(Part 2) Reddit mentions: The best education supplies & caft supplies

Bring a tiny stapler. Lots of the printers don't have staplers by them anymore because you can tell it to staple in the settings but who has time for that.

Engineering paper, notebooks, a nice metal ruler, binders if you truly think you're going to use them (and 3 hole punch), something to write assignments/etc in if you think that's helpful to you, a good eraser (I like kneaded ones), you'll need a non-programmable calc for 1101 if you're taking it (TI-34, like $10), index cards for studying, binder clips are the absolute best for everything. Post it tabs are awesome for marking up books that you might sell back.

Check with your roommate(s) about who's got a fridge, microwave, possible TV/gaming system/etc so you don't both bring them. (ALSO A BOX FAN!) Same if someone's got a futon. Flat pack is good if you might not need/want it, you can shove it under a bed or something. Some folks like rugs, I know the carpet in some rooms is pretty gross. If you're in McNair you can probably live without a fridge, there are full size ones in the kitchenettes and people are pretty good about respecting labels. They also have decent sized TVs in the kitchenettes (basically McNair has the best kitchenettes). I've heard and experienced both ends of the spectrum for Wads - kitchenettes only have minifridges anyway, and the suites come with them.

Make sure your boots, coat, snowpants are both warm and waterproof, you can spray them with silicone spray if you're not sure. (Especially if you're planning on helping with snow statues during Carni). I recommend Columbia and/or Mountain Hard Wear, had good experiences with both. A balaclava type thing is definitely a good choice, plus an assortment of hats/gloves/etc for different weather/days/whatever. Wet gloves are not fun. Get ski goggles or similar, you'll thank me later.

Quarters for the dryer, don't bother with one of those pop up laundry hampers, get a decent bag or just bring the stereotypical laundry basket - I've seen many of these, and I have one myself, and it's lasted more than five years. Just put your name on it or something so somebody doesn't think it's theirs.

Dumb stuff you might not think about: extension cords, power strips, ethernet splitter/switch (only 1 port per room which kind of sucks), stuff like WD-40, super glue, goo-gone, magic eraser, zip ties, flip flops for the shower, shower caddy/bucket, a mirror (if in Wads), (not) duct tape, 3M hooks for all the things, poster putty/sticky tack... a cool/funny/weird hat if you're planning on joining pep band, your instrument if the above may apply to you, hockey/etc equipment for broomball (look for stuff early for the best deals)...

The first couple months are going to be the most difficult with the whole medication balancing act. On the bright side, most people have to switch doctors a few times before they find one that isn't a complete idiot, so you already have a leg up!

One thing I wish I had started earlier was keeping a log of everything. This is the pad I am using: http://uedata.amazon.com/-GLANCE-Professional-Planner-Collection-YP110A-49/dp/B00UCC2FLI (I see it's not available anymore, damn.)

Anyway, I write objective observations about myself as well as keep a to-do list and track taking my meds. I write what time I went to bed and what time I woke up, any exercise I did, anything that happened out of the ordinary (and if you are a lady, I would track your lady time). On the year calendar view, I cross a red X on bad days, a green X on good days, yellow X on average days, and a black X on manic days. It helps to have a visual representation of how your moods rise and fall. (There are also apps that do this if you're not a pen and paper type. I find having something physical on my desk is harder to ignore.) And if you notice a pattern, you can look back to see if anything you did that day or the day before triggered a mood swing or contributed to a string of good days.
On Sunday night, I review the week. Any important notes that I took I retype so I can access them quickly if needed later on. Anything on the to-do list that did not get done gets carried over. And I make a general judgment as to how the week went, and try to come up with something constructive I can try to make the next week better. For example, if I see that a couple nights I went to bed really late or ate junk food and that turned into depression, when I write in my next week's dates I'll write a reminder note to try to get consistent sleep and resist sugar cravings. This is especially helpful if you are having side effects from medications, because when you go several weeks between appointments you may forget or misremember exactly how you were feeling the whole time. And on Sunday night, after I've done this analysis and prepared myself for the next week, I rip the previous week out and keep it in that month's file folder. I keep every single day's worth of notes just for reference. Keeping a paper trail of your life will set you up for success. You need to become an expert at yourself, and it's really empowering once you get the hang of it!

And trust me, I've been where you are. Nobody comes with the natural ability to cope with this condition, so don't feel bad that you haven't got it all under control. The fact that you are seeking help and giving the meds a try is a HUGE indicator that you are on the right path!

