Autism Classroom Resources Podcast

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What can you do in the first few weeks of school to help create a more smoothly operating classroom for teaching special needs students? I often talk about the importance of implementing strategies and systems to ensure your classroom runs efficiently and implementing some very basic strategies in the first weeks of school can help set you, your staff, and your students up for success.

The first few weeks of school are crucial for getting students used to your classroom and how things work. In this episode, I share why you should focus on building relationships with students and staff, the importance of using visuals, how to prioritize tasks for each day, and why you should reflect at the end of the school day.

03:41 - How to build relationships with your students in the first few weeks of school

08:50 - Ways you can build relationships with your staff even with limited time alone with them

10:36 - Why you should be using more visuals than you actually need

12:08 - The importance of making a prioritized list of tasks for each day

16:12 - Why reflecting on what is working and what is not working is crucial in the first few weeks

Show Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode175

Resources:

Paraprofessional Schedules and Team Building Kit
Free Classroom Reflection Form
Join the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library
Get more information about the Special Educator Academy
Join the Free Facebook Group

If you're enjoying this podcast, could you please take a quick moment to leave your review on Apple Podcasts? It would mean the world to me and will help spread the word to other special educators. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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Teachers struggle a LOT with building and leading their classroom teams. I want to structure this month’s podcasts around helping you do both because even if you’re just out of school and surrounded by paraprofessionals with three times as much experience, you need to take the lead. So today, I start with a discussion of the nuts and bolts of building the structure with a classroom staff so they can work as a team.

01:48 - Why leadership isn’t some big, scary thing

03:55 - An overview of the first part of the structure you’ll need: the classroom zoning plan

06:20 - What a zoning plan doesn’t include and the key to making it work

08:00 - The purpose of the lesson plan and setting up the vision for your classroom

10:50 - What to keep in mind as you build the classroom structure with your staff

Show Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode131

Resources:

Join the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library
Get more information about the Special Educator Academy
Join the Free Facebook Group

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Today, I’m focusing on setting up the classroom schedule for the IEP. To me, the schedule is the most important and pivotal element of classroom design. It drives the other pieces of the classroom, tells me what the physical space will look like, and is based on the teaching implementation plan. Once the TIP is completed, it’s easier to see what activities are going into the schedule, and once the schedule is complete, the other pieces start falling into place. So, in this episode, I talk about the characteristics of a strong schedule.

02:49 - High levels of engagement with instruction and interaction

06:07 - Tying each activity to specific goals and objections for each student

07:11 - Quickly moving daily pace and engaging students

10:34 - Integrating each student’s goals and objections and your curriculum

Show Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode81

Resources:

Join the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library
Get more information about the Special Educator Academy
Join the Free Facebook Group

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Continuing our five-part series on Building Effective Classroom Teams, this episode focuses on how you, as a team member, are responsible for establishing and nurturing the classroom culture with both the students and the staff. Your tone, your behavior, and your approach can make the difference between a classroom that people tolerate working in each day and one that includes a team of adults working together for the good of the students.

Now, this is easier said than done, right? In this episode, I will give you some ideas of how to set the tone for the classroom and what you want it to be, along with some personal experiences that taught me some good lessons about finding positives.

Show Notes: https://autismclassroomresources.com/podcasts/ep-2-building-the-classroom-culture/

Resources:

Join the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library
Get more information about the Special Educator Academy
Join the Free Facebook Group

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July’s here! It’s an interesting month for us teachers. Everyone tends to slow down this time of year, go on vacation, and relax and chill. But those of us in the teaching world take some time out of our summer to gear up for the new school year. So, to move you forward in that direction, I want to give you some idea of materials I’d prioritize as you sit by the pool and think about how you want to set up your classroom.

01:30 - How I used to spend my summers prepping for the classroom

05:12 - Ways to set up your visual schedules

06:33 - Making the use of visual schedules much easier (attention, newer teachers!)

08:43 - What kind of picture schedule should you use?

12:29 - Ways to create materials for independent task work

14:09 - Why work tasks are important and the kinds of tasks you want to include

Show Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode126

Resources:

Join the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library
Get more information about the Special Educator Academy
Join the Free Facebook Group

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If you follow me on social media, you can probably tell that I love independent work systems! Social media has made sharing tasks among each other much easier compared to the days before the arrival of Pinterest and Instagram. But it also means you have access to tons of misinformation, and there's a lot of it out there when it comes to independent work systems.

What is an independent work system, though? Today, I'm kicking off a new series of episodes about independent work systems by clearing up those misconceptions, defining what the system is, and discussing what it's truly designed to be.

5:32 - Defining what an independent work system is and the four questions it must answer

8:55 - Why these systems are effective tools for students

9:31 - The critical element that's often left out of independent work systems

10:58 - What the work structure in the system is designed to do for the student

11:42 - A must-have element for a student to complete the work system and the only thing it's designed to teach

Show Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode113

Resources:

Independent Work Systems Webinar
Join the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library
Get more information about the Special Educator Academy
Join the Free Facebook Group

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So far, I’ve spent the last few episodes talking about creating a collaborative IEP. So now that that’s done, you have to actually implement the IEP. Start thinking about how to organize your learning environment and incorporate the IEPs for all of your students to meet their individual needs. It takes a well-structured, well-organized classroom design. In this episode, I'm discussing your teaching implementation plan (TIP) for the IEP.

04:10 - What the TIP is and its objective

07:37 - How the TIP serves as a road map for your instruction

09:14 - How using the TIP makes your life easier

Show Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode80

Resources:

Join the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library
Get more information about the Special Educator Academy
Join the Free Facebook Group

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Creating effective special education teaching materials is more important than you may think, especially for our learners with autism. Students with autism oftentimes focus on details of pictures or learning materials that you may not even notice. Being aware and intentional of the teaching materials you are using is so important in helping them learn the concepts you are trying to teach.

There are certain things to keep in mind in order to create effective special education teaching materials. In this episode, I am sharing six tips for how to develop effective special education teaching materials for your learners with autism.

01:35 - Why you should be using examples that are very different from each other when introducing new concepts

02:08 - The importance of keeping your examples clear and straightforward

02:50 - Why avoiding distracting backgrounds is helpful for students

03:26 - How to avoid material overlap

04:04 - What to avoid when creating materials so students can’t just guess the correct answer

04:49 - When to start working on the generalization of a concept

Show Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode183

Resources:

3 Tips for Presenting Materials in Discrete Trials: With a Freebie
Join the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library
Get more information about the Special Educator Academy
Join the Free Facebook Group

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In this episode, I'm talking about the basic principles of behavior. These principles may be a review for some, but I think even behavior pros will find at least a kernel that they can use to help their team understand how behavior works (and how it doesn't).

Sometimes it's unfathomable to those of us who do this all the time why others in the classroom or school just don't seem to get these ideas. To us, they may be basic principles that feel like water and air. But to others, they are the opposite of what they learned about behavior from their parenting, previous classroom teams, previous administrators or just previous experience with students. So I think they bear repeating a bit to make sure we are all on the same track.

Show Notes: https://autismclassroomresources.com/episode6

Resources:

Free Addressing Challenging Behavior Webinar
Join the Autism Classroom Resources Free Resource Library
Get more information about the Special Educator Academy
Join the Free Facebook Group

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When we are considering Extended School Year (ESY) services for our students, collecting and reviewing data is crucial. There are many state and federal regulations about who qualifies for ESY, and data is a key component in determining who needs this additional support and if it's beneficial for the students receiving the services.

Whether you have already determined which students are eligible for ESY and are looking to understand data collection procedures throughout ESY or are still in the process of determining eligibility, ensuring that data is collected properly and that the data moves with the student will help in decision-making moving forward. To help you better understand what goes into data collection procedures for ESY, I am breaking down what ESY is, the importance of consistent data collection, and what tools are helpful for data collection.

01:41 - What Extended School Year (ESY) is

03:17 - The importance of taking data throughout the school year

05:25 - How to take weekly data during ESY

07:46 - Why it is necessary to pass along data from ESY to the student's teacher

Show Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode218

Resources:

IEP Goals & Objectives Tracking - Data Collection Sheets for Special Ed
FREE Special Education Training Series: Data - Taking Sample Data
FREE Setting Up Systems of Data Webinar
Join the Autism Classroom Resources Free Resource Library
Get more information about the Special Educator Academy
Join the Free Facebook Group

Ifyou'ree enjoying this podcast, could you please take a quick moment to leave your review on Apple Podcasts? It would mean the world to me and will help spread the word to other special educators. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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For many of our students, high school graduation is not the end of their educational journey. We certainly have a lot more students who are recognized with autism now who are academically able to go on to secondary education. But how can we begin to help our students prepare for college, and what skills should we focus on? Today, our guest, Dr. Marc Ellison, shares some insight into this and more!

Dr. Marc Ellison is the executive director of the West Virginia Autism Training Center, located at Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia. Dr. Ellison has worked for almost 40 years to provide support to individuals diagnosed with autism, their families, educators, and caregivers. Dr. Ellison came to Marshall University full-time to lead the college support program, which was the first of its kind in the nation.

In this episode, Dr. Marc Ellison shares when to start preparing for college, the challenges students with ASD face in the college setting, what helps students succeed in college, and the importance of community.

04:41 - When to begin planning for the college transition

07:50 - What challenges students with ASD face in the college setting

15:00 - The skills and factors that have helped students with ASD succeed at Marshall University

18:42 - How he has created a community for students with autism on campus and the benefits of creating this community

23:59 - The importance of teachers anticipating student needs and having difficult conversations when needed

Show Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode217

Resources:

Benchmarks of Successful College Supports
Academic and Campus Accommodations That Foster Success
Join the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library
Get more information about the Special Educator Academy
Join the Free Facebook Group

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There are many things that we need to think about when writing IEP goals. We need to look at the present level of performance, curriculum goals, and parent input. However, there are other things we should consider when we write IEP goals, regardless of when we write them during the school year.

