Who has time to make a to-do list when going back to school? There’s just too much to think of, not enough time and how in the world do I get my paras involved? After reading this post, you’ll have a self-contained classroom setup checklist in 8 steps.
You’ll be guided to plan a warming, functional, and organized self-contained special education classroom at the beginning of the school year.
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1 – Floor Plan
Action Steps:
Set dedicated areas (break area, equipment storage, cool down, independent).
Put students with the most needs first (some need more space and storage for medical supplies, distancing due to behaviors, etc.).
Keep in mind other things such as snacks, supplies, student & staff supplies, and storage.Label areas.
Don’t worry, you’ll probably tweak this on the first day, first week, 2nd week, or first month and then…it’ll finally slow down!
If you’re able, keep similar areas grouped together. Create a layout in Powerpoint, or doodle it on paper. Make sure furniture is high enough for students in wheelchairs to ‘wheel under.’
The first image in the picture is independent carrols, set of 4, the 2nd image is another station with an empty metal shelf. The top right visual is a sensory board and lastly is a screenshot of a PowerPoint layout of my self-contained classroom floor plan.
2 – Class Schedule
Action Steps:
Start with non-negotiables-lunch for students & staff.Add in Snack and bathroom time.
Fill in therapies and inclusion.
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| Step 2: Class Schedule |
Within each subject, list rotations (group, independent, break, 1:1, etc.). You can assign staff to these rotations. If you need help with this, see Zoning from Autism Classroom News.
R-Class schedule, students reset their schedule based on this one.
3 – You can never have too many…visuals!
Action Steps:
Look through the IEP, gain parent input, and ask for previous teacher input about student scheduling needs.
Assign a schedule type to each student.
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| Step 3: Visuals |
Remember to include any mini-schedules or task analysis they may need.
Yes, you may have different schedules for each student. Some could have a visual schedule, others could have a tactile schedule, a checklist, or be able to follow a written schedule with times and class periods. There could be schedules in a binder, using a parking lot system, or relying on tokens and timers.
Make schedules interactive and easy to follow. It needs a clear beginning and end.
The left image is inside of a self-contained classroom door with a stop sign and parking lot spots for bathroom, specials, and home. The second picture is a 1-2-3- independent work task system. Lastly, there is a core communication board for games.
Make schedules interactive and easy to follow. It needs a clear beginning and end.
4 – Define Communication needs
Action Steps:
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| Step 4: Communication |
- Make a list of the various communication needs of your students.
- Do you have all the necessary images, devices, and skills to communicate with them?
- If not, reach out to your related services to get support.
- If you need assistance with sign language, I’ve learned so much from lifeprint.com
- Also in this section, I brainstorm how I’ll communicate with:
- inclusion teachers (setup conferencing times)
- parents (daily folder, daily email/google form/dojo)
- support staff (debrief away from students, documentation of incidents)
5 – Compile Behavior Supports
Action Steps:
Tape areas of class to show distinct areas (a great task for support staff).
Add visual directions placed around the room (stop, wait, teacher only, how to….).
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| Step 5: Behavior Supports |
Don’t forget common ‘redirection’ visuals to have on hand (class rules, stop, hands out of pants, sit please, etc.).
Include student reinforcers and fidgets. Have visuals available for them to request or access if needed.
Don’t know what your students like? Ask previous teachers, dig through IEP, ask parents or complete a reinforcement survey with your students.
You can never have too many visuals and reinforcements to try!
The op image is an example of 5 classroom procedures. the bottom image is another set of five visuals such as stop, quiet hands, sit, change in schedule, and hands to sides. Lastly, there is a broken fidget slap hand
You can never have too many visuals and reinforcements to try!
6 – Organize Class Materials
Action Steps:
Sort and label all materials into areas of the classroom (another great task for support staff).
If students are bringing materials, have an area for extras to be stored.
Lastly, plan routines & transitions.
Get clear on how you are going to transition around the class and campus.
Clarify routines – what order is calendar/circle time completed in? What do students do with finished work? Who resets the work, the schedules? Where do staff get data sheets?
Organize, label, and group like items together.
The op left photo of 2 round tables and boxes and a basket of sensory items, in the back of the first photo is a trampoline and yoga balls. The bottom right photo is color-coded Chromebooks storage
Organize, label, and group like items together.
Get help planning you’re transitions, routines, and procedures
7 – Tackle Data Collection
Action Steps:
For this part, you’ll need your daily schedule that was created in Step 2.
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| Lesson 7: Data Collection |
Also, don’t put those IEPs away yet…go through and combine similar goals (CVC words with CVC, counting with counting, etc.)
Next, schedule them into the day (if you’re struggling, see step 8)
Determine how you want to collect data –
- Datasheets – I use this easy DTI sheet.
- Data binders?
- Clipboards – Which I also love-but cover-up b/c FERPA!
- Google forms & QR codes (I input my data into forms, instead of keeping up with all the slips of paper).
Train support staff on collection. Get more details in these 12 steps!
8 – Lesson Plans
Action Steps:
Decide on written or digital? – I use Google docs and add each week as a ‘title’ then I can easily scroll through and find what I need each week.
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| Step 8: Lesson Plans |
First, nine weeks of lesson plans 2020-2021 in Google Docs
Team planning? Unique? N2Y? TpT? PCI? Brigance?
If you didn’t know where to put your students’ goals (step 7) check out the CAPS method that helped me when I first started teaching!
Paras can help prep.
Make a set of sub plans too! Place it in a container and show paras where it’s at for those unexpected emergencies!
This is a screenshot of the google doc lesson plan for the first nine weeks of lesson plans 2020-2021 in Google Docs
This concludes my checklist to set up your self-contained classroom. It’s perfect for back to school, Extended School Year (ESY), or if you need to go back to the drawing board (when you have a new student who starting, or things aren’t going smoothly in the middle of the semester)!
Are there any other steps you add to your setup? I’d love to know. Tell me in a comment below!
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