The goal of this episode is to give you the tools you need to find an individual who will make a good fit. Their success is your success. So take your time and put in the work to find the right person. READ MORE
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2021
Episode #67: 5 Differences Between Bosses and Leaders
I was out in public one day a long time ago and ran into one of the paraprofessionals who worked within my department and she introduced me to her husband as her boss. Now, I was probably 10-15 years younger than her and I hadn’t been teaching for very long when this happened so it hit me weird…Me? A boss?
Episode #66 The Importance of Giving Back: Why You Should Mentor Other Special Educators
In the spirit of the holidays, today's episode is all about giving back.
If you are listening to this episode at the time of its release, then you know Christmas is just a few short days away and so I wanted to focus on something that I feel can bring the spirit of Christmas to our departments and our programs when we return to the classroom in January. READ MORE
Episode #65 The Art of Collecting Behavior Data
Managing behavior might very well be one of the hardest aspects of being a special educator.
Luckily, collecting data on those behaviors doesn't have to be difficult. And it's not the size of your data that matters! It's how you use it!
Today’s guest is Caitlin Beltran and we're talking about all things dealing with the how, when and why of collecting behavior data, and then taking that data and learning how to interpret it to make meaningful growth with our students. READ MORE
Episode #64 Assisting Teachers with Assistive with Rachel Kuberry Technology
How is it possible to go through 27 years of teaching and not be more knowledgeable about assistive technology??
I thought I was doing what I needed to for my students by determining if they needed special pencils, scissors or help accessing a computer. But I was today years old when I found out that there is sooooooo much more to assistive technology than I thought. READ MORE
Episode #63 The 3 Things I Refuse to Teach Without:
As a special educator, what are 3 things you absolutely would refuse to do your job without?
Like dig your heels in, clench your jaw, die on this hill kinda things?
In this episode of the Sped Prep Academy Podcast, I share about my 3 non-negotiables. READ MORE
Episode #62 The Importance of Showing Gratitude (even for the hard stuff):
Yes, you read that right. After listening to last week's episode again, I realized that being grateful isn't always about the good stuff.
It's also important to be grateful for the negative events and situations we face in life. MORE
Episode #61 When Your Job Imitates Your Life:
A conversation with a special educator who shares a history of ADHD and Dyslexia with the students he teaches
Wowza!! Grab your Kleenex before pushing play on this one!
What an amazing and impactful episode this is.
This week’s guest is another fellow podcaster and special education teacher. I didn’t have any idea when I created my podcast that there were so many podcasts hosted by special education teachers, but this podcaster has a different story from the majority of us. READ MORE
Episode #60 The 5 Things I Wish I'd Been Taught in College
Imagine for a second that your doctor had not completed his clinical rotations. If he/she had just learned about all the things from a textbook. And now imagine if your electrician had learned how to wire a house by simply listening to someone explain how to wire a house.
Would you feel very confident in their abilities?? READ MORE
Episode #59 The Letter I Wish I'd received as a 1st Year Teacher
As a veteran special educator, I can look back on my career and think, “Holy crap...I have come a long, long way since that first year.”
In fact those first 5 years were pretty cringy if I say so myself. I think I was still trying to fit into some kind of mold of what a special education teacher should look like based on the perception of special educators as a society. MORE
Episode #58 The Why and How of Building Relationships with Parents
If you aren't building strong relationships with the parents of your students...you need to begin to make an intentional effort to do so and today's episode of the Sped Prep Academy Podcast will tell you why and how you should go about it. MORE
Episode #57 Why Evaluating Your Paraprofessionals is a Must-Do!
When it comes to evaluating paraprofessionals, I have a strong opinion that evaluating them 1 or 2 times a year based on district requirements is NOT good enough. The evaluation tool that my district uses is too broad and not given repeatedly throughout the year. It's safe to say, I’m not a fan. I use it when I have to and then I supplement it with my own. MORE
Episode #56
How to Support Your Staff with Behavior
If I was a gambling gal, I would lay down some big bucks that you've dealt with some extreme behaviors throughout your career. Whether it's hitting, kicking, biting, screaming, defiance or a demolished classroom, I imagine you've experienced one of the above. MORE
Episode #55
How to Make the Move from Gen Ed to Sped with Bristol Bale
Today’s guest is Bristol Bale. Bristol is a colleague and friend of mine from the district where we teach. Bristol was the 2019 Teacher of the year for her school, has also served as grade level chair and worked to create science and math curriculum for the district. She serves as head of the science fair for the district, and is the girl’s wrestling coach for Liberal High School. MORE
#54 Making the Move from Para to Teacher with Jade Gilmore
Have you ever had an amazing paraprofessional who you know, just by watching them work with the students, that they would make an excellent teacher?
In the special ed world, it's likely you've encountered this situation and it's almost like a double edged sword.
On one hand, you are happy that they are taking the leap into a new career and on the other, you're devastated because you won't have them to depend on anymore.
#53 How to Prepare Families for Transition and Beyond
Today's episode taught me a whole lot about what will become of the students I "graduate" from elementary school and I'm not gonna lie...it made me a little sad.
Transition services are intended to prepare students to move from the world of school to the world of adulthood and the end game is very rarely seen by an elementary special educator. MORE
#52 The Power of Playing Games in the Classroom
Learning and having fun SHOULD go hand in hand within any classroom setting, but as special educators we find it especially important to use game time as a way to teach social skills to our students in a natural setting.
#51 How to Get Excited for a New School Year
Today’s episode is all about making the 21-22 school year a great one!
Today's show is all about remembering the "why". Why did I choose teaching as a career? Why do I come back year after year even though it's hard?
And it's especially important this year, 2021. During a "normal" school year, there seems to be two camps when it comes time to head back into the classroom each year. READ MORE
#50 Tips for Having a Successful School Year with Dawn Ellis
Having today's guest on today’s show is so exciting for me because I have a brand new online friend! Dawn Ellis is the face behind the brand Cultivating Exceptional Minds and we have so much in common. From podcasting to TPT to Sped to Teachers of the Year Finalists, Dawn and I connected instantly and made plans to continue our virtual friendship. READ MORE
#49 What Your Paraprofessionals Want From a Supervisor-Part 4
Today’s guest is the quiet powerhouse, Anali. Anali works as a paraprofessional within my department and is such a joy to get to supervise. There is no limit to what this girl can achieve once she sets her mind to it. She is passionate, creative and funny and we don’t know how we will ever replace her once she becomes a teacher herself. Anali also works for me part time as a virtual assistant and her organization and work ethic are stellar. READ MORE
#48 What Your Paraprofessionals Want From a Supervisor-Part 3
Today’s guest is the super spunky Sheila . Sheila is a current paraprofessional in my department and has an ever-ending amount of energy. She embraces each day with a smile and a positive attitude and our department just wouldn’t be the same without her. Let’s listen as Sheila tells us why she became a paraprofessional and what things as teachers we can do to support her in her role. READ MORE
#47 What Your Paraprofessionals Want From a Supervisor-Part 2
Today’s guest is Nikki Lawder. Nikki was a former paraprofessional in my department before moving to work in a nearby town that put her in the same district as her children and man has she been missed. Nikki was one of the best and that’s why I asked her to come on the show today so that she could share her viewpoint on being a para and what she needs and wants from her supervisors. READ MORE
#46 What Your Paraprofessionals Want From a Supervisor-Part 1
Best. Guest. Ever! Okay...I might be a tad partial to today's guest but it's for a good reason. Today my daughter, Kamryn, joins us to share her experience working as a paraprofessional.
This interview with Kamryn kicks off a full month of chats with paraprofessionals and if you haven't figured it out yet...it's my favorite topic to teach on. READ MORE
#45 Supplement Your Teacher Salary as an Adjunct College Professor
As I was leaving college with my Bachelor's Degree in December 1994 (Holy crap that sounds so long ago!) I told myself that somehow, someday I would teach college myself. I had a couple of amazing professors who inspired me to dream that big dream at the ripe old age of 22.
After 26 years of teaching K-6, I got that chance. READ MORE
#44 How Self-Reflection Makes You a Great Teacher
Today’s topic is something that I feel has helped me significantly when it comes to having a long and successful career as a special education teacher. We hear so often about the burnout rate and how hard being a special educator can be but we rarely hear about the things that teachers intentionally do to keep them going day after day, week after week and year after year. MORE
#43 The Basics of Behavior with the Autism Helper
This episode is a doozy...and I say that because it’s such a broad topic that every single teacher deals with...whether they are special education, regular education, elementary, middle or high school...behavior is something we all face at some point in our career.
MORE
#42 Why Routines & Procedures are Important in Special Education
Today’s show is all about the importance of setting up routines and procedures within a special education program. Both research and experience tell us that...
- it is more effective to build positive behaviors than control negative behaviors and
- that classroom routines can positively affect students’ academic performance as well as their behavior READ MORE
#41 The Importance of a Mentor: How to Last in Special Education
Because you are reading this...I can assume that your career somehow involves education. And I can assume that because you work in the field of education that you know the crisis our profession faces right now with the low numbers of teachers graduating from college and the high attrition rates education faces as a whole...But if you are a special education teacher or work within the field at all... you probably feel this crisis hitting you smack dab in the face it on a daily basis. READ MORE
#40 Incorporating Life Skills Elements into a Resource Room with Heather Cacioppo
As a special educator who primarily runs a resource room with my co-teacher and 7 paras, we do have students from time to time who have more needs than a typical resource room can provide. It might be that they are included within the general education setting for as much time as possible but they come to us for life skills. READ MORE
#39 Delaying Access to Special Education: How Parents and Special Educators Can Work Together to Prevent It
Last week, the podcast was about getting parents to know, like and trust you. Did you listen? If not, click here to go back and learn my tips for how to develop stronger working relationships with the parents of the students on your caseload. WHY? Because it's important!
Ep #38 How to Build Relationships with Parents: 3 Tips to Get Them to Know, Like and Trust You
Knowing how to work with the parents of students with special needs is just as important as knowing how to help the students themselves.
Parents (for the most part) fall in 3 different categories.. READ MORE
Ep #37 5 Tips to Becoming a Reflective Teacher
“Purposeful reflection means not just thinking about our behaviors and their effect on the work we do, but doing something about it. 'What am I going to do differently in order to better meet student needs'"- Tony Frontier
In my humble little opinion, self-reflection is a duty you owe to yourself, your students and your school system to put in the effort to become the best educator you can be. READ MORE
Ep #36 7 Ways to End a School Year: Tips for Special Educators
As special educators, we often have hearts bigger than the typical human, therefore causing us to worry more about our students...about our duties...about next year...well...almost everything really.
But we can't do that to ourselves. We deserve to be able to take a break from our stressful jobs, reconnect with family and friends and decompress over the summer break. READ MORE
Ep #35 AAC for Beginners: Understanding the Basics of Using Augmentative Alternative Communication
I was so excited when our speech and language pathologist recommended to the IEP team for one of my students to get an AAC device.
Before it came, we started her on the low-tech version of LAMP- practicing new words with just a laminated copy. And then it came and it looked so daunting to me. I hadn't been trained on this program and I wasn't sure how to support my SLP in the use of it. READ MORE
Ep #34: Co-Teaching Within Special Education: The Art to Making it Work
Co-teaching can be a pretty hot topic in the world of special education. Some teachers enjoy it while others have either not co-taught at all or have had a negative experience. For me, I've been on both ends of the spectrum.
Today's guest on the Sped Prep Academy Podcast is Ashley Lutz from Spedtaculardays and she shares how co-teaching can be compared to dating. READ MORE
Ep #33: How to De-Escalate: Strategies for Special Educators
If there is one thing within the field of special education that I could pinpoint as the hardest, it would 100% be the behaviors.
And if I was a gambler, I'd put big money that I'm not alone in that opinion.
Today’s show is focused on de-escalation and I’m joined by Kaylan Long from Caffeinated Behavior Change. Kaylan serves her district as the behavior specialist. Throughout the episode you will hear real life examples of how different behaviors were handled as well as READ MORE
Ep #32: How to Stay Organized as a Special Education Teacher
I like to joke that I’m a type A wanna-be because I LOVE organization but fall short in making it happen. I love when things match and when everything has a place and a home and everything always finds its way back to its home at the end of the day, but I usually just half ass it when it comes to following through because I get busy and never seem to put it at the top of my long to-do list. READ MORE
Ep #31: Using Maker Space in Special Education with Brooke Brown
I came across the teacher Brooke Brown in 2018 when my district began the state redesign process of imagining what our school could look like if the teachers were given the flexibility and freedom to dream big. A team of teachers from my school drove five hours to meet with this teacher, and I can tell you...she is such an inspiration. She is just bubbly and full of energy and
Ep #30: How Special Educators Can Support Their SLPs with Tara Tuchel
When people hear the term special education they typically think of a teacher working one on one or in a small group with students and working on reading or math or writing skills...and while that is a pretty accurate depiction, special education is also so much more than that.
Ep #29: 15 No Prep Fine Motor Activities with Erin from You Aut-A Know
As special educators, we know the importance of letting a child do things for themselves to promote independence but also so they can develop their motor skills, specifically their fine motor skills.
And luckily, incorporating fine motor activities into a student’s daily routine doesn’t have to be hard. READ MORE
Ep #28: Tales of Teaching with a Best Friend: And Why We Highly Recommend It
Look at us! Still going strong after 26 years of teaching together.
Being able to work along side someone for that long and not be tired of them is a feat I imagine not many people can achieve.
Today’s guest is my ride-or-day...the other half of my brain...the person who makes me laugh every single day...the one and only Mendy Stevens. Mendy and I met in the summer of 1995 when we....
Ep #27: Training Paraprofessionals Using a Para Handbook with Stephanie DeLussey
Stephanie has blazed a trail when it comes to mentoring and providing support to other special educators online through her website and social media outlets, and I couldn't be more thrilled that she agreed to talk with me on the podcast. Today Stephanie shares her knowledge and experience on using a para handbook within her own special education classrooms and I chime in because that's exactly what I use as well.
Ep #26: 3 Steps to Create an Expectation List for Your Staff
I did not go into teaching special education to be a boss...I went into it wanting to make a difference by teaching the most special population of children, but I soon realized that it wasn’t an option. At the ripe old age of 23, I was officially the boss to my first paraprofessional and then spent the next 20 years...
Ep #25: 5 Myths of Leadership: How to Overcome What's Holding You Back From Being the Leader Your Staff Needs
Today’s show is based on a quote I came across while reading a book on leadership. It’s from Ralph Waldo Emerson and it states… “The attitude of the leader determines the attitude of the pack.” As a special education teacher I lead a pack....or a team as I prefer to call it. In fact I’ve lead a team for 26 years and I can honestly share with you that I sucked at it for a while. A long while actually...
Ep #24: Supervising Paras Who Have More Experience Than You: Tips to Survive & Thrive as a Young Supervisor
Working with paraprofessionals can be one of the best and hardest things about being a special education teacher and that’s why I use the Sped Prep Academy platform to focus on it so much. It can be particularly hard when you're a newer teacher and working in a classroom that has experienced paraprofessionals.
Ep #23: Supporting Paras in Inclusion Classrooms
One of the main roles a paraprofessional plays in almost all special education programs is to support students within the general education setting.
Inclusion is a term used when a student is educated, to the maximum extent appropriate, in the classroom he or she would otherwise attend. It involves brining the support services to the child and our paras need their own support in facilitating the inclusion process.
Ep #22: Appreciating Your Paraprofessionals: Quick & Easy Ways to Show Your Gratitude
I love to show my appreciation to my paras but feel like I get in a rut and give them the same things all the time. Not that they aren’t appreciative of donuts and pop, but I would love to get some additional ideas to show my appreciation to my amazing team.
Ep #21: Building Trust with Your Paraprofessionals
If I had to pinpoint one thing that has made the biggest impact on the success of the special education program at my school, I would have to say that it’s mindset. I know that word is used a lot lately...but there's a reason for it. Your mindset on how you approach a situation can either make or break it.
Ep #20: 3 Tips to Becoming the CEO of your Classroom
If I had to pinpoint one thing that has made the biggest impact on the success of the special education program at my school, I would have to say that it’s mindset.
I know that word is used a lot lately...but there's a reason for it. Your mindset on how you approach a situation can either make or break it.
Ep #19: Making the Move to Admin with Dane Parcel
Whether you are just starting out in your career or have been teaching for a while, you probably at least have some inkling of whether or not you want to pursue an administration job in the future.
For me, it was never in the plan.
I love being a teacher leader but definitely do not have the ambition or desire to become a principal. But for Dane Parcel, a former co-teacher of mine, the opportunity presented itself and he took it. READ MORE
Ep #18: The Secrets to Making a Career Move with Lindsey Gurley
I don't know how many times I've come across this topic lately of special educators saying they cannot continue working in their current school. They are burned out, feel underappreciated and over worked and really need a change in their lives. But something is holding them back...and it's usually...
Ep #17: What is the Prompting Hierarchy and Why Should You Teach it to Your Paraprofessionals?
In today’s episode, we talk about the prompting hierarchy and the importance of teaching it to your paraprofessionals. As a special educator, even if you’ve never heard of the prompting hierarchy, it’s very likely that you’ve been implementing this process in your classroom all along...READ MORE
Ep #16: "Sharing the Love": Why I don't use 1 to 1 paraprofessionals
There are absolutely going to be times when having a one to one para is either necessary or inevitable within your department. I am not arguing the fact that some students need an adult with them all day for either safety reasons or due to behavior issues. Instead, I am challenging the scheduling aspect of assigning the same para to the same child all day, every day. That’s where I see a problem.
2020
Ep #15: Special Education Teacher Responsibilities Part 3
This is the final part of a 3 part series on the responsibilities of special education teachers.
In today's episode, we take a look at our responsibilities to our administration. This could be your principal(s), special education director or whomever it is that you report to on a daily basis.
Ep #14: Special Education Teacher Responsibilities Part 2
In this episode, we focus on the responsibilities we have to our schools. When you hear the term special education teacher, an outsider could easily come to the conclusion that, although we have advanced degrees in specific areas, we are teachers. And while that is a valid interpretation of our job responsibilities...
Ep #13: Special Education Teacher Responsibilities Part 1
Today we’re going to talk about our responsibilities to our students. Although every day presents new challenges and new duties for a special education teacher, the responsibilities we hold toward our students can be broken down into 3 main areas...
Ep #12: 3 Simple Ways to Include Students in the IEP Process
Let me start with a Scenario: You receive an evaluation request to test a 2nd grade girl for a suspected learning disability.
You follow the procedures of testing the student, observing the student, getting input from gen ed and parents and get to meeting. And then it hits you...
Ep #11: 5 Ways to Presume Positive Intent as a Special Educator
So what exactly does. Presuming Positive Intent mean? It means always starting from the idea that a person means well or is doing their best, ℕ𝕠 𝕞𝕒𝕥𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝕨𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕪 𝕤𝕒𝕪 𝕠𝕣 𝕕𝕠.
The first time I heard this term, well the first time I remember hearing it anyway...
Ep #10: 8 Ways for Sped & Gen Ed to Collaborate
No one benefits more from working as a team than your students. You’ll be amazed at how much more you can accomplish for your students when working collaboratively is made a high priority in your building.
Ep #9: Understanding Accommodations & Modifications
For the longest time, I had trouble differentiating between what constituted an accommodation or a modification.
In this episode, I share with you how to easily differentiate between the two as well as explain the importance of them.
Ep #8: How to Easily Administer a Survey Level Assessment
What exactly is a Survey Level Assessment? A Survey Level Assessment is the process by which an examiner (also known as you) determines a student’s present level of performance.
Ep #7: 5 Tips for Mastering the IEP
It's the cornerstone of our jobs. It's the basis of our instruction. It's the method of building relationships with parents.
You guessed it...it's the IEP.
Ep #6: IEP Meetings Gone Wrong: 5 Fixable Mistakes
There are 5 IEP meeting types that don’t exactly shout out “rockstar sped teacher.” And to be honest with you, I am probably guilty of holding at least 1 each of these types of meetings.
Ep #5: How to Overcome Overwhelm in a Special Education Classroom
What a crazy beginning of a school year it has been! This might possibly be the most overwhelmed I've been at the start of a year. In this episode I share some of my struggles with you and 3 ways I cope with being overwhelmed so that you don't feel like you're all alone in this profession.
Ep #4: Paraprofessional Training is a Must!
Did you know that only 11 of the 50 states have professional development programs to assist paraprofessionals in their efforts to attain highly qualified status?In this episode we discuss that training the paras is essential and in the long run, benefits everyone...you, the district, the teachers, the paras themselves and most importantly the kids. READ MORE...
Ep #3: Hiring Paraprofessionals the Right Way
Have you ever hired a paraprofessional and the relationship turned out to be a total nightmare? Been there, done that.
Hiring the right paraprofessional for you special education department is an extremely important piece of the puzzle, if not the most important piece in developing a strong team right from the beginning. READ MORE
Ep #2: 5 Tips for Showing Yourself a Little Self-Love
As teachers, we give and give and give, but we can’t give our best self if we don’t have anything to give. Today, I am going to share with you my top 5 ways that I provide a little love to myself during stressful times.
Ep #1: Welcome to the Sped Prep Academy Podcast
Sped teachers unite! Meet Jennifer and join in her crazy life as a special educator. On a mission to bring together special educators across the country, Jennifer reveals her passion for the field as well as her desire to help other teachers realize they are not alone. READ MORE