STEPPING INTO SPECIAL EDUCATION, Special Education, SPED, Special Ed, Students with Disabilities, Classroom Management

Hey Special Education Teacher, Are you ready for the new school year? Do you need help with organizing your classroom? Are your routines and small group lessons planned? In today’s episode, I will be sharing the best episodes to get your special ed classroom set up and ready to go NOW for the new school year! Whether you are a new teacher coming in or a veteran teacher, you will gain new ideas fro...

Hey Special Ed Teacher, Have you set up your teacher planner? What do you include in your planner as a special education teacher? Do you have a system that you use to keep on track with your personal and work life? In today’s episode, I share my own step-by-step way of how I organize the planner that I use for the new school year! Getting your planner set up will make the year so much smoother! Fr...

Hey Special Education Teacher, Happy 1st Birthday to the Stepping Into Special Education Podcast! I can’t believe it has been a full year since the show was released back on July 26th, 2022!  THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for listening to the podcast on your earbuds and in your car stereo! I started this all because of you! In hopes to help you alongside your special education journey! In today’s...

Hey Special Education Teacher, What are co-teaching models in special education? What are the different types of co-teaching? Wondering what are your roles and responsibilities as a co-teacher? In today’s episode, you’ll get an overview of the 6 co-teaching models used for both students with special needs and without special needs. You’ll get a better understanding of how to be a co-teacher and wo...

Hey Special Education Teacher, Struggling to write present levels in your IEPs (Individualized Education Plans)? Are your impact statements meaningful? Do your present levels give a good picture of your student with special needs? Jennifer Hofferber is a veteran special educator who has spent an impressive 28 years in the classroom, and currently serves as the Special Education Instructional Coach...

Hey Special Education Teacher, Are you eager to start getting ready for the new school year? Want a head start in prepping for your special ed classroom? Can’t wait to step foot inside your own classroom? In today’s episode, you’ll learn 5 things you can do NOW during the summer to get your SPED classroom ready for the new school year! I’ll share what tool you need to plan the year. I’ll give you...

Hey Special Ed Teacher, What are your summer plans? Do you have professional development (PD) training lined up? Will you be binge-watching your favorite Netflix shows? Do you have a plan of how to spend your time off? In today’s episode, I share my personal experience and seven steps to ensure you have a fulfilling and rejuvenating summer break. The most valuable lesson? Being intentional with yo...

Hey Special Education Teacher, How do you manage behaviors in your special ed classroom? What about handling challenging behaviors from your students with disabilities? Wondering how to get your team on board with the behavior support plan or behavior intervention plan? In today’s episode, we have a special guest, Dr. Christine Reeve. From running Autism Classroom Resources and the Special Educato...

Hey Special Ed Teacher, It is the end of the school year! But, before we ride into the summer sunset, have you done any reflection on the past year? Contemplated on what went right and what areas you need to improve on? In today’s episode, I’ll be sharing how important it is to reflect on the past school year as a special education teacher. This will help you realize what wins to celebrate and wha...

Resources Mentioned: Submit your behavior questions! Record it here NOW ! EP 12 - Student Paperwork Stressing You Out? 4 Easy Classroom Systems to Organize All that Paperwork and Data for Your Students with Special Needs! EP 2 - 6 Tips to Set Up Your Special Education Classroom Environment Get your Educate & Rejuvenate Live Virtual Conference tickets HERE ! Connect with Michelle Vazquez: Download...

Resources Mentioned: Get your Educate & Rejuvenate Live Virtual Conference tickets HERE ! Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less By: Greg McKeown Connect with Michelle Vazquez: Download your FREE IEP Meeting Checklist HERE! Join the FACEBOOK COMMUNITY ! Follow on INSTAGRAM!   Contact: steppingintospecialed@gmail.com

Hey Special Ed Teacher, Are you struggling to keep your students engaged during the last weeks of the school year? If so, you're in luck! On this week's episode of "Stepping into Special Education", I share tips and ideas to help you survive the end of the school year in special education. I know how challenging it can be to keep students motivated during this time. That's why I offer practical ad...

