A collection of reflective thoughts on managing student behavior and learning in an urban classroom. Cover art photo provided by Doug Linstedt on Unsplash: https://unsplash.com/@douglinstedt
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STEPPING INTO SPECIAL EDUCATION, Special Education, SPED, Special Ed, Students with Disabilities, Classroom Management
Michelle Vazquez, M.A.Ed., Special Education Teacher, Special Ed Teacher, IEP Writer, Special Education Teacher Coach
Confused with how to write IEPs (Individualized Education Plans)? Not sure how to keep track of all the data? Tired of searching for the right behavior strategies to manage your special ed. classroom? In this podcast, you will find methods to create IEP goals that students can reach, a system to collect data with your team, & know which behavior strategies will work best for your classroom. My mission is to help new sped teachers write IEPs with confidence, share ideas for classroom manageme ...
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107. *Special Announcement* 4 Steps to Prep Paraprofessionals, Special Ed Assistants for the Beginning of the School Year
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Hey Special Ed Teacher, *Special Announcement at the end of the episode!* Do you know what to prep your educational aides before the beginning of the school year? What do they need to know before your students step into your classroom? How do you create an inclusive classroom so your staff feels part of the team? Today I’ll be sharing steps to ensu…
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106. Dyslexia: What Is It & How Special Education Teachers Can Help Struggling Readers with Melanie Brethour
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Hey Special Ed Teacher, In today’s episode, we have special guest Melanie Brethour. Melanie Brethour is a resource teacher from Montreal, Quebec, dedicated to dyslexia awareness and the science of reading. Her commitment was sparked by her son Benjamin's dyslexia diagnosis at age 9. To better support him and her students, she earned Orton-Gillingha…
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105. How to Lessen Stress at the Beginning of the School Year for Sped Teachers With Brittany Blackwell
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Hey Special Ed Teacher, Already stressed with the new school year coming up? Don’t want to feel overwhelmed with all the things that come with being a special education teacher? In today’s episode, we have special guest Brittany Blackwell, M.Ed. Brittany is an award-winning special educator and teacher burnout & sustainability strategist from South…
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104. Concrete-Representational-Abstract Method: How to Utilize CRA in Math with Students with Special Needs
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Hey Sped Teacher, Are you wondering if the way you are teaching your students math is effective? Are you curious what the best way to teach math to your students with special needs is? In this episode, we are diving into how to utilize the Concrete-Representational-Abstract, or CRA, method with your students. I am sharing my top 6 tips for implemen…
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103. Top 10 Most Downloaded Episodes: 2nd Birthday Celebration for the Podcast!
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Hey Special ed Teacher, Happy 2nd birthday to the Stepping into Special Education Podcast! I can’t believe it’s been 2 years since the first episode was released. Thank you so much for being part of the show for the past 2 years! Today we are looking back through the second year of the Stepping into Special Education Podcast. I am sharing the top e…
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102. 6 Top Tips for New Teachers from Our Stepping into Special Education Community Members!
