Break Chronicles: Day One Wrap-Up and Day Two Strategizing

Today is the first, official day of my Fall Break, and the second day of being at home. Since everyone finished their progress reports, we were able to work from home yesterday, and I DID!

I started off the day with some blogging (before work hours, of course!), and then followed up with some TPT exploration as I worked on a list of things to include in my next visual aid creation. I started with looking to see what sorts of music schedules are out there, and there aren't many. I remembered that I had purchased one from TPT that merged music education with special education, so I went back into my purchases and found all sorts of things that I already own. That started a marathon printing session, and while printing, I also remembered that I wanted to find some different language "goodbye" phrases to go with my "hello" phrases. I ended up spending $13.30 for four different resources that I will print out when I get to work.

After the printing was finished, I started assembling my file folders. I have seven different folders started and am now at a stopping point because the area behind my craft desk is full of things that I shoved over there when my family members came to visit. The stuff is blocking the cardstock that I need to complete the projects that I have started.

Do you want or need me to explain further?? Let me do that for you.

One of the things that I have found when working with my students is that they seem to understand things better when there is a visual component. So, if I am teaching a concept of some sort, they seem to understand it and remember it better if I can link it to a visual aid of some sort. That has led me into the wonderful world of file folder creation.

Now, I like file folders for several reasons. One, they are easy to store in a file cabinet. They do not take up much space at all. Two, they are relatively inexpensive to create (the lamination and Velcro cost the most). Three, I like working with paper, so I enjoy making things with paper. I realize that this is not for everyone, but it makes me feel so proud and happy to see something that I have made helping my clients understand a concept. Last, I feel like a teacher when I am making file folder activities, even though I will use all of the file folders for music therapy rather than music education.

I always make multiple copies of my file folders. The fact is that I cannot assume that my clients are able to see what I present from across the group area. I make multiple copies so small groups of clients can see the resource up close. I like having no more than three clients using one visual, so I often make five copies of the things that we are using. One copy always goes into my file folder drawer here at home. It remains Pinterest Perfect and TikTok Presentable - pretty, perfect, and pristine. The other four go to work to be used, to be crumpled, to be loved, to be ripped. While the willful destruction of something that I have created always hurts, knowing that the Three P version of each project is still there, protected from fingers other than my own, helps me deal with the shock and move on.

For these projects, I am making one large file folder version and five small mini file folders for my clients to use. Why? Why not? I am constantly trying new things in my music therapy clinic to see what works with my current group of clientele. We will see if they can navigate the songs that are part of these file folders with me demonstrating with the big folder at the front of the group. Having them with their own mini versions will allow for more communication. All of the songs that I have are choice songs that are considered errorless learning tasks, so any picture that they choose is incorporated into the song. I can also use the same folders for assessing receptive language skills by asking clients to find the same picture/word/concept on their folders - either through sung prompts or sung and picture model prompts.

So, clearing out the area behind my craft desk is my top priority for today as I look at my half-finished file folder projects. I need to get the different colors of cardstock out of the drawers that are currently behind all of the boxes and bags before I can make the mini file folders. Once the task of cleaning things out is finished, I can get the cardstock cut, scored, and assembled before laminating the whole lot in one fell swoop!

The other thing that happened last night was a delivery of some cases that I will be using to coordinate my thematic material differently than before. I like my scrapbooking cases, and I use them for monthly resources, for scrapbooking paper storage, to corral all of my bulletin board stuff, and for lots of other things as well. The scrapbooking boxes (3.5X13x13 inches - ish) are wonderful when storing lots of things, but I have smaller thematic resources that need a smaller case, and I found some!

My new boxes are about an inch tall, 12.5 inches wide, and about 10 inches across. They come from Iris and were sold on Amazon for $45.00 for 10 cases. They have latch clasps to keep things closed, and they fit my file folders with a bit of room to spare.

I intend to use most of the cases that I bought for thematic materials. I will, for example, use one for the month where we talk about Australia. My Do You a Digeridoo? book will go in there along with the printables that I have for discussing the country. Visuals of the flag, the continent, the animals, and scenery will join the books along with a list of the TMEs that I have developed over the years. I will also add a prompt about where I have stashed my kangaroo tail and my PVC pipe that I use to demonstrate how to play the digeridoo so I can find them when I want them. Slap a label on the top and the sides of the box, and it can go into my room storage to be pulled out when needed.

I won't have one of these for every country that we discuss, but I do have lots of other themes that are appropriate. There will be a zoo box, probably a farm/ranch box, game boxes, and many other things.

I have taken three boxes for my planning accoutrements. They are stuffed full, but they fit so much better on the shelf under my nightstand than the bigger cases, so they are keeping things contained much better than the other things I have tried. I am already a fan of these things!

I can't wait to get back into my Friday work flow to organize my themes into these cases. I also get to design labels and make choice boards and do the things that make my little heart happy!

First, though, I need to clean out the craft desk corner...

Let me know if you want the links to the things that I mentioned above. I will be happy to send you the resources!!