Planning for Students with Special Needs

I often feel very privileged to have an amazing team of teachers that I work with every day. My team is dedicated, passionate, and willing to do whatever it takes to help our students grow. My school receives recognition for the way teachers support students with special needs. Families and elementary schools recommend my school to other families because of the amazing work we do to include students with special needs in the general education classroom while still providing the supports they need to succeed. 

Parents are the Students Best Advocates

Even though I think I work with some of greatest teachers, the strongest advocates I know for students with special needs are their parents. Even if your child is at an amazing school with amazing staff and teachers, it’s still important for parents to advocate for what they know is best for their child.

The amazing thing about the beginning of a new school year is that it allows families with students who have an IEP to review how the previous year went and to plan for the upcoming year. It’s important that families not wait for the school to reach out to the family. You know your child best, so be proactive and communicate your child’s needs!

Study Last School Year’s IEP to Plan for the New School Year

Here are some things you can do during in the next few weeks to prepare:

• Review your child’s IEP goals from the previous year. If your child was successful, how can you push him or her and the school to get to the next level in the upcoming year. If your child did not meet the IEP goals, determine where they fell short. Then, think about what you, your child, and/or the school needs to do to make that learning and growth happen next year.
• Look at the standards for the upcoming grade level for your child. You can find them just by Googling your state + K-12 Standards. They are dense, but try to read through them and think about what your child will need in order to access and master these standards. This is not about you being the expert. It is about making sure you are aware so you can advocate for your child.
• Talk to your child. Ask them about what they learned last year and what they hope to accomplish next year. Ask them what helped them feel successful and ask them what barriers they encountered. Use these conversations to help them learn how to improve and use the information to help you be a stronger advocate for your child.
• Practice IEP skills at home if you feel you can support your child.  If their IEP goals are behavioral, help them practice those skills; learning should not stop just because it’s a new school year. If the goals are academic, have your child engage in skills that are related to keep the learning fresh throughout the school year.  Keeping your child up to pace will help ensure they can hit the ground running in the fall.

Math + Reading = Summer Growth!

Summer learning is not a new concept. Schools have always pushed summer literacy through reading challenges, summer reading lists, and regular visits to the library. But as we push for kids to not backslide during the time away from school, we often neglect a higher area of need for many students: math!

As an educator, I talk with more parents who are tentative about their ability to help their kids with math at home than those who are hesitant to push reading. In most families, parents feel comfortable having an expectation that kids read at home or that kids participate in family reading time. This is largely because parents feel more comfortable with reading than math. Reading is a skill that many students can practice independently, especially as they get older. I would never discourage any parent from having a summer reading expectation for their child. Rather, I encourage parents to make time for both reading and math practice during the summer. Here are some ways you can practice math with you kids during the summer months.

Practice Multiplication Tables and Flash Cards

I do realize that this is will not be the first thing your kids want to do. Furthermore, I do realize that new math standards are asking kids to develop a stronger number sense and deeper levels of mathematical understanding. I also know that one of the key skills that holds kids back as they get into higher levels of math is their inability to do math quickly in their heads. Sadly, I regularly see kids in middle school using their fingers to add, subtract and multiply. While rote memorization of math facts is not a standard in most states, it is something that will help kids succeed as grow. Kids who can do simple math (multiplication, addition, subtraction, division) in their heads, are far more successful and can learn complex math more quickly than peers who still struggle with these basic facts. At home, parents can print out multiplication tables or use flash cards with their kids to practice. This will make a world of difference when they return to school.

Practice Verbal Math Problems

Give kids verbal math problems while you drive or when they are bored at home. For example, on the way to the store you can say, “If I went to the store and I bought 10 apples, then Daddy eats three when we get home, how many apples will we have left?” Just giving them opportunities to practice the skill of understanding these problems and doing the math will help hone their ability to think mathematically in all areas of their lives. Of course, you would need to change the difficulty or complexity for older students.

Solve Home Maintenance and Cooking Math Problems

Have your kids help with home projects and cooking. I have recommended this in previous blogs because it brings math into real world experiences. If you’re planning your 4th or July or end of summer cookout, you can say, “One person would eat 2 hot dogs. We’re going to have 23 people. How many hot dogs will we need. (46). Good! Now, hot dogs come in packs of 8. How many packs should we buy?” There are many examples like this, just try to include your kids when you’re doing home math!

