As an itinerant teacher of the visually impaired, my car becomes my mobile office. When going into different school several times a day, it can be very hard to stay organized. Over the years, I have found that taking the extra steps to keep materials, “paperwork”, and priorities in order, makes the job seem much more manageable.
Creating boundaries
Create boundaries so that your job does not bleed over into every part of your life. I am guilty of this! But it does not serve me well. Have a set start and stop time each day so you can balance your home and work life better. Make sure you take time to eat a lunch, and that doesn’t mean eating while driving to your next school. Guilty again. Here is an article that helps remind us how to make this happen. 10 Habits of Teachers Who Nail Work-Life Balance by Melisa Ferguson
Make a System
In 20 Tips for New Itinerant TVIs & COMS by Charlotte Cushman, she recommends creating a system to keep track of all of the school calendars, school bell schedules, student schedules, and the names of teachers.
- Many people use Google Drive or Evernote to keep track of all of this. You can also print it all out and keep in a binder.
- Some itinerants recommend setting notifications to remind you where you need to be each day. No one wants to waste time by showing up to a school at the wrong time or on the wrong day!
- You may wish to begin by scheduling students who will receive direct services from you, and then build the rest of your schedule around that.
- Academic high school students may only have one period each day when they can be pulled for services, so it can be helpful to schedule them first.
- For elementary age students, check to be sure you know when recess and lunch are.
- Keep a list of related service providers (e.g. OT, PT, SLP).
Find forms that work for you and USE them
Teachers have created excellent forms that you can use. Find the ones that work for you and use them effectively so they make data collection, documentation, and all our “paperwork” more streamlined.
Here are few forms that might be a good fit:
Check, Please? Guidelines for Documentation of Student Work by Liz Eagan
ECC Infused Skills Assessment: Google Forms by Alicia Bevins
More resources
New VI Professional Year at a Glance
- Chrissy Cowan, who is the Mentor Coordinator for TSBVI Outreach, has created this Live Binder for Teachers of the Visually Impaired (TVIs) and Orientation & Mobility Instructors who are new to the field.
- TVI Carmen Willings offers suggestions of what to do at the beginning of the school year, mid school year, and the end of the year.
- TVI Carmen Willings shares ideas on how to get organized as an itinerant vision teacher.
Tools for TVI: The Itinerant Teacher’s Handbook
- Tools for TVIs: The Itinerant Teacher’s Handbook by Stacey Chambers is out in the world and available on quota funds from the APH. The book encompasses perspective and tips navigating the job of an itinerant teacher of the visually impaired. Inspiration for our peers with words of wisdom is always helpful.
Classroom AND your car office organization
Classrooms need to be simple, high contrast, no patterns, with areas designed for optimal learning. They can be cute without being overstimulating and cluttered.
Classroom Decorating for Visual and Sensory Needs
- Classroom decorating has a major influence on students and can be a game changer for students who have visual and sensory needs. Find out how to make a classroom environment the best it can be.
Importance of Classroom Jobs for Children with Visual Impairments by Katie Armstrong
- Giving students jobs in the classroom helps create a team work approach while teaching important ECC skills.
Modify on the Fly for CVI by Yvonne Locke
- Keep your car organized when you are an itinerant. My car is my mobile office and I have Zoom meetings in it, eat in it, and keep all my materials in it that I may need. Create an organized system by dividing up items into bags for each school. I also have a container of easy to adapt items for “adaptations on the fly”. Have student files in folders, and take time at the end of each day to put everything back in its place.
