Welcome to Ms. Ronau’s Room!
Who is Ms. Ronau?
My name is Sarah Ronau (pronounced ruh-NO) and I’m 34 years old. I love to ski, read, hike, and spend time on my family farm. I’ve been in the education world for over a decade. I’ve also worked in the private educational sector as a health and wellness education writer as well as in educational technology in the same capacity. Although I hold a masters in special education and have 5+ years experience teaching students with disabilities, I have taught general education 1st-6th grades, 7th grade Latin, 12th grade computer science, and a publishing workshop for masters and doctoral students.
What is Ms. Ronau’s Room like?
I’m delighted to bring my passion and expertise in education to your student’s learning journey. We will be utilizing pull out sessions to help your student work on their IEP goals. My approach to learning informs my classroom style: we all work with our strengths to help us get better at our goals. We work best when we’re engaged and invested. Because of this, I aim to guide students to take charge of their learning journey so they can feel like they are “in the driver’s seat.” I also believe in the power of humor. Learning new things can be hard: we can all at least attempt to laugh through the hard parts.
What’s Next?
I want to give parents the tools to help their student beyond the classroom. To be a successful part of our educational ecosystem, working hard is part of the deal, but I also acknowledge that this skill must be taught. Here are some ideas on how you can teach at home, as well as ways to reach me for questions, concerns, etc!.
Parent Resources
At Home Learning
I don’t like the concept of homework, but there are ways you can teach responsibility and hard work without cracking open a workbook.
Chores. Assigning household tasks is a great way to teach responsibility and being a part of a team. From folding laundry to taking the dog for a walk, chores can be scaled to each ability and age group. And don’t worry about the “payment”: chores can be rewarded with extra screen time or additional time at the park!
2. Trying something new. Encourage your child to try out for a sports team or join an art class. New activities allow your child to explore new concepts, meet new people, and understand that it takes practice to really get good at something, which can be applied to academics!
3. Establishing a routine. This is a big deal. Routines allow children to predict what’s coming next and to get used to a schedule at school. Many neurodiverse students thrive with schedules, seeing a marked improvement in behaviors. Although life happens and sometimes routines can get disturbed (which is a great teachable moment), staying near schedule, even on breaks, can allow students to learn the value of responsibility and timeliness.
4. Reading and Number Sense. If your child has basic reading or math skills, make a game of it by asking them to “I Spy” letters or numbers they are working on while out shopping, driving around, or enjoying a book together. The more they are aware of their surroundings and with the ability to decipher letters and numbers in real-world settings, the better they will be at learning reading and math!
How to Contact Me
I am passionate about being available for the parents and students that I serve. That being said, I do set strict office hours in an effort to separate my personal and professional life, and to prevent burnout. Unless otherwise stated in my weekly newsletter, I am available from 10-12 on Monday mornings for phone calls and meetings. If you would like to schedule an in-person meeting or phone call, Mondays are my best day. Otherwise, I am also available from 12-1 on Wednesday and 12-2 on Fridays.
The best way to reach me is by email as when I have time in between sessions, I can often get back to parents sooner. I tend to leave the class room at 4:30 each day and log out of “Ms. Ronau” for the weekend.