ITINERANT TEACHER TIPS

By: Carmen Willings
teachingvisuallyimpaired.com
​Updated October 31, 2017

Itinerant teaching can be very rewarding but can also be challenging. Creating and recreating schedules, conducting assessments, meeting and collaborating with a variety of teams, not to mention serving a wide range of students with varying ages, abilities and acuities can be overwhelming. Getting organized can help eliminate some of the stress. The following are some tips to help fellow TVI's.

Become Familiar with the Area

Itinerant teachers spend a lot of time traveling between schools. Knowing different routes can be a lifesaver when there’s heavy traffic or your caught behind a school bus, tractor, snowplow or there’s construction or flooding and road closures (Yes, I've experienced all!). If you are new to an area or are going to a new school, take the time to become familiar with the area. A GPS can be helpful, but an old fashion map can also help give you an overview of an area...and can also be helpful if your built in navigation quits (Yep. That's happened too!). You can opt to purchase a map or you can typically obtain a free map by visiting the local Chamber of Commerce, Visitor Center or Department of Transportation.                  

Travel Time

Driving is an expected part of your job as an itinerant teacher. Some schools may be just across the street or down the road from each other, but it is more likely that you will spend between 20 minutes to an hour between schools…hopefully not longer! Safety should always come first, so don’t multitask if you are easily distracted or if travel conditions are poor. Driving time can be a good time to think through lessons, upcoming IEPs, conversations or other work related information. It can also be used listening to podcasts…or just singing your heart out to relieve stress. I typically pack small snacks to eat on the road rather than sitting down for a lunch break which frees you to do other activities during your lunch break. Need some portable snack ideas? Here are some of my favorite easy to eat and relatively healthy (and gluten free!) on the road snack ideas:

• Apple or other easy to eat fruit
• Cheese with crackers (hint: slice the cheese at home...I tried doing this while driving with not so great results!!)
• String cheese
• Baby Carrots with an individual hummus cup
• Veggie straws or other snack/chip
• Nuts, Seeds, or dried chickpeas
• Chia Squeeze
• GoGo Applesauce squeeze
• Individual box of raisins or craisins
• Trail mix
• KIND bars or other granola or protein bar
• Go Picnic boxes
• sandwiches or wraps 
• Skinny Pop popcorn bags ;)

Your Car

Your car is your office on wheels so you will want to keep it organized and supplied with materials. Opt for a car that you feel comfortable and safe in, has an available trunk and gets good gas mileage! It is important to keep up with service including oil changes and making sure your tires are in good shape. Joining AAA (American Automobile Association) and keeping up with the membership is something I have chosen to do as an itinerant teacher for peace of mind. Even with AAA, it doesn’t hurt to be familiar with how to change a tire and carry cable jumpers in your trunk. In addition to work binders and materials, I like to keep the following in my car:

• Cell phone charger
• Laptop (of course you may not want to leave it in a hot car!)
• Notepad
• Pencils/pens
• Hard candy :)
• Kleenex
• First aid kit
• Hand sanitizer
• Auto wipes
• Umbrella(s)
• Local map (this sounds "old school" but there are times when your GPS won't work)
• Plastic ware
• Crate in trunk so materials don’t roll around
• Collapsible dolly
• Blanket
• Ice scraper/brush in the winter (yup. Still occasionally need these during northern GA winters!)
• Bottle(s) of water
• Small pair of scissors
• Nail clippers
• Accordion file of forms frequently needed in meetings

Work Bag(s)

I carry a work bag with me throughout the day to keep myself organized. I keep the following items in my bag so I can have everything I need at my fingertips.

• I keep the typical essential items such as pens, pencils, highlighter, scissors, etc. in a small bag.
• I’m “old school” and keep a month-at-a-glance planner. I like to write my direct students and keep track of consults and meetings. I also use email calendar invites for meetings which helps all invitees remember meetings and appointments. I write the miles between appointments on each day and keep track of the total miles driven each day to help with end of the month mileage forms.
• VI Program Handbook with Data Collection. Although I used to carry both a Data Collection Binder and a VI Program Handbook, I have worked to consolidate and combine these two resources this past year in an effort to lighten my bag...and provide relief to my shoulders and back! I keep only the information that I regularly refer to in this binder. It's a must have and goes with me everywhere! Read more about how I set up this handbook on the VI Program Handbook page. 

