Peace In Kindergarten

My little Kinder friend had trouble keeping his cool. He had a quick temper and when he was angry, it usually didn't go well. The classroom teacher was concerned about his level of anger and what might happen if he got really upset, so I got involved. This was the first of many stories. This first step was to get him to identify his anger and just tell his teacher. Then the teacher could help. After he got this down, we taught him calming strategies, how to advocate for himself and so on. Now he is able to get through many things that get him down, and we just don't see the explosions that we can say, are thankfully in his past. 

In Kindergarten I am in class with a lot of kids. Sometimes my classmates make me mad. When I get mad, I need help calming down.

If I feel this way, I need to let my teacher know that I am upset by using words to tell her.
I need to try to quietly go to my teacher and tell her "I am upset." Then I need to tell her why.
My teacher can help me. She will make it better.

If I use my words instead of my actions, things will be peaceful in my Kindergarten classroom. We will all have a great day.

Listen To My Brain

This friend seemed to always end up in the wrong place at the wrong time and his peers soon learned that they could tell him to do anyhing and he would do it. There were some kids who thought that it was big fun to tell him to do things he shouldn't. One of the worse forms of bullying by the by, so I had to put an end to this. We worked with him on brainstorming good choices vs. bad choices and taught about consequences for the choices he made. I wrote this story, we practiced choice making and I kept my eyes  on my friend and the bully boys on the playground. He did make better choices after some time, but I was there when there were slip ups and was able to take advantage of on the spot lessons. Enjoy!

My brain is so smart! I have lots of good ideas.  I need to always try my best to listen to my own brain. 

If someone  tells me to do something that I should not do,  I need to try to listen to my brain and say “NO!”

My choices are the best  choices and listening to my own brain will help me make good plans. 

If I listen to my own brain and do what I know is right then I will have a great day!  

Going To The Symphony

Field trips or events that aren't on the agenda or don't occur on a regular basis can throw our friends for a loop. I write stories like these when out of the ordinary events are on the calendar. When kids know what is going on and what to expect, they tend to go with the flow. This friend loved Alaska (although he had never been). I connected the symphony to Alaska and Star Wars and Looney Tunes which helped him buy into the fact that the symphony was going to be a great event. He loved it! Keeping the kids in the know pays off in the end. Enjoy!

On Tuesday I am going to the symphony. 

The symphony is a very cool place (just like Alaska). 
There are very comfortable seats. 

They turn the air condition on full blast, so it is cold, like Alaska. 

Watching the musicians is awesome!
Many times they play Star Wars and Looney Tunes songs that I already know.

It will be a great trip! 

I can’t wait to go! 

Life Isn't Fair

It is often tough to stay firm and strong and consistent with friends who pitch a fit to get their way. This friend was a master of tantrums. His favorite line was "It's not fair." When that came out of his mouth, a tantrum was sure to follow. He was taught several calm down strategies and then there was a ton of practice. His tantrums decreased. When you give your friends a strategy or way out of the throwing fits cycle,  they have other options that feel better and help them calmly get through their disappointments when things don't go their way. This is never a quick fix, but if home, school and the kid all have the same strategy in place, you will see results. Try it yourself. Enjoy!

I am in 3^rd grade, but will soon be in 4^th. There are times when life is not fair. I don’t always get to do what others are doing and don’t always get to have what others have.

That is the way things are. I get what I get and shouldn’t throw a fit. When I feel like things aren’t fair, there are many strategies to try.

First, I should try to take slow deep breaths. If that doesn’t work, I could count backwards. (20, 19, 18, 17, 16,15,…) If that isn’t working, I could try to talk about it or journal about it. If that isn’t working, I could take a break. I have lots of options.

I have to calm down. It doesn’t do any good to lose control. Life will never be fair. I can’t always have what others have and I may not always get to do what others do.  If I try to use my strategies for times when Life Isn’t Fair, then I may be able to calm down and have a rockin’day.

Life In A Family With Two Sisters

When families see how well social narratives or stories work, they often ask if I could write some for home. This girlie was having many problems with her sisters. I needed to acknowledge the fact that sisters can be a pain and then provide her a reason to try to be more understanding and flexible when it came to dealing with her sisters. I gathered info from her and her parents and then came up with this. It helped, according to her family and when she got fed up with her sisters, her parents brought out this story to remind her how to proceed. Enjoy!

Everyone is an important part of their family. Families help you out when you have problems and are always there for you. Usually things work well in families, but sometimes there are glitches

I have two sisters. Stacy is the youngest. She can drive me crazy at times. She gets into my things and always wants a lot of attention. It makes me mad sometimes. I need to try to remember to be patient. She is only two and 2 year olds need a lot of attention because they are learning so much everyday. I need to try to help her learn and maybe that will make me less frustrated with her.

