CLASSROOM*MANAGEMENT
Autistic individuals have a great deal of difficultly with things such as differentiating relevant from irrelevant information. They tend to be concrete thinkers and have trouble integrating separate ideas. Having clear expectations and making sure the students understand what those expectations are can avoid many behavior problems. I have learned a great deal about classroom management through TEACCH (Treatment and Education of Autistic and related Communication handicapped CHildren). TEACCH is a division of the Department of Psychiatry School of Medicine at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. I also used various manuals and books to help me. But, my best teacher has been my students. I have learned a lot from working with them. They have been instrumental in showing me what methods are effective and what doesn't work at all.
Putting together a classroom management plan, and actually writing it down, gave me an opportunity to really think about what I feel is important to help me keep my classroom under control. This a general list. Each student is unique; therefore how each item listed will apply to child is unique.
- Use of daily schedules so the students know what to expect
- Structured environment with clearly defined areas (break area, work area, teacher, area, etc.)
- Meaningful tasks given to the students
- Tasks and activities have a clear beginning and end to reduce the frustration of not knowing how much they need to do.
- Use of visual aids to help students understand my expectations and the classroom rules. Visual aids are also used to make tasks more understandable.
- Repetition, repetition, repetition....
- Routine that is predictable
- A way for students to communicate their wants and needs to me through a communication device, picture symbols, sign language or another method that is functional for the individual student
- Time to relax and enjoy favorite activities.
- Reward for finished work and appropriate behavior
- Removal of favorite item for inappropriate behavior
Schedules
Schedules are useful for a variety of reasons. Being able to follow a schedule increases an individual's level of independence because they are able to move from one activity to the next and complete their work. Following a schedule is also a life skill that will benefit them even after they leave the school environment. When students are able to work independently, the teacher is freed up to work one-to-one with other students. This is important when you have many students that require one-to-one attention.
Teaching students to follow their schedule is also an effective way to avoid problems when there must be a change in the daily routine. When a child knows that they are to do what is next on the schedule then they may be less resistant when 'next' isn't what it was the day before. EXAMPLES
Structured Environment
Having a classroom that is structured makes it easier for my students to know what is expected of them. The room is broken down into areas for different activities. Each child has a work-station for work. There is also a break area and teacher area. The students know that when they are at their work-station it is time to work, not play. EXAMPLES
Visual Aids
I try to make as many things as possible visual for my students. Picture symbols and real photos are only a few of the things I use. I also color code each student to help him recognize his things. For example, I have a key chart by the door for locker keys. Each students' key has a card of their color with their picture and name on it. I place a picture of them on their locker so they know which one is theirs. Their task boxes also have a card of their color and name on it. EXAMPLES
I have found with my students that the best way to keep behavior under control and to keep my classroom running smoothly (well... as smoothly as possible!) is to stop or prevent behaviors before they become a problem. Autistic students like routine and sameness, so getting them into a routine is not that difficult if it is consistent (and the teacher is very patient). Being consistent is of up most importance when teaching routines to autistic students. It is also important to keep in mind that once they learn a routine it is just as difficult to unteach a routine, as it was to teach it. Once the students are familiar with their routine, the extra effort to be consistent pays off. The class will run much more smoothly when the students know what they are doing and what to expect.
One aspect that I have found to be ineffective is if the routine is too rigid or to routine. Falling into a routine is easy for autistic individuals and they do not like to break from their routine. For my students I have found that having a set routine is necessary, but it must not be too rigid. In the mornings the students go to their lockers first and then go to breakfast. For some of my students going to breakfast before lockers would be confusing and cause their whole morning to be off. To avoid this problem at other times I switch the order of some activities. Computer time, independent work and working with the teacher are all things that are done in the morning but I switch the order of the events. The routine is still structured but it is flexible enough to avoid problems if something needs to be changed or deleted from the schedule. I learned my first year with my autistic students not to use exact times when setting a schedule. It is better to put events in the order they are to be done without a time attached. I had a student that would only go to his locker at 3:00pm, not a minute sooner or later. He'd get very upset if he were even a minute late. This could have been avoided if I would not have used an exact time on his schedule.