Hey Special Education Teacher, What are IEP (Individualized Education Plan) progress reports? Are IEP progress reports important in school? When are these reports due? In today’s episode, I share the main reasons why we do IEP progress reports. Whether it may be the end of the year or the next reporting period, it is critical to update on our student’s IEP goals. As special education teachers it i...

Hey Special Ed Teacher, What happens when your students with disabilities transition from elementary to middle school? Does any more paperwork need to be done? Is another IEP (Individualized Education Plan) needed for your students with special needs at the end of the school year? In today’s episode, I identify the top five reasons for having a transitional IEP or transition IEP meeting. It is cru...

Hey SPED Teacher, Do you have students that come from different cultural backgrounds and experiences? Are you a special educator that needs help with relating to your students? Are you having trouble connecting with your diverse students with special needs?  In today’s episode, I have educator, speaker, professional development creator, and facilitator Jocelynn Hubbard. She is the founder and mana...

Hey Special Ed Teacher, Are you a special education teacher feeling overwhelmed with the end of the school year approaching? I have some great news for you! In this week's episode, I discuss five must-dos for special education teachers before the end of the school year. As a former sped teacher, I know how stressful the end of the school year can be. I remember having to stay on campus for weeks a...

Hey SPED Teacher, Are you wondering how to apply for a special education teacher position? Thinking about making a change in your special ed career? Wondering what special education teacher jobs are out there? In today’s episode, I will be sharing 6 steps to Get That Special Education Position You want! Whether you’re wanting your first teaching position or looking for a career change, you need to...

Hey Special Ed Teacher, In celebration of the 40th episode, I am re-releasing episode 3, an oldie but goodie! Are you not sure how to work with your paraprofessional? Do want to work better as a team? Feeling overwhelmed and don’t know how your paraprofessional can help? In today’s episode, I have my very first guest, Jackie Rodriguez! Jackie worked with me as a paraprofessional about 4 years ago,...

Hey Special Education Teacher, Are you feeling anxious about all things special education? Do you stress about the different responsibilities you have? Do you worry thinking if you’re doing the right thing?  In today’s episode, I will be sharing 6 ideas of what you can do to lessen your stress. Special education is hard! It is not all sunshine and rainbows. We will have our great, amazing days and...

Hey Sped Teacher, Have you collaborated with your school counselor? Do you know how they can help special needs students? What kind of resources can school counselors provide?  In today’s episode, I have school counselor and curriculum designer behind Bright Futures Counseling, Rachel Davis. We talk all about the important role that school counselors have and what resources they have to offer. She...

Hey Special Ed Teacher, Are you running low on school supplies for your special needs students? Are you wondering where can you get free supplies? How can you find other teacher resources? In today’s episode, I will be sharing 10 tips on where you can get the school materials you need for your special ed class. Low supplies in classrooms located in low-socioeconomic areas are a sad reality for edu...

Hey Special Ed Teacher, Are you wondering how to deal with the challenging behavior of your students with disabilities? What strategies would you use to support students with behavioral needs? Have you tried everything and do not know what to do next? In today’s episode, I will be sharing the top resources to go to when you are in desperate need of help with behavior issues from your students with...

Hey Special Education Teacher, IEP season is HERE! Are you ready for this busy time of year? Do you know how to stay organized with your IEPs? Do you want to end the school year on time with no more paperwork to finish? In today’s episode, I will be sharing tips to prep for the busiest time of the year! We want to be aware of our time so we know when to work on IEP paperwork. You will learn ways t...

Hey SpEd Teachers, Are you feeling like you’re not doing enough for your special needs students? Do you ask yourself, “Am I doing my best as a special education teacher?” Are you wondering if anyone is even noticing all your hard work? In today’s episode, I will be sharing 7 signs that you ARE doing your best as a special ed teacher! As educators, we have our good days and our bad, and it can be a...

Hey Special Ed Teachers, How can you save time as a busy teacher with your emails? How do you manage time efficiently with emails? Did you forget to respond to that important email, again?  In today’s episode, I will be sharing time-saving email hacks you can use NOW as a busy special education teacher! Our main focus is our students when we’re in the classroom, but email communication is a part o...