You are so correct about making every minute count. So much teaching time (& planning) time can be wasted by things such as pencils, passing out papers, asking to go the bathroom, cleaning up, etc... I believe it is a good idea to teach procedures (and practice them) so that class time is not wasted on these type of situations. To address the pencil issue, I have a container of sharpened pencils and a container for broken pencils. I usually have a student who finishes their assignment early sharpen the broken pencil for me. This has worked for me. I

Thank you for your article. I have been in the position of general education teacher at numerous IEP meeting. I have also been the parent at a fair number of meetings. Very soon I will be the SPED teacher conducting the IEP meetings. I hope that each role that I have played will help ease my nervousness of taking the lead role in future meetings. There are still so many acronyms used that still confuse me, I know that parents will need help understanding the language used on the IEP. I need to find an IEP meeting checklist to use until I am comfortable enough with the process. Thanks for your insight.

I love all of the advice you gave to the students. It is practical and applicable to all teachers, not just new teachers. I agree with everything that you mentioned, especially listening to your students. We need to remember that students will not always tell us what they are thinking or telling, but their behavior usually will if we are open to "hearing" what they are saying. Sometimes it is too easy to get caught up in deadlines, assessments, and other school issues, taking the time to laugh is good for everyone. Also, I do not know what I would do without my friend, she is someone who I can vent to whenever things get crazy. I enjoyed your article and advice, thank you.,

I like the 10 steps you listed. I see how important it is to guide your students through the process of self-advocacy and self-determination. In the high school where I am student teaching, many of the students seek guidance from their Special Education teacher in how to approach an issue with one of their general education teachers. There are also many who are not as willing to ask for help when they need it. I believe that the first step to self-advocacy is for students to recognize the limitations of their disability and to recognize their educational rights. As a parent of a child with a learning disability, I have spent a lot of time encouraging my daughter to become more and more independent, especially in informing her teachers of her needs. We are at the point where she is in high school. While she is aware of her disability and what her limitation are, she is not comfortable reminding her teachers that she needs to utilize an accommodation that is listed on her IEP, in part because she is so shy. She also seems to think that it is a bother to the teachers or that other students will find out. I often practice a script to use with teachers so that she knows how to approach the teacher respectfully. Self-advocacy is an ongoing process and definitely a skill we need to teach our students.

Hello, I enjoyed reading this article. I am currently student teaching in a high school and am trying to build a rapport with the students so that they feel safe with me. Laughing and modeling kindness is something that I try to do each class period with the students. Since the classes are small, I am able to circulate around the room and speak with each student each day. Getting to know the students has been valuable to me and the students are beginning to trust me by asking me for help in understanding their classwork. Behavior in the classroom has not been a problem because the teacher has had many of the students for a few years, they are aware of her expectations and she enforces her rules consistently and with respect. I believe that showing students respect is valuable to creating a safe classroom environment. By allowing students to options regarding their learning indicates a respect for the student's opinions. Lastly, if I admit to the students when I do not know the answer to a question, it allows the students the freedom to make mistakes as well. Thanks again for your article.