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TVI's Guide to Teaching the ECC: An Activities Based Curriculum for Teaching Students who are Blind or Visually Impaired

$50.00

Written specifically for fellow itinerant Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments (TVI’s), this book consists of over 400 activities and topic areas of discussion for instructing students in the Expanded Core Curriculum. The activities are age-neutral and multi-sensory and therefore can meet the needs of the broad range of students served on an itinerant caseload serving. The activities can be individualized to the students various learning modalities and scaffold in order to challenge students but ensure success. Select those activities that align with the student’s learning objects based on the student’s unique visual needs and academic and developmental level.

The core activities listed in the Activity section can be adapted to each thematic unit. These include:

• Object Characteristic Activities
• Quantity & Number Concepts
• Time Concept Activities
• Environment & Job Awareness Activities
• Listening Skills Activities
• Reading Foundation Activities
• Reading Fluency Activities
• Braille Basics Activities
• Writing Activities
• Tactual Efficiency Activities
• Developing Skillful Hands Activities
• Visual Efficiency Activities
• Optical Device Instruction Activities
• Recipe Activities

In addition to the core activity areas, each of the 32 Thematic Units incorporates additional unique ECC concepts and skills providing you with a years’ worth of activities. These units are cyclical and can be used repeatedly to help students build on prior knowledge and develop a deeper understanding of concepts. Each unit includes suggestions for activity adaptation associated with the unit. These include lists of objects, possible community based experiences, environmental print, poems, children & young reader books, children's songs, pop culture songs, movies, and websites.

Unique Concepts within the Units include:

• Self Advocacy Activities (e.g. advocating for safe classroom, presenting to class on visual impairment, requesting help and more)
• Social Skills Activities (e.g. Being bullied or teased, giving and receiving compliments, body language, "I" messages when upset and more)
• Recreation & Leisure Activities (e.g. exploring interest areas, getting involved in clubs and sports, playing games, and more)
• O&M Support Activities (e.g. Suggestions for community based experiences, dog guide information, locations in the school, bioptics, ride sharing, traffic signs, and more)
• Independent Living Skill Activities (e.g. chores, being responsible, using tools, recipe suggestions, hygiene, staying healthy, labeling foods and products, and more)
• Sensory Efficiency Activities (e.g. unique sensory experiences related to the unit, unique optical device activities, and more)
• Compensatory Activities (e.g. organizing materials, study habits, and many unique concepts related to the unit)
• Career & Vocational Activities (e.g. job awareness, completing applications, job task suggestions, and more)

Although the intended audience of this resource is fellow Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments, special education teachers may find these activities beneficial to the students in their classrooms as the activities are multisensory and include life skills and concepts needed by all students. This resource, however, is not intended to take the place of a Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments (TVI). Readers are advised to consult their own TVI’s regarding instruction in the ECC and the unique visual needs of the student’s served in their programs.

Note: This curriculum is a digital pdf download. Once you make your purchase you will be directed to an order confirmation page where you will find the download link. This download will also be included on the receipt sent to the email address you provide. The pdf download can be found directly under the order number.

Each download is intended for single instructor use per copyright. Thank you for helping me preserve the content and not distributing copies to third parties.

Product details

Digital pdf download: 364 pages (11 pt font)

Publisher: Teaching Students with Visual Impairments

Author: Carmen Willings

Language: English

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Visual Efficiency & Magnifier Fluency Grab & Go ECC Supplements

$25.00

This workbook is a pdf download that can be printed on demand for use with students. It contains five different types of worksheets for developing visual motor skills and near magnifier fluency skills particularly with the use of a video magnifier. As a supplement to the TVI’s Guide to the ECC, the worksheets correspond to each of the 32 ECC Thematic units. The worksheets, along with a list of environmental print for each thematic unit, are designed to help students refine their visual motor skills while reinforcing ECC concepts presented in the thematic units.  

Visual Efficiency & Near Magnifier Fluency Worksheet Details:

Digital pdf download: 210 pages

Publisher: Teaching Students with Visual Impairments

Author: Carmen Willings

Language: English

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TVI's Guide Complete Set Bundle + BONUS Resources

$100.00

Buy together at a reduced price and get BONUS resources!

TVI’s Guide to Teaching the ECC: An Activities Based Curriculum for Teaching Students who are Blind or Visually Impaired

The TVI’s Guide to Teaching the ECC is a digital pdf available for download. It is designed specifically for fellow itinerant Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments (TVI’s), and consists of over 400 activities and topic areas of discussion for instructing students in the Expanded Core Curriculum. The activities are age-neutral and multi-sensory and therefore can meet the needs of the broad range of students served on an itinerant caseload serving. The activities can be individualized to the students various learning modalities and scaffold in order to challenge students but ensure success. Select those activities that align with the student’s learning objects based on the student’s unique visual needs and academic and developmental level. In addition to the core activity areas, each of the 32 Thematic Units incorporates additional unique ECC concepts and skills providing you with a years’ worth of activities. These units are cyclical and can be used repeatedly to help students build on prior knowledge and develop a deeper understanding of concepts. Each unit includes suggestions for activity adaptation associated with the unit. These include lists of objects, possible community-based experiences, environmental print, poems, children & young reader books, children's songs, pop culture songs, movies, and websites.