When considering what a student’s goals should be, there are questions we should be asking. There, of course, are the standard questions - Is your goal measurable? Is it clear? And is it related to the present level of performance? But there are 5 additional questions I think are key to writing better goals for your students. In this episode, I am diving into what these 5 questions are and how asking them before writing a goal will make your life easier throughout the year.

03:10 - Why it’s important to ask if a goal has been written before

05:42 - What an enabling goal is

07:05 - The importance of looking at what skills a student will need in their next environment

08:45 - Why you should be considering how you will teach the skill

12:45 - How to write goals that allow you to accurately track and measure them

Show Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode216

Resources:

Writing Enabling Goals for IEPs
How to Conquer 5 Challenges of Meaningful IEPs
Join the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library
Get more information about the Special Educator Academy
Join the Free Facebook Group

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There are many unspoken rules and expectations that neurotypical individuals pick up on and learn in their everyday lives. But for some people, understanding these unspoken norms of behavior and social interactions can be difficult. That is why it is incredibly important, especially as special education teachers, that we understand what the hidden curriculum is and how we can help our students be more successful with it. Dr. Brenda Smith Myles, Ph.D., is joining us today to talk all about the hidden curriculum.

Brenda Smith Myles, Ph.D., formerly a professor at the University of Kansas, is the recipient of the Autism Society of America’s Outstanding Professional Award, the Princeton Fellowship Award, The Global and Regional Asperger Syndrome (GRASP) Divine Neurotypical Award, and the American Academy of Pediatrics Autism Champion. Brenda has made over 3000 presentations all over the world and has written more than 300 articles and books on ASD. In addition, she collaborated with the three organization who identified evidenced-based practices in autism. Further, in a survey conducted by the University of Texas, she was acknowledged as the second most productive applied researcher in ASD in the world.

Brenda is sharing some incredible insight on the hidden curriculum meaning, how we can teach it, why it’s beneficial for everyone to be taught it, and how not understanding it can negatively impact our students with autism.

03:21 - The hidden curriculum meaning and what exactly it is

07:56 - How we can teach the hidden curriculum and help our literal learners be successful with it

11:00 - Examples of how not understanding the hidden curriculum can have a negative impact on autistic individuals when interacting with the community

16:06 - How not understanding the environment they're in and how it differs from another environment can affect autistic individuals

21:45 - The challenges experienced by individuals who are unable to observe the environment in a way that allows them to absorb information

Show Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode215

Resources:

The Hidden Curriculum 25th Anniversary Revised Edition: Understanding Unstated Rules in Social Situations
Join the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library
Get more information about the Special Educator Academy
Join the Free Facebook Group

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As special education teachers, we know how important it is to have solid teacher-parent relationships. Strong teacher-parent relationships help us best serve our students by creating a collaborative team approach that helps create a supportive environment for the students both at home and at school. But understanding how we as educators can develop these solid relationships can be challenging. That is why I am so grateful that Kelley Coleman is joining us today to provide us with some incredible insight from a parent’s perspective.

Kelley Coleman is a feature film development executive turned author and advocate for parent caregivers and individuals with disabilities. Her book Everything No One Tells You About Parenting a Disabled Child: Your Guide to the Essential Systems, Services, and Supports draws upon over a decade of experience, including her own experience parenting a child with multiple disabilities. Kelley lives in Los Angeles with her husband, two boys, and her son’s trusty service dog.

In this episode, Kelley shares her experience with ableism and what it means, what parents find important when meeting teachers, and how teachers can help foster a strong teacher-parent relationship.

02:56 - Kelley’s journey and experience parenting a child with multiple disabilities

11:12 - What ableism is and how teachers and parents can be respectful of a child’s privacy in terms of their disability

22:15 - What educators should know about meeting parents for the first time and what is really important to parents

25:05 - How both parents and schools can foster strong, positive teacher-parent relationships

35:05 - Why teachers and parents should be in ongoing communication throughout the school year, not just at IEP meetings

Show Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode214

Resources:

Visit Kelley’s website
Follow Kelley on Instagram @hellokelleycoleman
Add Kelley on Facebook
Join the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library
Get more information about the Special Educator Academy
Join the Free Facebook Group

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Behavior is not a one-way street. There is an interconnectedness between student behavior and teacher behavior, which we can sometimes miss. It is so important that we recognize the impact special education teachers and special education paraprofessionals have on student behaviors to avoid any unintentional reinforcement of challenging behaviors.

In this episode, I’m breaking down the research behind how children’s behavior drives the behavior of adults without the adults realizing it. I share why understanding that behavior has reciprocal impacts is so important, how to ensure we aren’t fading out the demands on a student based on their behavior, and the importance of observing other adults in the classroom.

02:40 - The research behind how student behavior impacts teacher behavior in an educational setting

05:52 - Why being aware that behavior has reciprocal impacts within the classroom helps prevent fading out demands without a plan in place

07:15 - How being aware of the reciprocal behavior cycle can help us stop it

08:04 - Why we must create a team culture where everyone can watch each other’s backs because everyone’s behavior impacts others

Show Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode213

Resources:

Follow me on TikTok
Join the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library
Get more information about the Special Educator Academy
Join the Free Facebook Group

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When a student’s challenging behavior is a result of a sensory function, knowing how to address it can be difficult. We want to help our students cope with sensory experiences in an effective and safe way so that their needs are met and they are not harming themselves or others.

Whether students are looking to escape a situation that is causing them sensory distress or if they are seeking internal reinforcement from a sensory experience, we can help students find appropriate replacement behaviors. In this episode, I am sharing ways you can help students request breaks, teach self-regulation strategies, and help students find replacement sensory experiences to reduce challenging behavior.

01:45 - Why teaching students to request a break when the sensory distress is causing them to have a challenging behavior is important

06:23 - Ideas for how to teach self-regulation

10:36 - How to help students when challenging behavior is caused by an internal reinforcer or sensory function

Show Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode212

Resources:

How to Help Reduce Anxiety in Students Who Don’t Want to Stand Out
How To Help Your Students Manage Anxiety Effectively
How to Keep Students’ Anxiety From Overflowing: Identifying Anxious Feelings
The Incredible 5-Point Scale To Teach Self-Regulation: Review and Tools
Grab the Free Square Breathing Visual
Get the Calm Down Toolkit for Self-Regulation
Check out the Teaching Self-Regulation Strategies and Anxiety Coping Skills with Social Stories
Join the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library
Get more information about the Special Educator Academy
Join the Free Facebook Group

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There are many myths about behavior that impact the way we talk about and approach challenging behaviors. Many people look to answer whether a student’s challenging behavior is sensory seeking behavior or intentional behavior but there are several issues with focusing solely on that question when it comes to challenging behavior.

As special educators, we have to help our students learn to cope more successfully, regardless of whether the behavior is sensory or behavior-related. In this episode, I am diving into some common myths and misconceptions about the functions of challenging behavior and what we should actually be looking at when determining the function of a behavior.

02:00 - Why asking if the challenging behavior is sensory or behavior is the wrong question to explore

03:49 - How presuming that all challenging behavior that isn’t sensory seeking behavior is willful is incorrect

08:01 - What question you should be asking to determine if the function of the behavior is sensory-related

09:19 - How to assess whether something has an automatic function by looking at if it's happening when there's nothing else going on

10:34 - Ways that escaping a sensory situation may be involved in challenging behaviors and their function

Show Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode211

Resources:

Watch the Preventing Challenging Behavior Webinar
Join the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library
Get more information about the Special Educator Academy
Join the Free Facebook Group

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Attention-seeking behavior is a common challenge in classrooms, and addressing it effectively is crucial for the overall learning environment. One possible reason for this attention-seeking behavior is that some of our students do not yet have the effective communication to gain attention in a more appropriate way. For these students, we need to explicitly teach them these communication skills.

When we provide explicit instruction and reinforcement, we can help students acquire the communication skills necessary to seek attention in a positive manner rather than through negative attention-seeking behaviors. In this episode, I am giving a quick overview of choosing which communication form to use, how to provide practice and repetition to help students develop these communication skills, and the importance of providing the appropriate type of attention.

03:41 - Things to consider when choosing the communication form you will teach your student to use when seeking attention

06:33 - How to provide practice for a student to gain your attention using a set-up teaching situation

09:15 - How to use a brief overview of what to expect and your knowledge of the student to help prevent behavior problems when working on attention-seeking communication

12:02 - The importance of giving the student attention in whatever way the FBA states

14:23 - Why using “wait cards” can be helpful in helping students understand when you cannot give them attention

Show Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode210

Resources:

Get the Waiting for Attention & Getting a Teacher’s Attention Social Story
Join the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library
Get more information about the Special Educator Academy
Join the Free Facebook Group

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All attention is not equal. We have likely all worked with students who engage in behavior just to get attention, whether it be positive or negative. Even when students are getting what we feel is a lot of attention, they may still engage in attention-seeking behavior because the attention they receive is on our terms, not theirs.

Students often realize that our response to negative behavior is larger and more consistent than our response to positive behavior. This, in turn, reinforces to them that if they want attention, negative behaviors are the way to get it. In this episode, I am breaking down the three advantages negative attention has over positive behavior and ideas of ways you can try to encourage more positive attention-seeking behaviors.