Other suggestions I have are to figure out your minimum calories and your optimal macro breakdown. Some days, I get it, I can't eat enough either. But make the effort whenever you can and you will see a huge benefit in how you think and feel. Same goes for exercise; when your body is all out of whack you gotta take baby steps. Honestly some days, the best effort I can give is a couple minutes of stretching - but it's better than nothing. I find yoga to be very beneficial, even if it's just super casual stretching with an emphasis on controlling your breathing. You might find yoga or meditation to be a good place to turn when you are having those angry/frustrating/harmful moods. And I think you will find once you start to get these other things in place, sleep will take care of itself.

I'm not sure if you're familiar with the concept of mindfulness, but look into it if you're not. It's another one of those skills you have to hone that will make coping with the bad days much easier. Because no matter what you do, you will always have bad days. Honestly though, in a few months when you find your meds start to click, and you get your habits and routines a little more solid, you'll find that everything you have to do to take care of yourself is almost cathartic in a way.

I know that was A LOT of info, I apologize for the Great Wall of Text! If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask, I'd love to help in any way I can. :)

I am assuming from your profile that you are in the U.S. and will be attending a U.S. school.

First of all, I echo what others have said about questioning "Architecture Engineering". Architecture and Engineering are related but otherwise completely different disciplines. Yes, you use some mathematics and engineering knowledge when practicing architecture, and many engineers also use design principles, but in terms of your education these are very different majors. If I had to guess based upon other programs I've seen, I would hazard that "Architecture Engineering" is some kind of composite course that covers bits of Civil Engineering, Structural Engineering, Construction Engineering, maybe Mechanical Systems (HVAC, Plumbing, Etc.), and maybe even Construction Management. Each of these is difficult academic program all its own, and I can't imagine there being meaningful time for any sort of Architecture Studio curriculum, let alone interior design.

That said, you need to decide if you want to go into Design(Architecture/Interior Design) or Engineering first; don't waste time and money pursuing programs that you aren't interested in. If your goal is to become a practicing, licensed architect then you need to get a NCARB accredited degree from an accredited College of Architecture. This usually takes the form of getting an undergraduate Bachelor of Science in Architecture followed by a Master of Architecture. The Master's degree is the actual accredited, professional degree which is required in order to become licensed. Of course, that means you could study whatever you wanted as your undergraduate degree and still apply to a Master program, but I think you'd be very lost without the solid foundation that an undergraduate architecture degree gives. During or following school, you also must intern under a licensed Architect who will sign off on how many hours you work for the Architecture Experience Program. Once you have completed these hour requirements as well as the professional architecture degree from your Masters, you must pass the Architectural Registration Exam, a series of exams which test your capabilities and education. Finally, after that, you may legally practice architecture and call yourself ARCHITECT.

So, regarding your questions, it's VERY important that you start actually researching the profession of architecture to see if it's even what you want to do. I HIGHLY recommend you read Architect? A Candid Guide To The Profession by Roger Lewis. It's the most accurate, thorough and honest overview of the entire process of practicing architecture that I've found. Architecture is a competitive field which requires an intense dedication and discipline to mastering a wide array of complex and disparate skills. It costs a lot of money and at least 7 or so years of your life to become an architect. One upside is that the skills you learn can be applied to all kinds of other industries, though, so many people don't even stick with architecture following graduation but find work in all kinds of other design fields.

Architects, in general, don't make very much money. In general, you won't really be hitting your stride in your profession until your early 50s. Most of this job is sitting down at a computer/desk for very long periods of time doing very monotonous work for someone else. In practicing professionally, you'll find that most people want a simple box for their home/business, and would much rather spend their money on their families/a boat/investments than a nice building. I don't say all this to be cynical, but it's just part of it you have to be ready for. Most of this job is enormously fulfilling, but it's on you to find that.


If, after all of this, you are still interested in Architecture, here's my recommendation for preparing for the Fall:

1. Read that book I mentioned.
   
   
2. Pick up a book on Architectural Drafting. You won't do much physical drafting beyond your first year, but if you don't understand the fundamentals of how objects and buildings are drawn, you will have a very hard time keeping up. I recommend Architectural Graphics by Francis D. Ching. You won't need all the tools he mentions in the beginning. Get yourself a good mechanical pencil, a drafting triangle, a scale, and a ream of cheap white printer paper. Find some very simple houses or buildings you like and practice "seeing" them and drawing them. Drafting is the common language of the Architecture-Engineering-Construction industries and is arguably THE technical skill that you'll first need to master.
   
   
3. If you have time, download a student version of AutoCAD and start messing around with it. Watch some tutorials. A GREAT thing to do would be to practice designing a small 1-room shed/studio and take it all the way from a sketch to some basic orthographic views in CAD.
   