In addition to the book, the following two supplements are included:

·      TVI’s Guide to the ECC Concept Checklist

·      TVI’s Guide to the ECC Activities Checklist

For complete product details and additional images, visit the TVI's Guide product page.

TVI's Guide to the ECC Product details

·      Digital pdf download: 346 pages (11 pt font)

·      Publisher: Teaching Students with Visual Impairments

·      Author: Carmen Willings

·      Language: English

Visual Efficiency & Near Magnifier Fluency Worksheets: TVI's Guide to the ECC Grab and Go Supplements

The Near Magnifier Fluency Worksheets is a Grab and Go supplement to the TVI's Guide to Teaching the ECC. This workbook is a pdf download that can be printed on demand for use with students. It contains five different types of worksheets for developing visual motor skills and near magnifier fluency skills particularly with the use of a video magnifier. As a companion to the TVI’s Guide to the ECC, the worksheets correspond to each of the 32 ECC Thematic units. The worksheets, along with a list of environmental print for each thematic unit, are designed to help students refine their visual motor skills while reinforcing ECC concepts presented in the thematic units.  

For complete product details and additional images, visit the Visual Efficiency & Near Magnifier Product Page.

Visual Efficiency & Near Magnifier Fluency Worksheet Details:

·      Digital pdf download: 210 pages

·      Publisher: Teaching Students with Visual Impairments

·      Author: Carmen Willings

·      Language: English

Thematic Keyboarding & Braille Fluency and Maintenance Worksheets: A TVI’s Guide to Teaching the ECC Grab & go Supplement

The Thematic Keyboarding & Braille Fluency and Maintenance Grab and Go ECC worksheet packet is a print on demand workbook that contains worksheets in print and simulated braille to use for data collection. Present the student with a hard braille copy and use the worksheets to document accuracy and fluency in reading braille. As a companion to the TVI’s Guide to the ECC, the worksheets correspond to the ECC Thematic activities presented in the curriculum guide. These word lists and sentences will help the student refine their keyboarding or braille reading skills while bridging ECC concepts presented in the thematic units. Although the lists and passages can be produced using a manual braillewriter, you may also copy and paste the passages into any braille translation software for quick production on an embosser. They may also be entered into a typing program such as APH’s Talking Typer to build keyboarding fluency.

For complete product details and additional images, visit the Thematic Keyboarding & Braille Fluency & Maintenance Product Page

Thematic Keyboarding & Braille Fluency Worksheet Details:

·      Digital pdf download: 338-page print and simulated braille worksheets

·      Publisher: Teaching Students with Visual Impairments

·      Author: Carmen Willings

·      Language: English

Thematic Vocabulary Cards and Checklists: Grab & Go ECC Supplement

The Thematic Vocabulary Cards and Checklists Grab and Go ECC supplement is a 446 page pdf downloadable print on demand workbook that includes 2940 vocabulary card on 3 1/2" x 2" templates divided by each of the 32 Thematic Units along with a checklist of each unit words in print and simulated braille. As a companion to the TVI's Guide to the ECC, the vocabulary cards correspond to the ECC Thematic activities presented in the curriculum guide. 

Additional Use:

Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments can have a extremely varied caseloads. It is possible to go several years without having a student on your caseload who requires braille instruction. Like other skills, if you do not practice your braille regularly, it is easy to lose those skills. Use these checklists and cards to maintain your braille skills. Fold the checklist along the line dividing the print from the braille. Choose to either read the print and produce the word in braille using a braillewriter or read the simulated braille and decode it. Finally, these vocabulary cards and checklists may be used with family members or peers who are interested in learning and practicing the braille code.

For complete product details and additional images, visit the Thematic Vocabulary Cards & Checklists Product Page

Thematic Vocabulary Cards and Checklists Details:

·      Digital pdf download: 446-page print on demand resource

·      Publisher: Teaching Students with Visual Impairments

·      Author: Carmen Willings

·      Language: English

BONUS!

Lotto Cards

The LOTTO Cards Grab and Go Supplement includes 37 theme related unit cards along with activity suggestions that support activities within the TVI's Guide to Teaching the ECC.