05:56 - How consistency gives negative behavior an advantage over positive behavior

06:51 - Why the magnitude of our response to behaviors matters

07:29 - The impact of learning history on behaviors

09:10 - How increasing the magnitude of our response to positive behaviors can help encourage more positive behavior

13:26 - The importance of consistency in boosting replacement behaviors

Show Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode209

Resources:

Watch the Preventing Challenging Behavior Webinar
Get the Social Stories - Waiting for Attention & Getting a Teacher’s Attention
Join the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library
Get more information about the Special Educator Academy
Join the Free Facebook Group

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What do you do when a student asks for something that they cannot have? Oftentimes, when our students request something and they are unable to have it, it can lead to behaviors. There are strategies for behavior we can utilize that can help our students learn that sometimes they cannot have what they ask for.

When we are looking at strategies for behavior, there are some things I would do and things I would not do when a student asks for something they can’t have. We know that we cannot always get what we ask for, but how can we help our students to understand this as well? In this episode, I am sharing my top don’ts for when a student requests something they can’t have, as well as my top 4 strategies to help students understand that something they request may not be available.

05:41 - Why you should not remove their opportunities to make the request using their communication devices

07:23 - When you should give the student what they are asking for

08:21 - The importance of giving students lots of opportunities to practice this skill

10:13 - How to teach a student to wait for something instead of not having it at all

10:48 - Why you should use concrete signs when something isn’t available

Show Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode208

Resources:

Check out the AAC Communication Boards for Augmentative Communication
Watch the Preventing Challenging Behavior Webinar
Join the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library
Get more information about the Special Educator Academy
Join the Free Facebook Group

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Asking for a break is a great replacement behavior for students trying to escape a certain situation. However, not all breaks are going to be effective for every student. Truly understanding the function of a student's behavior and what they are trying to escape from is key to understanding what an effective break would be for that student.

When looking at replacement behavior strategies and determining what your student would benefit from in terms of a break, it is important to remember that a break is not a timeout. There are several factors that go into an effective break for your students and each student is going to have different preferences. In this episode, I am breaking down what to consider when determining break options for your students.

06:12 - The importance of recognizing that a break is not a timeout

10:00 - Why it is not necessary to have a specific area for breaks

11:27 - Examples of how a break may look with or without other people with the student

12:50 - How offering choices can work when students ask for a break

13:54 - Ways that breaks can offer an opportunity for emotional regulation

Show Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode207

Resources:

Calm Down Tools: Social Stories & Visual Supports for Self-Regulation & Behavior
Behavior Data Sheets - Editable Behavior Tracker MegaPack for Special Ed & RTI
Join the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library
Get more information about the Special Educator Academy
Join the Free Facebook Group

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Finding replacement behaviors for escape-related behaviors can be a challenge. Oftentimes, when we come across a student struggling with a work, social, or other situation in the classroom and are avoiding it, figuring out how to help them may seem difficult. However, there are some ways we can help students learn replacement behaviors for these situations.

When our students have escape-related behaviors, it’s important that we teach them how to get away from that thing, person, or situation in an appropriate way. This is an important skill for our students to learn both inside the classroom and outside. In this episode, we will be diving into the benefits of teaching replacement behaviors and equipping students with functional communication skills, as well as the research behind it all.

04:36 - When to use Functional Communication Training

09:32 - 3 reasons why it’s beneficial to teach students to request not to do something

12:32 - A look at the different communication forms to use when teaching replacement behaviors

17:55 - Why we must actually teach the selected communication strategy to allow students opportunities to practice requesting their replacement behaviors for escape

22:28 - How to decide what to do if the behavior continues to happen

Show Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode206

Resources:

Watch the Preventing Challenging Behavior Webinar
Calm Down Tools: Social Stories & Visual Supports for Self-Regulation & Behavior
Behavior Data Sheets - Editable Behavior Tracker MegaPack for Special Ed & RTI
Join the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library
Get more information about the Special Educator Academy
Join the Free Facebook Group

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What happens when we have independent work systems set up for our students, but they aren’t completing them in the allotted independent work time? The whole point of independent work systems is for students to get their work done independently and in a certain amount of time so they can do the thing they want to do. But we all know that that is not always the case.

If your students aren’t completing their work during independent work time, there are some ways you can problem-solve to help them be successful in completing their work system. When I see situations where students are not completing their independent work, I generally ask certain questions to try to figure out what is going on. In this episode, I am sharing 3 questions to ask if a student isn’t completing their work during independent work time and what to try next.

04:54 - How to determine if the student has the right task for independent work time

07:35 - Why having a finished basket is key for many students to finish their work

10:06 - How students must know what to do when they finish their tasks

14:43 - Tips for what to do next if your student is still not finishing their work

Show Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode205

Resources:

Check out my TpT store for Independent Work Resources
Watch the Independent Work Systems Webinar
Get My Book: Building Independence: How to Create and Use Structured Work Systems - Future Horizons Publishers
Shop my Book: Building Independence: How to Create and Use Structured Work Systems on Amazon (Affiliate Link)
Join the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library
Get more information about the Special Educator Academy
Join the Free Facebook Group

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How do we advance independent work systems once our students know how to complete it on their own? The goal of independent work systems is to help students build independence. In order to help our students learn to work independently, it is crucial that we know how to adjust the work system when necessary to bump up the level of independence needed to complete it.

Using independent work systems isn’t meant to be just a way to get students to complete tasks independently within the system. We want students to increase their ability to work independently so they can be more independent in other situations in the classroom, as well as in a work environment as they get older. In this episode, I’m sharing 5 ways that we can change our independent work systems to fit our more independent students and to build their skills as they become more independent.

03:49 - How moving the task boxes away from our students’ tables helps develop independence

07:16 - Why we may want to start leaving materials out of the system

08:43 - How using a “raise your hand” visual can be helpful for students who have a tendency to not do their work carefully

09:21 - Ideas for how to help students become more independent in the work system using lists

09:53 - How to expand the work system and move beyond boxes to help students use them in different environments

Show Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode204

Resources:

Check out my TpT store for Independent Work Resources
Watch the Independent Work Systems Webinar
Using Foldables in Structured Work Systems: Advanced Tasks with a Seasonal Freebie
Workbasket Wednesday: Advanced Structured Work Systems
Why I Don’t Like Drawer Carts for Independent Work Systems
Get My Book: Building Independence: How to Create and Use Structured Work Systems - Future Horizons Publishers
Shop my Book: Building Independence: How to Create and Use Structured Work Systems on Amazon (Affiliate Link)
Join the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library
Get more information about the Special Educator Academy
Join the Free Facebook Group

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We know the goal of independent work systems is to help students build independence. Both the way these work systems are set up and the strategies we use within them are key to helping our students build independence. It is important that we use effective, evidence-based practices within these independent work systems.

When teaching students how to work independently, we must provide the appropriate amount of support to help guide the student toward independence. In this episode, I walk you through 5 strategies for teaching and supporting the systems in your classroom. We’ll discuss the importance of nonverbal prompting, waiting students out, how to get students back on track, why you should fade out your presence, and when to provide reinforcement.

04:49 - Why you should only use nonverbal prompts during independent work

08:20 - Tips to help wait the student out to build independence and initiation

11:23 - An effective way to use a nonverbal prompt to get students back on track

12:17 - The importance of fading out your presence

13:14 - Why you should only be providing reinforcement once all their work is completed

Show Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode203

Resources:

Check out my TpT store for Independent Work Resources
Watch the Independent Work Systems Webinar
What are Prompts? 5 Main Types of Prompts in a Free Infographic
Get My Book: Building Independence: How to Create and Use Structured Work Systems - Future Horizons Publishers
Shop my Book: Building Independence: How to Create and Use Structured Work Systems on Amazon (Affiliate Link)
Join the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library
Get more information about the Special Educator Academy
Join the Free Facebook Group

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Task box activities are great for practicing independence and maintaining previously mastered skills. But how can we ensure our task boxes are set up to teach independence effectively? Not all task box activities are created equally - some might be great activities but would not work well in an independent work system.

There are 5 key characteristics that task box activities must have if they are being used in an independent work system. Ensuring your task boxes meet all 5 of these characteristics sets your students up for success and allows them to truly practice working on their independence. In this episode, I am sharing why your tasks must be mastered, the need for a clear beginning and end, excluding extra pieces, why task components must be organized, and why tasks should remain assembled.

03:00 - Why tasks in independent work systems must be previously mastered

08:07 - The importance of tasks having a clear beginning and end

09:07 - Why including extra pieces in task boxes can cause confusion

10:21 - How organizing materials can be helpful for students completing task box activities

11:56 - Why students should leave a completed task intact when they turn it in

Show Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode202

Resources:

Check out my TpT store for Independent Work Resources
Watch the Independent Work Systems Webinar
Table Tasks: Increase Engagement at Waiting Times
Free Sock Sorting Work Task
Plastic Egg Put-In Task: Independent Work Inspiration
Watch #TaskBinTuesday Quick Tip Cupcake Edition YouTube
Get My Book: Building Independence: How to Create and Use Structured Work Systems - Future Horizons Publishers
Shop my Book: Building Independence: How to Create and Use Structured Work Systems on Amazon (Affiliate Link)
Join the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library
Get more information about the Special Educator Academy
Join the Free Facebook Group

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Setting up independent task box work systems can seem overwhelming if you don’t know where to begin or are unsure what systems to put in place to make them effective. However, once you have them implemented into your classroom, they can be incredibly beneficial for increasing independent work skills for your students. But how can you get started without wasting time trying to figure out an effective system?

You don’t need to start implementing an independent task box work system in your classroom from scratch. I have found ways to make it easier and more effective for both you and your students, and in today’s episode, I am breaking down the materials needed for a task box work system, how to organize task boxes, and how to start implementing them in a way that sets you and your students up for success.

