Waiting can be difficult for most people, particularly children and those with complex needs. Every day our students and children are faced with waiting, whether it’s waiting for the school bus, waiting for their turn at the water fountain, or waiting to be called on in class.
Waiting is an integral part of day to day life and learning how to handle it with patience is important.
How to Handle Waiting
Try teaching your students and children a few tips to make waiting a little bit easier to handle. Start with these 4 tips:
- Practice staying calm and still by relaxing and getting into a comfortable position. Take slow, deep breaths while you count slowly in your head.
- Acknowledge that it is hard to wait, but say out loud and in your head to yourself, “It’s hard to wait, but I can do it!”
- Make a waiting plan that includes a list of things you can do to remain calm while you wait. For example, your list could include: listening to music, reading a book, or drawing.
- Practice your waiting plan! Are there other things you can try when you’re waiting to make it less challenging? Do you have what you need when you have to wait?
There will be moments when your student or child is forced to wait without any of their favorite waiting items on them. Help them brainstorm other ways they can keep themselves occupied while they wait to make it easier to manage and less stressful. Our special education resources can be a great place to start for some ideas!
Our special education consultants have put together supplemental resources to reinforce the lessons taught on this topic including: a mini-schedule, magnet carts, and a few activities.
Power Point Presentations:
I Can Handle Waiting PowerPoint
I Can Handle Waiting Facilitator’s Guide
Resource Materials:
This Week I Might Try to Handle Waiting
I Can Handle Waiting Teacher Note
I Can Handle Waiting Parent Note
I Can Handle Waiting Mini Schedule
I Can Handle Waiting Magnet Cards
Pre/Post Assessment
A pre and post lesson assessment is included in each lesson. Use of the assessment is an instructor preference. Many of the ‘homework’ pages for a lesson can be used as a pre/post assessment device alone or as part of the provided assessment. Each homework page can be checked by the instructor as well as the student.
Review all included pages of the lesson to determine what ‘assessment’ method will meet your needs. If the student is able to achieve a + in the majority of items of the pre-assessment, or if the student has been observed to display the skill topic of the lesson often, then the lesson may not be introduced or can be taught with a group as review and/or reinforcement.
I Can Handle Waiting Pre/Post Assessment
This resource was authored by Watson Institute Special Education Consultant, Andee Morris, M.Ed.
If you have questions or concerns about the Watson Institute’s use of this information, please contact us.