As an educator, sometimes these things ring true.
You teach your heart out and yet, you still feel like you are drowning.
You feel the pressure of never-ever ending lists, managing all the pieces and not having enough time to get it all done.
It can be overwhelming. It can be draining. It can be exhausting.
When the insecurity sinks in, you start to fear that you are not the right teacher for them. You’re just not sure how to best serve them. You quietly wonder, what is autism classroom organization supposed to look like? Truth be told, you don't even know where to begin.
I believe that you can set up a classroom environment that meets the needs of your students with autism, given the right resources and strategies.
Imagine This…
Imagine feeling prepared and ready to take on the week.
Imaging more successful days for your students.
Imagine an organized classroom team, implementing effective teaching strategies that give students the specialized instruction that they need.
What If...
You are not in this alone?
There are others out there that “get it” too?
You don’t have to be an autism specialist to specialize in running your own classroom?
When you join the AutismClassroom.com community you will learn strategies and techniques to ditch the overwhelm and confidently set up and run your autism classroom.
Every educator who has found their way to an autism classroom has a story. Here is mine.
My first year of teaching was in a classroom of students with autism, and I was stressed, physically exhausted, and feeling like there was never enough time to get everything done. I felt like I was drowning, trying to manage “all the things” and just wanting to do a good job, have an organized class, and help my students have a successful day--without any of them climbing on the table or bookshelf.
I was overwhelmed while running my classroom.
I read every book and journal article I could find about autism and attended conferences, soaking up information like a sponge. I became obsessed with trying to make the room run efficiently. I rearranged furniture, developed a love affair with Velcro, and spent many hours after school and at home making materials--because, of course, there was no curriculum. Years before, a summer job at a preschool taught me about dividing students into smaller groups and structuring those groups for success, and that became my go-to method. I started to feel more confident as I created lessons that would reach my students and found reinforcers that students might work for. I developed systems that were working and felt like I was serving my students' needs better.
I was eventually hired as a specialist to help other teachers run and organize their autism classrooms. I realized that environment and systems are way more important than almost anything else in the classroom. Having this knowledge gave me the confidence to share what I know with others, helping them to create an effective learning environment so they'll feel more in control of their classroom and confident that they're meeting their students' needs.
You can set up a classroom environment that meets your student’s needs.
And, here are some resources Autism Classroom has to offer.
Autism Beginning Teacher Prep Course - Step By Step Autism Classroom Design
How to Set Up a Classroom for Students with Autism Book
Downloadable Lessons & Curriculum for Social Skills, Play, Language, Math, Phonics, Behavior, Task Boxes and More
Student Workbooks for Social Skills, Play, Imitation, Executive Functioning, Basic Skills and More
Blog: Social Skills
Blog: How to Clearly Identify Target Behaviors for a Functional Behavior Assessment
Blog: 3 Benefits of Learning in a Self-Contained Classroom
No matter what you want to achieve, AutismClassroom.com will be right there by your side. Let’s Keep in Touch!
It’s super easy to get started. Here’s how this all works:
