Recently a first-year teacher asked how morning work could benefit her class, especially if it was repetitive. Would it be beneficial if students had mastered the skills already? Would it be boring and ineffective?
While some morning work may not be appropriate, teachers have found that repetitive tasks are a great way to prepare students to work on their IEP goals.
Why “Morning Work” Works
Students with IEPs come from a wide range of backgrounds and have many different needs. The one thing that is consistent, however, is that before any work can begin on IEP goals, the student has to be ready to learn.
Warming Up the Brain
Morning work helps students get into that learning frame of mind. Activities that are consistent and repetitive allow them to focus on the task at hand. They also signal to the brain that it is now time to start the learning day based on the daily pattern and flow of activities.
This also sets you, the teacher, up for success by providing structured opportunities for Specially Designed Instruction (SDI).
Building Consistency
Many students thrive when they have a consistent routine in place. It allows them to know what to expect and when. Morning work is an excellent way to build that consistency at the beginning of the day.
Starting the Day with Success
Building your students up in the morning is a great way to set the tone for the rest of the school day. Repetitive morning work tasks allow students to experience daily success. It is a great confidence builder! When students then move on to working on IEP goals, they start the tasks with a sense of accomplishment.
Working on IEP Goals
Many types of morning work can include IEP goal work. Goals for writing, fine motor skills, life skills, and more are all appropriate for morning work. Adapted morning work binders, for example, give students practice with a variety of skills that might be part of their IEP goals. The key is to find morning work that can be used by a variety of students of all different skill levels. This gives students the opportunity to make progress while still doing the same type of skill but in a different way.
- You can also set up morning tubs similar to IEP work bins to target specific skills for students to work on first thing in the morning.
Practice Makes Progress
As students continue to practice a skill, they become more proficient. Continued practice with the same type of morning work gives them the repetition they need in order to make progress both with their IEP goals and beyond.
Easy Progress Monitoring
While repetitive morning work is beneficial for students, it also makes it easy for teachers to track progress. When skills are practiced so often and at the same time each day, true progress can be easily observed and recorded. If you make it a goal to jot down progress notes about students’ morning work each week and you may find that significant progress has been made over the course of the school year.
If your students are struggling to start the day or you find that they are having trouble focusing on morning IEP goal work, consider implementing morning work that will ease their brains and bodies into learning. They will start the school day more focused, more confident, and more willing to try as they tackle their IEP goals.
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