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Hey there, I’m Amy. I am here to help bring creativity and joy to your own classrooms! As a mumma of two, a High School Special Teacher and a digital Illustrator, my passion is to share my work with others hoping to help people in their own classrooms and creative ventures.
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HEY THERE,
I'm Amy
a bit About Me......
& My Passion For Special Education
In my journey as a teacher and an artist, I understand the importance of making learning engaging and fun. My mission is to provide resources and illustrations that not only support educators but also make a positive impact on students' learning experiences.
I understand the challenges that come with being an exceptional teacher. My goal is to make your life a little easier by providing valuable differentiated resources that leverage the strength of visual learning. I'm always here to connect and listen. I would love to hear from you and help support your educational journey!
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Read these featured blogs packed full of valuable tips and tricks.
Special education Back to School Prep!
Hey there, teacher friends! You are relaxed, sipping on a cold beverage and enjoying your well-earned holiday break ☀️. Then suddenly you glance at the calendar? It’s BACK TO SCHOOL. How on earth did these holidays go by so quickly? That chilled holiday vibe seems to become a distant memory… Then your inner teacher’s voice kicks in. We got this! It will be exciting meeting your new students and preparing your classroom will be fun! So let’s prepare together. I want to help, I’ve got you covered with 5 simple tips any Special Education teacher can use in their classroom this back to school season. Organise your back to school supplies First things first, I absolutely ❤️ a back-to-school sale! Who doesn’t love a vibrant teacher planner, some chiselled whiteboard markers, and Velcro dots. Let’s chat about organisation – we all know how important structure and order can be for our students, right? So, let’s make sure our classroom is set up to meet their needs! First things first, we want to make sure everything is clean, in good condition, and easy to find. One way to achieve this is by implementing a storage system that works for you and your students. In my classroom, I use labelled tins for easy visual access, and a rainbow tote tray to help me group materials into categories based on subject, activity, or student need. A Classroom trolley is a great idea too. Have you seen our trolley? It’s parked right by our teacher desk and is jam-packed with all sorts of awesome supplies and resources for our students! We especially love using it to store our sensory items, so that our students can easily find and access them whenever they need a little sensory support. Pick a communication method for students and families As we gear up for the new school year, it’s important to think about how we’re going to keep in touch with our students’ families. Luckily, there are lots of options to choose from – you could send home a printed newsletter, or even a weekly PDF via email! If you do decide to go the printed newsletter route, now is the perfect time to create your template so that you can easily update it each week. But if you’re interested in exploring more high-tech options, there are tons of apps out there that make it super easy to exchange messages, share documents and upcoming events with students and families. We’re big fans of SeeSaw, Class DoJo, and Remind – they’ll save you time and make it simple for parents to get in touch with you. Speaking of Class DoJo, we absolutely love using it in our classroom! Not only does it help us stay connected with parents, but it also gets our students involved in the topics and organisation of the class using their own unique QR code. Plus, it has a really fun creative feature – in our class, we’re all about Pokémon! We’ve designed avatar profiles based on our students’ interests, and each student starts with a Pokémon ball and gradually evolves into their favourite Pokémon as they achieve certain levels or accomplishments in class. I know it’s cool, right? (If you’re interested, we can definitely share more details about this in another blog post – just let us know!) Review and update IEP’s Get to know your students! Before the school year begins, take the time to review each student’s Individualised Education Program (IEP). This superhero-worthy document identifies their unique strengths, challenges, and goals. Use this information to develop a plan to support each student’s growth and collaborate with families and other professionals to ensure their success. By embracing your students’ superpowers, you’ll be ready to help them soar at school this year! Create a positive classroom culture Get to know your students on a personal level! This is the glue that holds a classroom together. Special education teaching is all about building relationships, and one of the best ways to do that is by getting to know your students. Ask them about their hobbies, what they did over the weekend, or what their favourite TV show is. Listen to their responses and show genuine interest in what they have to say. By doing this, you’ll create a positive and welcoming classroom environment that values each student’s unique experiences and interests. Have engaging morning work! We all