As educators, our top priority is creating a safe and positive environment for our students to learn and grow. But when it comes to working with students with challenging behavior, ensuring a safe classroom environment can be an even greater challenge. From tackling challenging behavior to dealing with emergency situations, there are many factors to consider when creating a safe, self-contained classroom. But don’t worry; we’ve got you covered! In this blog post, we’ll share tips and tricks to help you create a safe and secure classroom that promotes positive behavior and learning. So, let’s dive in and explore the wonderful world of creating a safe self-contained classroom!
Flip furniture backwards
Picture this: You’re trying to teach a lesson to your students when suddenly a pencil comes flying out of nowhere and narrowly misses your head. If you’ve been there, you know the struggle of maintaining a safe and organized classroom while working with students with challenging behavior. In my classroom, I used to have supplies flying out of desks and shelves all the time, which was distracting and potentially dangerous. That’s when I had an ingenious idea – flip all the bookshelves and desks backward to hide supplies! Sure, it might be a bit of a pain to reach around to grab supplies, but it’s a small price to pay for a safer and more organized classroom. Trust me; it’s much better than having a pencil wiz by your head in the middle of a lesson!
get creative with locks
One of the simplest things you can do to keep your students safe is to lock everything! Yes, everything – cabinets, wardrobes, closets, you name it. Child locks may work for some, but when it comes to students who have a challenging behavior, they may not be enough. Trust me, I’ve learned this the hard way. That’s why my favorite lock is the super-long Master Lock, pictured below. This lock can fit around any handle, which means you can secure even the trickiest of cabinets and doors. Check out the Amazon affiliate link here. I simply leave the key in the lock since my students haven’t learned how to open them yet.
In some classrooms, even simple supplies like crayons and scissors need to be locked away for safety. I use plastic containers with locking handles to place these materials. They are see-through, so you can easily see what’s inside. Check out this Amazon affiliate link here.
Use a tension rod and curtian
Out of sight-out of mind! If you have shelves that are connected to the wall or can’t be moved around, a tension rod and curtain might help. Tension rods are so easy to use since they don’t require a hammer and nails.
find the shut off valve on the sink
Having a sink in your classroom can be a blessing and a curse! Did you know that you can easily turn off the water supply to the sink? Yes, you sure can! Look under your sink-there may be something you need to pull down or move out of the way to see the pipes. There should be two valves that you can turn on and off! Students can no longer play in the sink. This was a huge life saver in my classroom a few years ago.
less is more!
If you have a classroom with challenging behaviors, they might not be ready to have a full shelf of toys or math manipulatives available to them. You might need to limit toys to 2-3 until students are ready for more. Math manipulatives may need to be stored away, but still accessible when you need them! A great strategy is to provide a visual choice board for toys and other preferred objects. During choice time or play time, students can choose the item they would like to play with. Then, you can pull that specific item out of the closet.
Those are my top tips for a safe self-contained classroom environment! I’d love to hear your ideas. Email me at totallyautism9@gmail.com or leave a comment below.
