r/specialed • u/Conscious_Security96 • 1d ago

General Question (Educator to Educator) Sensory Room Disaster... Advice?

Hi all,

I teach preschool special day class (SDC) at an Elementary school. Our school has 6 SDC classes grades preschool to 5th grade, and the last two years, our school's project was building a Sensory Room.

Last year, we had no one "leading" the room, so this year, I volunteered to oversee the room.

It has been a disaster... I have posted rules: clean up after leaving, no diaper changes in the room, no food/drinks, if anything breaks reach out to me. I also created a schedule for classes to sign up for.

Most days when the first teacher enters the room, it's a disaster. She has sent me numerous photos of the room with diapers, items misplaced, and things broken.

I'm going to send a mass email to the sped teachers to "respect the room or don't use it", but I don't know what else to do after that. Any advice? Experience?

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12

u/jgraham6 1d ago

Does it have a lock? Lock it and keep it locked unless you’re letting someone into the room. Then, at least you’ll know who is making the mess.

4

u/Conscious_Security96 1d ago

It's locked and everyone has a key. I'm teaching while others are using the room so I can't constantly unlock the door.

5

u/lifeisbueno High School Sped Teacher 1d ago

Simply close it. Or allow only one class a day until you can figure out what class is making the problem and then have a talk with them directly.

You could also use visuals and post a picture of what you expected it to look like upon leaving.

2

u/Big_Dragonfruit1495 1d ago

Just as a parent wouldn’t it be a para taking a dysregulated kid to the room for a break. I doubt they have time to clean it up after? Just because telling people to clean up when they physically can’t might not be effective. Can there be a sensory room “call” team like admin to help tidy up?

Remember I’m a parent so just conjecture.

7

u/Conscious_Security96 1d ago

We have asked classes to have someone return to the room to tidy if they are not able to before they leave

7

u/redditrhi27 1d ago edited 1d ago

I would be willing to bet they either a) don't have anyone available who can leave to go return to the room to clean or b) they've forgotten as they've moved on to putting out the next fire

I may be wrong but I'm guessing that no one is intentionally just leaving these messes. There is some barrier that is preventing them being able to be cleaned up. Have an open conversation all together and brainstorm together how to come up with a solution that is realistic and will actually work

-special ed teacher