Beth is my big sister. She has many talents and things come pretty easy to her. Older sisters can be bossy and sometimes like to tease their younger sisters. (That is very common). I need to try to have patience with her too because I could learn a lot from her since she is older and has more experience than I do.

Sisters can be very fun! They are people who are always there for you. If I learn to have more patience with my sisters, things will work a lot better in my family. I can help my sisters and they can help me. If we all get along, it will thrill my parents as well. When we all get along, life in a family runs a lot smoother and everybody is so much happier.

Learning At School

This friend was somewhere else even when he was at school. He had mastered the check out / tune out strategy and it was my job to get him back to the planet and most importantly to the classroom so that he could soak up some instruction and gain some skills. I had to tell him the expectations and also follow that with the "why". The "why" part is as important as the expectation part. Giving reason helps kids connect and relate to why they need to follow procedures. Read on if you have a friend who needs to get with the program. Enjoy!

I am in 6th grade this year.

My teachers have important things to teach to me.

There are several things that I need to try to do in order to learn.

One thing is to look and listen to my teachers when they have something to say.  If I don’t look and listen, I will miss what they are trying to teach me.

I also need to think about what they are saying. When I think about it, it will lock into my brain.

I need to keep my words and noises inside my mouth

so that it doesn’t disturb others in the class.

My body should be still and my head should never be on my desk.

If I do these things when my teachers are teaching, I will learn a lot.

I will be BRILLANT!

Stop Don't Kick

This friend thought that kicking was a good strategy when she would get frustrated. I had to teach her that it wasn't. This story was written right away so that her peers would not fear standing or sitting by her. This had to stop. We taught several replacement strategies including deep breaths, counting backwards, and request for a break. Since we gave her other options for handling frustration, we saw an immediate decrease in kicking. Give it a try. Enjoy!

My foot can kick.

When I touch someone with my foot, that is kicking.

Kicking others hurts.

I need to keep my feet to myself.

When I do, I will have lots of friends.

My Work Station

Work Completion can be tough. There are so many steps, directions, time limits and distractions in a classroom that completing even the simplest of tasks can be difficult.  This student wasn't producing work that represented his skills. He also had continual issues with off task behaviors and was frequently a class disruption. We focused on work and provided a special "office/work station" for my friend. He had a desk near the other students for lessons and class discussions, but when it came to independent work time, we provided a place in the classroom, yet not right next to neighbors who had the potential to derail good work habits. We made rules for the work space since rules are what kids are always looking for and that is how this story evolved. Many stories were created to support good work habits at his "office/work station" that provided follow up and reinforcement.

I am lucky, because I have a special work station in my classroom. It is almost like an office desk. It is a special desk that I will work at when it is time to work independently.

There are rules for my desk.

 1. I need to do my work as best as I can.

 2. I should raise my hand when I need to say something so I don’t interrupt the kids.

 3. My noises should stay in my throat, so that I don’t disturb others.

 4. My materials need to stay in order by keeping them in the desk and if some things fall on the floor, I should make sure to put it in its proper place.

By following these rules,  I will have the best work space at my school.

When I Don't Get To Make A Choice

Tantrums were an option that this friend chose on a regular basis when things did not go his way. Out of control behavior makes it hard on peer relationships when kids are in school. It is scary to see a classmate lose it. Who wants to hang around a friend who displays out of control behavior. This tantrum option had to stop. I wrote several stories in regards to address this. As a display of tantrum behavior came up, I would write a story to remind him of options that he could chose rather than throwing himself on the floor and pitching a fit. With tons of practice and lots of stories, we saw a decrease in these out of control episodes. Patience and lots of deep breaths help too. Good luck! Enjoy!

There are times when I don’t get to have  a choice in the things that I do. There are chores that I have to do at home in which I have no choice. There are also things at school that I have to do. In music class today, I was told to play a percussion instrument. My favorite instruments are in the string family. I was very disappointed that I could not play strings and had to play percussion.

One thing that I could have done was to buck it up and try a new instrument. This way I could try something different. I  may have even been able to pass and just listen to others play if that would have been ok with the teacher. Since I have 3 instruments at home that are in the string family,  I could play them after school, I could just wait a little bit and enjoy them as long as I want when I got home.

I am getting older now and throwing myself on the floor and screaming just shouldn’t be an option that I should consider when I get upset. It’s best to talk it over and remain calm. I just need to remember that I won’t always get to do everything that I want to do.

