Climb Places Unsafe Spaces: 5 Ways To Ensure Safety When Your Students With Special Needs Climb On Furniture

Are you having a difficult time with your students using their spider-man skills to climb on furniture and other unsafe places


throughout your classroom? Well, you are not alone in handling these safety concerns that arise when your students with special


needs start climbing on counters, tables, or shelves. And although it can become frustrating and very time consuming, it is a


problem that you must address. So where do you start in maintaining a balance between your students being safe and providing


them with an inclusive environment to explore in a way that is engagement. Stick around to learn more about five ways to ensure


safety when your students with special needs climb on furniture and three tips you can use right now.

1. Creating Safe Spaces


You need to ensure classroom safety is a priority when you are dealing with students who may not fully understand the dangers of


climbing on furniture or other unsafe places. Look at your classroom layout, rearranging the furniture and remove objects that


could be used for climbing; keep only the furniture that is necessary. Do not leave the counter space where your students are


climbing empty. If it is not possible to remove objects or furniture from your class, move them to one side of the room. Create


 boundaries that block the area; making it difficult for your students to move barriers or have immediate access to that area such as


a large chart racks, carts, or easels. Put up stop signs and teach your students what the stop sign means in your classroom.

2. Communicating Strategies


Communication is key. Sit down with your paraprofessional and develop a plan. Some students with special needs thrive on


getting a react out of you. Communicating by not reaction may stop or begin to fade the behaviors over time. Using visual aids or 


alternative forms of communication can to help you to convey the safety rules and your expectations clearly. It may take some


time, but consistency in reinforcing the rules are important for your students to understand.

3. Individualized Support


Recognizing that each student’s needs are unique. You may need to provide individualized support for your students. You should


collaborate with specialists or support staff such as an Occupational Therapist to help you to develop personalized strategies to


manage behavior. Utilizing alternative activities can also help to reduce safety risks. Always ensure that your students have several


different tasks to keep them engaged. When there is nothing for your students to do, your students will find something for


themselves to do. Make sure you establish a consistent routine you can implement each day.

4. Building Trust And Rapport


You must build trust and develop a rapport with your students. Fostering positive relationships are important. This may mean


seeking information about your students from their parents. As you begin to develop those relationships with your students, you


will begin to understand the underlying reasons for their behavior. This can help you better address your student’s needs and


redirect them to safer activities.

5. Professional Development And Resources


You should try to seek out professional developments or other resources to help you to support your students. Be on the lookout


for workshops, online courses, or other resources such as this ABC Contingency that can provide you with skills and strategies to use 


in your classroom to create a safe learning environment for your students.

Final Thoughts


You must adopt a multifaceted approach to ensure the safety of your students with special needs from climbing on furniture and


other objects. You need to create a task-filled, inclusive, and safe environment for your students to stay engaged in learning. By


creating safe spaces, implementing communication strategies, providing individualized support, building trust and rapport,


investing in professional development and other resources, you can better address the challenges your students may be having in


the classroom.


Here Are Three Tips To Keep In Mind:

 

·      Prioritize safety without giving up inclusion.

 

·      Communicate rules consistently using visual aids.

 

·      Seek support from specialists, parents, and other resources.