know how important it is to start the day off on the right foot, and having an awesome morning routine can make all the difference in creating a positive classroom culture. By setting up a consistent and engaging routine, you can help your students kick start their day with enthusiasm and energy. Why not try a life skills based morning work, that also has an individual emotional check. If you are looking for easy, and engaging morning work, you will love my done-for-you morning work for each day of the school year mega bundle! Click here to find out more about Daily Morning Warm Ups It has Differentiated levelled activities across a range of curriculums and key learning areas. Fantastic for special needs students warming up for the day and tailoring to their own specific needs. It also features a daily Emotional check-in to help identify student emotions in the morning. Helping the student in a visual method. ⭐️I bind these all together and use these structured Warm Ups in my High School Special Education class Daily, they would also be appropriate for early and adult learners. These Daily Morning Work Warm Up Levels are a must for any Special Education classroom! Super Easy No prep, great for any busy Special Education Teacher ❤️ Or if you want to try out my morning warm ups – you can definitely access this freebie! you can download within our members only area on our webpage. Here is the link to help you Thank You! ❤️ Thanks for hanging out with us! We hope you found this post helpful to
Student Independence
Hey there, teacher friends! In this post let’s talk all about student independence. Why is it soooooooo important? Promoting student independence is a crucial component of any special education classroom. For every student, developing independence is not only important for daily living skills, but also for academic success and their long-term quality of life. By fostering independence, teachers and caregivers help students gain confidence, self-awareness, and self-advocacy skills. This can lead to increased engagement in learning, improved social skills, and greater success in transitioning to post-secondary education or employment. So how can we implement and help as teachers? Set Clear Goals and Expectations Setting clear goals and expectations can help students understand what is expected of them and provide a sense of structure and direction. Work with each student to identify their strengths, interests, and areas for improvement. Create achievable goals and work together to create a plan to achieve them. Celebrate successes along the way to build confidence and motivation. Build Self-Determination Skills Self-determination skills are essential for students with disabilities to become independent and successful adults. Teach and reinforce these skills throughout the day and provide opportunities for students to practice them. This includes problem-solving, decision-making, goal-setting, and self-advocacy. By building self-determination skills, students can take charge of their own learning and become more confident and independent learners. Encourage Community Participation Community participation can help students develop social skills, build relationships, and gain real-world experience. Provide opportunities for students to participate in community events, volunteer work, and job shadowing. This can help them build a sense of purpose and prepare them for post-secondary education and employment. By participating in the community, students can develop a stronger sense of self and become more independent members of society. Emphasise Strengths-Based Approaches A strengths-based approach focuses on students’ abilities and interests rather than their deficits. Identify and build upon each student’s strengths, interests, and talents. This can increase their engagement and motivation in learning and help them develop a positive self-image. By emphasizing strengths-based approaches, students can become more confident and independent learners. Lastly, check out my Vocational Bundle available on my online store (insert link here). The bundle includes resources such as vocational assessments, job exploration activities, and workplace readiness training materials. If you want to learn more about how to support students with special needs in developing vocational skills and maximising their independence, this bundle is a great resource. Click here for Vocational Resources for your classroom Thank You! ❤️ Thanks for hanging out with us! We hope you found this post helpful to both you and your special students. Be sure to check us out when it comes to special education teaching resources and ideas, The Special Education Studio is where it’s at. Visit our website and socials for helpful tips, resources, and personalised support.
Organise using Task Boxes