03:09 - What materials you need to create an independent work system

12:20 - How to determine how many workstations you need and where they will be set up

14:43 - How to use visual schedules effectively to promote independent work skills

17:19 - Tips for putting your baskets together and starting to implement the work systems with students

Show Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode201

Resources:

Check out my TpT store for Independent Work Resources
Watch the Independent Work Systems Webinar
How to Start Independent Work Systems Successfully in Your Classroom
10 Steps to Setting Up Independent Work Stations for Autism
Independent Work Task Box System - Starter Kit for Secondary Special Education
Independent Work System Task Box Starter Kit for Preschool - Elementary
Watch my YouTube video of a Put-In Task
Check out the Task Bin Tuesday Videos on YouTube
Get My Book: Building Independence: How to Create and Use Structured Work Systems - Future Horizons Publishers
Shop my Book: Building Independence: How to Create and Use Structured Work Systems on Amazon (Affiliate Link)
Join the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library
Get more information about the Special Educator Academy
Join the Free Facebook Group

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I cannot believe we are 200 episodes into the Autism Classroom Resources podcast. I am so grateful to each and every one of you for tuning in! We have covered so many topics in the first 200 episodes, from challenging behavior to visual schedules to addressing systemic racism in special education. I am so glad that you have been able to gain valuable insight and tips from my autism classroom podcast!

In order to celebrate 200 episodes and reflect back on what we've done so far, I am sharing the top 10 downloaded episodes from the podcast. In this episode, I am sharing the most loved episodes, an overview of what was covered, and the common themes between these top episodes.

03:53 - Where to find more information on preventing downtime in your classroom

06:49 - Which episode to tune into to find 9 tips to think about when writing IEP goals

09:58 - The 3 strategies to boost classroom management and where to hear more about these strategies

14:40 - What perseveration is and which episode discusses it in more detail

16:01 - The number 1 most downloaded episode of the Autism Classroom Resources podcast

Show Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode200

Resources:

Watch the Free Webinars
Check out the ACR Top 10 Episodes Playlist
Join the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library
Get more information about the Special Educator Academy
Join the Free Facebook Group

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Parent-teacher relationships can be complicated and challenging on both sides. One of the most important things to keep in mind in order to have successful and respectful parent-teacher relationships is that judgment and blame are only going to do more harm than good and will not be beneficial to the student. That is why understanding different perspectives is crucial to a respectful parent-teacher relationship.

There is no doubt that many people act differently based on their setting and the expectations of that setting. Our students are no different. There are different resources, expectations, and characteristics at home versus at school and because of this, our students may behave differently in each setting. In this episode, I am diving into why this is so important to keep in mind, how to communicate with parents about these differences in behavior, and why it is unproductive to place blame on families.

00:50 - A real-life story about how an autism professional’s son behaves differently around her than when he is around his teachers

04:53 - How the characteristics and expectations at school and at home can vary greatly resulting in different behavior

07:55- Why, as an educator, it’s important to not allow yourself to blame parents for their child’s behavior at school

08:40 - Why fixing the setting and utilizing strategies to match with students’ skills can help get different skills and behaviors within the classroom

13:16 - My message to you about parent-teacher relationships

Show Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode199

Resources:

Check out the Home Communication Systems on TPT
Grab your Free Parent Communication Note
Listen to my Working With Families Episode Roundup Playlist
Join the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library
Get more information about the Special Educator Academy
Join the Free Facebook Group

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Independent work systems can be very helpful in helping students learn how to complete a series of tasks on their own, without assistance. However, some of our students may not be ready to work through a fully independent work system right away. We know that not all of our students come to us with independent work skills. So what can we do to help those students develop these skills?

Some of our students are not yet able to complete tasks independently, and therefore, we do not have tasks to put into their systems. In this episode, I am breaking down how we can help our students develop this independence and ways we can set up their systems to help them become more independent at various tasks inside an independent work system.

04:21 - What an independent work system is

05:19 - The characteristics that make up independent work systems

08:42 - What types of tasks to start with if a student does not yet have independent work skills

09:46 - How to modify the tasks to help students become more independent

13:31 - Insight into schedules for independent work systems

Show Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode198

Resources:

Check out the Free Independent Work webinar
Watch the Task Bin Videos on my Task Bin YouTube Playlist
Read the Independent Work Inspiration Blog Posts
Independent Work Resources on TpT
Join the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library
Get more information about the Special Educator Academy
Join the Free Facebook Group

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The Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) can be incredibly beneficial for helping our students with autism to communicate. Often, the term PECS is misused to talk about using pictures as a form of communication. However, PECS is actually a system that has specific phases that help in expanding the functions of our students' communication.

We want students to be able to communicate in an effective way, and I truly love PECS for encouraging our students to communicate. In this episode, I am clearing up some misconceptions about PECS, sharing ten reasons that I love PECS, and encouraging special educators to use it with their students.

01:20 - The truth behind a common misunderstanding about the Picture Exchange Communication System

02:52 - What PECS actually is and how it encourages speech

07:58 - How PECS encourages initiating communication

11:30 - The benefit of using pictures within PECS to communicate

13:05 - How the Picture Exchange Communication System builds on students' strengths

Show Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode197

Resources:

Check out the PECS Website
PECS Training Manual
Shop the Augmentative Communication Boards on TpT
Join the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library
Get more information about the Special Educator Academy
Join the Free Facebook Group

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This year especially, I have noticed that many special educators are struggling to remember why we do this job. This is a challenging job as it is and adding in staffing shortages, increased work requirements, and additional factors can make it even harder. That is why I feel it is important to find ways to help us all find the joy in teaching again.

Remembering why we do what we do and why we became special educators in the first place isn’t always easy. I have found one way that has been incredibly helpful for me to remember what brings me joy in teaching. This episode is from the private podcast inside the Special Educator Academy, where I am sharing how to use a joy file to help us remember the things that have brought us joy in our jobs so we can continue to do the work we do.

06:19 - How mantras can help us focus on what’s important

06:48 - What a joy file is and what it contains

08:49 - Ideas for how to store your joy file

09:20 - Why you should be looking at your joy file regularly

Show Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode196

Resources:

Join the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library
Get more information about the Special Educator Academy
Join the Free Facebook Group

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As most of us are entering winter break, it is the perfect time for a little teacher self-care reminder. We hear a lot about self-care and coping skills for teachers, but as teachers, we often think that if we take a break, we will fall behind. The truth is that taking breaks actually makes you a better special education teacher!

In this episode, I am giving you a sneak peek at an episode from the private podcast inside the Special Educator Academy. I am sharing five reasons you should be taking a break (without feeling guilty!) over winter break. I’d love to hear why you’re taking a break. Send me a DM on Instagram @autismclassroomresources, and let me know how you are recharging over winter break.

05:01 - Why you should be taking time to focus on what’s truly important

06:25 - How scheduled breaks help you recharge

07:28 - Why stepping away from work allows you to keep things in perspective

08:30 - How taking a break promotes creativity (and why you need creativity as a special education teacher!)

10:30 - Why taking breaks is key to preventing burnout

Show Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode195

Resources:

Join the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library
Get more information about the Special Educator Academy
Join the Free Facebook Group

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Social stories can be an incredible tool for helping students with autism, but there are elements to consider when writing social stories to make them the most effective they can be. They may not be effective for all students or for all skills and situations, but there is research supporting the effectiveness of social stories. In this episode, I am sharing how to apply the research behind social stories, when social stories might be most successful, and how to write social stories in the most effective manner.

If you are looking for a way to get started with social stories without starting from scratch, be sure to check out the behavioral toolkits that include social stories and visuals to help your students. You can also grab the social stories free downloads for winter break and following teacher directions.

01:43 - What the research says about the effectiveness of social stories

03:54 - Examples of situations that social stories may work well for

05:08 - The four steps in implementing social stories

11:08 - The importance of the language used in the social story

15:20 - An example of how to create an effective social story

21:18 - Be sure to grab your social stories free downloads for winter break and following teacher directions.

Show Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode194

Resources:

Check out my Social Stories on TpT
Grab Your Free Winter Break Social Story
Join the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library (Who's in Charge Social Story Inside!)
Get more information about the Special Educator Academy
Join the Free Facebook Group

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We are in the midst of the holiday season, and chances are you are seeing more challenging behaviors than usual due to schedule changes and different events and activities. Luckily, there is a great tool that can be used to help students with all of these changes - social stories! You have likely used or been told to use social stories for behavior at some point, but there are ways to craft and implement these tools that can help make them more effective.

It’s important to understand that using social stories for behavior is not a magic cure, but for some students, they can be very beneficial for various situations. In this episode, we are looking at what social stories are, examples of social stories, and what the research says about using social stories.

03:19 - When and why social stories were originally created

04:27 - What social stories are and what they consist of

08:03 - An example and explanation of an effective social story

09:34 - The research behind the effectiveness of social stories

Show Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode193

Resources:

Shop my Social Stories on TpT
Grab the FREE Winter Break Social Story
Research References
Join the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library
Get more information about the Special Educator Academy
Join the Free Facebook Group

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Have you ever had a student who struggled to understand the value of money or how to transfer their money skills to real-life situations? Teaching a range of money skills and strategies that will help them be successful in real-life environments is so beneficial to our students. One strategy that is incredibly helpful for students to use in real-life situations is the next dollar up method.

The next dollar up method is a fairly simple strategy that can make a huge difference when our students need to make purchases. In this episode, I am breaking down what the next dollar up method is, what skills students need before using this method, and what tools to help teach it.

01:59 - Why teaching strategies to use in real-life situations is necessary

05:58 - What the next dollar up method is

06:22 - What skills students need before learning the next dollar up method

07:36 - When to move on to using a counting timeline and other tools when learning this strategy

Show Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode192

Resources:

Why “Just Give Him a Debit Card” Isn’t a Sufficient Solution
Get the Next Dollar Up Instructional Toolkit
Check out the Next Dollar Up Resources
Join the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library
Get more information about the Special Educator Academy
Join the Free Facebook Group

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Understanding money and how to use it is an important life skill for our students to learn, and providing explicit instruction on these skills is incredibly beneficial for our students. Being able to identify money, count it accurately, and use it effectively to make purchases are all valuable life skills. Whether your students need instruction in basic money skills or if they need support in understanding sales and discounts, there are ways you can incorporate teaching money skills into your instruction in meaningful and engaging ways!

