Jen from The Autism Helper shares two classroom setup tips: save copies of all documents you create in a binder or digital folder so next year you can print everything at once, and place visual supports at student eye level where they're actually used, like by the door or in the bathroom.
As you set up your classroom this year, do your future self a favor and follow this tip. I'm Jen, I am a blogger here at The Autism Helper, and I've been taking you along on my classroom setup this summer. Here's a tip that I started about 5 years ago, and I'm so thankful that I did. When you're making all those beginning of school year copies, make an extra copy and make yourself a binder of all of the copies that you make at the beginning of the school year. From data sheets to parent contact forms to logs, whatever it is you need, put an extra copy in here. Then, at the beginning of the school year next year, grab the binder, put 'em in the copy machine, walk away. This works digitally too, so if you'd prefer to use Google Drive or something like that, Dropbox perhaps, make yourself a digital file. Put all of your files inside and then next year, just print straight from that file. This extra step will take you a minute or two this school year, but next year, it'll save you a ton of time. This is just a friendly reminder. When you're setting up your classroom, put visuals where you use them. For example, this arriving to the classroom visual, it should be right when we walk in the door. So, the first thing we see is this wall, so that's where it's gonna go. Don't forget, sometimes you have to put visuals in other areas, like the bathroom. And if you teach littles like I do, don't put them adult height where you can see them eye level. Put them at eye level of your students. They're going to see them, and therefore they can use them.