On My Way File Folder Cards

Print and use these cards to represent locations the student may visit that are related to the current thematic unit. Use these with the On My Way File Folder Game outlined in the TVI's Guide to Teaching the ECC p. 27.

Note:

All products are digital pdf downloads. Once you make your purchase you will be directed to an order confirmation page where you will find the download link. This download will also be included on the receipt sent to the email address you provide. The pdf download can be found directly under the order number. If you encounter any difficulty, please let me know and I can assist you. 

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Thematic Keyboarding & Braille Fluency and Maintenance Worksheets

$25.00

The Thematic Keyboarding & Braille Fluency and Maintenance Grab and Go ECC worksheet packet is a print on demand workbook that contains worksheets in print and simulated braille to use for data collection. This newly revised edition provides an easy means for copying and pasting into braille translation software programs such as Duxbury or APH’s Braille Blaster for embossing. Present the student with a hard braille copy and use the worksheets to document accuracy and fluency in reading braille.

As a companion to the TVI’s Guide to the ECC, the worksheets correspond to the ECC Thematic activities presented in the curriculum guide. These fun activities will help the student refine their keyboarding or braille reading skills while bridging ECC concepts presented in the thematic units. Although these word lists and passages were specifically created to document and increase braille reading and writing fluency, they may also be entered into a typing program such as APH’s Talking Typer to build keyboarding fluency. Finally, these worksheets can be used by print readers (e.g. peers, caregivers, TVI's who need to maintain braille skills, ect.) who are wanting to learn or maintain braille skills. Simply fold the worksheet in half to "decode" the braille, or read the print, produce it in braille, and check your accuracy.

Note: This resource book is a digital pdf download. Once you make your purchase you will be directed to an order confirmation page. The download will be included on the receipt sent to the email address you provide. The pdf download can be found directly under the order number.

*Single Instructor Use but may be copied for use with as many students on instructor's caseload

Product details

Digital pdf download: 338-page print and simulated braille worksheets

Publisher: Teaching Students with Visual Impairments

Author: Carmen Willings

Language: English

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Thematic Vocabulary Cards and Checklists: Grab & Go ECC Supplement

$25.00

The Thematic Vocabulary Cards and Checklists Grab and Go ECC supplement is a 446 page pdf downloadable print on demand workbook that includes 2940 vocabulary card on 3 1/2" x 2" templates divided by each of the 32 Thematic Units along with a checklist of each unit words in print and simulated braille.

As a companion to the TVI's Guide to the ECC, the vocabulary cards correspond to the ECC Thematic activities presented in the curriculum guide. 

Tips for Use

• Print a copy of this digital book.

• Copy the vocabulary cards on cardstock or Manila Braille Transcribing Paper available from the American Printing House for the Blind or other cardstock.

• It can be helpful to braille the cards prior to cutting them. If placing braille on the back of the card, however, it is easier to braille after cutting the cards out.

• When placing braille on the front of the card, center it below the print. This way teachers, peers, or caregivers can see the print while the student reads the braille.

• If brailling on both sides of the card, place braille below print on the front of the card and on the back, braille on the top of the card so as to not “smoosh” the braille on the opposite side.

• Cut out the cards and cut an angled notch in the top corner to assist students in properly orienting the card.

• If you are instructing a student that has residual vision, place the braille on the back or both sides of the vocabulary card. Encourage the student to read the word in braille and then flip the card over to check for accuracy.

• Copy the checklist that corresponds to the current unit of instruction.

• Use the checklists to document which vocabulary words have been introduced and student success.

• The simulated braille is UEB contracted braille andcan act as a reference for brailling on the cards.

• As the student writes or reads the words, use the opportunity to discuss ECC concepts and pare with ECC activities outlined in the TVI’s Guide to Teaching the ECC.

Additional Use:

Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments can have a extremely varied caseloads. It is possible to go several years without having a student on your caseload who requires braille instruction. Like other skills, if you do not practice your braille regularly, it is easy to lose those skills. Use these checklists and cards to maintain your braille skills. Fold the checklist along the line dividing the print from the braille. Choose to either read the print and produce the word in braille using a braillewriter or read the simulated braille and decode it. Finally, these vocabulary cards and checklists may be used with family members or peers who are interested in learning and practicing the braille code.

Note:

This resource book is a digital pdf download. Once you make your purchase you will be directed to an order confirmation page. The download will be included on the receipt sent to the email address you provide. The pdf download can be found directly under the order number.

*Single Instructor Use but may be copied for use with as many students on instructor's caseload

Product details:

Digital pdf download: 446-page print on demand resource

Publisher: Teaching Students with Visual Impairments

Author: Carmen Willings

Language: English

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