Show What I Know

This student was so over the top brilliant, but if you looked at his written work, you never would have guessed that. I needed to find a way to make him take ownership of producing "quality work". I wanted him to buy in to the thought of showing how bright he was through his writing. This strategy worked. He got the gist as to why taking his time and showing what he knew was important. This story and showing him examples of what quality work looked like contributed to his high quality work output. Whenever you can connect these stories and give the kids reasons that they relate to, its golden! Enjoy!

In 5th grade there is a lot of written work.When I complete my work, I show everybody what I know.

My work shows what I think, and sometimes it shows what I have learned. It is important to do my best with my work so that people can read my writing and show how smart I am.

I will try to remember to take my time so that my writing is readable.   I should try to remember to re-read my work to make sure that I can read it and then make any corrections that may need made.

If I do this, then people who read my work will see how amazingly smart I am and be very impressed.

Neat Work In Third Grade

Writing can cause many headaches for those of us who are working with kids and trying to teach them to get their thoughts down on paper. Writing skills may be weak in the physical production of writing  or thought organization may be an issue. In any event, it requires a lot of patience, hard work, practice and deep breaths to get these skills ironed out. 
This story was written for a friend who went off on tangents in her writing and lost sight of what she was writing about. Introducing the "parking lot" concept worked well. It didn't stifle his thoughts, but gave him a place to get out what she wanted to express, while at the same time getting her thoughts down on what the teacher wanted her to do with his assignment. If you give kids an option to get to what they want to do, it helps you get to what you want them to do. A sort of compromise, yes, but trust me you will have other battles to pick. Enjoy!

In 3rd grade there are many expectations for my written work that I haven’t had before. There also is a lot of written work.

One type of written work is “fill in the blank”.  This is usually a workbook page or a Scholastic News.  The other is a paragraph where I can write a little more freely while staying on the topic I am writing about.  I have 2 options to consider when working on these activities. One would be to fill in the blanks neatly (with no pictures). Another way would be to use the computer to answer the questions or create a paragraph. 

Sometimes when I am completing written work, I get a little sidetracked and want to elaborate on my answers. My teacher really doesn’t have time for elaboration when short answers or a paragraph on topic is what she is looking for. 

In case I want to elaborate, I will have a parking lot spiral at my desk . If I want to draw a picture or elaborate more than what a fill in the blank is asking for, I can doodle that info in my parking lot journal. It is called a parking lot journal, so that I can park my thoughts and refer back to them later. This will help keep me on track. 

I can only spend 2 minutes on the parking lot entry, because the most important thing will be to complete my assignment. I will have a timer that I can set and when it goes off, I will get right back to work. When I finish my assignment, I can refer back to my parking lot journal and spend more time with the topics that I want to elaborate on.
It is important to create legible classwork and homework. When I do, I am able to get my point across in written form. I will also help my teacher’s eyes so that they won’t have to strain by looking at messy work.

As I move up in grades, more and more work will be produced in writing. Luckily I have the support of my computer and Rockin’ Robin, my great OT. I just need to always be mindful when I write to produce legible written assignments.

I Can Help My School Be A Great Learning Environment

When a new year rolls around, kids may need some reminders on how things went the year before. A quick review of rules is helpful when transitioning year to year. Summer slacking gets kids out of the school routine and you need to get that back as soon as you can. This story was written for a student who came back amped up when he returned for a second year at our school. We needed to get him back in the groove, so some quick reminders did the trick. So if you have a friend who didn't come back the way they left, give this a try. Enjoy!

I am in 2nd grade this year.  I have many more responsibilities at school this year. One of the most important things is to help my school be a great learning  environment for myself and other kids.

I can help keep it a place where kids can do their best to learn by following all the school and classroom rules.

I will try to not open the PE door and scream in the gym when I go by.

I will try to keep my voice to myself, unless I have permission to talk or it is free time.

My body needs to be in control at all times by keeping as still as I can when it is work time or time to sit in Community Circle.

Even though it is only the 2nd day of school, these are rules that I followed last year and are expected to follow this year.

I can help make my school a great place to learn by remembering this plan. This will be a great school year!

Morning Routine - No Time For Dilly Dallying

This story was a written as a result of a request from a mom of one of my students. They were having a hard time getting back to a "school schedule" after summer slacking. The mornings were running everyone ragged except for my friend, who was on his own agenda enjoying all of his off task diversions. I gathered some info and  found out what was going  on as well as what was expected. Then I was able to compose this one. Enjoy!

Every family has a “morning rush”. This is one of the busiest times in a household. Everyone in a family is getting their day off to a good start. I need to do my part to help my family start their day off on a positive note.

I tend to dilly dally during my morning routine and this sets everybody’s day out of whack. When I dilly dally, it stresses people out because it throws everybody’s morning routine off. This is just not fair to myself and my family.

