806. Sanity Savers in the Regular and Inclusion Classrooms As veteran teachers, we have learned a few tricks that allow us a bit more sanity in our classrooms. Our combined experience of regular education, special education and inclusive education allows our knowledge to be applied in every classroom. Topics will include group work, homework, procedures, make-up work, and more! Presenter(s): Quinn Pletcher, Heather Parker, Sarah West Location: Augusta A

1. Sanity Savers
in the Regular, Exceptional
Children, and Inclusion
Classrooms

2. Introductions
-8th grade ELA teacher
-7 years experience; 5 of those inclusion
Why did I decide to present??
-many teachers at school copying my ideas
-most things come from desire to put responsibility on kids and less stress on
me
-sanity = classes that run smoothly with or without me
-most of the things I will present are for the setup of the classroom so that
teaching can occur

3. Our Background
Heather Parker
*EC teacher
*Taught in Elementary and Middle
School
*Self Contained, Resource, Co-
teaching settings
*Goal is to help regular education
teachers so they can focus on
teaching their content.
*Student behavior problems are
biggest issue lately.
Sarah West
*Science and Social Studies
*First year back in science, so had
to change things up!
*Procedures with planning and
grading have left me with very little
work to take home.
*Guided other teachers with
methods to keep the students
active.

4. Classroom set up and prep
*Desks and tables are set
up for partners, groups of
threes, and fours. Wait a
few weeks into school to
set up.
*”Brown chairs”
*Kids are set up to not
need the teacher at all
even from the 1st moment
of the 1st day.
*EC population needs high
structure and simple
procedures across team.
*Have “Missed or absent
work” pocket folders by
block for students.
*Have 1 tray per block for
papers- turned in and to
return.

8. Beginning of class
Multiple Options for Starters
1) Writing Prompt
2) Have Learning Target with
discussion questions on topic
for the day.
3) Might be directions to create a
Graphic Organizer or thinking
map.
4) Current Event in your content
area to discuss (A discovery,
news story, new formula).
Agenda

9. #107
Use your best
argument skills
and convince me
to buy this canned
unicorn meat! Why
do I need it?
Happy birthday,
Kenzie Drewery!

12. During Class
* Supplies
*Online stopwatch
*All work turned into the trays
previously mentioned.
*Attendance
*Kahoot

13. Grouping
Without Inclusion Teacher-Group
Formations: Heterogeneous or
Homogeneous?
*If working on an activity/strategy
done previously OR one where
students are rotating stations and
mainly graded on work ethic, can
be mixed ability levels.
*When introducing something new,
requiring a lot of text, or larger
project, may need to be
homogeneous for better
differentiation.
With Inclusion Teacher-Group
Formations
*Great for students to be
heterogenous and allow either
teacher to follow certain groups to
ensure students stay at the same
pace.
*Divide and conquer! Have regular
or inclusion teacher pull ANY level
group to the middle for a specific
primary source/ activity to analyze
and follow up on.

14. Differentiation
in Groups
1) Inquiry
Group
2) Computer
Group
3) Vocabulary
Group
4) Teacher
Group

15. Adapt I-Charts to Expectations of Student Level

16. Social Studies Differentiation in Rotations
1) Have two rotations/folders with
highlighted text or not.
2) Same graphic organizers with
different amounts of evidence
required.
3) If timing the stations, need to
minimize sources for some EC
students and extra options for
students who finish early at any
station.

17. *Give students a variety
of sources.
Primary
Secondary
Images/Visuals
*Allows students of
different levels to access
content for whole-class
discussion.

18. Chunked Text and
Graphic
Organizers for
Inclusion● More for your sanity,
allowing you to float from
group to group when
differentiated.
● Allows struggling readers an
opportunity to practice
independence and perhaps
make progress on text while
you are evaluating other
students.
● Note/thought catchers are
EASY and FAST to add when
starting a new lesson.

19. Routines- kids thrive in a routine environment
because they know what to expect.
Daily
Always begin with a
starter.
Have a routine for
checking hw- so you
remember, too!
Interactive Notebooks
Weekly
1) Same homework
assignments due same
day each week for
quick grading during
starter.
2) Small weekly quiz on
Fridays(or any day)
including vocabulary,
stems, big ideas for the
week.

21. After class
Taking a ZERO for Assignments
Student Name_________________ Class/Block________________
Assignment__________________________________________
I understand assignments are posted on the board in each class and I am able to write it in my
planner. Initial____
I understand it is my responsibility to complete my assignments every night. Initial_____
I understand by not having my assignment ready I will get a zero in the gradebook. Initial____
I did not have my assignment to turn in because
__________________________________________________________________________

25. Ways to Adapt HW in Other Content Area
*Extension can be rotated to be a writing assignment one week and then
a non-fiction piece or primary source that they have to analyze all week
to discuss on Friday.
*Can shorten text, sources, or vocab examples for differentiated
learners.
*To avoid burnout, give students only 1-2 final exam style questions a
week.
*This can be a nice routine for Fridays when students expect HW review
and quiz.
*Usually time for a current event discussion, small lab, or group activity
as well!

26. Contact us!
Heather Parker- hlparker@clevelandcountyschools.org
Quinn Pletcher- qlpletcher@clevelandcounyschools.org
Sarah West- sarah_west@abss.k12.nc.us