Hi! I am new to this forum, and wish I would have found it sooner! Anyway, I am a second year intern teaching K-2. I was pretty overwhelmed my first year, and now, getting ready for the new year, I am hoping to get things going a little smoother. I did not really give homework to all of my students, except for several of my higher functioning students who completed it sporadically. I will have many of the same students back this year, mostly a pretty low functioning group. IEP goals include recognizing letters in their name, learning to write their names, counting and ordering numbers 0-10 mostly. If I do homework, I know it needs to be individualized, but on the other hand, I can't just overwhelm myself with more things to prepare, as I am already struggling with keeping this many little hands and minds busy during the day. I am still "tweaking" my daily schedule. Opinions and ideas would be greatly appreciated.
Make one packet that they can do each day for practice
Example:
One task can focus on writing their names - make a copy of their name (with tracer font or make it yourself) Some students may have their fist name only in very large font once or twice. Another student may have their first name 4 times in a smaller (still large) font and another student may have first and last names on it. Place the name sheets in page protectors or laminate and have the students trace their name with their finger five times and then with a dry erase/vis a vis once (or whatever is appropriate.
Activity 2: Write their names on a card stock sentence strip and cut into 3-5parts. Have the kids put their names together 2-3 times.
Activity 3: Print numbers 1-5 on card stock and have them order them a few times. When they seemed to have mastered that send home cards with dots and have them match dots to number & order them, then add numbers/dots as needed.
This all depends on parent involvement, of course. If you want to document it, make a cover sheet that the parents initial each day and make a comment on how hard/easy it was. That can also help you decide when to make it more difficult.
I taught a K-2 autism class and I gave out homework on Monday and expected it back on Friday. Every assignment was individualized for my students. I gave them 1-3 activities (for example, reading, math, spelling, reading comprehension, writing...) to do every night. Some of the activities were to be repeated every night. My students earned free play on Friday afternoons for 30minutes if they had completed their homework. Students who turned in incomplete work were able to finish their work during free play time and join in when they have finished it. Those who turned in no homework had to stay at their desk and I gave them an assignment and a learning center to complete.
I'm so bad at homework, I'm glad it was posted. When I had mild/moderate kids I made individualized work packets and whatever they didn't get done that day was their homework. Now I've got really low guys and uninvolved parents. One guy is still trying to write "s" for his name. I am thinking of maybe some glue-the-yarn to the letter homework for him. I dunno. Then I've also got a really low functioning guy in moderate range who's mother & advocate have him in gen ed for 4 hours a day! Yeah, I don't know what to prepare for his classwork, let alone his homework! I like Tasha's ideas. Those would be easy to implement....maybe number line that had to be put in order a few times (cut into pieces), matching numbers to numbers up to ? with velcro, maybe even finding 1 object or picture from home that starts with a specific letter or sound.
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What would you attempt to achieve if you believed it was impossible to fail?
I taught a K-2 autism class and I gave out homework on Monday and expected it back on Friday. Every assignment was individualized for my students. I gave them 1-3 activities (for example, reading, math, spelling, reading comprehension, writing...) to do every night. Some of the activities were to be repeated every night. My students earned free play on Friday afternoons for 30minutes if they had completed their homework. Students who turned in incomplete work were able to finish their work during free play time and join in when they have finished it. Those who turned in no homework had to stay at their desk and I gave them an assignment and a learning center to complete.
Proud2BATeacher,
I also teach a 1-2 classroom for students with autism. I always struggle with what type of homework to give. I really liked you idea of free play time.
I did have a few questions?
Is the homework you give paper and pencil assignments or other types?
Can you give an example of reading, math, reading comprehension and writing assignment that you give for homework?
Something that worked well with my students with autism were folder games. My students usually were not fans of paper/pencil activities. I had a huge bin of folder games that my paraprofessional made during her down time. I would select one that would reinforce a skill that we were currently working on or had recently mastered. I set it up so that each night was a different "focus." For example:
Math - I only send home work that I think they will be able to do independently or need minimal assistance. I will just tear a page out of their math workbook and have them only do one side of it.
Reading - I would send home a book at their reading level. I give them an assignment to do each day of the week (Mon.-Thursday). For example, Monday will be to read the title and predict what you think the story will be about. Read the story. Was your prediction correct? On Tuesday, I would ask them to reread the book and write down the words they needed help with. For Wednesday, I ask them to reread the book and then may ask them to write down the characters, setting, problem and/or solution to the story (depending on the part of the story we are focusing on and depending on the student, I may direct the parents to write down their child's answer). On Thursday, I ask them to reread the book and then I would have reading comprehension questions for them to answer (depending on the student, I may direct the parents to write down their child's answer). Sometimes, depending on who is in their family, I may ask them to read their book to 2 family members and get them to sign their homework sheet.
Writing - I usually have them write sentences using their spelling words (they also write when they answer their reading comprehension questions. For some students, I send home printing practice sheets but only for those whose parents I know will help them, because I want them to practice forming their letters correctly.
*** Most of my homework was paper/pencil because my students were working towards integration and this was the type of homework the regular ed. teachers gave.
kris, you could PM me your e-mail address and I could e-mail a couple of my homework assignments for my low achieving and my higher achieving students.
Yeah, I don't know what to prepare for his classwork, let alone his homework! I like Tasha's ideas. Those would be easy to implement....maybe number line that had to be put in order a few times (cut into pieces), matching numbers to numbers up to ? with velcro, maybe even finding 1 object or picture from home that starts with a specific letter or sound.