I have a new plan. I will follow my morning routine as closely as possible and “make some time for dilly dally fun”. By following the steps of my morning routine, things will run smoothly and efficiently so that I may have a few minutes to myself when all my procedures are followed.

Here are my morning expectations:

    Wake up

    Eat breakfast (finish by 7:20)

    Take care of teeth (brush, floss, Listerine)

    Get dressed

    Dilly dally time?

    Grab backpack and out the door (7:40-7:45)

If all goes well, I will have some time to myself. This will help to create a good start during morning rush. Hopefully I can help promote PEACE in my house every morning.

Bossy People Are Hard To Take (But I Can Handle It)

We all know them. They are around in every walk of life.., Bossy people. They are usually hard to take, but we all have strategies to deal with them. Some of my friends just can't tolerate them and frustration can escalate. To combat that, I wrote this story so that we could have peace in the classroom and schoolyard. Read on..., Enjoy!

In my life, I will meet many different types of people (nice people, mean people, funny people, bad people and sad people to name a few). Sometimes I will have to deal with bossy people. Two people have been extremely bossy to me this week, and today I had had enough.

When I couldn't take it anymore, I fled the room and hid under a table. In thinking about that, that probably wasn't the best strategy to use. If people are really getting to me, I always have options as to how I can respond.

The easiest method may be to just say to the person, "Would you mind your own business please?" This should be stated in a pleasant tone so that I don't hurt their feelings or disrupt what is going on around me.

If that doesn't work, I have a journal that I can reflect in. In that journal, I can write my thoughts freely, without editing or any judgements attached to it. It is just an output to let off some steam.

If that doesn't work, then I can check an adult's availability and perhaps visit with them about it. Using my words to express my thoughts always is a good idea when I am upset.

There are always going to be people who want to boss me around, It is part of our crazy world. If I can control myself and not let bossy people get to me, then it won't disrupt me and interfere with my day.

I will give these strategies a try next time I let bossy people get to me.

Bossy People Are Hard To Take

Loud outbursts and speaking out whenever the urge arose was standard procedure for this friend. Off task behavior accompanied this as well. I needed to relate working quietly to something that he understood. He loved chameleons, so that was the link between his behavior and classroom performance. In addition to this story, we put a little picture of a chameleon on his desk as well as provided the classroom teacher with a flash card chameleon to visually remind him of what a classroom chameleon needed to do. With tons of practice and reinforcement, he got better. Check it out. Enjoy!

I am in the 3rd grade this year. In 3rd grade, kids are expected to be more independent and complete a lot of independent work. In my classroom, there are many times when we are expected to work on our own. Center work, math practice and reading are good examples of these times.

When I am expected to work independently, I need to blend in like a chameleon. Chameleons are lizards that change colors to blend into their environment so that no one can detect them. They are very quiet and no one really notices that they are even around.

In my classroom this would look like quiet kids working hard, staying on task and not interfering with others who are blending in. This way the classroom becomes a quiet work place where kids are successful.

Quiet workplaces are important for people to do the best that they can do. It helps people concentrate, which helps them produce better quality work.

I will try my best to be like a chameleon when it is time for quiet work in my classroom.

Build A Bridge And Get Over It

Anger could often times get the best of one of my friends. Loud, angry outbursts happened when he would get frustrated, wasn't sure how to proceed or not be able to get his way. This never really sits well with people in a learning environment. I was being called into the classroom on a frequent basis to get involved and typically remove my friend when he lost it. After several visits, we had a long talk so that I could figure out why he was loosing control and letting his anger get the best of him. 
These weren't the first anger episodes that he had. I had already taught him the strategies that are in the story. One word of caution.., In this story I mention his strategies that were previously taught. Be very careful that you break down steps into short segments. You don't want to throw in too much information or cover too much in one story. You could have a series of 10-15 stories that are broken down into little steps to help mold your friend into the right directions. 
As with every story, repetition and practice are key. When I write a story, I always email a copy to the teacher, the parent and then make a hard copy for the student to put in their own book of stories. These need reviewed. Just when you think you have one issue under control, it comes back to haunt on occasion. Enjoy!

I have had some difficulties with dwelling on things and not letting go of events that have happened. This is a problem, because it blocks my brain from taking in other information and learning.

When I become overly attentive to a topic or a person's character flaws (which are things that aren't perfect about them), it interferes with my functioning. When I dwell too much on one  topic, I forget important things like daily routines, procedures, social interactions (for example, saying "good morning" to my friends and teachers) and I let my thoughts take over.

This will cause problems for me personally, I may not hear important information from the adults in my life or I might even miss an invitation from a friend (for example, "Hey, do you want to play at my house after school?) I miss out on important information if I am dwelling on a topic that I cannot let go.

