ALIST Spotlight-- Therese Garison, Helke Elementary

Our ALIST features a variety of educators who go above and beyond to meet the needs of their students. Therese Garison at Helke Elementary in Vandalia is a paraprofessional who is an incredible example of someone who goes above and beyond. Therese is a team player who is always open to new ideas and creates fantastic supports for students. Today's ALIST Spotlight highlights these supports created by Therese.

Sensory Supports
Therese has provided students with a structured work area for completing assignments. This study carrel provides a space for students to work on assignments with reduced visual distractions.

Therese has incorporated supports for active movement breaks using the taped track below.

As well as passive calming breaks in a comfy bean bag with a favorite book.

Visual Supports
In addition to the structure of the environment, Therese provides structure using visual supports. We LOVE this visual schedule which provides the student with forced choices at certain times of day so that they have shared control of what work to do.

She communicates regularly with parents using a visual recall sheet.

Visual supports are also a great way to support communication and emotional regulation. We love this clever speech bubble request board and the feelings board with body picture so the student can point to any body part that may hurt.

Instructional Supports
Therese does a great job of incorporating student interests and getting them involved in their learning. She chooses learning themes that are motivating and allows the student to create their own learning tools such as the independent word wall and hunks and chunks posters.

We are so fortunate to have Therese as part of our ALIST and her students are very lucky to have her!

Organization Station-- Scheduling Center Rotations

Centers rotations are a popular instructional strategy in many of the classrooms we coach. They are a great way to provide individualized, differentiated instruction to a group of students with diverse needs. They can also be a great way to utilize classroom staff in a meaningful way through leading skill practice groups or monitoring independent work activities. Today's Organization Station features center rotation schedules for both staff and students. 

Planning Logistics

Before developing a schedule, you need to consider the logistics of your centers rotations. 

• Who?- Decide which students and staff will be included. Group students as needed.
• What?- Determine what each staff member will do during your rotations. For rotations led by support staff, determine how you will communicate what they will do during that center.  Decide what students who are not at a staff-led center will do. Make sure this activity is something they can do independently
• Where?- Decide where each center will be located. Determine how these locations will be clearly defined for students. 
• When?- When will your center rotations occur? How long will each rotation be? Allow for transition time when planning.

Staff Schedules

Now that you have determined the logistics, you will need to communicate with staff to let them know which students will be assigned to them at each rotation. Each staff member should be given a copy of their schedule and the schedule should be posted in a central location for staff to reference if needed.  

Amy Beanblossom
Arcanum Elementary, Arcanum

Carrie Prickett
Jane Chance Elementary, Miamisburg

Sarah Moore
Warder Park Wayne Elementary, Springfield

Simply Visual

Student Schedules
An essential part of centers rotations is communicating the expectations to students so that they know where to go during transitions and what to do at each center. In some classrooms, students refer to a center chart which lets them know the sequence of their rotations.

In this 1st grade classroom, student groups were assigned a superhero to correspond with the class theme. The student names were listed next to the superhero icon and then the various center locations were represented with icons. At the end of a rotation, the teacher used a wireless doorbell to cue students to go to their next center location.

Megan Kelly
Beavertown Elementary, Kettering

In other classrooms, students may need more guidance for transitions so staff uses a location-based schedule where students can match a schedule icon to the corresponding location. At the end of the rotation time, an auditory cue signals students to check their schedules again and match the next icon to the next location.

Christine Scarborough
Tecumseh Elementary, Xenia

Jennifer McGowan
Smith Middle School, Vandalia

In this preschool classroom, students had free choice over where they wanted to play but they needed a visual to help them "check in" to the center where they would stay until the next rotation.

Brandi Howard
Rosa Parks ELC Preschool, Dayton

For more ideas on organizing your classroom's center rotations see our previous post:

Organization Station- Centers

Regulation Rendezvous- Classroom Calming Sensory Space

Last month we shared ways to use a small space to make a big impact through creating a Mini Calming Sensory Room. But what do you do if your school doesn't have a room big or small to dedicate to this space? Don't worry we've got you covered in today's Regulation Rendezvous featuring ways to create a Calming Sensory Space right in your classroom!

For some classrooms, a dedicated calming corner provides students with a place they can go to take scheduled breaks throughout the day or when they need to regroup. Cozy, flexible seating is a common feature of a calming corner along with favorite books or fidgets.

cozy corner with classroom library
Kelli Medina
Monticello Elementary, Huber Heights

Sensory corner with tent, beanbags, and heavy work shelving job
Rhonda Brunk
Trotwood ELC Preschool, Trotwood

Calming corner with artwork and counting activity
Barbara Martin
Watts Middle School, Centerville

portable bean bag with favorite book
Therese Garrison
Helke Elementary, Vandalia

Back rest with weighted blanket
Sandy Beck
Broadway Elementary, Tipp City

Khristie Reed
Kettering Middle School, Kettering

Megan Kelly
Beavertown Elementary, Kettering

Christine Scarborough
Tecumseh Elementary, Xenia

Jordan Bauman
Baker Middle School, Fairborn

Katy Philpot
Rosa Parks ELC Preschool, Dayton

Bobbi Jo Chapman
Snyder Park Elementary, Springfield

Karen Shires
Valley Elementary, Beavercreek

Some students require more physical boundaries to keep them in the designated area and to reduce visual clutter while they are taking their sensory break. Classroom equipment such as dividers, shelving, or filing cabinets are great physical boundaries. Curtains provide an easy way to close off the space as well.

hallway calming space between filing cabinets
Sandy Beck
Broadway Elementary, Tipp City 

tent with inflatable mattress and fidgets
Lindsey Woods
Fairborn Primary, Fairborn

calming space between shelves with deep breathing folder
Emily Ottmar
Stevenson Elementary, Mad River

calming spaces in classroom closets
Angela Crum
Parkwood Elementary, Beavercreek

Emily Ottmar
Stevenson Elementary, Mad River

Mark Tracy
Wright Brothers Elementary, Huber Heights

Tents can be another great way to create physical boundaries. Both stationary and pop-up tents are popular options. *It is worth noting that some students with sensory needs are bothered by the vinyl texture of some tents.*

Keelin DiMuccio
Fairbrook Elementary, Beavercreek

Marissa Calhoun
Fairbrook Elementary, Beavercreek

Rylie Jarrett
Stevenson Elementary, Mad River

Margaux Mayhew
Rosa Parks ELC, Dayton

Taylor Ruef
Stevenson Elementary, Mad River

Tabitha Eaton
Main Elementary, Beavercreek

Larger classrooms sometimes have a bigger space to dedicate to sensory equipment and supports.

reading loft with sensory space underneath
Kim Hampton
Broadway Elementary, Tipp City

Pandy Pugh
Indian Riffle Elementary, Kettering

Jessica Ward
Rolling Hills Elementary, Northeastern

Amy Beanblossom
Arcanum Elementary, Arcanum

Jennifer Jette
Vandalia-Butler High School, Vandalia

Katy Boston
Morton Middle School, Vandalia

For more ideas on larger calming sensory spaces check out our previous posts:

Home Base

Stevenson Elementary

Smith Elementary

Dayton Public Schools

Springfield City Schools