Hey there, teacher friends! Have you heard of task boxes? I’m assuming you have seen them somewhere…These nifty little tools are a fantastic way to help you in your Special Education classroom! I mean seriously, who knew that these simple tiny colourful boxes can cause a huge wave of awesomeness for any teacher. They come in a variety of colours and sizes, and I can first handedly admit their super powers or effectiveness. So grab your favourite cup of teacher fuel, ☕ and let’s dive into the world of task boxes! Classroom organisation Classroom organisation can often be a massive task in itself when trying to set up for particular materials and plan for the diverse learning needs in a variety of settings. That’s where task boxes come in! These little guys are like personal assistants, helping you improve productivity, organisation and efficiency in your classroom. Once upon a time in our classroom, we used to have a major problem finding all our dice for Maths tasks… We were constantly saying “Where the heck did I put that?” and “I haven’t seen that in a blue moon..”! Not anymore! We use task boxes! They are all labelled and sooooo easy to find and the best part about it, students can access them now easily too. We have an order and a plan for our learning 🙂 Our classroom is structured in an orderly way. We have a system for our learning and supplies. Incorporating for Differentiated instruction As teachers understand that differentiated instruction is like the secret sauce that makes learning stick. It’s about creating an environment where every student receives the support they need to learn and grow. And when it comes to bringing this approach to life, task boxes are the way to go! Task boxes are like magic treasure chests that can be filled with all sorts of goodies to cater to every kind of learner. Maybe you could try placing their colourful visual aids inside, or fill them with engaging hands-on projects, how about thought-provoking task cards, or even smaller resources that are labelled for a particular student’s sensory needs. Task Boxes are made for individualised differentiated learning. Cross Curricular Learning Task boxes are also great for creating cross curricular learning opportunities. In a special education setting as many teachers know and understand, we often have to multi-task and teach in multiple different methods and ways. This is where task boxes can become so handy! Let’s imagine I wanted to teach a history lesson based upon ‘Ancient Egypt’. One box may be dedicated to physically touching things from the past or a box with supplies to create a mummification process. This would be great for my kinesthetic learners or STEM learning. Another box I might set up could be, ordering dates in chronological order and doing a writing task. This would be a great task for my reader/writer and mathematics groups. Whilst another task box could contain a visual hieroglyphic secret message. In which my students have to decode to get an answer or recreate their own hieroglyphs. Great for art/design based learning. See how we are all studying history in this lesson, yet we are covering different methods and cross curricular learning opportunities for our students… Task boxes, yep, task boxes. Classroom Centre Stations Classroom centres are always a regular go-to in our classroom. Centre activities give our class multiple learning opportunities yet still allow us as teachers to target very specific goals for each of our students. This is again where… drum roll please ‘Task Boxes’ can come in handy! For example, in our High School Special Education class – I might have one student that really needs to work on their times tables as part of his IEP goals. Another student in my class may need to spend some more time on maths tasks in simple mathematical equations as part of her goal this year. And one student may need to have extra fast finishing work once they have completed what I have arranged for them…. By creating task boxes centre stations, allow me to simultaneously – provide various learning opportunities in different areas to what individual students need. These boxes can deliver multiple different key learning areas to students at one time! It can also help students become more independent and empowered in their own learning experiences. Life Skill Learning – Task Cards Do you want to know what’s really exciting in the world of task boxes? TASK CARDS! Yes, I said it, task cards – they fit right inside a plastic task box perfectly! Some of you may be wondering though, what exactly is a task card? Well, task cards are small cards that provide instructions or questions related to a specific skill or topic. They’re versatile and can be used to teach a wide range of life skills for Special Ed students. Life skills task cards cover a range of skills, from basic hygiene and safety to more complex skills like cooking and money management. By using task cards, we can help our students become more independent and confident in their daily lives. So why not add a little fun to your classroom and start using life skills task cards? I include task cards in many of my lessons. If you’re pressed for time, I’ve even made a mega bundle life skill set for special education teachers. Check it out! Click here for Task Card Resources for your classroom This Bundle is full of Differentiated activities (120+ Cards per each set). Including the following 24 TASK BOX SETS!!! ⭐Workplace Signs ⭐Road Signs ⭐Abbreviations ⭐Fractions Pizza ⭐Beach Safety ⭐Sorting Recycling ⭐Laundry Skills ⭐Community Places ⭐Next Dollar Up ⭐Emergencies ⭐MAB Blocks ⭐Calendar Skills ⭐Email Skills ⭐Kitchen Appliances and Utensils ⭐Cleaning and Supplies ⭐Do I Have Enough Money? ⭐Measuring Cups ⭐What To Wear?⭐Etiquette Skills ⭐Community Helpers⭐Travel Skills ⭐Food Storage ⭐Directional and Positional ⭐Nutritional Eating⭐Email Skills What is your favourite way to use task boxes in your classroom? I would love to know! Thank You! ❤️ Thanks for hanging out with us! We hope you found this post helpful to both
Directed Drawing is amazing!