Math Learning Can Be Fun

During the summer, let’s push both math and literacy to keep our kids sharp for the next school year!  Comment below if you have any summer math ideas!

Avoiding the Summer Learning Slump

My brothers and I recently went to breakfast during a week when we all visited my father in our home town. As we usually do when we visit home, we reminisced about our childhood, fun events, and experiences we have reminisced many times. Since we were visiting during the summer months, we talked about summer street fairs, days spent biking around the neighborhood, playing street hockey and basketball at the local park, and cookouts in our backyard. We also discussed my mom and how she organized our summer experience.  We didn’t realize it then, but the experience she gave us is one that I have shared with countless families in my role as a school principal, as it ensured a strong balance of fun, responsibility, and learning.

How Parents Can Structure Time

One of the pitfalls of the summer is the abundance of free time kids have. As parents, we must be intentional about helping kids fill that time when they are young so they build the life habits they need to lead productive lives as teens and adults. My mom had the perfect approach that kept my brothers and me productive, but allowed us to have a healthy balance of fun. She made sure that we had daily tasks or chores to complete. We had limited screen time and we always had time and resources for reading.

The Value of Chores

For chores, we had a list of To Dos that she wrote and had on the counter before we even woke up.  We got breakfast, were able to relax a bit, but then we had to get started on our chores. These included cleaning, organizing, and helping out with all the yard work. Each day was different, but we knew the routine and were able to do the things we wanted to do once the work was done. This was not only effective for running our household, but it also helped us learn the important life lesson of not procrastinating or putting off what needs to get done first.

Coupon Time Rewards

Although my childhood was in the 80s and 90s, and screens were far less ubiquitous than they are these days, we did have a TV and a computer. There was still plenty of entertainment between movies, TV, and games that could easily fill a day, but mom created coupons for us.  When we finished the chores for the day, we earned 30 minutes of screen time. We could earn extra time, up to 90 minutes per day, by doing extra chores or by doing extra reading. She also encouraged us to save our screen time so we could watch a movie as a family a couple of times a week. We often saved our minutes so we could participate in the family movie time.

Reading for Fun

In terms of summer learning, she made sure that we were always prepared to read. Each year on the first day of summer, we would go to the book store and each of us would get to buy a couple of books. We also took regular visits to the library so we could supplement our book collection. This helped if we didn’t make the best book choice at the beginning of the summer, or if we got through our original book selections quickly. As part of our summer requirements, we were expected to read for at least 30 minutes per day.

Creating Meaningful Summers

Finally, and possibly most important, we were not allowed to say we were bored. We had chores, earned screen time, enjoyed a room full of books, and explored the wonderful outdoors. If she heard us say we were bored, even if it was not said directly to her, she would fill the entertainment void with more chores. We learned quickly to find new adventures outside, or to enjoy more relaxation time reading our books.

I am eternally grateful for the summers my mother designed for my brothers and me. As I now try to create meaningful summers for my daughter, I realize the effort and planning my mom had to put in to make sure our summers were time well spent. I appreciate the life lessons she taught us without my brothers and me even being aware of the lesson at the time. I encourage all parents to think about how you can structure summers for your kids. And as you design what works best for you and your family, remember to always include summer reading!

10 Summer Outdoor Activities That Build English Language Skills

Summer is one of the most powerful seasons for growing language skills, especially for children learning English. As a teacher, I’ve seen firsthand how stepping outside can lower pressure, increase engagement, and create meaningful opportunities for authentic language use. Nature gives us built-in vocabulary, real experiences to talk about, and endless chances to practice listening and speaking in a natural way.

For students learning English, language grows best through real-life experiences, not just worksheets. Summer offers families a chance to build those experiences together. The best part? You don’t need anything fancy—just time outside, curiosity, and conversation.

