as a quick reference. This helps us become more organized, time efficient, and most importantly, engaged with our students.  

My lesson plans, which are distributed to my team on a weekly basis, have detailed information of what is needed to set up each learning circuit. I usually write out the materials and how we will be implementing the lesson. Not only does this provide a list for preparation, but it also establishes the goal of each learning circuit.

3. Expectations: Setting Goals, Training the Team, and Guardian Involvement

I set goals for each of my students to establish and maintain the expectations within my classroom. When I plan my lessons, I like to set different goals for students to achieve throughout each one. I plan both academic and therapeutic goals for each individual student. Once these are determined, this plays a major role in what activities are conducted during each school day and lesson. My students know there are expectations in class and they will be working toward meeting goals. The major message here is to not let our students slip by, but encourage them to keep trying and not give up.

When we talk about expectations, these don’t only apply to our students, but to our team of paraprofessionals, teacher assistants, and/or nurses in the classroom as well. Setting our expectations for the school day, or for a particular lesson or activity, will help everyone stay focused and on task. We must share these expectations for students with our team so they know how to help each one meet those goals.

Finally, we shouldn’t be afraid to set expectations with our students’ guardians. Encourage them to get involved with their students’ education! Open communication with families regarding class curriculum, goals, and carry-over activities will benefit students greatly. For example, if you are working on telling time, you can encourage the parent/guardian to point out the time on a clock at home. They can practice this when the child wakes up, eats, leaves for school, comes home, and goes to bed. They don’t have to do elaborate lessons to create lesson carry-over at home, as even simple conversations can help students retain what you’ve taught them in school and reach the goals you’ve set for them.

Using these three steps in my classroom really makes a difference in the learning environment. By being fully prepared for my lessons, communicating with my team, and setting clear expectations, we all work together to help our students reach their full potential!

If you are interested in learning more tips and tricks on classroom management, check out our micro-credential courses. These courses provide many new tools to add to your teacher toolbox so that you can effectively reach and teach your students. Keep your eye out for next month’s blog on communication strategies for teachers.

Savannah Moffett, Exceptional Education Teacher & Content Creator