   
4. Finally, and I cannot stress this enough, do NOT get too caught up in what you think Architecture "is". I think the best possible advice for school is to go into it with an open mind and without preconceptions. Buildings you love now you might not care too much about it 5 years. Things you don't undertand/get might become your favorite projects. Architecture is an extremely open-ended field and the hardest part is carving your own path through it.
   
   Of course, this is all based upon my own meandering experience, and parts of this probably don't apply to every person. Take it with a grain of salt.
   Feel free to DM me if you have any further questions. Good luck!

If you want a quick, inexpensive base, get one of these "6 [subject] games" in each subject. About $20 - but there really are six games in each.

6 comprehension games
https://www.amazon.com/Junior-Learning-6-Comprehension-Games/dp/B015SIDP8C/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?keywords=6+comprehension+games&qid=1565910375&s=gateway&sr=8-1

6 speaking games
https://www.amazon.com/Junior-Learning-6-Speaking-Games/dp/B015SIDPZA/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?keywords=6+speaking+games&qid=1565910417&s=gateway&sr=8-1

They've got them for grammar, phonics, reading, phonological awareness, vowel, letter sounds (I know these seem redundant but they have different types of games) - they're nice because they're pretty flexible and have lots of different things.

I also like the dominos from the same company.

Feelings ($15)
https://www.amazon.com/Junior-Learning-Emotions-Dominoes-Educational/dp/B077BZ1Z8V/ref=mp_s_a_1_12?keywords=emotions+dominos&qid=1565910453&s=gateway&sr=8-12

Random tiny and inexpensive but super handy games:
Scrabble Slam $7
https://www.amazon.com/Hasbro-B0967-Scrabble-Slam-Card/dp/B00NQQTZ74/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=Scrabble+Slam&qid=1565910589&s=gateway&sr=8-3

Learning Resources Popcorn Games $8
(They have a lot for many different components of reading, I'm linking to letters)
https://www.amazon.com/Learning-Resources-Pop-Letters-Game/dp/B004DJ52N4/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?keywords=popcorn+letters&qid=1565910692&s=gateway&sr=8-1

Alphabet flip $8
(Flexible, use for basic vocab, describing, letter recognition, and phonics)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07HF89YBC?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

Also, go to Target's dollar spot ASAP and snap up their inexpensive materials. Hit up your local Dollar tree for flashcards, games, reinforcers, and more. And go to yard sales! You will find a lot of random things, but you can pretty consistently score books for super low prices, and as you know you can use books to teach pretty much anything.

Also there are free resources out there with pre made things you can just print.

Free behavior management and AAC
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Ese-Aac

A treasure trove of what is at least hundreds of evidence based worksheets and game ideas for anything to do with reading - phonics, phonological awareness, fluency, and comprehension (which is also good just for teaching regular old vocab)
http://fcrr.org/resources/resources_sca.html

This will be a big year of learning for you. Definitely ask us questions when you have them! Even if you don't have a Facebook, I would get one (just use your initials if you're worried about privacy and don't post anything) just to lurk in the many SLP related groups on there. Reddit is lovely, but what Facebook has that we don't here is sheer quantity of SLP users. That means there are groups for SLPs about AAC, schools, dysphagia, you name it, it's there.

I learned a RIDICULOUS amount from Facebook my CF year. Frankly, speaking as another contract SLP for my CF (with a technical mentor who actually worked in a different school, in a different county, and saw me the requisite number of hours but no more), I genuinely learned more from these groups than I did from my mentor. I would see common themes, like core vocabulary, LAMP, motor planning in general, core boards with flip fringe, PODD, etc (my caseload that year was basically almost all AAC - it was AWESOME but a lot of learning!) and I would rush to look them up and learn more. I learned more from all that than I have in all my CEUs since (I'm in my 4th year of practice). Way way way helpful, highly recommend.

My last job was at a retail store, but in an office setting. We were given two 15 minute breaks, and an hour lunch, for a 9 hour scheduled shift. So something like 2 hours on, 15 off, 1:45 on, hour off, 2 hours on, 15 off, 1:45 on, leave. This felt pretty good for me, but everyone is different, and I don't know what your company's culture is around that. Your coworkers have that work-break ratio locked down because their brain has a timer built in that helps them out, we have no such luxury!

Another recommendation I have, though this would depend on your job setting, would be to take a break in a different area from where you work. This will help your brain associate work zone = work time, break zone = break time, which might help with transitioning from one to another.