Hey there, teacher friends! Let’s chat about some awesome drawing activities! Have you heard of directed drawing? It’s a super fun and engaging activity that’s been gaining popularity among educators and parents in recent years, and for good reason! It’s amazing for learners of all ages and abilities! In this blog post, we’re going to dive into the fantastic benefits of directed drawing. From improving fine motor skills and attention to detail to boosting creativity and confidence, there are so many reasons why directed drawing is an amazing activity for learners. So buckle up and get ready to see the world of directed drawing! What is directed drawing? First things first, let’s define what directed drawing is… Directed drawing is a step-by-step guided drawing activity that helps children (and adults!) to learn how to draw while improving their fine motor skills, attention to detail, and following directions. It’s an excellent activity that can be done individually or in groups, and it’s perfect for both kids and adults. We love directed drawing in our class, as it can be easily differentiated for many different learning types and can connect with a multitude of skills ♥️. It Helps with Visual-Spatial Skills Directed drawing is a fantastic way to improve learners’ visual-spatial skills! These skills are essential for a wide range of activities, from reading and writing to mathematics. By recognizing shapes, sizes, and spatial relationships, learners can better understand how things fit together. One of the best things about directed drawing is that it takes out the guesswork of creating artwork, which can be overwhelming for some learners. Instead, learners can follow specific steps and templates to create their own unique masterpieces, allowing for both structure and independent creativity. So not only are they improving their visual-spatial skills, but also their imagination and independent thinking! It Encourages Creativity While directed drawing follows specific steps, it doesn’t mean that learners can’t be creative. In fact, directed drawing can encourage creativity and imagination because learners are free to use their own colour choices and make the drawings their own. Students are also allowed to take it further if they wish with the overall elements of the drawing and push it to a more personal drawing inline with their own creativity! It Boosts Confidence Drawing can be intimidating for some learners, but directed drawing can help them gain confidence in their abilities. Since the steps are broken down into manageable pieces, learners can see their progress and feel a sense of accomplishment as they complete each step. In our special education class it is really important students feel the win. Thus with directed drawing all students get to experience success and are able to finish the drawing tasks at hand. It Develops Fine Motor Skills Drawing requires fine motor skills, and directed drawing can help learners develop these skills. By holding a pencil, colouring, and tracing lines, learners are practising hand-eye coordination and fine motor control. It’s Engaging and Fun Directed drawing is an engaging and fun activity that can keep learners focused and entertained for extended periods. And since it’s an enjoyable activity, learners are more likely to stick with it and see improvements over time. It can also be theed based, directly linking to students special interest and things they are interested in. It can be easily Differentiated Directed drawing is an amazing activity that can be easily differentiated to meet the needs of learners of all abilities. By providing step-by-step instructions, learners who struggle with fine motor skills or attention to detail can still participate and create a beautiful piece of drawing. Additionally, learners who need an extra challenge can be given more complex templates or encouraged to add their own unique touches to their artwork. This allows for differentiation without creating separate activities, making it a great option for busy educators who want to cater to the needs of all their learners. Click here for the link for directed drawing resources We really love creating directed drawings in our special education class and additionally will incorporate literacy activities with our drawings. We also love to make them theme based for different holidays and seasons of the year. If you’re interested in incorporating directed drawing into your classroom or home, why not check out our product Directed Drawing Tasks Sets. Our sets includes step-by-step instructions and templates for various drawings powerpoints and worksheets, making it easy for you to get started. Click here for the link for directed drawing resources Directed drawing is an amazing activity that can benefit many different learners. ???? Whether you’re looking to improve visual-spatial skills, boost creativity, develop fine motor skills, gain confidence, simply have fun, or need differentiation, directed drawing is a great option. So grab some pencils, paper, and get ready to draw! Thank You! ❤️ Thanks for hanging out with us! We hope you found this post helpful to both you and your special students. Be sure to check us out when it comes to special education teaching resources and ideas, The Special Education Studio is where it’s at. Visit our website and socials for helpful tips, resources, and personalised support.
Spring into your class!
