As special educators, it is SO important to set our students up for success throughout the total school environment. In early elementary years, this often includes visual schedules that we post up on the wall and have our students check when it’s time to move from teacher time to speech, or any other type of ‘switch’ of task/environment. However, there is no ‘one size fits all’ for our students! Some students may require an object schedule, a word schedule, a real picture schedule, etc. What about those students who are in and out of your classroom but also require some type of schedule? They certainly can’t be posted on your classroom wall if the student isn’t in the classroom to check it! That is where portable schedules come in! Here are some of my favorite ideas from fellow special educators to create a portable schedule that can be used throughout the TOTAL school environment.
This one has been used by many teachers over the years, and it is a simple (FREE) way to create a schedule that moves with a student! Head to your local paint store or hardware store and grab a few paint sticks, add some velcro, and voila! The one pictured above is one I used in the home environment with a client since we are not in the classroom setting. I created the icons using the editable template pages inside my Real Pictures Visual Schedule Pack.
I love this checklist schedule from Erin at You Aut-a Know! She made them completely editable, and you can easily laminate this, throw it in a binder with a dry erase marker, and the student can check off each activity as they complete them. I also love how you can create a different one for each day of the week since we all know that each day can be different! This is a super appropriate and discrete way to give your students a portable schedule. A great option for older students!
Another great option for portable schedules is using supply pouches (that you could also stick inside a binder that goes from class to class!). This idea comes from School Bells N Whistles and is a cheap way to access a visual schedule throughout the day. As they finish something on their schedule, they can remove the card and throw it inside the supply pouch so that the piece doesn’t get lost!