Here are 10 simple, practical ways parents and grandparents can build English while enjoying the outdoors:

1. Take “talk walks”
   Go for a walk and intentionally talk about what you see, hear, and feel. Use simple, descriptive language: “The grass feels soft,” “I see a tall tree,” “The bird is flying.” Encourage your child to repeat or add on.
2. Name and describe everything
   Nature is full of vocabulary. Point out objects and describe them using color, size, and shape: “small rock,” “bright yellow flower,” “long stick.” This builds both vocabulary and sentence structure.
3. Use the “I notice, I wonder” strategy
   Say, “I notice the clouds are gray. I wonder if it will rain.” Then invite your child to try. This builds both expressive language and critical thinking.
4. Create a scavenger hunt
   Make a simple list: leaf, bug, flower, something smooth, something rough. As your child finds each item, have them say the word and describe it. This adds repetition and meaningful use of new words.
5. Practice verbs in action
   Summer is perfect for movement. Use action words while playing: run, jump, dig, pour, splash. Model sentences like, “You are running fast!” Verbs are essential for building strong sentences.
6. Tell simple stories about your day
   After being outside, talk about what you did in order: “First we walked, then we saw a dog, and last we played.” This helps children practice sequencing and past tense language.
7. Sing songs and rhymes outdoors
   Songs build rhythm, pronunciation, and memory. Try repeating simple songs while swinging, walking, or playing. Repetition helps language stick.
8. Ask open-ended questions
   Instead of yes/no questions, ask: “What did you see?” “Why do you think that happened?” “How did it feel?” Give your child time to respond, even if it takes a little longer.
9. Encourage home language connections
   If your family speaks another language, use it! Talk about nature in both languages. This strengthens overall language development and helps children make connections between words and ideas.
10. Model, don’t correct
    If your child makes a mistake, respond by modeling the correct sentence instead of correcting directly. For example, if they say, “Dog run fast,” you can respond, “Yes, the dog is running fast!” This keeps communication positive and supportive.

The goal isn’t perfection—it’s interaction. Language grows through connection, shared experiences, and conversation. When children feel relaxed and engaged, they are more willing to take risks and try new words.

So this summer, step outside. Slow down. Talk more. Listen closely. Whether you’re at a park, in your backyard, or just walking around the block, you’re creating powerful opportunities for language growth—one conversation at a time.

Collaborating with Teachers

As a new teacher, I believe collaborating with other teachers and leaning on veteran colleagues is crucial to surviving your first year as a teacher or your first year at a new school.

Be Curious About Your Environment

• Approach everything with humility.
• Absorb as much as possible about the school culture, especially the language they use for students schoolwide (follow the ABCs, follow the 4C’s).
• Get to know your neighboring teachers.
• Get to know your grade level team. Ask how they work together and understand their collaboration style. Are they open to meeting anytime? Do they prefer to plan on their own and only meet together to discuss assessments?

Ask a Lot of Questions

• Don’t be afraid of asking questions.
• You will have colleagues that welcome you warmly and extend a hand for any questions you may have.
• Learn about the routines for the first day of school, or the pathway to walk students to recess and lunch.
• Throughout the year, ask for various teachers’ perspectives about their approach to bathroom usage or their rules for online games.

Meet Together with Your Induction Mentor Weekly

• Prepare for these meetings. Write down questions about procedures and classroom management challenges.
• Share your successes and challenges when implementing curriculum from various subjects.
• Ask for specific resources to enhance teaching specific subjects.
• Bring examples of student work that include both successes and challenges for added support.
• Build a portfolio of student work with the mentor’s feedback.

Seek Support from the Principal

• Build a healthy rapport with the principal during staff meetings and individual check-ins.
• Seek guidance when peers and the induction mentor recommend that you reach out to the principal for added support.
• Support and implement the recommendations that the principal gives during classroom observations.

Share Resources and Ideas

• It is better to collaborate than to reinvent the wheel every single time.
• Collaborating with other teachers allows for novel activities to be created that meet the needs of specific classes.
• Take initiative with the team in sharing unit ideas and helping develop them into teachable modules. Examples might include locating digital resources, assembling templates, and creating art projects that teachers can use with students.

These are examples of successes in working together with colleagues to create a purposeful learning environment that inspires the students to reach their highest potential.