A New Year

Happy New Year!

I'm wishing great things for all of you in 2010!

Since starting this blog in the spring of 2009, I've learned so much and met several online friends that I cherish. Everyday I am amazed by technology and the ability to connect and relate to people who are so far away, yet experiencing some of the same things I am with my career and life.

To all of my blog readers, I want to say "Thank you" for reading, listening and stopping by. I hope to post and share even more this year.

I have several goals and New Year's Resolutions for this year. What are your big resolutions for this year?

Several of my resolutions center around the them of organization. We all love to be organized, love to have things organized, and normally function very well in an organized environment, but rarely do we LOVE to donate our time to actually doing what it takes to GET organized. No matter how many other things I can use as a distraction, organization really needs to happen. :)

So, my first question for the new year: What has helped you be the most organized in your career, life, etc.?

Wishing you a Happy New Year,

~Amanda

Big Green Christmas Tree

Here's a song you can use during the month of December!

I currently work with several students who are nonverbal who are working on choice making. Choices are made for various activities via picture cards (pecs and real pictures as well) and/or voice output devices and simple switches.

For this song, I have a file folder with a plain tree on the inside of the folder. I also have several ornament pictures that students can choose from to decorate the tree. My ornament pictures include ball ornament, angel, gold star, candy cane, color lights. You can add as many or as little as you like.
You could also concentrate on colors and only use ball ornaments of different colors and students would then choose the color of their ornament for the tree.
I also have a powerpoint visual for this song. After students choose their ornament, I drag each ornament and place it on the tree. Higher functioning students can click and drag their own ornaments onto the tree.



Lyrics:

I'm a big, green christmas tree,
Standing tall for all to see.
I need your help.
Oh would you please--
Choose an ornament to put on me?