As for small activities, it again depends on your company. I hear a lot of companies encourage fiddling with stuff like legos, or play dough, or kinetic sand or whatever in your work area, but I've had bosses that would just assume I do that all day instead of work. For inconspicuous, maybe a fidget toy? I really like these, and I hear great things about these.

Good luck to you! I am not perfect at this (he says as he reddits while he works) but hopefully you get some use out of what I said :)

Oh wow, ok great, thank you, got it! I purposely ordered escudo notes that had been used a lot, because I liked that they cleared contained some real "history" in the real world. Actually, if you're interested, I already also ordered a bunch of other currency as well - I had planned to order it along with those first banknotes, but wasn't sure if that would be too much, but after she and her two sisters and the nephew himself all were so surprised and thrilled with that, I went ahead and immediately ordered these as well when I got home:

3 of these Brazilian dollars for each of the 3 sisters, who have told me that the kid is so smart and loves to read - these I got in mint condition, because I simply preferred that for this one -

http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MTQ1NFgxNjAw/z/aBgAAOSwaNBUfFwY/$_57.JPG

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw=brazil&_from=R40|R40|R40|R40|R40|R40&_osacat=3411&_from=R40&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.Xbrazil+100+cruzados&_nkw=brazil+100+cruzados&_sacat=3411

This coin, which depicts the Pope carrying a sculpture of the Virgin Mary as the patroness of Brazil -- one of the girls (the kid's mother) posted a picture of that figure on her Facebook back in October when it was the Brazilian holiday about it -

http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MTYwMFgxMjk2/z/MXoAAOSwEK9T~MlL/$_57.JPG

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw=2014+1+DOLLAR+BRITISH+VIRGIN+ISLANDS&_from=R40&_osacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.X2014+1+DOLLAR+BRITISH+VIRGIN+ISLANDS+POPE&_nkw=2014+1+DOLLAR+BRITISH+VIRGIN+ISLANDS+POPE&_sacat=0

Info:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Lady_of_Aparecida

Then I ordered this coin the other day (just a couple bucks), which depicts Portugal's first Chief Cosmographer, Pedro Nunes -

http://www.ebay.com/itm/100-Escudos-2000-Bi-metallic-PEDRO-NUNES-/111583904507?pt=US_World_Coins&hash=item19faeb42fb

Info - and I may print out part of these two articles, and in this case, I'll just use Google's English translations, as corrected by me:

http://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedro_Nunes

http://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosm%C3%B3grafo-mor

And lastly, this globe (which I used to have) -

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00000J6JX/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_1?pf_rd_p=1944687522&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B008C4RX5G&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1RRMGR1V0KCAA2JKKZXV

I think it will be a really cool addition to their home, and the kid can learn geography from it. And yes, this is up-to-date and it includes the nation of South Sudan, which became a country in 2011. I plan to present the 2 preceding coins at the same time as the globe. First, I want to show those the two coins, side by side (like with the symbolic visual meaning of Christianity being brought to the world--these girls are very religious, at least in the sense that they talk about God's role in their lives very often), and then present the globe and place the coins against it, with the Nunes one where Portugal is, and the Aparecida one where Brazil is! As you can see, I like to give gifts that people can learn from and find some special meaning in. All the things are scheduled to be delivered by February 7, which is not too many days away, so I'm very excited about all this!

I've been cosplaying Voltron since 2016 with the group of Paladins that I also created. Believe it or not this was my first EVA foam build. I went into it with very little experience w/ EVA foam and foam smithing in general. I can knit pick everything wrong with my costumes and how I'd do it differently.

I am currently working on a version 2.0 for my Voltron and all the Paladins. I'll be doing many things differently, but i will likely take things I hated about my costumes and change them as well as take inspiration from Dan Morash's Paladin armor. IMO, his is the closest to blending both screen accuracy and functionality.

With that said, my advice on the armor parts from head to toe. This info is all the things I will be doing for my version 2.0

• Helmet - use the standard floor mat EVA foam for this. Also, I think Evil Ted and Punished Props gave a pattern for it free.
  
  
• Lens - you can use colored gels or clear plastic sheets
  
  
• Chest & Back & Collar - use the standard floor mat EVA foam. The thickness will provide strength and rigidity.
  
  
• Chevron (emblem) - use your standard 2mm craft foam.
  
  
• Rib Covers - use anywhere between 6mm - 8mm EVA foam. Reason for this is that it will be easier for you to allow your arms to hang to your sides w/out adding additional thickness to get in the way of movement.
  