I have to learn to "build a bridge" and get over things and people that really bother me. I can use strategies to help me through this dwelling.  Some strategies will be important for me to try when I can't keep my mind from sticking on one topic that makes me crazy.

First, I should try to refocus and blow off the thing or person that bothers me. If that doesn't work, I could try to write down my thoughts. I can try some of my strategies that I use all of the time like: counting backwards, taking deep breaths, using fidgets, reading, taking a break or a walk and journal writing. If I still have trouble not letting something go, I can always talk to an adult about it.

In my life things will not always go my way. There will be people and obstacles that I will not like. If I focus on the good things and positive things around me, usually the things that I don't like will fade away, By "building a bridge" and getting over things, my life will be less stressful and happier.

Blending In Like A Chameleon

Loud outbursts and speaking out whenever the urge arose was standard procedure for this friend. Off task behavior accompanied this as well. I needed to relate working quietly to something that he understood. He loved chameleons, so that was the link between his behavior and classroom performance. In addition to this story, we put a little picture of a chameleon on his desk as well as provided the classroom teacher with a flash card chameleon to visually remind him of what a classroom chameleon needed to do. With tons of practice and reinforcement, he got better. Check it out. Enjoy!

I am in the 3rd grade this year. In 3rd grade, kids are expected to be more independent and complete a lot of independent work. In my classroom, there are many times when we are expected to work on our own. Center work, math practice and reading are good examples of these times.

When I am expected to work independently, I need to blend in like a chameleon. Chameleons are lizards that change colors to blend into their environment so that no one can detect them. They are very quiet and no one really notices that they are even around.

In my classroom this would look like quiet kids working hard, staying on task and not interfering with others who are blending in. This way the classroom becomes a quiet work place where kids are successful.

Quiet workplaces are important for people to do the best that they can do. It helps people concentrate, which helps them produce better quality work.

I will try my best to be like a chameleon when it is time for quiet work in my classroom.

Flexibitily

Flexibility does not go hand in hand with friends on the autism spectrum. These kids are constantly looking for predictable, ever constant scenarios. When things don't go as planned, this often times set them spiraling out of control. Being flexible is a difficult style for them to embrace. It takes a lot of stories, planning, discussions, follow ups when things go well or not, and constant monitoring. This does get easier with time and practice. The kids may always look for routine, but they can learn to be somewhat flexible. Read on - Practice and as always.., Enjoy!

Many times during the day, there are things that I have to do at school. Even though I don't want to do these things, I must do them when my teachers ask me to. If I am not finished doing something, I can just put that work away for later. The work will still be waiting for me to finish it, but at a different time. 

When I am able to shift easily from one activity to another, that is called being flexible. It is important to be flexible throughout my life. Often times things don't  happen the way that I would like them to happen, or I am asked to do something that I don't want to do. I should always try my best to follow directions that my parents and teachers give me with a happy attitude. When I am flexible and cooperate, things will be pleasant. I will learn a lot and my teachers and parents will be thrilled! 

Follow Directions

Following directions is key to conforming to the rules of school. Since many friends on the spectrum our the center of the earth (in their mind), conforming to rules for the masses don't always seem to apply. Although our friends march to the beat of their own drum, they still need to follow rules of school and bigger than that society. So this story is one of many that were written for my friend when we began the journey of her following directions. Enjoy!

I have many new teachers at my school. I always need to listen carefully and follow the directions that my teachers tell me. It is improtant to follow directions for many reasons. Some directions keep me safe. Some directions help me learn. Some directions let me have a special treat. When a teacher tells me to do something, I need to cooperate and do what they tell me to do. If I follow directions, I will have a great day at school.

Keeping Words To Myself

When you include a child in problem solving, things go so much better. They typically get what the problem is and understand why it is a problem. When they understand the problem then they can  help come up with solutions. That is how I went about writing this story. 
My student was a big talker. He felt everyone's frustration with him and understood why blurting out and monopolizing the airspace wasn't working  in his classroom. He had been given "Speak Out" cards, which were cards that he could use when he blurted out. If he had a specified amount left over at lunch and again at the end of the day, then he earned some free time of his choice. These were beginning to work, but this follow up story helped to remind him of why blurting out wasn't the best choice in his classroom. The following list is his. Enjoy!

There are many times when I shouldn't use my voice to communicate. Here is a list that I thought of:
1. When someone else is talking.
2. When a teacher is teaching.
3. When there is a conversation going on.
4. When I am in a library.
5. When my parents are on the phone.
6. When people are sleeping.

There are other times that I may not have on this list, so my list may get bigger. I need to do my best to keep my words to myself at these times. My teacher can help with secret signal (like the sh sign, stop sign or one finger up = 1minute).  I can also use my speak out cards. If I do these things, I will help the classroom be a great place to learn. We will all learn so much in Kindergarten this year.

Fire Extinguishers Save Lives

Dangerous items were a favorite area of interest for this student. He loved fans, motors, compressors, fire alarms and extinguishers. Dangerous interests combined with limited self control can cause problems. One day while walking down the hall, he ran to the fire extinguisher, ripped open the glass door and got the extinguisher in ready position. Just before he was able to get it to spray, his teacher grabbed it away from him. Self- control is an issue that I am still working on with this student, but at this point and time, we had to keep him from a repeat performance. I wrote this story to set limits and explain boundaries as far as fire extinguishers were concerned. This helped but we had to monitor him closely every time the class walked by those tempting extinguishers on the wall. Enjoy!

I am a second grader this year. At my school there are several fire extinguishers in the building. In fact, I know where every one of them are. Fire extinguishers are important tools in emergency situations. If there were ever a fire, the staff at my school knows where the extinguishers are as well and could help put out a fire. 

I never should touch a fire extinguisher in the school building. They are there for emergencies and are not to be handled by students. If I keep my hands off the fire extinguisher, I will help my school be a safe place.

Going With The Flow

Routines are a big deal for many kids. I have had several students who have used this same story many times. Since kids on the autism spectrum are constantly in search of routine, procedure and expected events, it can throw their whole day out the window if one little thing is different. It is hard for them to go with the flow and let go of their structure and routine that help them get through the day. Sometimes I don't even know when there will be a change in routine, but when I do, I am sure to let my kids know what may be a little different and what the plan is. This helps a bunch, but sometimes there will be times when we all just have to go with the flow. Enjoy!

Sometimes things don't go as planned and there is a change in my routine. Sometimes my school schedule gets turned around. Sometimes we go on field trips or have an assembly at school that changes my schedule too. There may be some times when I have to wait for others and that may change my schedule. Some times things are out of order or not working. That means that I can't use them. Then there are times when I won't get to do something because there aren't enough things to go around, or I have to wait my turn. 

When things don't go the way they usually do, or if things don't work the way they should, or if there is an unexpected event, I just have to go with the flow. Going with the flow means that I don't need to worry about things not being the way they are suppose to be. I have to just flow with things being different, like a river flows down the stream. I can take some deep breaths and calm down. I could also ask about what it happening and find out what the plan is. I should try  not to worry, because things don't always go the way they should. Next time I will try to relax and go with the flow if things don't go as planned.

Doors At School

In this day an age, schools are high security places. Typically, there is one door that is accessible for coming and going. Unless you have a key or a badge that opens doors there is no in and out. Wandering off was an issue that we had to work through with a 1st grader who came to my school. She would turn up missing when the classroom teacher would just turn around. Typically she wouldn't get far and we could track her down, but one time she made it to an outside door and stepped out. This was a huge problem because even if she wanted to get back in, the doors were always locked and she would have to get to the doors at the front of the building to push the buzzer to come inside. When you are working with children, safety and security is so very important.  I needed to write a story that would help her understand when she could use outside doors and when they were off limits. This was what I came up. We also set up her spot in the classroom to be as far away from the door as possible so that it wouldn't be quite so easy for her to slip out. Enjoy!

There are so many doors at school. There are doors that are inside and doors that are go outside. The doors that go outside are there for safety. They keep us safe from weather. They keep us safe from bad guys.

I should never open them unless I have permission from an adult.
I can go out the outside doors at recess. I can go out the outside doors after school when it is time to go home. And of course, I can go outside doors if there is an emergency, like a fire alarm.
If I don't have permission to open an outside door, I shouldn't.

When I use the outside doors the right way, I can help myself and the kids at my school stay safe.

Writing Reminders

Writing typically is an area of concern for younger friends on the spectrum. There are 3 components of writing that can be bothersome. One area is content, another is the physical fine motor aspect and  the other is mechanics. The content area is the thought process, the  flow of the writing and the beginning, middle and end of a written piece. This has most to do with thought organization. Story maps and graphic organizers can help give kids structure and framework so that they can piece together their story before they write. Other kids have trouble with fine motor skills and work with Occupational Therapists to find a way to work through the physical or mechanical issues of handwriting. This area is often difficult, because of the physical and developmental aspects that are involved. Time, practice and often times a little technology is involved in working through these problems. The last area of issue is mechanics. This is the down and dirty, nitty-gritty procedural elements of writing. Punctuation, capitalization, notebook paper orientation, neatness and effort fall under this category. Mechanics is what we were working on in this story. My student was sloppy and little lazy. He continually oriented his paper in what ever way he laid it down. Capitalization and punctuation was inconsistent, yet he knew the rules of when to do what.  He rushed and often times would not give it his all and just turn in sloppy written work. His inconsistencies of good papers and then messy papers showed us that he was more than capable of producing quality work. So, I wrote out these simple reminders and glued it to the inside of his writing folder. He knew what we wanted in his writing. It was all spelled out in black and white. By just having this simple reminder there for him, his written work met the mark. In fact, his writing content improved tremendously as well.  In this case, just pointing out the importance of what is expected in black and white raised the bar and he met the mark. Try it out. Enjoy!

1. Holes on left side?
2. Check capitalization.
3. Punctuation check
4. Best work?

** I need to shine in my writing like I do in my intellect!

Retaliation Doesn't Work

When caught making a mistake, this friend thought that he would threaten and bully people around to take them down with him. He verbally confronted several kids, looking for blame in others to try to get himself out of trouble. This wasn't going so well because the kids who told on him in the beginning told on him again because of his threats. A vicious cycle - yes! I had to try to find a way to squelch this behavior and remind him that what comes around goes around. It worked. He got the gist. Check this out! Enjoy!

In 5th grade, there are many challenging social situations. Peers can have a big influence on choices that are made. Sometimes there are good choices and sometimes there are bad choices. Whichever choice I choose, I will have to live with the outcome.

Today I made a poor choice. I ended up retaliating against some of my peers. I was mad because I got in trouble for saying something I shouldn't have said. Today I told kids," I know people that will beat you up if you try to get me in trouble." I also said that "I won't get in trouble, because I know Mrs. Smith and Mrs. Jones." Then I asked someone "Did you write the note that got me in trouble?"With that I added,"I am still stalking you."

I crossed a line today with poor judgment. I made a bad choice by threatening peers. When I get in trouble, I should try to learn from my mistakes and not make things worse. I should try to set a new course and stick with it. I should try not to dwell on what happened, but proceed with a  plan, make a change and learn from what went wrong. I should never strike out against other people. This does  no good.

I have room to grow with all of this. I know that my family and teachers will help me work through this. I can set a path for tomorrow and learn from what happened today. Tomorrow is a new day and I will try to think before words come out of my mouth

Living With An Older Brother

A sixth grader felt very comfortable telling me just about anything, after I wrote his first story. He started coming to me on his own with topics for new stories. He saw the beauty of social narratives right away. He had a brother who treated him badly. In fact, this brother terrorized the whole family in one way or another. I wouldn't be able to fix who his brother was or how his brother behaved, so I just needed to help him deal with him as best as he could and that was just the way it was. Sad but true.., not everybody is going to be pleasant to deal with. Take a look at this one and .., Enjoy?

Life in a family can be tough. Because several people make  up a family, there are sure to be personal problems between the members of any family. In my family there are 4 people. I am the youngest. Being the youngest in the family can be difficult. Sometimes I get blamed for things that I didn't do. Sometimes I am teased. Sometimes I am left out. In any event, it isn't always easy to live harmoniously in a family.

One of my family members really drives me crazy. It is my brother Mike. He is my older brother. Sometimes it feels like all that he does is harass me. He makes fun of my Aspergers and dyslexia. He even calls me "special needs". This just really gets to me. He knows it does, but he never lets up. Many times people tease and bully other people because they don't feel good about themselves. It sort of gives them power to "get to" other people. It makes them feel better since they don't feel good about themselves. It is sad, but true.

The only way to end this or resolve this cycle is to be tough as nails. I can try not to show him that what he says and does doesn't bother me. It is hard to listen to people bullying me.  By ignoring and totally blowing him off,  he won't build as much power for upsetting me. This may do the trick.

If I try this strategy and ignore my brother every time he does this to me, then at some point it won't be so entertaining to him and he will let up. It won't stop right away and it may not stop permanently, but if I remove the attention that I give him for teasing me, then it will decrease his annoying game of harassment. Hopefully this strategy will help our relationship and make living with him more tollerable.

Fidget Toys Vs. Distractors

Fidget toys are great for kids who are a little active during teaching time. They are little items that keep hands busy, like squishy balls, bendable items or silly putty. They can be great tools for kids to use and they keep them still and quiet. Unfortunately fidgets can become distractors if you don't lay down the law with these. This story was written for a friend who became the center of attention when he had fidgets. He became a distractor when the fidget toys came out. I had to figure out a way to help him understand that he needed to be mindful of others around him and not interfere with learning. Enjoy!

I have special tools that help me when I need to fidget in the class. They are called fidget toys. When I use them, I will try to keep them to myself. I also will try to keep them quiet. I do not share my fidget toys with other people. These are mine and they are learning tools for me.

If I am loud with my fidget toys, or if they are distracting me or other people, they will be called distractors. If a fidget becomes a distractor, it will be taken away immediately and placed in the distractor bucket. I will not get to use that fidget toy as a tool for one week.

I will try to use these tools to help me sit and listen quietly. I will do my best to follow the fidget rules because I don't want them to become distractors.

Mustang Responsibility

Talking all of the time was a gift that this student brought to the table. It was constant. The other 5 year olds even noticed and asked why he talked so much.We had to squelch this somewhat, so that instruction and learning could take place without the constant talking and disruptions. I wrote this story and connected the Mustang responsibilities to his issue of nonstop talking. We also gave him speak out cards, that he could take a little control with the timing of his talking. When kids have some choice, it helps with compliance.  This story helped. It didn't stop his constant talking, it just toned it down a bit. Enjoy! 

I go to Kindergarten. I am Mrs. Johnson's class.

The name of my school is Springview Elementary and when you are a student there, you are a Springview Mustang. (The Mustang is the school mascot that represents our school)

Kids who are Mustangs have responsibilities. One responsibility is to follow the teacher's directions. This also includes not arguing with my teacher. She is the boss of the classroom.., end of story!

Another responsibility of a Springview Mustang is mutual respect.
This means that I am kind to other kids in my class and they are kind to me. It also means that I need to respect the learning environment by working quietly at work time.

I like to talk a lot, but I have special Speak Out cards that I can use when I need to say something. this will help make my classroom a quieter working area.

If I don't follow the teachers directions or don't show mutual respect, I will get my folder signed and this will go home to my parents. That is a consequence. That happens when I don't follow the rules.

I will try to work on following my teacher's directions without arguing and showing mutual respect to my friends in my class by working quietly and being kind to them.

If I do this, then I won't get my folder signed and school will be great! Everyone will be so proud of me.

School Time And Home Time

The child in this story would become easily frustrated. When he did, he wanted to flee the school building. I wrote this story to teach him that bolting out of school wasn't an option. It was a LAW that kids needed to be in school. Since he was a rule follower, he got the gist that he had to be there and that was the end of the story. This story helped him see the light and his "I am out of here" thought process faded away. Enjoy!

I have two important places where I spend a lot of time. One is home and the other is school.

Home is a great place! My family is there and all my cool stuff.

School is a great place too.This is where I make my brain grow and learn with my friends and teachers.

There is a time for school.I have to be there from 8:00-3:00, Monday through Friday. I should try not to say, "I am out of here." Being at school is a law and something that I have to do.

Home time is all the other time after 3:00 and before 8:00, Monday through Friday.I also have two stay at home days, Saturday and Sunday.These two days are for hanging out at home with my family.

When I am at school, I will try to enjoy school time.
When I am at home, I will try to enjoy home time.

I can't change the time that I spend at home and at school, but I can try to enjoy both places when I am there. If I try this plan, it will help me have great days!

Moving On To Third Grade

When one of my friends was making the jump from 2nd grade to 3rd grade, I sent this story to him before the start of the school year. He had made such great progress learning from social stories and had acquired many great skills. In this story, I reminded him of all the skills that would help him transition well when he entered that 3rd grade classroom. I didn't want him to loose those skills in transition. This story helped him sail smoothly into a new school year. Enjoy!

This school year is sure to be an exciting one! I am making a new transition from 2nd grade to 3rd grade. I will have a new teacher. Her name is Mrs. Pearson. There will be new students in my classroom and new expectations for my learning and behavior.

In 3rd grade, the classwork is more challenging than in 2nd grade. I am always up for a challenge, so this will be great for me. I need to remember to always try to do my best and continue to take my time. I will try to  produce work with my best handwriting or use my keyboard.

While I am doing my work, I will try to remember to keep sounds to myself and my body under control so that I can focus on my challenging work. This will show mutual respect for the other learners in my classroom.

The teacher is the boss of the classroom. I will try to be respectful to them by following directions, raising my hand when I have a comment or question, and doing my personal best.

I will know many of the kids and I will meet many new kids in my class. I will try to remember to be respectful to others by being helpful, kind and treating them nicely or how I would want them to treat me.

I am lucky to have many adults at my school who support me. I will continue to work with my special teachers in the Learning Lab.  Rockin' Robin will also be a part of my support team to help me with my written work. I will even have special songs prepared for me by Mrs. Palmer. I have a whole team of teachers to help me have a great year in 3rd grade.

Every year that I have spent at my school, I have made incredible progress. I know that this year will be one of the best! I can hardly wait!