One thing about us special educators, we’ve got a million “tools” in our pocket, car, or desk drawer.
Seriously, I have NEVER lost one of those “What’s in your pocketbook?” games because I always have the weirdest stuff on me.
In the past, I wrote a blog post about “all the things” I always keep in my therapy bag.
We grown-ups who work with kids really need those “weird” tools you’d never think of: A protractor, painter’s tape, an Allen key.
I know—it’s surprising.
But there’s one tool that’s been in my in my therapy bag for two decades—a measuring tape!
I use a measuring tape ALL THE TIME at work. The smaller and lighter, the better. I use it to measure:
- The length of the floor tile where you work to document how far a kid jumped, scooted, etc. (Example: One tile = 12 inches. Johnny pulled himself on the scooter for 27 tiles = Johnny went 27 feet!)
- For handwriting or scissors assessments (Johnny is able to write within 1/5th of an inch of the baseline, Johnny is making 50% of his letters one inch or smaller, Johnny is able to cut out a circle within 1/8th of an inch of the designated boundary).
- To order the right size, measure a child’s trunk and waist for weighted vests or proprioceptive vests.
- Measure a child’s head for helmets or headphones.
- How tall the student’s desk or chair is—this allows me to ask the custodian for exactly what I need: a 14-inch chair, not a “smaller” chair. It’s so important that we assess the furniture our kiddos are sitting in.
I bet you can share a few of your own uses in the school setting below…? What is it? I’m so curious!
I feel so strongly that every teacher and therapist should have a Tape Measure that I donated them to the SWAG BAG for the Back to School Conference. The swag bags are sold out, but you can still register for the Back to School Conference. Be sure to use the coupon code SEL10 for an additional 10% off (until July 31, 2022).
Isn’t it cute? I love that it clips on your backpack—it will always be with you.