Sharing my experience in the classroom as a life skills special ed transition teacher by providing resources and solutions for fellow educators

Down Time is a Good Thing- How to Teach Recreation Leisure Skills
Downtime is where the important life skills are learned! Unstructured time is a good thing! Recreation and leisure skills are skills key for independence and functioning.
 
As special education teachers we are all aware of our students' needs for structure, consistency, and...
...
How to Teach About Savings Accounts
Our fourth topic of the Consumer Math Blog Series is about how to teach about Savings Accounts. Read more about why and how you can teach Savings Accounts using my Savings Account Lesson Unit (click here to get your copy).
 

Purpose of Teaching about Savings Accounts

A savings account...
...
How to Teach Checking Accounts

Our third topic of the Consumer Math Blog Series is about how to teach about checking accounts. Read more about why and how you can teach about checking accounts using my Checking Account Lesson Unit (click here to get your copy).

Purpose of Teaching About Checking Accounts

Checking accounts...
...
Life Skill Rubrics and Checklists You Need
The Life Skills Rubric and Checklist bundle is a perfect answer to your ‘what can they do?’ question. I always seemed to be asking myself that question when I wrote out IEP Present Level of Performance or Functional Abilities and student's strengths before I created...
...
How to Teach the Concept of a Budget

Our second topic of the Consumer Math Blog Series is about how to budget. Read more about why and how you can teach Budgets using my Budget Lesson Unit (click here to get your copy).

 

https://www.aloveforspeciallearning.com/consumermathweekly

 

Purpose of Teaching Budgeting

I’m...

...
Remote Learning Schedule for Individuals with Moderate to Severe Disabilities
If you aren’t already, you probably will be on a Remote Learning schedule VERY soon. I prepped for 4 institute days (and basically my entire summer) thinking my students were coming in person for the first day of school, only to be sadly flipped to remote in the 11th hour. I know it is...
...
How to Teach Income

Our very first topic of the Consumer Math Blog Series is about how to teach Income. You can't spend any money until you've got it! Read more about why and how you can teach Income using my Income Lesson Unit (click here to get your copy).

 
 

Purpose of Teaching Income

I feel...

...
Consumer Math Blog Series: How I Teach...

Over the course of the highly unusual 2020-2021 school year I’ll be releasing blog posts about each of the consumer math topics that make up my consumer math curriculum! My hope is to give your brain some new ways to think about the resources and to show you why I created the lesson unit...

...
TPT Forward Conference 2020: Takeaways

The TpT Forward Conference 2020 has come and gone, and even though it spanned a full week this year, it still went by so very fast. I attended my first TpT Conference in August 2019 and I was so spent from learning I laid on bed in my AirBnb in pure exhaustion at the end of Day 2! This year is no...

...
Is this Consumer Math Curriculum right for you and your students?

Let me take you back to a time before the Consumer Math curriculum existed. I was assigned to teach a ‘brand new’ class back in the day called Math 2 (yes, very specific) and was given little to no guidance on what to cover. I knew the class was going to be the next offering in...

...
Summer Reading: Book Recommendations for Special Ed Teachers

In your favorite chair, at the pool, feet in the water at the beach, these are all acceptable places to not be reading IEP’s, but rather a book for leisure! I've compiled my summer reading list for teachers just for you!

 

I’ve done a little reading this school year, some...

...
Teacher on Summer Break: Maximum Level Summer Fun Challenge Checklist

No, this detox isn’t like the new hair trend where you put lemon juice in your hair to deep clean it and then wait for the sun to lighten your locks (that’s so circa 1998 and no, it didn't work). This Teacher on Summer Break Challenge Checklist will get your mind clear of school and...

...
How to Improve as a Teacher: Reflect Back & Plan Forward

Three cheers for the calendar that shows that it’s that very special school-year-is-almost-over time! I know that my planning slows down, the IEP meetings are done and over, and I’ve resorted to the most boring lunches ever. The end is so close that you can basically taste the sweet...

...
Question of the Day- 5 Ways to Use Conversation Starters

I had a morning routine (that didn't include the Question of the Day for students) that I followed with my class and it’s so predictable that my support staff could run it without me there. Here is what it looks like this-

 
  • “Alexa, start my day” (Yes, we have an Alexa in...

...
Applied Learning Projects- The How and Why (and Tips)

When I think of applied learning projects there is a quote that comes to mind:

 

‘Tell me and I’ll forget, teach me and I’ll remember, involve me and I’ll learn.’ -Benjamin Franklin

 

To me, this quote says- ‘If I can apply the skill, then I have...

...
Spring Cleaning Tips for Teachers: What to do BEFORE Spring Break!

No, this Spring Cleaning Tips for Teachers blog post is not about how you should spend your precious, well-earned week of Spring Break doing work-related activities. In fact, it’s about how you should spend those periods of time BEFORE spring break when your mind can’t focus on the...

...
Functional Math Worksheet Practice in the Classroom

I completed the Basic Skills Assessment (read my blog post about that resource) this past August with my students and after reviewing the results, I realized that my students were weak in executing basic money math and functional math skills. Many struggled with reading an analog clock,...

...
The Windy City- Chicago Things to Do Travel Guide for TPT Forward

First, I HIGHLY recommend you visit the great city of Chicago the next chance you get. I’m biased as I’ve lived here for over 10 years, but this city truly has a lot to offer! The sights, location, entertainment, and the food (oh, the FOOD) are all spectacular.

 

If you plan to...

...
10 Ways to Use Reading Passages in Your Classroom

If you recently purchased a Reading Passage with questions from my TeachersPayTeachers store or own a lesson unit or bundle and want to find new and creative ways to use this type of resource, then this blog post is for YOU! Check out 10 different ways to use the reading passage, True False...

...
How to Use Task Cards in the Classroom- 10 Different and New Ways

I recently added task cards to my consumer math lessons (find them HERE and HERE) because they are so versatile! Now sure how to use task cards in the classroom? I’ve listed 10 different ways you can use them in your classroom, so that your lessons never become boring!

 

How to Use...

...
1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Subscribe to my newsletter!

You will get access to exclusive material (Free Resources password) and notifications of upcoming sales and new resources!