Special Educators Resource Room Podcast: Real Talk for Special Education Teachers

132. How to Introduce Routines Without Chaos (or Resistance)

• Jennifer DeBrosse

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Ready to launch task boxes—or troubleshoot your current setup? This episode walks you through exactly how to introduce task boxes with structure and intention, whether you’re planning ahead for a fresh school year or starting the second week of June. Learn how to build success from Day 1 without overwhelm or pushback.

Be sure to grab this free student visual checklist to use when introducing routines: Positively Learning Blog

Check out ALL the task boxes, plus support systems, inside the Task Box Dollar Club!

If you're a busy special education teacher looking for tips, tricks, and resources to save you precious time, I've got you covered! I'm here to help you regain your confidence in the classroom and feel calm and collected as a special educator.

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Speaker 1:

Welcome back to Special Educators Resource Room Podcast. I'm Jennifer from Positively Learning. Today we're gonna be talking about a topic that has come up again and again. It's one of the most common questions that I hear. Whether you are brand new to task boxes and file folders and independent work, or maybe you have just refreshed your system because you're already thinking about next year. The question is how do you introduce task boxes without complete chaos or total resistance?

Speaker 1:

We are talking about the moment where you have this beautifully prepared, laminated, velcroed, independent work system and it meets the real world the wiggles, the interruptions, students who immediately dump all the pieces out. Or, if you have support staff, they're saying wait, what are we supposed to be doing? Today I am sharing a practical, step-by-step way to roll out your system. It's going to have structure. It's going to have intention, so that your students are going to feel successful, your support staff is going to feel confident and your classroom isn't going to have intention so that your students are going to feel successful, your support staff is going to feel confident in your classroom, isn't going to look like a tornado hit a Velcro center. Let's do this.

Speaker 2:

Hey, special educators, I'm Jennifer from Positively Learning. Welcome to the special educators resource room. If you're like me, you're always looking for ways to save time and streamline your work. That's why this podcast was created to give you the systems and solutions you need to get your time back. Tune in for tips, tricks and tools that will help you manage your workload and make the most of your time. Whether you're brand new or experienced, all are welcome in the Special Educators Resource Room.

Speaker 1:

I promised to deliver the practical steps, but first a quick mindset shift. Before we even touch a task box or a file folder, I want to say this. Or a file folder, I want to say this Introducing the system is not a one-day thing. So if your first attempt felt chaotic, that doesn't mean you did anything wrong. Task boxes or independent work it's part of a system, it's not about a single activity. So instead of thinking how do I explain this all at once, I want you to think how do I teach a routine that's going to become automatic over time? Because that is what we're really building here A predictable, repeatable, low stress routine that your students are going to own. Now that's out of the way. Let's start with step one choosing the right first task. We often get pretty excited when we think about all of the possibilities, especially with academics, math, fluency, sorting categories, sight words but your first task box should do one thing it should teach the routine. So that means you want to pick a task that is visually clear each the routine. So that means you want to pick a task that is visually clear. It's self-contained, it could be errorless or nearly errorless, like matching identical pictures or putting pieces into slots and it should be quick under five minutes to complete, because we're not assessing skills yet, we are building success. So if a student finishes quickly and gets positive feedback, they're more likely to engage next time. We're going for that. That was easy. I can do this.

Speaker 1:

Step number two model, and I mean actually model, Even if your students are older or they've seen task boxes before. Modeling is key and it's easy to skip when you're in a rush or when your students seem to have it perfectly down pat. Here's how I do it Show the task box and say watch me do it. First, Open it, take out the pieces, complete the tasks, slowly narrating, saying what you're doing out loud, and then model, putting the pieces back in and closing the box. This is going to help students understand the start to finish flow of a task. Of course, they're also going to see how you're handling the materials and that this is a independent activity, not a free-for-all. And, even more importantly, it gives other adults if there are any. It gives them a script to follow when you're not available. So you're modeling for everyone in the classroom.

Speaker 1:

Step three use visuals to teach the routine. Visual support is everything, so you could set up a first, then board or, even better, a visual checklist showing how to take out the box, complete the task, put the pieces away, put the box in the finished bin Even non-readers can follow this when it's paired with images or icons. You could laminate it and you could Velcro it right into the task box station. Whether you're displaying it or you're tucking it into the actual task. It becomes part of the routine, not just something you're saying once and hoping everyone's going to remember. I do have a free visual checklist. I'll put a link in the show notes that will take you to Positively Learning blog so you can grab it there.

Speaker 1:

Step number four keep it short and keep it structured. When you're introducing task boxes, aim for very short work sessions. This isn't the time you're going to roll out a full 20 minute independent rotation, so instead build the routine like this Day one, you could try out one task box. Day two, one task box and review the visual routine. Day three, maybe, if everyone's ready, two task boxes with a transition queue. Day four add in the finished bin and the visual token board. And day five, you could try it with a timer or another simple reinforcement system, Maybe something you already have in place. Think of this as a slow release plan. You're not just teaching students what to do, You're showing them that this is predictable, achievable and it's part of a classroom system. We're already up to the last step.

Speaker 1:

Step five reinforce early, and reinforce often Catch students being successful, especially when they start a task independently or they complete it calmly. So have some simple reinforcements handy. If it's appropriate. It could be tokens, stickers, a certificate, a quick high five or just whispering nice job. This doesn't have to be elaborate. The goal is you want to create positive associations with task time. You don't want it to feel stressful or overwhelming.

Speaker 1:

Now let's discuss some common pitfalls to avoid. This is about what not to do, and, yes, I have done all of these and learned the hard way. Number one don't introduce too many boxes at once. That would be me, because I'm so excited about this and I know my students are gonna love them, and it's true, but that doesn't mean we need to see them all on the first day. Do not assume anyone. Adults or students know what the word independent means in this context. That's something you wanna definitely model and reinforce.

Speaker 1:

Number three do not expect perfection on day one or even week one. And number four, do not skip the visuals and expect the routine to stick, no matter how well they do the first few days, and give yourself grace. This is about a long-term payoff. It's not going to be instant perfection. It will take time, but there will be clues Once the routine is in place. Here's what you can expect to notice over time Students walking over to the task box area without prompting Students opening a box and getting to work. While you're pulling a small group, you might start noticing fewer interruptions. People are moving around the classroom with more intention and with confidence and you start to feel like the classroom is running itself, even if it's just for 10 minutes at a time, and the best part is you've just freed up your time to collect data, to pull small groups for IEP prep or even just a deep breath.

Speaker 1:

Introducing task boxes in your independent work system. The right way is not about perfection. It's just about building the groundwork for a system that students can trust. So you want to start with simple tasks, you want to model the routine, you want to use visuals and you want to reinforce progress, no matter how small. If you're looking for more support, please click the link in the show notes. It will take you to a blog post that has that free student visual checklist and there's so much information on Positively Learning blog. And if you're ready just to set up that system with all the supports in place, please check out the Taskbox Dollar Club. You're going to get access to over 450 tasks that are leveled visual. They are built for simplicity and for independence. I'll put a link for that also in the show notes. Thanks for tuning in and for being willing to give your independent work system another try. I can't wait to hear how it works for you. I'll catch you next time in the special educators resource room.

Speaker 2:

Thanks so much for tuning in and I'm dying to ask what'd you think? Be sure to hit the follow or subscribe buttons that you never miss an episode. You can find the show notes and links for everything mentioned in this episode at PositivelyLearningBlogcom. See you next week for more special education solutions.