Be The Exception In Special Education

Lunch, PE, Music...oh my! How will I fit everything that my students need? Building a master schedule in the special education classroom can be somewhat of a challenge. You have to balance the needs of each individual with the needs of the group. You also have to fit into the school master schedule. Then there are things like speech and OT services to consider. Being flexible is absolutely the key...

Professional development is so important for teachers. We need to learn updated techniques to continue to be our best for our students. As special educators, we often get pushed together with our general ed colleagues, and while we learn some things, it is difficult to find PD that is specific to our needs. So I went on the hunt for trainings that are geared towards us and our students.    In this...

As special education teachers, we are often living in a state of chaos. We have tons of paperwork, meetings and most importantly, teaching our classes. There are deadlines galore. Since we live in a digital world there are tons of resources that can make calming the chaos a little easier.   This week, Kristi Deroche with Kristi Digitals is joining me to talk about ways you can use digital tools to...

How do you combine a lesson on fine motor skills, understanding emotions and vocabulary? Believe it or not, there is a way to do this...board games! Yes, they are fun, but they can also be educational. This week I'm sharing how you can use 15 different board games in your classroom.    In this episode you will learn: The benefits of board games for your students' learning How to find a game for th...

We often feel like writing an IEP is the most difficult thing in our jobs as special educators. But if you break down the process, it can actually feel doable instead of overwhelming. Stephanie DeLussey from Mrs. D's Corner and the Intentional IEP joins me in this week's episode to discuss the 4 rules of writing an effective IEP. By learning to ask for help and working through some simple professi...

Life as a special education teacher is crazy...ALL.THE.TIME! There are so many meetings, paperwork deadlines and information about our students to keep up with. And somehow, we are supposed to "just remember". Well, I don't know about you, but my brain is full and I needed help! Enter the digital planner that I created with special education teachers in mind. In this week's episode I'm going to sh...

Technology in education has come so far in just the last few years. It seems like things change every single day. So how do we keep up? What works best for our special education students? What holds their attention but also keeps them learning? And what is the best thing for me as a teacher? There are so many questions!   In this week's episode I'm joined by Kara Guiff, a 31 year veteran educator...

You made it! It is the end of the year and we have all survived...and at times even thrived...a pandemic. I am so proud of you and all that you have overcome. Let's finish out the year strong, and together. In this week's episode I want to share with you a few tips that have worked for me to add just a little calm to the chaos.   In this episode you will learn: The benefits of still maintaining a...

Title:  How to Incorporate Social Skills in the Special Ed Classroom   Challenging behaviors can appear at any time from any student, but they always seem to be more prevalent in the Spring. Where do these behaviors come from and how can we respond appropriately?   Join me in this week's episode as I chat with Amanda and Danielle from Navigating Behavior Change for answers to these questions and m...

As special education teachers we are tasked with the unique job of teaching both state standards and a student's personalized IEP goals. It can be very overwhelming at times. In this week's episode, I'm going to share with you some strategies that I have found that can make things a little easier to balance. In this episode you will learn: The benefits of focusing on state standards in whole group...

Are your ducks a little out of line right now? Do you feel like you are completely overwhelmed to the point that you don't even know where to start? Join me as I chat with Lauren Larson from Structure Special Ed about all things organization in this week's episode.   In this episode you will learn: The benefits of finding your own system How to adapt what you already have in place How to stop list...

The end of the school year is right around the corner! Statewide testing and IEP season are both in full swing. So how do you and your students finish the year strong? Join me for this week's episode where I will share some tips and strategies for you and your kiddos to be the best that you can be!   In this episode you will learn: The benefits of the pyeudonym PIRATES How to help your students pr...

Being a new teacher can be such a scary thing. Some have just graduated and have a good foundation, others are coming from different fields entirely and need tons of support as they make the transition. Teacher Mentors an absolute necessity for those first crucial years. In this week's episode I'm chatting with Kasey and Madison from Ability Driven Teaching about how to be an impactful teacher men...

The dream of every special education teacher is for their students to be in a positive learning environment: behaviors are appropriate, students are engaged and succeeding. So how do we get our classrooms to this utopia? One of the key steps is giving positive and specific praise as often as you can. In this week's episode we will talk about positive and specific praise and how to use it correctly...

Are your students pushing your buttons as we near the end of the school year? Do you feel like your entire classroom needs a reset button? Join me in this week's episode of Be the Exception as I talk with Chyna, an elementary behavioral special education teacher. She shares some strategies that are tried and true to get your students back on track and maintain some order to finish strong. In this...

Title: Being Intentional with Wait Times as a Teacher   So what is wait time? How much should you give? There are so many questions when we deal with our students who are struggling with developmental delays and sometimes not enough answers. In this week's episode we will talk about the definition of wait times, the benefits of allowing for longer ones and how paying attention to the directives gi...

Our students come to us with so much background and history. There are pieces that can be traumatic and those affect their daily behavior in the classroom. So how do we deal with trauma in our students, how do we help them be successful in spite of their past? In this week's episode I am joined by Rachel from Safe Space Teaching who will share with us strategies for creating a trauma informed clas...

Every special education teacher has to write IEP goals..it does not matter what level you teach or what grade level you work with. Writing effective goals does not have to be difficult. There are 5 easy steps that you can take right now that will have you feeling like a pro in no time.   Join me for this week's episode and learn to write data driven, measurable goals! In this episode you will lear...

We all know that one of the biggest factors in student learning is classroom management. But, how can we make strides in student behavior and organization? It all begins with being intentional! Join Erin Godwin from Organized in Elementary as she chats with me in this week's episode about decluttering and structuring your environment to become a rock star at classroom management.   In this episode...

If you have spent any time in a classroom then you know that managing student behaviors can be a challenge. There are so many varied situations and structuring your classroom to meet the needs of each student is an ever changing task. Having some go-to tools can make life just a little easier.   Join me in this week's episode as we discuss building out your behavior toolbox. In this episode you wi...

Scattered papers, pens laying around the room, data collection forms with ripped edges in a haphazard stack on the windowsill, seventeen windows open on your laptop...sound like your life? Then this episode is for you! You are a great teacher, you just need a few tips to get yourself organized so you can focus more on being present for your students.    Join me as I chat with Jennifer DeBrosse fro...

Predetermination is when any member of the IEP team makes decisions before the IEP meeting and fails to seek parental input in those decisions.  This not only goes against what is in the best interest of the student, it is also illegal. IDEA states that parental input must be included in the IEP team's decisions.    In this episode, I will share with you 4  ways that you can avoid predetermination...

Mindset is all about our attitude and how we interact with our emotions. As teachers, especially this year we have to find ways to recognize the negative and then move past it to the positives. We need action steps to reach a mindset that allows us to be present for ourselves, our colleagues and our students and their families.    In this episode Lindsay Titus shares with us some easy and simple t...

4 Simple Strategies for Special Education Teachers Needed in 2021. I'm back and ready to tackle the last few months of school with you! There are many things to come in the next few weeks as we chat about all the things you have been asking for! For now, sit back and relax as we learn to love on ourselves and set some self-care goals and boundaries for 2021. 2020 was hard and 2021 has started off...

Who is this for? This episode will appeal to special education teachers who often suffer from burnout and compassion fatigue but may not know how to create a self-care plan that will lead them down a path of improved mental health. By the end of the podcast, you'll have a list of resources, tips, and techniques that you can put into action immediately to begin creating a self-care plan that works...