In this episode, I am sharing my favorite ways to teach the real-life money skills our students need. You’ll learn how to engage your students using restaurant math, incorporate money skills into your classroom management system, and create an engaging classroom grocery store for your students.

02:48 - What restaurant math is and how it can help students develop their money skills

05:06 - How to incorporate money skills into your classroom management system

06:48 - Ideas for setting up a class grocery store in your classroom

07:37 - Why coupons and discounts can be confusing and activities to help students with these skills

Show Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode191

Resources:

How to Make Teaching Money Engaging and Functional
How to Teach Grocery Shopping Activities for Students in Life Skills
How to Use Thanksgiving Menu Math to Improve Functional Skills
Grab the Token Economy Toolkit
Get the Grocery Store Math & Grocery Shopping Life Skills Activities
Grab your Menu Math for Real Life Money Skills
Join the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library
Get more information about the Special Educator Academy
Join the Free Facebook Group

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We've discussed that discrete trial teaching is incredibly beneficial for our students with autism, but naturalistic developmental behavioral interventions are also very impactful for teaching students with autism. NDBIs allow students to practice skills in their natural, everyday environment, allowing them to generalize skills while initially developing these skills.

In this episode, I am diving into naturalistic developmental behavioral interventions. I am sharing what NDBIs are, the 3 key elements of NDBIs, and the benefits of this type of teaching.

02:03 - What naturalistic developmental behavioral interventions are

07:11 - Why NDBI focuses on teaching what students encounter in their everyday life

10:15 - How naturalistic developmental behavioral interventions integrate teaching skills with the student's daily activities

17:02 - Why using functional reinforcers is key in NDBIs

Show Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode190

Resources:

Five Considerations in Teaching Receptive Vocabulary Plus a FREEBIE!
I Spy Game for Practicing Expressive Language, Vocabulary, and Receptive Language
I Spy Winter Language Activity Scenes for Special Education
Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions: Empirically Validated Treatments for Autism Spectrum Disorder
Join the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library (includes the I Spy Freebie!)
Get more information about the Special Educator Academy
Join the Free Facebook Group

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There are a lot of myths about discrete trial teaching, like when it is used and how it needs to be implemented. Discrete trial teaching is an evidence-based practice that allows a high level of repetition for students to practice a particular skill. They can be incredibly effective in helping students with autism learn new skills when they are used properly. But there are certain elements that need to be included in discrete trials to actually make it true discrete trial teaching.

In this episode, I am breaking down the components that make up discrete trial teaching. We are looking at the evidence behind DTT, what discrete trial teaching actually is, what skills discrete trials are useful for, and what skills DTT is limited for.

01:54 - The history and research behind ABA and autism

08:17 - What discrete trials are and why they are so effective

10:52 - The importance of attending behavior in discrete trials

12:38 - Why we need to use clear and concise directions during discrete trials

17:31 - How prompting is used in DTT

18:55 - The role of reinforcer and consequences

21:36 - Some considerations in the ways you can provide discrete trial teaching

Show Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode189

Resources:

Discrete Trials Kit: Beginning Learner Skills
Discrete Trials Kit: Colors (Matching, Receptive, Expressive)
20 Ways to Change Up How Students Respond in Discrete Trials
What are Prompts? 5 Main Types of Prompts in a Free Infographic
Does DTT Have to be 1-1? 3 Ways to Provide Discrete Trials in a Group
What is Applied Behavior Analysis or ABA?
Join the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library
Get more information about the Special Educator Academy
Join the Free Facebook Group

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Many young children come to school already equipped with learning readiness skills or will easily pick them up in preschool or kindergarten. However, for our students with autism, these learning to learn skills may not happen as readily. Because our students often don't take cues from what others are doing around them, we must explicitly teach these skills to our students so that they are able to take in instruction.

There are certain key skills that students need in order to be successful in elementary and beyond. In this episode, I am breaking down the important learning-to-learn skills that our students need and how teaching these skills may look when working with a student.

02:50 - What learning readiness skills are and why they're important

04:42 - Why we should teach students to attend to their name

07:09 - How to begin teaching the skill of following one-step directions

07:43 - Why students need to learn to imitate others

09:14 - How matching begins the process of understanding vocabulary

Show Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode188

Resources:

Writing Enabling Goals for IEPs
Join the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library
Get more information about the Special Educator Academy
Join the Free Facebook Group

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Data is a key component of our teaching. When used correctly, data should guide our teaching in order to ensure that our students are getting the instruction, support, and practice they need to learn what we are teaching them. That means that we need to be smart about how we take data, analyze it, and make needed changes to our instruction. By using progress monitoring to allow our students’ performance to guide our teaching, we are able to teach more effectively.

So how do you know how much data to take? I have 3 rules to follow for progress monitoring without it taking up all your time. And be sure to check out the FREE Taming the Data Monster Webinar to learn how to create a meaningful classroom data system!

03:44 - How to know when to take more or less data

04:21 - What kinds of skills need more frequent data

05:45 - The importance of reviewing your data to guide instruction

09:12 - What action step you can take to improve your data collection and progress monitoring

Show Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode187

Resources:

Graphing instructional data with Google Sheets
Graphing instructional data with Excel
Watch the free data webinar
Editable Behavior Data Sheets
Editable Instructional Data Sheets
Join the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library
Get more information about the Special Educator Academy
Join the Free Facebook Group

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We know reinforcement can be incredibly effective for our students with autism when used correctly. But how can we ensure that we are using reinforcements in the best and most effective way possible? Not every student is going to have the same reinforcers, and not every skill for the student is going to have the reinforcers.

To help you implement reinforcement more effectively, I am sharing what reinforcement actually is, three elements of effective reinforcement, and what action step you can take to help improve the effectiveness of reinforcements inside your classroom.

02:03 - The importance of pairing ourselves and instruction with things that are reinforcing to the student

02:38 - Why the whole classroom team needs to be clear on what specific performance is being reinforced

05:18 - How and why we should be differentiating our reinforcement for different skills

07:13 - The action step you can take to help improve the use of reinforcers in your classroom

Show Notes: https://autismclassroomresources.com/episode186

Resources:

Token Economy Toolkit with Token Boards
Token Boards: The Princess and the Train
Join the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library
Get more information about the Special Educator Academy
Join the Free Facebook Group

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What are our choices when it comes to errors when working with our students? We know that there is no one approach that will work for all of our students with autism because each student is different. However, it may be helpful to have a default approach that we begin with and make adjustments as needed based on the student, their needs, and their performance.

In this episode, I am sharing how to decide when to use errorless teaching or correct errors, how prompting fits into this, tips for using these approaches, and what action steps you can take to improve the consistency of handling errors in your classroom.

02:47 - What errorless teaching is, and examples of how it is used

04:40 - How to handle errors when you allow them to happen

06:18 - Options for what to do when students wouldn’t respond well to being told their answer is wrong

07:06 - The role of reinforcement in error correction

Show Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode185

Resources:

What Are Stimulus Prompts? Or If I Don't Tell Them the Answer, What Other Kinds of Prompts Are There?
What Do I Do About Errors in Discrete Trials? The Errorless Learning v. Error Correction Conundrum
What are Prompts? 5 Main Types of Prompts in a Free Infographic
Join the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library
Get more information about the Special Educator Academy
Join the Free Facebook Group

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As special educators, we understand the importance of clear and concise communication. For our students with autism, the way we deliver instructions can have a great impact on their ability to learn and understand the skills and concepts we are trying to teach them. Because of this, it is key that we deliver instruction in a way that is clear so that our instruction is effective.

In this episode, I am diving into effective teaching characteristics for giving instructions to students with autism. I am sharing how to ensure you have your student's attention, how to give clear and concise instructions, and how to break down instructions in your student's academics.

02:47 - Why you need to be sure you have your student’s attention before giving instructions

04:10 - How the instruction type might vary depending on the teaching strategy

05:06 - The importance of giving clear and concise instructions

07:13 - How to break down instructions in academics

08:45 - What to avoid when giving instructions

Show Notes: https://autismclassroomresources.com/episode184

Resources:

Behavior Analytic Instruction for Learners with Autism: Advances in Stimulus Control Technology
Grow & LeBlanc (2013) Teaching Receptive Language Skills
Why I No Longer Teach Eye Contact in Autism: Teaching Attention Skills
7 Ways You Could Be Sabotaging Your Discrete Trial Instruction
Join the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library
Get more information about the Special Educator Academy
Join the Free Facebook Group

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01:35 - Why you should be using examples that are very different from each other when introducing new concepts

02:08 - The importance of keeping your examples clear and straightforward

02:50 - Why avoiding distracting backgrounds is helpful for students

03:26 - How to avoid material overlap

04:04 - What to avoid when creating materials so students can’t just guess the correct answer

04:49 - When to start working on generalization of a concept

Show Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode183

Resources:

3 Tips for Presenting Materials in Discrete Trials: With a Freebie
Join the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library
Get more information about the Special Educator Academy
Join the Free Facebook Group

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Breaking down target skills into their component parts and teaching them systematically is so beneficial for our students. These task analyses for autism are used frequently in special ed, and there are different formats of them and different things to consider when choosing which task analysis format to use for a specific target skill.

Teaching in a systematic way helps decrease decision fatigue while also increasing the effectiveness of your instruction. When teaching steps to reach a target skill, breaking the skill down into smaller steps helps you to know what comes next, and it helps your student to be successful as well. In this episode, I’m giving a bite-sized look into how to effectively use the different formats of task analysis for autism in your classroom.