Hey there, teacher friends! Spring has finally arrived! As teachers, we know that this season is the perfect time to refresh our classroom and keep our students engaged and motivated. Whether you’re a high school, primary or a specialist teacher, there are plenty of ways to make the most of this Spring season. In this blog post, I will be chatting to you all about Spring and how we can use it effectively in our classrooms. So, here is a list of how we can start the season of spring off on the right foot! Take some time to reflect on the past year What worked well? What didn’t? As teachers we are masters of self reflecting and pivoting constantly. So why not consider all the progress your students have made and use this information to adjust your lesson plans and activities! Implement things that worked and worked well! Spring is a season that is sometimes about making new, however reflecting on the past – is also a really great strategy. Set new goals! Spring is the perfect time to set new goals for yourself and your students! Whether you’re looking to improve communication skills, socialisation, or academic achievements, remember to make your goals SMART – Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. It’s also a great time to really take a look at those ILP’s / EIP’s and discuss with caregivers, parents, students and stakeholders what we would like to really focus upon for each student and their diverse learning needs? What are our focuses collectively as a team? ? Get organised and Spring Clean! Spring is a great time to stay organised and freshen up your teaching resources! Make sure your lesson plans and materials are up-to-date and easily accessible. Consider using online tools such as Google Drive to keep everything in one place. And Yes… I have to do this too, have a clean up of your drives! Spring Clean them out and have order and folders that actually help you with your resources and teaching. It’s also a great opportunity to add some spring-themed decorations to your classroom to create a fun and inviting learning environment. Integrate outdoor activities! Spring is the perfect time to take learning outside! Consider incorporating outdoor activities into your lesson plans, such as nature walks, gardening, or science experiments. We are very lucky in our school as we have a lake across the road. Student’s love to access it and integrate our learning with the outdoors. Not only will your students get some fresh air and exercise, but they’ll also have the opportunity to learn in a new and exciting environment. Stay positive and motivated! As the weather warms up, it’s important to stay positive and motivated. Find ways to stay inspired, whether it’s through professional development opportunities, collaborating with colleagues, looking at new resources for your students or simply taking some time for yourself. Remember that your enthusiasm and energy can have a big impact on your students’ success.☕ Spring Resources Speaking of resources, don’t forget to check out our Spring teaching resources. It’s a great way to incorporate the spirit of spring into your lesson plans and help your students reach their full potential. Click the links to check them out! Spring is the perfect time to refresh your special education classroom and keep your students engaged and motivated. By setting new goals, getting organised, integrating outdoor activities, and staying positive and motivated, you can make the most of this season and set yourself and your students up for springing success. Click here for the link to all our spring resources So, what are your favourite Spring resources to use in the classroom? Thank You! ❤️ Thanks for hanging out with us! We hope you found this post helpful to both you and your special students. Be sure to check us out when it comes to special education teaching resources and ideas, The Special Education Studio is where it’s at. Visit our website and socials for helpful tips, resources, and personalised support.
Autumn activities for your class to enjoy!
Hey there, teacher friends! Autumn is a wonderful season for learning and exploring with your special education class. From the changing leaves to the cooler weather, there are plenty of opportunities to engage your students in sensory experiences, creative projects, and outdoor activities. Here are some fall teacher ideas to help you get you started this autumn! Leaf Art How about some leafy art! Collect a variety of leaves in different shapes and colours and use them to create leaf art with your students. You can make leaf rubbings, leaf prints, or leaf collages. This activity is a great way to encourage creativity and fine motor skills, while also exploring the sensory aspects of the changing season. Autumn Bulletin Board Stores We love using our bulletin board – life skills shop tasks in class. They are sooooo visual in learning simple addition and calculating prices of items. We have real life bulletin board images with prices (various shops created each month) and display them on our classroom whiteboard. This gives life skills to our classroom and has students order from a real classroom shop! A great activity for this fall! Click on the link to find out more about this visual Autumn bulletin board Scavenger Hunt Create an autumn-themed scavenger hunt for your students to explore the outdoors. You can include items such as pine cones, acorns, or leaves in different colours. This activity is a great way to promote problem-solving skills and teamwork, while also getting your students up and moving. Pumpkin Decorating Provide your students with small pumpkins and a variety of decorating materials, such as paint, markers, stickers, or sting, and let them decorate their own pumpkins. This activity is a fun way to encourage creativity and fine motor skills, while also providing an opportunity for self-expression. So why not take advantage of this season to create unforgettable moments with your students? By embracing the spirit of autumn and fostering a sense of wonder and curiosity, you can help your students develop a lifelong love of learning and a deeper appreciation for the world around them. So, what are your favourite Autumn / fall activities to do with your class? Let us know in the comments below! And if you’re looking for some amazing teaching resources to support your special education students, check out our website for some great ideas! Thank You! ❤️ Thanks for hanging out with us! We hope you found this post helpful to both you and your special students. Be sure to check us out when it comes to special education teaching resources and ideas, The Special Education Studio is where it’s at. Visit our website and socials for helpful tips, resources, and personalised support.
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HEY IT‘S ME AGAIN!
Our Mission
By personally being a very visual person, I understand how many of my students are visual leaners and love creating age appropriate visual resources for their individual learning needs.
I love sharing about functional life skills, vocational skills, transitional resources and visually creative secondary Special Education ideas, to help students develop independent living skills in school and in a post school setting.
My mission is to provide all students with an educationally challenging, yet fun experience that develops skills essential in becoming independent adults and life-long learners.
Latest On The Blog
Hey there, teacher friends Mornings can be a challenging time for students with special needs, who may need extra time and support …