  
• Jet Pack - use standard floor mat EVA foam. It will be hollow, you can create an opening on the inside back piece of your armor to allow access to it. You can store your phone, wallet, or whatever you want in it! For mine, I stored their battery packs for the lights.
  
  
• Shoulder Covers (pauldrons?) - use the standard floor mat EVA foam. Again, for strength and rigidity. It's not really an area that has a huge range of motion that the thickness will impede your movement. But try not to affix it directly to the chest armor. Doing that will limit your range of motion. Instead, use elastic straps to connect them.
  
  
• Biceps - use 6mm foam for this. This is for better range of motion and less restriction.
  
  
• Elbows - you can use anything for this really, anywhere from 2mm - 12mm can work. The thicker you go, the more contouring and shaping you can do.
  
  
• Forearms (bracers) - use anywhere between 6mm - 8mm. The flexibility will allow to easily slip it on and off. Although, if you find that the fitting is going to be more snug than loose, then you will want to go w/ the 10mm - 12mm (floor mat) foam for this. The durability and rigidity will help in prying it on and off w/out ripping the foam. Use 2mm craft foam for the detailing.
  
  
• Belt - use 6mm - 8mm foam
  
  
• Thighs - use 6mm foam for better range of motion and it will also allow you to walk more casually than using floor mat EVA.
  
  
• Knees - use 4mm - 12mm for this, it's really preference. Personally I'd go w/ the standard floor mat EVA foam (12mm) because it does serve a purpose. You can get on your knees to take kneeling poses etc...
  
  
• Shin/Calves - similar to your forearms, this can be anywhere between 6mm - 12mm. Depending on how snug you make it, the rigidity or flexibility will be a factor. The detailing can be done w/ 2mm craft foam and the round circles on the ankles can be done w/ the floor mat EVA.
  
  
• Feet Covers - this is optional. I've seen people just go w/ a standard white shoe or a black shoe. For my first set, I had my guys wear black shoes and had the foot cover attached to the shin/calves armor. I don't think I'll do it any differently this time around.
  
  
• Lighting - you could opt to just paint them in, which is effective in of itself. Or if you want to add lights to all, you can go w/ EL Tape & EL Panels
  
  
• Paint - I used and will likely use the Rustoleum spray paints again. When I met Joaquim Dos Santos last year, he actually asked me about my paint and complemented at how accurate they were to the color match.
  
  Additionally: Here is a post I did for people wanting to get into foam smithing. I highly recommend getting your foam from TNT Cosplay supply. For the Floor Mat EVA, you can easily get them at most hardware stores.

29/M here. I haven't been on here in over a year, but I felt it was best for me to speak up and tell you to not give up on College. Find out methods that can help you pay attention during your study time. Go to your college's disability accommodation department and get them acknowledge your ADHD and help you. And what you have to realize is that you most likely need some counseling to help you cope better, along with healthy doses of self care. Personally, It has taken me about six years of CBT therapy and many EMDR sessions to remove the past traumas that can hold ADHD'ers back. I just recently felt confident enough to want to go ahead and complete my Associate's Degree. I enrolled at my local community college in August of 2008. I will most likely be graduating Winter of 2020. 12 years if you're counting for an Associates. It doesn't matter if you get W's or F's etc or you have to go to remedial courses like me. When we walk across that stage and get our degrees, it will be worth it. Only 5% of ADHD'ers get their degree. Make history. We all can do it.

TDLR. Get accommodations and study tools to help with your brain wiring. Consider CBT therapy, especially EMDR. I personally have been trying to pursue an associates degree for 12 yrs. It doesn't matter if you get W's or F's, the neurotypicals use stuff like this to discourage people from finishing, as long as you pass in the long term, you pass. It doesn't show W's and F's on your actual printed degree. Get your degree and make history since only 5% of us
graduate.


BTW, I heard from my therapist who works with a lot of kids, that using "Transparent Color Film Plastic Sheets" over your textbooks can help with the problem of following the text and concentration. https://www.amazon.com/Dyslexia-Reading-Overlay-Recommended-Dyslexic/dp/B077QQ226D/ref=pd_cp_201_1?pd_rd_w=AMtyg&pf_rd_p=ef4dc990-a9ca-4945-ae0b-f8d549198ed6&pf_rd_r=KX5NHAWW3X16XRN7WNTT&pd_rd_r=cbb37fbd-9e0e-11e9-92c9-7b5b72fd778d&pd_rd_wg=bog4U&pd_rd_i=B077QQ226D&psc=1&refRID=KX5NHAWW3X16XRN7WNTT

I've posted about this here before, but: I do this for myself already and couldn't recommend the method more. I have an extra large planner on my desk at work that I fill with things I accomplished during the day. I started it a few years ago when I started getting frustrated at how few items I was crossing off my daily to-do lists and feeling like I was not being very effective.