01:27 - What a task analysis is

02:12 - What chaining task analysis is and when you might use it

03:49 - When using shaping task analysis is beneficial

05:13 - Why it is crucial that you write down the steps regardless of which type of task analysis you are using

Show Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode182

Resources:

Shaping: 5 Tips You Need to Know to Use it Effectively
Chaining: A Teaching Strategy That Can Save You Time
What You Need to Know About Task Analysis and Why You Should Use It
Join the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library
Get more information about the Special Educator Academy
Join the Free Facebook Group

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Good instruction begins with assessment. It is so important to know what your students can and cannot do in order to determine what it is you actually need to teach them. When we are choosing learning objectives and target skills, we want to be sure we are not just pulling goals from the IEP.

When determining what the target skills will be, it is important to take skills from both our curriculum-based assessment as well as from the student's IEP. In this episode, I am breaking down why you should begin with assessments, how to choose a target behavior, and how to create great learning objectives.

01:31 - Why good instruction always begins with assessment

02:19 - How to choose target behaviors

03:10 - Why it's important that the learning targets are relevant to the student's daily life

04:04 - How to create good learning objectives

Show Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode181

Resources:

What Is a Curriculum and Why Do I Need One in Special Education?
Episode 180, 7 Things to Get Right for Effective Instruction with Any Type of Autism Intervention Strategies
Join the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library
Get more information about the Special Educator Academy
Join the Free Facebook Group

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Good instruction is good instruction. Whether you are using Discrete Trials, Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Intervention, or something else, there are key elements to making your instruction effective. Tweaking these key elements to fit your students is what makes autism intervention strategies effective.

There are noticeable differences in different autism intervention strategies but there are common elements that are important at the core of all of them. In this episode, I am sharing the 7 important elements in instructional loops that help to create effective instruction.

04:22 - The importance of identifying and outlining concrete learning targets

05:29 - Why we should be breaking down skills into component parts

06:44 - What to consider when designing materials and giving directions

07:59 - How reinforcements can help students get to the correct answer

10:14 - Why we need to be collecting data

Show Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode180

Resources:

Watch the Taming the Data Monster Webinar
Join the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library
Get more information about the Special Educator Academy
Join the Free Facebook Group

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Are you looking for ways to get your classroom chaos under control? Utilizing classroom management best practices is crucial to your classroom running smoothly and for both you and the students to clearly understand expectations. Classroom management doesn’t need to be overly complicated but there are some key components that will help your classroom management be more effective.

Following classroom management best practices can help to improve student behavior and student buy-in. To help you have the most successful classroom management, I am sharing five tips for classroom management best practices.

01:36 - Why you need to have a classroom management system

04:49 - The importance of explicitly teaching routines and expectations

06:51 - How to help students understand the concept of “fair”

08:45 - Why students need to win in your classroom management system

10:13 - The benefits of praising appropriate behavior publicly

Show Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode179

Resources:

Grab Your Free Set of Classroom Rules
Get the Classroom Routine Social Stories
Get the It's Not Fair-Social Stories
Join the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library
Get more information about the Special Educator Academy
Join the Free Facebook Group

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Using reinforcement strategies in your classroom may seem fairly basic. But the truth is, effectively implementing reinforcement strategies is a bit more nuanced than you might think. Unfortunately, there is no magic reinforcer or reinforcement strategy that will work with all students but there are some things you can do to ensure you are using reinforcement strategies effectively.

If you feel like reinforcement doesn’t work with your students or you are struggling to find ways to implement reinforcement strategies effectively, join me as I share my favorite tips for using reinforcement strategies in the classroom so that they actually work for you and your students!

01:48 - What reinforcement is

02:57 - Why you need to be using actual reinforcers and using them correctly

06:45 - Why your reinforcer must be connected to what you are teaching

10:33 - How to make the reinforcer even more powerful for your students

13:00 - My tip for using reinforcement strategies a the beginning of the year

14:45 - How to handle disruption and change using reinforcements

Show Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode178

Resources:

Join the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library
Get more information about the Special Educator Academy
Join the Free Facebook Group

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We all use visual supports in our everyday lives, we just don’t realize that’s what we’re doing. Visual supports tell us where to sit at a concert or what rooms we aren’t allowed in at a restaurant. Using visual supports in your special education classroom helps your students understand expectations in the classroom like they help us understand expectations in the community.

There are ways that you can use visual supports in your classroom to make the most impact. In today’s episode, I am sharing the importance of using visual schedules, why you should have behavior-related visuals around the room, and how to keep your room and visuals organized.

01:57 - Why you need to have your visual schedules in place and why you should have a backup

04:26 - What questions to ask yourself to determine where in your classroom you need more visual supports

07:56 - How I use a variety of behaviorally related visuals around the room

09:23 - Why you should have cubbies, bookshelves, and cabinets labeled

11:58 - My tips for storing visuals in an organized fashion

Show Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode177

Resources:

Check out SitSpots
Grab your free Pumpkin Mini Schedules
Shop my Visual Supports on TPT
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Building strong relationships with parents as a teacher begins with having great communication and showing that you truly care about their child. Having positive interactions with parents is key to building these relationships and successfully working with families. My guest today, Michelle Vazquez, is sharing some incredible insight on how to build relationships with parents as a teacher.

In this episode, Michelle is sharing ways she communicates regularly with families and tips for contacting parents with not-so-good news. Plus, how to build relationships with parents as a teacher when students are just getting qualified for special education.

Grab Michelle's FREE IEP Meeting Checklist here!

02:31 - Michelle’s background and what she is currently doing

06:36 - Strategies she uses to build positive relationships with families at the beginning of the year

11:20 - Michelle’s tips for contacting parents when you have to deliver not so good news

19:50 - How she supports families when their children are just getting qualified and during the qualification process,

28:27 - Ways Michelle builds relationships with families after they’ve had a negative experience in the past

Show Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode176

Resources:

Join the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library
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What can you do in the first few weeks of school to help create a more smoothly operating classroom for teaching special needs students? I often talk about the importance of putting strategies and systems in place in order to ensure your classroom runs efficiently and implementing some very basic strategies in the first weeks of school can help set you, your staff, and your students up for success.

The first few weeks of school are crucial for getting students used to your classroom and how things work. In this episode, I am sharing why you should be focusing on building relationships with students and staff, the importance of using visuals, how to prioritize tasks for each day, and why you should be reflecting at the end of the school day.

03:41 - How to build relationships with your students in the first few weeks of school

08:50 - Ways you can build relationships with your staff even with limited time alone with them

10:36 - Why you should be using more visuals than you actually need

12:08 - The importance of making a prioritized list of tasks for each day

16:12 - Why reflecting on what is working and what is not working is crucial in the first few weeks

Show Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode175

Resources:

Paraprofessional Schedules and Team Building Kit
Free Classroom Reflection Form
Join the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library
Get more information about the Special Educator Academy
Join the Free Facebook Group

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How can you change a negative rapport between a student and a staff member into a positive rapport? Is it even possible? Today, I am sharing an episode from inside the Special Educator Academy where I dive into the research behind ways to change negative rapport into positive rapport with your students.

We all know we need to build relationships with our students and pair ourselves with reinforcements. But what does that really mean? In this episode, I am helping make the concept of building rapport between students and staff in the classroom a bit more concrete by sharing three ways you or your staff can build positive rapport with your students.

03:51 - How to pair yourself with reinforcement to build positive rapport with students

10:42 - What responsivity training is and how it can help build relationships

16:29 - How to use turn taking and reciprocity with students

20:07 - What ways the Special Educator Academy can help you with special education and autism training!

Grab the transcript and resource links athttp://autismclassroomresources.com/episode174

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Is it possible for your job as a special educator to be easier while your teaching is more effective? The simple answer is yes! I am so passionate about using my knowledge and experience to help other teachers thrive in their special education classroom with as little stress as possible. I created the Special Educator Academy to provide incredible educators with the support and confidence they need to bring joy back to their classroom.

The Special Educator Academy is filled with courses, printables, trainings, resources, and more! There are workshops that you can request special education professional development from your school for completing and monthly training themes just for Academy members. Join me as we dive into all the amazing benefits of being an Academy member!

02:25 - What Lightning Trainings are

03:09 - How you can use Quick Win videos to learn new strategies as well as train your staff

05:18 - How we use SEA Paths to make getting exactly what you need easier and more user friendly

07:25 - What to expect with the monthly themes inside the Special Educator Academy

08:16 - How our loyalty program works and what perks you get for being a member

Resources:

Grab the transcript and resource links at http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode173
Learn more about SEA here and join with a free trial!
Join The Special Educators Academy without the trial (monthly payments).
Join The Special Educators Academy without the trial (annual payment)
Join the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library.
Join the Free Facebook Group!

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Behavior management in the classroom is challenging and when you begin teaching students to accept “no” when they communicate a request, it can be even more challenging. Oftentimes when we are working with students on making a request, we are enforcing every time. In turn, our students then expect to get what they request whenever they request it. As we know, there are times when students cannot have what they would like and this can lead to some challenging behaviors.

Luckily, there are strategies you can use to help your students learn to accept “no” as an answer. In this episode, you’ll hear one of my Quick Win lessons from inside the Special Educator Academy, where I am sharing 5 ways you can help your students learn to accept “no.” Be sure to check out the Academy for more amazing quick wins like this one!

02:23 - Who these strategies and tools are for

03:15 - Why we want to teach our students to accept “no”

05:38 - Five tools and strategies you can easily implement to help your students accept “no” when they are requesting

17:52 - Join the Setting Up Classrooms Bootcamp starting July 24, 2023!