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Hey Special education Teacher, Are you a new special education teacher excited to jump into your very own classroom next year? Have you found yourself hoping you know everything you need to know to be prepared for whatever the year brings? The truth is, whether you are a new teacher or have been teaching for 15 years like me, you will never know ev…
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101. Need Admin Support? A Principal’s Perspective on How to Collaborate as a Special Ed Team with Dr. Patricia Corral
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Hey Sped Teacher, Have you wondered how to ask your administrators for support? Are you looking for tips on how to build a strong relationship with your admin as a special education teacher? I am so excited to have a very special guest on today’s episode! We are joined by my principal, Dr. Patricia Corral, who is sharing some incredible insight on …
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100. Reflecting on 100 Episodes! Memories and Lessons Learned with Stepping into Special Education the Podcast
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Hey Special Ed Teacher, We made it to 100 episodes of the Stepping Into Special Education podcast. I cannot believe it! I am beyond excited and so grateful for each and every one of you for tuning in each week! When I started this podcast, I knew I wanted to provide a resource for special educators who were looking for support, tips, and community.…
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99. Concrete-Representational-Abstract (CRA) Method in Math for Special Education Teachers an Overview
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Hey Special Education Teacher, Are your students finding it difficult to comprehend certain math concepts, despite repeated teaching strategies? Want to learn about evidence-based practices that are proven to help students with learning disabilities excel in math? To be completely honest, teaching math is not one of my strengths. But I know how cru…
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98. Re Release Ep 36. Want Help with Behavior Strategies for Your Students with Special Needs The Top 5 Resources to Get the Behavior Support You NEED
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Hey Sped Teacher, Are you struggling with behavior strategies for your students with special needs? Have you tried everything you can think of and aren’t sure what to try next? When we are struggling with behavior issues, it can feel like we have to find a solution on our own. But that is absolutely not the truth! We do not need to figure it out al…
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97. End of the Year Wrap-Up: My Special Ed Teacher Journey 2023-2024
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Hey Special Education Teacher, We made it to the end of another school year! But before we head into summer and start enjoying our time off, I’m taking some time to look back and reflect on this school year. I have found that taking this time to reflect has really helped me to grow in my career. One thing I love to do at the end of the school year …
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96. Least Restrictive Environment: The Continuum of Special Education Services
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Hey Special Ed Teacher, You know that having students in the least restrictive environment is the law but have you found yourself wondering what it really means? If you’re like me, you probably learned about LRE in college but by the time you were in the classroom, you found it hard to remember all the details of the continuum of services. In today…
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95. 4 Things I’m Already Planning for Next School Year as a Sped Teacher!
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Hey Sped Teacher, Have you found yourself scrambling at the end of summer to get everything ready for the new school year? Are you ready to get a head start on the next school year so you don’t end up stressed again? We are all looking forward to resting and relaxing this summer! We definitely deserve it! But I’ve learned my lesson about waiting un…
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94. Want a Work & Home Life Balance? How I Get Work Done and Turn It Off as a Special Ed Teacher!
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Hey Special Education Teacher, Are you looking to find a better work and home life balance? Are you convinced that staying late and taking work home is just the way it is for teachers? I spent several years staying after school for hours. I had no idea how to turn off work mode and felt like I had to do all the things! A few years down the road, I …
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93. The 1 Thing I Wish I Knew Before Becoming a Special Ed Teacher!
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Hey Sped Teacher, Curious about what a veteran special education teacher wishes she knew before beginning her special education teaching journey? Do you wish you had insider knowledge before beginning your own journey as a special ed teacher? I’m sure I am not alone when I say that after getting some experience as a new special education teacher, I…
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92. 5 Tips on How to Survive the Last Month of the School Year! Special Education Teacher Edition
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Hey Special Education Teacher, Feeling the pressure of the last month of the school year? Wondering how to keep students engaged during the last month of the school year? We are entering the final stretch of the school year! But this last month of school always seems challenging. Between all the end of year tasks, maintaining student engagement, me…
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91. How to Collaborate with General Ed Teachers for Our Students with Disabilities
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Hey Sped Teacher, Are you struggling to connect with your gen ed colleagues as a special education teacher? Do you want to collaborate with general ed teachers to better serve your students but aren’t sure where to start? As our students’ case manager, we are to provide our students with the least restrictive environment. This means that we should …
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90. Resource Specialist Teacher vs Special Day Class Teacher: What’s the Difference?
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Hey Special education Teacher, Are you considering making a transition from SDC to RSP, or RSP to SDC? Have you wondered what the differences are between these positions? In my 15 years of experience, I’ve spent 10 years as an SDC teacher before transitioning into my current role as an RSP teacher. I know that knowing and understanding the differen…
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89. Transitional IEPs: What Are They and Quick Tips for Sped Teachers!
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Hey Sped Teacher, Do you have elementary or middle school students transitioning on to their next school? Are you unsure how to prepare for a transitional IEP meeting? When students are moving from an elementary school to a middle school or a middle school to high school, it is crucial to have transitional IEPs to help with facilitating a smooth tr…
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88. 9 Tips on How to Lessen State Test Anxiety for Students with Special Needs!
