Friday Reflections!

Every Friday I want to reflect on how the week at school went and share it with all of you! This week was the first week of school. Hooray! Among all of the first week paperwork and meetings were some great times in my classroom. This week is all about getting to know our new students and what they like and of course don't like. We also have a lot of fun times with the kiddos without any classwork or demands being placed on them. This ensures that our students will bond with us and will want to work with us in the future. In ABA terms, it is called pairing.

What worked: Last year my students hung their backpacks on command strip hooks. This proved to be a bad idea! At least once a month a hook fell off or broke. Those hooks are not cheap! So this year I decided to buy crates to be used as cubbies in my classroom. At most, we have nine students in our class so I bought nine crates. (Right now I only have 7 kiddos but I'm sure I'll get more soon!) I stacked the crates 3x3 and zipped tied them with the help of one of my assistants from last year. Inside the crates are the students individual binder schedules, their change of clothes, and their backpacks. When the students enter the room they put their lunchboxes on top of the crates, take out their schedules and put away their backpacks. I love this system and I plan on using it again!

Highlight of the week: As the students were having free time and getting to know the classroom and the teachers earlier this week I played a little kids bop! I started using kids bop as a reinforcer for one of students last year and also to have him dance out some of his energy throughout the day. All of the students enjoyed the music and it got them moving! Anyways.... as kids bop is playing, one of my girls is playing at the sand table. Then the song, "Tonight's Gonna Be a Good Night" by the Black Eyed Peas starts playing. Well, my little girl loved that song! She began singing and dancing and having her very own dance party! It was defininetly very cute and made myself and my assistants smile. :)