Teach, Task Box, Inspire: The Podcast (A Show for Special Educators)

In Episode 38 of Teach Task Box Inspire, Lisa discusses the importance of independent work systems (IWS) in special education classrooms. Sharing her journey transitioning from a self-contained classroom to a 5th-grade consultant teacher role, Lisa emphasizes the necessity of fostering independence in students with special needs. This episode explores six types of Independent Work Systems: tiered...

In Part 8 of the Teach Task Box Inspire mini-series, Lisa guides special educators through essential elements often overlooked but crucial for an effective autism classroom setup. Lisa discusses sensory tools, parent communication strategies, technology integration, classroom atmosphere, and educator self-care. Lisa emphasizes their collective impact on student success and classroom harmony. Pract...

In the latest episode of Teach Task Box Inspire, Lisa focuses on the topic of training paraprofessionals in autism classrooms. Paraprofessionals play a pivotal role in student support, and Lisa discusses the importance of comprehensive training in understanding autism, implementing IEPS, managing behaviors, and using communication devices effectively. Paraprofessionals are in our classrooms day in...

In this episode of Teach Task Box Inspire, Lisa continues her mini-series on setting up an effective Autism classroom, focusing on the critical importance of communication for students with Autism. She emphasizes the necessity of providing constant access to communication tools like PECS books, iPads, core boards, and AAC devices to help students express their needs and reduce frustration and beha...

In this episode of Teach Task Box Inspire, Lisa continues her mini-series on setting up an effective Autism Classroom. She discusses the importance of preparing instructional materials and resources for students with diverse needs. Lisa emphasizes the ongoing process of resource development and adaptation, especially for educators new to Autism classrooms. She shares strategies for organizing and...

Students on the autism spectrum benefit greatly from visuals. Visual supports assist our autistic students with language comprehension and expression. Have you ever struggled with getting your students to be more independent? Visual supports are key! In this episode of the mini-series for setting up an effective autism classroom, I tell you all about how visual supports have been an absolute game-...

We are talking about schedules in part 3 of the Teach Task Box Inspire mini-series. Schedules play a crucial role in setting up an effective autism classroom. In this episode, we focus on comprehensive schedules for students and classroom staff. Carefully creating those schedules ensures a smooth functioning classroom setting. Not only do schedules benefit the students, but the staff as well. You...

The mini-series continues in this episode of Teach Task Box Inspire. We are talking all about setting up an effective autism classroom. I share all of my practical tips and considerations for arranging your classroom space to meet the diverse needs of students with ASD. Carefully planning a classroom environment with the right visual structure is key to creating an environment that promotes predic...

In this episode of Teach Task Box Inspire, a mini-series on setting up an effective Autism Classroom is introduced! This is the very first episode out of 8, that will go over all the tips and tricks for setting up an effective Autism classroom. Take a listen to hear all about my extensive experience in special education. I have started multiple autism programs across different school districts. Th...

This new episode of Teach Task Box Inspire discusses some beneficial strategies for preventing over-prompting in students with autism during instructional activities. It can be easy to over-prompt our students and assume they need more than we have given. However, the importance of allowing students time to process information and respond independently to tasks is vital. By reducing prompts and gi...

In this episode, we discuss the concept of functional protesting in the context of supporting non-verbal or low-verbal students who struggle to communicate their needs without resorting to negative behaviors. We will talk about the importance of teaching students how to appropriately express their desire for a break or disinterest in an activity, instead of relying on disruptive behaviors. This ep...

In this episode of the Teach Task Box Inspire podcast, join me as we explore the effective use of choices to manage challenging behaviors in students. I emphasize that offering choices is a powerful strategy that can be seamlessly integrated throughout a student's school day, promoting engagement and reducing resistance. Resources Mentioned: Visual Aids Resource Free training: 3 Simple and Powerfu...

Are you a first-year teacher? I swear, every teacher can remember these beginning years and has a story or two to share about what they have learned along the way. Tune in to episode 26 to learn about some of the mistakes that I have made and learned from during those early days in education. In episode 26 I discuss the common mistakes first-year special education teachers often make, and I offer...

Have you ever struggled to make connections as a special education teacher in your school? In this episode, I dive into the importance of making friends and building those connections within your school community. As a self-contained teacher or a special education teacher, this can be something you have always wondered how to work on. I chat about the practical strategies for making friends in the...

This episode of Teach Task Box Inspire discusses the importance of breaking the cycle of playing into student behaviors in the self-contained classroom. As educators, we hold the power to shape and redirect behaviors and explore strategies to create a supportive learning environment. This episode dives into understanding the root causes of behaviors to implement proactive interventions and foster...

Every special education classroom needs a leader. As educators, we must put forth our best effort to be those leaders. This episode will explore strategies for becoming a better leader in self-contained settings and focusing on effectively managing paraprofessionals. Acknowledging the invaluable contributions of paraprofessionals, we dive into the importance of clear communication, empowerment, an...

This Teach Task Box Inspire episode dives into the challenging topic of handling student aggression in special education classrooms. We all know that handling student aggression, on top of everything else we do as teachers, can be overwhelming, daunting, and sometimes frustrating. Tune in while I discuss the impact of extreme behaviors on educators' mental and physical well-being. Let's discuss th...

Avoiding the power struggle starts with us, the teachers. By shifting our own responses and behaviors, we can effectively help shift this struggle and promote healthier relationships with our students. First, understanding these power struggles is key. As educators, we must use positive language, and provide direct instructions to minimize misunderstandings. In this episode, we dive into ten pract...

Come take a listen to episode 20 of Teach Task Box Inspire, where we talk reinforcement strategies. Let's talk various types of reinforcers tailored to the unique needs of our students with disabilities. Starting with edibles and chatting about the importance of sensory items, tangible items, and technology. The options are endless ranging from therapy balls and light-up gloves to action figures a...

In this episode of Teach Task Box Inspire, we discuss how critical time management skills are for special education students. We dive into the challenges of multitasking and competing contingencies. Time management is a foundational life skilland we need to be working smarter, not harder. Task boxes are a valuable tool for teaching time management, and I will break down the components of strong ti...

In this episode of Teach Task Box, Inspire, we explore the impactful use of visuals in special education to foster independence among students. Visuals go beyond images on paper, serving as essential tools for comprehension, communication, and support. Take a listen while we chat about the power of visual schedules. Visual schedules, whether in the form of picture schedules, written schedules, or...

In this episode of Teach Task Box Inspire, we dive into the frequently asked questions about the 'Teach Task Box Inspire' Membership. The membership is an exclusive program providing you with a monthly supply of engaging task boxes. These task boxes cover various subjects, and as a member you will receive five new boxes each month. Digital and physical subscriptions are offered, including printed...

Take a listen and join me while we chat about reinforcement! Reinforcement plays a crucial role in both behavioral and instructional interventions. We are going to talk positive and negative reinforcement, and what rewarding and removing behaviors looks like in the special education classroom. We discuss the importance of recognizing those individual differences and the importance of reinforc...

In this week's episode, we shift focus from task boxes to address the critical topic of navigating students' sensory needs in special education. From recognizing the increasing concerns among educators regarding sensory issues, we are going to explore the diverse sensory profiles of students and their impact on learning experiences. We'll talk about both hypersensitivity and hyposensitivity, provi...

In this episode we chat about the pivotal role of task boxes in fostering social and emotional development within special education. Task boxes have a unique capacity to create a safe and structured environment for our students, especially those with special needs. Join me as we discuss how task boxes can be used to encourage collaboration, communication, and the development of so many different s...