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Hey Special Ed Teacher, Are you looking for ways to help your students with special needs manage test anxiety? Do you want your students to be as relaxed and prepared as possible for state testing? We all have students who overthink and stress out before tests. This can come out in a variety of ways including crying, attitudes, dropping to the floo…
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87. 5 Ways to Celebrate Autism Acceptance Month with All Students!
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Hey Special Education Teacher, April is Autism Acceptance Month! Do you have a favorite way to celebrate Autism Acceptance Month? Working in the education field, there is an extremely high chance that you have already worked with or will work with a student with Autism. That is one reason I feel it is so important to celebrate Autism Acceptance Mon…
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86. Being Evaluated This Year? 8 Things You Must Include in Your Lesson Plan Before Your Next Observation as a Special Ed Teacher!
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Hey Sped Teacher, Are you nervous about an upcoming observation? Do you tend to stress yourself out by overdoing it on your observation lesson plans? For many teachers (me included!), pressure and nerves come along with knowing you have an observation coming up. I would try to come up with some new and exciting lesson that covered every aspect of a…
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85. Top 3 Reasons to Focus on Behavior FIRST before Academics with Your Students with Disabilities!
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Hey Special Ed Teacher, Do you struggle with managing behavior in your special ed classroom? Are you ready to create a better learning environment for your students with disabilities? When I was in my first couple years of teaching, I was so excited about decorating my classroom, getting my students into the classroom, and teaching them all the exc…
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84. State Testing Is Coming! How to Prep NOW for the State Assessment as a Special Education Teacher
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Hey Sped Teacher! State testing is quickly approaching! Are you starting to prep for the assessments? Does prepping for state testing make you feel stressed out? As a new special education teacher, I had no idea how to help my students prepare for the state assessments. Every year, I felt so stressed trying to figure out what to do beforehand so my…
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83. Can’t Fit Everything in One Day? 6 Tips on How to Feel Productive in Your SPED Classroom!
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Hey Special Ed Teacher, Do you feel like you're constantly scrambling to cover everything that needs to be covered in the day? Are you looking for ways to get the most out of your classroom time? As special ed teachers, our days just fly by! I’ve definitely gotten to the end of the day and wondered what I even got done. Our to-do lists seem to be n…
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82. Want a Change of Placement (COP)? 6 Areas to Look at FIRST for Your Student with Special Needs
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Hey Special Education Teacher, Have you ever had a student you thought may need a change of placement? Are you curious about the signs that indicate a student may need a COP? There are several things that need to be taken into account when considering a change in placement for a student. In my first change of placement meeting, I realized that I di…
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81. Mild to Moderate Support Needs vs Extensive Support Needs: What’s the Difference?
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Hey Special Ed Teacher, Are you unsure if you want to teach in a mild to moderate or extensive needs classroom? Are you not really sure what the differences are between the two? I’ve been there and I’m breaking it all down for you today so you can make the best decision possible for you! There are some distinct differences between teaching mild to …
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80. Are You Returning Next School Year? 5 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Leaving Your Special Ed Teaching Position
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Hey Special Education Teacher, Have you thought about the possibility of not returning to your current role next school year? Has the thought of leaving special education altogether crossed your mind? Before you make any decisions, I encourage you to tune into this episode! Choosing whether to stay or leave is not easy and many factors play into th…
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79. Which Teaching Credential or License Is Right for You? 5 Types of Special Education Specialty Areas
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Hey Sped Teacher, Are you a special ed teacher looking to choose the right specialty area for your passion? Is deciding which credential is the best fit feeling overwhelming? Do you know the opportunities and responsibilities that come with each credential? Join me in this episode as I break down the 5 different types of specialty areas in special …
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78. Don’t Do These 5 Things with Parents of Special Needs Students
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Hey Special Ed Teacher, Are you supporting parents of special needs students in the best way possible? Have you wondered if there are things you can do to build stronger relationships with your students’ parents? In this episode, we’re diving into 5 things to avoid when building strong relationships with our students’ parents. As busy special educa…
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77. Time to Collect IEP Meeting Documents? 5 Steps to Begin Gathering What You Need Now as a Special Ed Teacher!
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Hey Special Ed Teacher, IEP season is here! How do you like to prepare for IEP meetings? What do you do to ensure you have all the documents needed before it’s meeting time? Are you looking for a better system so you aren’t scrambling at the last minute to get everything ready? Today, I’m breaking down the 5 steps I take to ensure I am ready to ste…
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76. Token Boards: 7 Steps to Start Replacing Behaviors with Your Students with Disabilities!
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Hey Sped Teacher, How do you use token boards in the special ed classroom? How do you use token boards effectively? How can it be used to promote positive behavior? In today’s episode, I’ll share 7 steps to replace behaviors you want to change with your students with special needs! Sometimes, our whole classroom behavior system does not work for ev…
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75. How to Collaborate and Maintain a Good Relationship with Your Special Needs Parents!
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Hey Special Education Teacher, How do you work with parents of your students with special needs? What do you say when you first introduce yourself? How do you keep your special needs parents' relationship going strong? In today’s episode, I’ll share how I collaborate and keep a good relationship with my special needs parents! That first impression …
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74. My Top 6 Special Ed Classroom Tips to Keep You Organized!
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Hey Special Ed Teacher, How do you structure your special education classroom? How do you manage your special ed class? What do you do to keep it organized? In today’s episode, I’ll share my top, tried, and true organization tips that I use in my own sped classroom! After going to two different districts, two different positions, three different sc…
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73. What I Learned in 2023 as a Special Education Teacher and My Goals for 2024!
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Hey Sped Teacher, How was your 2023 year? Did you learn any new lessons personally and/or professionally? Any upcoming goals you’d like to accomplish for the next 2024 year? In today’s episode, I’ll be getting personal and sharing the hard lessons I learned in 2023 and some new goals I foresee this upcoming year! Reflecting on a not-easy year can b…
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72. To Work or Not to Work? The Pros & Cons and How I Spend My Winter Break as a Sped Teacher!
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Hey Special Ed Teacher, It’s almost time for winter break! Do you have a plan for how you are spending your vacation? Will it be all about rest time? Or will you be catching up on work? Today, I share the pros and cons of working during your break and what I do during my vacation time! When our winter break finally arrives, all we want to do is….NO…
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71. 7 Areas to Declutter in Your Special Education Classroom Before Winter Break!
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Hey Sped Teacher, Is your classroom environment feeling overwhelming? Want to feel more organized after winter break? Don’t know what areas to start clearing? Today, I share 7 areas to begin decluttering your special education classroom! We are so busy teaching and writing IEPs that we sometimes let our classrooms go. Let’s start the new year with …
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70. Struggling with Lesson Planning? 5 Must-Haves When Teaching Your Students with Disabilities
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Hey Special Education Teacher, Struggling with lesson planning? How do you begin teaching your students with special needs? What does your aide do during instruction? Today, I share 5 must-haves when planning lessons for your special ed classroom! As special education teachers, unfortunately, we do not get the training and support we need right awa…
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69. Re-Release Ep 20 “Am I Doing a Good Job?” 4 Questions to Ask Yourself to Feel Validated as a Special Education Teacher!
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Hey Special Ed Teacher, Today’s episode is a re-release of episode 20! Are you up late, worried? Thinking if you’re doing a good job? Are you wondering what qualities make a good special ed teacher? You just heard that ONE negative comment or critique about your teaching. Now you’re up late at night, thinking if you have what it takes to be a sped …
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68. Power Struggles with Your Students with Special Needs? DO THIS!
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Hey Sped Teacher, How do you deal with a power struggle with your students with special needs? Can you prevent these power struggles from happening in the first place? How do we change the dynamics and not engage in negative conflict with our students? In today’s episode, I will share the ONE thing we can do to stop these power struggles from begin…
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67. Co-teaching Essentials: My 6 Must-Haves to Support Special Ed Student Success
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Hey Special Education Teacher, Are you new to co-teaching? Do you know how it works in special ed? What materials do you need to get started to be a co-teacher? In today’s episode, I will share the most significant essentials I need as a sped co-teacher. After pushing into the general education classroom, I learned what is needed to have my student…
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66. Re-Release Ep 21. IEP Progress Reports Are DUE! 5 Steps to Update Your Student’s Progress & Send Reports Home On-Time to Your Special Needs Parents!
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Hey Special Ed Teacher, It's the end of the first quarter! That means progress reports are due! So, I am re-releasing episode 21, an oldie but goodie! IEP progress reports are due! Are you wondering how often should IEP progress be reported? What should a student progress report include? Wondering how you prepare a student progress report? Today I …
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65. Top 4 IEP Goal Questions Answered!
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Hey Sped Teacher, Struggling with interpreting IEP goals? Need a better explanation of how to teach goals according to your student's individualized education plans? After reviewing your special ed classroom's goals, do you have more questions than answers? I'll answer your most asked IEP goal questions in today's episode. If you're like me, you di…
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64. My 8 Favorite Special Ed Teaching Strategies That I Use for My Students with Learning Disabilities
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Hey Special Ed Teacher, Do you need more teaching strategies to use as a special education teacher? What are ways that a teacher can help their students with special needs? Do you need to add more to your list of intervention strategies for sped students? In today’s episode, I’ll share effective teaching strategies that I’ve used in my special ed c…
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63. Struggling with Organizing Your RSP Schedule? 5 Components You MUST-HAVE When Creating Your Resource Specialist Program Schedule!
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Hey Special Education Teacher, If you’re a Resource Specialist Teacher, do you struggle with your schedule? Can’t find the right time to service your students with disabilities? Never have enough time to do your academic testing? In today’s episode, I’ll share the MUST-HAVE components you need to create your RSP teacher schedule! Organizing your sc…
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62. Inherited a Poorly Written IEP? 4 Steps to Fix That Individualized Education Plan!
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Hey Sped Teacher, What do you do when you’ve inherited a poorly written IEP? Do you know who to contact about fixing this document for your new student with disabilities? What steps do you take to get their individualized education plan adjusted? In today’s episode, you’ll learn how to fix your student with special needs’ education plan! It is frus…
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61. Inherited an IEP? 5 Signs Your New Student’s Individualized Education Plan Needs Your Attention NOW!
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Hey Special Education Teacher, What do you do when you receive a new student’s IEP? How do you know it’s well-written? After reviewing the document, do you know what clues inform you that the IEP has any red flags? In today’s episode, I’ll be sharing the 5 signs that your new student’s IEP needs your attention NOW! When that new student walks into …
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60. Special Education Service Providers: How to Collaborate & Work Together as an IEP Team!
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Hey Sped Teacher, How do you work with service providers for your students with disabilities? How often do you communicate with them? Do you collaborate with other special ed related services before that IEP (individualized education plan) meeting? In today’s episode, you’ll be learning seven different ways with how to work and collaborate with you…
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59. Student Relationships: 4 Reasons Why Connecting with Your Students with Special Needs Are NECESSARY!
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Hey Special Ed Teacher, Why are building relationships with students with special needs important? What is the first step to building relationships? How can Special Education teachers improve their connection with students? In today’s episode, I’ll be sharing 4 reasons why connecting with your special needs students is NECESSARY! As teachers, we wa…
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58. Paraprofessional Training 101: 4 Main Areas You Need to Train Classroom Support Staff, Special Ed Assistants, One-On-One Aides
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Hey Special Education Teacher, Wondering how to train paraprofessionals in your special ed classroom? How do you manage special education assistants in your class? What do you teach classroom assistants to support students with special needs? In today’s episode, I’ll be sharing the 4 areas you NEED to train your sped instructional assistants or cla…
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