I find the list has increased morale, made me better at understanding my job, made me better at estimating task lengths and estimating how much slip I should be building into deadlines to accommodate unexpected emergencies. I've also gotten much better at recognizing what kinds of disruptive tasks are likely to sandbag me, and at curating my To Do list since I have a clearer understanding of how much I am realistically able to get done.

Bonus points: by meticulously documenting what I've accomplished, I can argue my value more capably.

I like this brand/size and have used it three years in a row: https://www.amazon.com/Orange-Circle-Studio-Spiral-Planner/dp/B0791TX259/

I would personally recommend keeping a done list (in a planner, a specific notebook, whatever -- but something personal and accessible to you) over posts in a subreddit or in a daily sticky thread.

Reasons:

• how much does being on reddit really aid your productivity, really?
  
• if you want to refer back to the data for any reason (arguing for a raise, tracking productivity over time, trying to reconcile to-do lists with done lists as I have) it will be easier to have the data immediately available from your records rather than distributed elsewhere, particularly if it's on something like a daily sticky thread that might be difficult to go back and find
  
• shorthand/ease of use/potential for sensitive information. I can jot down "call w Scott re: DA" and I'll know what I was talking about; if you're going to be posting your accomplishments publicly, you may find you need to explicate more than you're entirely comfortable with or not be able to take credit for accomplishments you wouldn't feel comfortable posting about.

Speech bin cookie game, this looks really fun! Not sure if you have it yet but I didn't see it in your list.

When the sunlight strikes raindrops in the air, they act like a prism and form a rainbow. THIS SENTENCE CONTAINS EVERY SOUND IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE. :)

I've had years working with speech therapists with my daughter who has down syndrome. She has progressed quite nicely. Sometimes we forget that others aren't used to her speech patterns as my family can understand her so well. At school they've used pec cards in the past for her communication needs. I know that starting as early as possible is very important. Liz worked with a wonderful woman for years before she even began pre school and it made a huge difference for her. Sometimes when she gets frustrated with us not understanding her she acts out what she means until we get it. Her siblings are the best at translating for her usually. It's bright them closer I believe. Ok wall of text over, I could chat about it for hours :) Ty for everything you do!!!! <3

My son is absolutely obsessed with The Wiggles. They are better to watch on video, but their songs are catchy to listen to as well. Here is a Wiggles CD.

You can try her out and see if she even likes the Wiggles by pulling them up on YouTube. This is a good episode. My son loves this stuff. He either goes completely limp in utter fascination when he sees one of these videos OR he starts dancing along. He has been learning the hand motions to their songs, so things get pretty adorable around here.

I second that this should be a teach-by-teacher decision. I'm not exactly sure what age the OP or anyone for that matter is talking about, but in my high school, cell-phone use is pretty well maintained. There is a relatively popular phone holder thing (this->

https://www.amazon.com/Numbered-Classroom-Calculator-Hanging-Organizer/dp/B01EX0IZ0Y/ref=asc_df_B01EX0IZ0Y/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=198090886690&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=7621553335386985087&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9003234&hvtargid=aud-801381245258:pla-349816256389&psc=1)

that some teachers have at the front of their classroom, but only use for certain classes. Most teachers have a mix of classes, some of which are super nerdy kids with whom the policy against cell phone usage is most easily enforced by simply calling the student out. An awkward situation is the best natural consequence against a kid who wants the teacher's respect. In other classes, students might be more rebellious, and if the phones become a problem, the teacher simply makes students put their phones in here at the start of class. Banning phones from schools just seems like an unnecessary restriction which will make kids feel like they are being micromanaged. Plus, the phone addiction issue is just as problematic if not more outside of the classroom, so eventually there has to be some good resolution for that. In the meantime, though, just let the kids do their thing, and let teachers spend 12$ on amazon (worst case scenario if the school won't pay for it) and buy one of those organizers, fixing the problem for good.

Copy+paste'd from a similar cry for help.

​

Trimming round times is key.

I bought a set of sand timers, though I only really ever use the 1- and 2-minute timers; putting that timer in front of the players who loooove to take their sweet time deciding who to hit or what to cast makes them hurry right along. Usually.

When time runs out, I demand they state their action, and if they still don't have something in mind, they lose their turn. Choice paralysis is a hell of a drug, folks. Of course, I make that clear from the beginning, so there's no hard feelings. There's no sense slowing down gameplay just because you didn't consider what you want to do in the 10 minutes it took to make it around the table.

