I’ll bet you’ve heard the question, “How do you eat an elephant?” Of course, the answer is, “One bite at a time.”
Next question. “How do you achieve success with your students with autism or ADHD or others with “wiggle” challenges?” The answer is, “There’s not just one answer.”
Have you ever played this game?
Sometimes working with our students with special learning needs can feel a bit like the arcade game Whack-a-Mole. I’ll bet you have seen it. A head pops out of a hole and you whack it with a mallet. Then two heads pop out and you hit them. You just get rid of one and more keep coming.
Trying to meet the challenges of some of our students can feel like that game. You try to solve one problem and two more seem to erupt.
We need tools in the toolbox
A wise teacher or therapist needs tools and options. The problem is that the solution that worked so well for us yesterday might feel useless today. That’s why we need lots of tools to choose from.
I love these
I j
ust found Bouncy Bands. Have you ever tried them? They’re great tools for helping contain that extra energy that can fill a typical classroom. The funny thing is that they are not age specific. High schoolers can benefit as much as elementary students.
The Wobble Chair is a simple tool to help wiggly kids
focus and stay on task.
Here’s a quick video
Our students on the autism spectrum achieve greater success when we address their movement and sensory needs. Lots of other students benefit from the same types of adjustments to the “typical” classroom environment.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkjYXhGpc3I
Here’s my question
Are we structuring our classrooms for student success?