Grab the transcript and resource links athttp://autismclassroomresources.com/episode172

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Finding reliable information and useful ideas for your special education classroom on the internet can be challenging. Instagram and Pinterest are filled with examples and ideas for the classroom and activities but so many of them are not practical. So many teachers get lost in the idea of having a “Pinterest classroom” but we truly need to focus on setting up our classrooms in a way that is most beneficial to our students.

I love helping reduce the overwhelm so many special educators feel when trying to figure it all out on their own. The Special Educator Academy is designed to help you move past the noise of the internet and get the information and practical systems and strategies you need to meet your students’ needs without the stress of doing it on your own. In this episode, I am breaking down the 6 courses inside the Special Educator Academy and what changes are coming for the academy.

01:27 - A glimpse into school consulting and sharing ideas before the internet made everything so accessible

05:35 - Membership options for the Special Educator Academy

07:08 - An overview of how the 6 courses offered inside the Academy provide special education training for teachers

13:06 - A peek at what new things are coming for the SEA

Grab the transcript and resource links at http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode171

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How can you avoid special education teacher burnout and continue loving your job? One way to prevent burnout is by implementing a framework that sets your classroom up in a way that it almost runs itself. With the CORE framework, the aim is to develop a highly organized classroom with systems in place so that you are not constantly directing staff and students and you can actually focus on teaching.

Teacher burnout is a topic I’ve discussed with several professionals lately and today, I am sharing how the CORE can help prevent special education teacher burnout. I am sharing how it helps to reduce decision fatigue, why you need a one man down plan, and the importance of routines.

02:11 - Why summer is a great time to start thinking about how implementing the CORE can help reduce burnout

03:08 - How the CORE helps lessen decision fatigue

05:01 - The importance of having a one man down zoning plan and schedule

06:48 - Why routines are critical in preventing special education teacher burnout

Grab the transcript and resource links athttp://autismclassroomresources.com/episode170

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There is no one “right” strategy but most instructional strategies in special education have similar elements to other strategies. Every student is different which means that what might work for some will not work for others. However, with all strategies, we need to ensure we are providing students with enough practice and enough instructional loops to learn the targeted skill.

In this episode, I am sharing why there is no one size fits all instructional strategy in special education, what elements most instructional strategies have in common, and the importance of instructional loops in helping students learn. I would love to hear your thoughts on instructional loops and the myths addressed in this episode! Hop in the Facebook group and let’s discuss!

02:13 - My background in cognitive behavioral therapy and the importance of the science of education

06:55 - Why there is no one size fits all instructional strategy in special education

11:01 - Debunking the myth that all children must have intensive discrete trial training

13:28 - What an instructional loop is

19:04 - How the CORE model incorporates different kinds of instruction

24:32 - Addressing the myth that play based instruction is appropriate for all preschool students

Grab the transcript and resource links athttp://autismclassroomresources.com/episode169

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Highly structured environments allow for teachers to implement evidence based practices in the special education classroom. As we know, implementing EBPs is key to helping students learn and thrive. That is why the CORE is designed around evidence based practices. The CORE contains elements and systems that when put in place, allow us to provide meaningful instruction that's individualized for our students while automating processes and systems in our classroom so we can focus more on our students.

In this episode, I am diving into the different components of the CORE, how they are beneficial, and using evidence based practice with autism classrooms. If you’d like a deeper analysis of how we use the CORE as well as checklists and tools to help you implement it in your classroom, check out the Special Educator Academy.

01:57 - What elements and systems the CORE is made up of

02:51 - What the TIP is and why it’s helpful

04:17 - How to set up your classroom schedule and use it to help create your Zoning Plan

08:51 - The overall goal of the systems of the CORE

13:57 - Why we want to have systems that automate everyday activities

14:55 - How team collaboration helps us make decisions based on the students

17:48 - The importance of the physical organization of the classroom

Grab the transcript and resource links athttp://autismclassroomresources.com/episode168

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We know how important data collection in special education is but how can we make it work in actual classrooms? There are so many factors that play into our data collection and analysis systems that go beyond our control and can make it challenging for us and our paras to collect data. In this episode, I am joined by Sasha Long who is sharing recommendations for data collection, tips for beginning teachers, and a great perspective on the state of where we’re at in teaching.

Sasha Long, BCBA, M.A., is the founder and president of The Autism Helper, Inc. She is a board certified behavior analyst and former special education teacher. Sasha shares strategies and best practices through her blog, podcast, membership, and online courses. Sasha travels internationally as a speaker and consultant providing individualized training and feedback to parents, educators, therapists and administrators in the world of autism.

02:28 - Why reinforcement is so important in making data work in the classroom

06:40 - Sasha’s tips for making data collection in the classroom easier

09:30 - Why we need to allow for flexibility in the way that data is collected by others

12:34 - Sasha’s best advice for beginning teachers setting up a data system

23:49 - The difference between behavior data and academic data

28:47 - Sasha’s reminder about data collection in the current state of teaching

Grab the transcript and resource links athttp://autismclassroomresources.com/episode167

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One of the most important factors in teaching language and communication is to ensure that we create many opportunities to practice throughout the day. As special educators, we know that to help our students improve communication skills, we must provide the tools needed for them to communicate beyond just when we are working on communication. In this episode, I am diving into the importance of encouraging communication throughout the day, why students’ communication systems are available to them at all times, and ways to engineer the classroom that supports our students in improving their communication skills.

If you are looking for tools to help engineer your classroom, be sure to check out my communication boards. I'd love to hear how else you are engineering your classroom! Come share your ideas or pictures inside the Facebook group. I can’t wait to see how you are setting your classroom up to help encourage communication!

02:33 - Why we need to ensure students are getting many opportunities to practice communicating throughout the day and how to track these opportunities

06:34 - The importance of making sure that students’ communication systems are available throughout the day, not just when we are intentionally practicing communication

11:12 - Why having different types of communication supports set up in the classroom is crucial to improving communication skills

12:28 - How to set up communication devices to include special vocabulary when needed

14:03 - How to increase the number of opportunities students have to practice communicating during activities

18:02 - Why including simple switches in your classroom is incredibly beneficial for your students

Grab the transcript and resource links athttp://autismclassroomresources.com/episode166

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As special educators, it is so important to help our students expand their functions of communication and enhance their communication skills. It is especially important for our students who use any kind of augmentative communication that we help them to build their communication skills.

In this episode, I am sharing 8 things you can do to help support communication within your classroom, particularly if you’re working with students who use augmentative communication, including the importance of core vocabulary, why we want to combine communication activities, and providing the “Goldilocks” of communication.

If you are looking for more ways to ramp up your communication instruction for the coming year, join me inside the Special Educator Academy! There is a whole set of resources for communication and so many more topics that I know will help take your teaching to the next level! I can’t wait to see you inside!

03:13 - Why we need to focus on the function of communication rather than the form of communication

04:40 - What core vocabulary is and why it’s important when building students’ communication skills

08:31 - Why we should start with requesting but then move on

09:14 - The importance of creating communication opportunities throughout the day

10:36 - Why students need the opportunities to practice combining communication activities

11:36 - How to model for students using their tools of communication

12:46 - The benefits of having repeated practice of communication activities for students

14:42 - What the “Goldilocks of communication” is and why it’s crucial in helping students build their communication skills

Grab the transcript and resource links athttp://autismclassroomresources.com/episode165

Join the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library: https://autismclassroomresources.com/free

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There are so many ways and reasons we use communication. Helping our students communicate effectively and expand the ways in which they are communicating is key. It’s important that we work on why a student is communicating and what they are trying to say rather than focusing on how they communicate it. In this episode, I'm talking about why the functions of communication are important, what different functions of communication are, and how we can help our students with these different communicative functions.

I’ve gotten so many requests to cover communication and language and I am so happy to share this episode with you! If you have topics you’d like to hear covered on the podcast, please send me an email at chris@autismclassroomresources.com. I would love to hear from you!

01:46 - What communication functions are and why we care about them

04:01 - The difference between intentional communication and unintentional communication

07:26 - A look at communication functions for regulation

11:58 - Social interaction functions and how to help teach our students these functions

Grab the transcript and resource links at http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode164

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The end of the school year is quickly approaching which means that both students and teachers are getting a little squirrelly. So how can we keep our students on track, reduce the chaos, and keep student behavior under control? In today’s episode, I am sharing 5 strategies to help reduce end of year behavior challenges so you and your students can continue to thrive.

What’s your best way of coping with the end of the school year? Let me know inside the Facebook group! Share a picture of this podcast and let’s talk more about it.

02:36 - The importance of adding in more visuals at the end of the school year

08:30 - How to redirect using a combination of words and visuals

10:26 - What the High Octane Mix is and why now is the time to start using it

13:55 - Why we need to keep the schedule as consistent as possible at the end of the year

14:56 - How using social stories is especially beneficial this time of year

Grab the transcript and resource links athttp://autismclassroomresources.com/episode163

Join the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library: https://autismclassroomresources.com/free

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The past few years have been especially stressful and exhausting for teachers. Students still have not fully adjusted to being back in the classroom and we have been seeing more behaviors than we have in the past. That means that now more than ever, coping strategies and true self care are so crucial for teachers.

In this episode, Kelsey Sorenson of Wife Teacher Mommy is joining me to talk all things self care. She is sharing actionable tips to help you balance all your different roles, how to conceptualize events in a way that will impact how you feel about them, and the upcoming Educate and Rejuvenate event.

I’d love to hear what you are taking away from this episode! Join the Facebook group and share your favorite tips and takeaways!