Anyway, I wouldn't say it's as effective as I want to be, but it'll help more as the average level of the table goes up. A minute sand timer with a turn forfeiture penalty encourages fast thinking. But with 8 players, it might be worth looking at some different initiative methods:

​

Another way to speed up initiative and keep the group engaged is... a little harder to explain in words than it is to do in practice.

Step one: Lump all the PCs and friendly NPCs into one group, then the opponents into another group.

Step two: The players and opponents take turns in round-robin fashion rolling initiative from round to round.

Example: On round 1 of combat, Ciel the sorcerer, who is closest to the DM's left, rolls a total of 13 for initiative, but the hobgoblin Iron Shadow rolls a huge 23, so all the opponents go first, followed by all the PCs and NPCs. Round 2, Strong LeStrong the barbarian, who is immediately to Ciel's left, rolls a very good 16, and the goblin champion rolls a 7, so on this round, all the heroes go first, followed by the baddies. And on and on and on.

Step three: Use those timers again to trim average round time.

​

Finally, I'm thinking of giving this guy's take a fair shot. tl;dw, he does away with initiative entirely, both sides decide what they're going to do in advance, and then everything is resolved at the same time. In other words, except for something like holding an action and waiting for a trigger - "I'm going to hold my action, whoever attacks Ciel this turn is getting a hammer thrown at them!" - all declared actions and targets are locked in place and will go off as stated. Yes, that means we'll run into that archaic problem of characters attacking downed or already-dead characters, but that's the nature of the beast.

The philosophy at our school is primarily learning through play. Providing toys like play food, phone, dress up, Legos, dolls will help them learn and practice the things they see grown ups doing in real life or in media. Sensory things like play dough, gak, orbeez or even beans in a bucket are a cool way to learn tactile skills, and you can use scoopers, funnels, cups to fill them, scoop them, move them around. I also got [these](Learning Resources Handy Scoopers https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AQURG0Q/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_ijjZzbX5PSPC4) which are super popular are fun.

I tend to stay away from more acedemic toys and activities for that age range, unless they show their own earnest interest in them. I'd like to see young kids be kids for as long as they're able to!

My son has several. He's only 7, but he's a mouth fidgeter. (I'm more of a hand fidgeter, so I have doodle stuff and worry stones.) Anyway, the pencil toppers and stim necklaces are his favorites. He's got a little necklace that's a black silicone bat, and he can hide it under his shirt until he needs to chew. These pencil toppers also have little hand fidgets for both types of fidgeting. They're awesome. Dude, use what you need to make your life work! There are SO many tools available to us now! What a time to be alive!

Really like the idea, but not going to pay $10 plus shipping and wait until after Christmas to receive it - I will wish them luck and hope that in the future I can pick one of these things up for 5 bucks at Walmart or Amazon. After all its only slightly better thanwhat I'm using now.

Pretty sure this was released by Brady games, maybe with a strategy guide? If you flip it over do you see the other image on this page? See also http://www.insidemacgames.com/news/story.php?ArticleID=13575.

I'd really like to get one of these myself but a hundred bucks is pretty steep for a poster. Wish Blizzard would release a new one.

I've been using the wall pocket calculator holder all year and I love it.
It was a fight at first. I'd tell them the number was on their desk, there phone went in the pocket. Then I'd take role based on which phones were in their pockets (I do this on a seating chart projected on the smart board). It was a time-consuming annoyance for the first couple of weeks. "Tim, no phone today?" "Oh, I forgot..." Or they'd lie and say they didn't have it. Then later I'd see them with it and have to write a referral and confiscate the phone.

My admin was supportive. That first month I wrote a lot of referrals. I even had to write a referral for a kid who put in an empty case. Idiot. But by now, they just put their phones up and we move on with life without their sirens call.

I also will structure the day's schedule with clear marking for times when they CAN have their phones⎯like at the beginning when they're supposed to be doing a journal, or to listen to music while writing, or at the end of class when they're supposed to be reading. It's clearly labelled as available phone time which seems to make them better accept the phone-less times.

I use this. It's easy to hang and is the perfect size for a small crop.

A glass display case with leds / lights is always best imo, and if you can get clear / transparent plate holders (something like this but obviously less tacky) that'd be amazing. I have my glass case, but I have them lying down, and it's just not that cool :(.

If you are going to try Broom Stick Lace, I suggest picking up a drafting ruler. The triangle shape makes it much easier to slip the hook in.

They have them on Amazon or at office supply stores.

Arteza 12" Triangular Architect Scale Aluminum Color-Coded Grooves (Imperial) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LY2BJ1G/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_pa0BCbVWWWPEE

I used to have this one in my bedroom. It's not massive but it looks really cool (Especially the old looking side.

http://www.amazon.com/World-Warcraft-Two-Sided-Map-24-Pc/dp/B000MV44UE

Like this one? https://smile.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01LY2BJ1G/ref=mp_s_a_1_3/132-3557358-8743653?ie=UTF8&qid=1494559555&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=Architect+scale&dpPl=1&dpID=51s9kGRO8IL&ref=plSrch#immersive-view_1494559967675

I'm guessing I'd use the marks on the green side labeled 1?

Got a few packs from amazon, they are plastic easels.
http://www.amazon.com/Clear-Plastic-Easels-Plate-Holders/dp/B003CTSIG4
Most hobby stores such as hobby lobby sell them as well.

i bought a thingy that does this:
https://www.amazon.com/Westcott-Titanium-Bonded-Assorted-14927/dp/B004STNJU2

bonus tip, i learned how to gift wrap from this youtube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAiqnGBMzXe6U7tiCIVLodg

When I was a kid, my school handed out these http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fidget-Pencil-Toppers-Nutsn-Colors/dp/B008A5P7BY and they were great!!!
They are unfortunately a bit noisy to use in meetings as an adult.

I use multicharger blocks, one of these and some long usb cables. Works well for me.


Gotta make sure to buy phones with charger ports on the bottom but that's not usually a problem.

Here you go guys ;)
https://www.amazon.com/World-Warcraft-Two-Sided-Map-24-Pc/dp/B000MV44UE

Go Rams! Drafting is drawing the various pieces of the set to scale and often from multiple angles. For example, 1/4" = 1' would be scaled down to 1/48th of the original size, so a 4' x 8' standard platform would be drawn at 1"x2" in the drawing. Get yourself one of these bad boys and once you learn how to use it, it can help handle the math for you.

They're tabletop easles i think. I was given them by my future sister in law who used them for mirrors. I saw them on amazon https://www.amazon.com/Clear-Plastic-Easels-Plate-Holders/dp/B003CTSIG4

I bought them on Amazon. Here's the link: http://www.amazon.com/Clear-Plastic-Easels-Plate-Holders/dp/B003CTSIG4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1377989469&sr=8-1&keywords=plastic+easel

looks like simple picture easels to me, you can get a bunch of them for cheap at a craft store (if i'm not right, it's a great idea anyways)

We use something like this for our classes. A 42 pocket is also available. We assign the kids a number, and they have to put their phone in the corresponding pocket. It's a pain in the beginning of the year, but they eventually do it without a fight.

>globe.

http://www.amazon.com/Clear-Plastic-Easels-Plate-Holders/dp/B003CTSIG4/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1394378132&sr=1-1&keywords=mini+easel

http://www.amazon.com/Clear-Plastic-Easels-Plate-Holders/dp/B003CTSIG4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1395784559&sr=8-1&keywords=display+easel+plastic these?

https://www.amazon.com/World-Warcraft-Two-Sided-Map-24-32/dp/B000MV44UE

look at side 2

I believe it is this one:
https://www.amazon.com/World-Warcraft-Two-Sided-Map-24-32/dp/B000MV44UE/
It's apparently double-sided (and quite expensive)

I'm talking about a basic fisher-price level elementary school globe, here: https://www.amazon.com/Explorer-World-Globe-Assorted-Colors/dp/B00000J6JX

Step 1 - buy a world globe

Step 2 - look at it everyday

Step 3 - resist the temptation to travel to a new place everyday

[Frame easel were the words I wanted.] (http://www.amazon.com/Clear-Plastic-Easels-Plate-Holders/dp/B003CTSIG4/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&qid=1449262035&sr=8-14&keywords=frame+easel) I have the worst case of stupids today.... anyway, these come in various sizes down to an inch and up to 14", and can be gold, black iron rod, bronze, etc.

Edit: as a follow up, I'd get the plastic ones. I'd then spray paint them the color I wanted and if the item was delicate i'd use rubber glue on the edges. Let it dry and it's like a sticky cushion and protects paint from scratches.

My school admin supports teachers who want to use cell phone holders in classrooms. I have one of these hanging up. It's been life changing for me--like taking a time machine back to 2000 or so. I recommend it.

I was initially afraid of a few things: stolen phones, fake phone cases, students pushing back, etc. None of that came to pass in the last few years I've used it. The students actually seem to kind of like it.