06:59 - Tips for handling stress about things that are out of our control

13:22 - Kelsey’s take on how teachers can advocate for what they need

22:16 - Why self care isn’t selfish

23:16 - What self care is and what it looks like

29:15 - Suggestions for how teachers can spend their time this summer preparing for next school year while also taking a much needed break

Grab the transcript and resource links athttp://autismclassroomresources.com/episode162

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A crucial part of building strong relationships with families is ensuring that there is a clear communication method between home and school. One of the hardest parts of establishing a communication system is deciding what needs to be shared and how to share this information in a way that works for both you and the families. We all know how busy special education teachers are and families are often quite busy as well so having efficient and effective communication is key.

Finding how to communicate with parents effectively does not need to be complicated. In this episode, I am sharing 5 things you should not do and 5 things you should do when communicating with families.

Are you loving what you are hearing on the show? DM me on Instagram or leave a review and let me know. I love to hear when I have had an impact on others!

01:12 - Why having a home-school communication system is so important

03:37 - The 5 Don'ts of a strong communication system between school and families

13:20 - The 5 Dos of parent communication

19:58 - My secret tip for successful home-school communication

Grab the transcript and resource links at http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode161

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One of the most important elements in an IEP run smoothly is a strong and established teacher parent relationship. These relationships are the heart of the educational experience for all students, not just Special Ed. Teachers and parents both want to ensure their students are being provided the best education possible and establishing trusting and positive teacher parent relationships is crucial to doing so.

All children do better when school and home are working together to support them and there are so many reasons to focus on building relationships with parents. In this episode, we are looking at why it is so important to have strong teacher parent relationships.

If you’ve gotten any great takeaways from this episode, I’d love it if you leave a review or DM me on Instagram and let me know. It’s so inspiring to hear when I have had an impact on others!

02:45 - The importance of having positive teacher parent relationships

05:08 - How having a positive relationship with parents can be beneficial when issues arise

07:33 - Why building a strong relationship is especially important when our students have limited communication skills

11:23 - How having good home-school communication is beneficial when working on generalization of skills

13:23 - The importance of a strong parent teacher relationship to foster a feeling of safety for both students and parents

14:21 - Why teachers and parents need to work as a team with the common goal of supporting the student as best as possible

Grab the transcript and resource links athttp://autismclassroomresources.com/episode160

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Focusing on literacy can be difficult for special education teachers. The relationship between language and reading and the difficulties some of our students have can make teaching literacy challenging. Literacy expert Sara Marye is joining us to share some amazing strategies for teaching literacy to help us better reach our students.

Sara is a former teacher, literacy coach, and assistant principal and is the creator behind The Stellar Teacher Company. She is an expert at helping teachers better support their students in reading and writing. In this episode, she is sharing practical and effective ways we can use routines to help our students develop their reading skills and become confident writers.

Join us in the Special Educators’ Connection Facebook group and let us know how Sara's routines are working in your classroom!

01:53 - Sara’s background as a classroom teacher and literacy expert and how she now supports teachers in finding ways to effectively and efficiently implement strategies for teaching literacy

03:40 - What a literacy routine is

04:59 - Examples of a literacy routines that would help students build the foundational literacy skills many students need

11:00 - How to include literacy routines into the day and how it benefits students with disabilities

15:05 - Benefits of using a literacy routine with students

19:57 - How teachers can get started with literacy routines in their classrooms

Grab the transcript, freebie and resource links athttp://autismclassroomresources.com/episode159

Listen to Sara's podcast, The Stellar Teacher Podcast: https://www.stellarteacher.com/podcast

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Having someone come into your classroom for a teacher observation can be a stressful experience that most of us are not too fond of. But being observed by an instructional coach, principal, or even another teacher can be a very positive thing. Having others observe you and your classroom gives you opportunities to make your classroom better.

When we can move past the stress of being observed, we can see that having another person allows us to improve in areas we weren’t aware needed improving. It gives us another perspective and fresh ideas that can help us better serve our students. Although having a teacher observation can be uncomfortable, it is a great opportunity for collaboration and today, I am sharing tips to make the feedback discussion as productive as possible.

Join us in the Special Educator Academy where you’ll be surrounded by others looking to collaborate as well as trainings and strategies to best help your students!

03:19 - Why getting a fresh perspective from an observer can be incredibly helpful in improving your classroom

04:16 - How having an observer with a different skill set can allow for new ideas and strategies

06:03 - The importance of avoiding becoming defensive when receiving feedback from your teacher observation

07:58 - How to talk about what you think is going well in your classroom with the observer

11:36 - Why you should work with the observer to create an action plan

Grab the transcript, freebie and resource links athttp://autismclassroomresources.com/episode158

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Working with the adults in your classroom is oftentimes more of a challenge than working with your students. Working as a team can be complicated because you likely did not hire them and you are not their boss, but you are evaluated on how well you work together to serve your students. Even with varying opinions and experiences, it’s so important to handle difficult relationships and conflict with respect.

We want our team to work effectively and a major piece to working effectively is the ability to respectfully resolve conflicts. To help with this, I am sharing five strategies for conflict resolution to help you create more positive interactions with your staff.

If you are struggling with conflict resolution, come check out the Special Educator Academy where we have some amazing resources to help you train classroom staff and build effective teams.

06:31 - How bringing helpful tools to teachers can be used as a preventative strategy for conflict resolution

09:01 - Why you should be finding out the story behind the staff on your team

11:59 - The importance of setting teachers and staff up for easy successes

13:28 - Why you should be acknowledging the positives, no matter how small

15:44 - What to do if you cannot resolve the problem

Grab the transcript, freebie and resource links athttp://autismclassroomresources.com/episode157

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There are a lot of differing opinions on how to do things best in the classroom. This can cause some challenges when collaborating and making sure all staff members are on the same page. Even with differing opinions, expectations, and experiences, collaboration in special education is so important so we can best serve our students.

It is so important that we keep the focus on our students and student progress and not get derailed by our differences. I have five strategies that will promote collaboration in special education and help set you and your staff up for success and help to minimize the challenges and pushback by focusing on respect and collaboration within the team.

I would love to see your classroom visions and hear about any frustrations or challenges you're facing! Send me a message on Instagram @autismclassroomresources and share your thoughts!

05:28 - Why having a classroom vision is so important and tips for creating one

10:27 - The importance of active listening and letting your staff know they are heard

11:32 - Why you should be using “I Statements” when making suggestions or corrections

12:53 - How keeping the focus on the students and goals helps staff to see that you are on their side

14:55 - Why asking your staff how you can help when there is a problem is more beneficial than just providing a solution

Grab the transcript, freebie and resource links athttp://autismclassroomresources.com/episode156

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The CORE framework is all about helping you create systems to make your classroom run efficiently and smoothly. A key component to an efficient classroom is making sure that your team works well together and understands what they should be doing and how they should be doing it. Making sure that your special education paraprofessionals know all the details of how the classroom runs will help create a classroom that operates without a lot of questions or confusion.

Using a zoning plan to build teamwork within your classroom staff is so beneficial to helping your classroom run smoothly. In this episode, I am answering some common questions I get about zoning plans and how they help special education paraprofessionals clearly understand their duties.

Let me know your thoughts on using zoning plans in your classroom! Send me a message on Instagram @autismclassroomresources and let me know if you use zoning plans, if you love them, or if you haven’t started with them yet.

02:59 - What a zoning plan is and how it is not just a staff schedule

04:04 - Why is it called a zoning plan?

06:28 - Do you have to use zones in a zoning plan?

09:47 - Should you give your special education paraprofessionals and other staff breaks?

12:00 - How do you develop a zoning plan?

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Getting to school and finding out you have a staff member absent can be a major source of stress if you are not prepared. The good news is your autism classroom setup can greatly reduce the amount of overwhelm and stress in these situations. If you have your plans in place, a staff absence will not throw off the whole day for you or your students.

Having your classroom systems set up and practiced will help your classroom run smoothly no matter what situation is thrown your way. Being prepared with a plan for when you or a staff member is out is so important for preventing issues when you are a person down.

I would love to hear your experiences with being a staff member down! Join the free Facebook group and share how you’ve managed being a person down.

02:35 - The difference between being prepared and not being prepared for a staff member being absent

05:45 - What steps go into making a one person down plan

08:04 - The two things you adjust when making a one person down plan

09:08 - Reasons you should be using your one person down plan regularly, even when you are fully staffed

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Finding the right tools for effectively training paraprofessionals can be time consuming and challenging. I know how valuable your time is and how crucial it is to have your staff properly trained so I am sharing some of my favorite resources to help you provide training for paraprofessionals in special education.

As a special educator, you know how important it is for your paras to know the “why” behind doing what they do. Providing them with resources to learn why things are done frees up more of your direct training time to train them on how things are done. In this episode, I am sharing four different resources that you can use as training for paraprofessionals in your special education classroom.

Have you found other resources that I didn’t mention for training your staff? If so, I’d love to hear what you use! Send me a DM on Instagram @autismclassroomresources! If you’re looking for more support in training your paraprofessionals, grab your 7 day trial of the Special Educator Academy!

02:23 - How to use my free webinars to train your paraprofessionals

05:43 - How using the Affirm Modules can help your paraprofessionals gain a better understanding of your classroom and strategies

08:12 - What resources are available through the IRIS Center at Vanderbilt Peabody education department at Vanderbilt University

10:34 - Why the Special Educator Academy is an amazing resource to help you train your paraprofessionals

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How can you possibly find time to effectively train your paraprofessionals when there is little to no student-free or duty-free time to do so? It may seem overwhelming and impossible but, with your CORE systems in place, you can be successful in training paraprofessionals in your classroom.

There are several to make training paraprofessionals more achievable even with an incredibly busy schedule. In this episode, I am sharing five tips to help you train your paraprofessionals, ideas for implementing these tips, and some resources to help along the way!

I’d love to hear your thoughts and ideas for training paraprofessionals so send me a DM on Instagram @autismclassroomresources! If you’re looking for more support in training your paraprofessionals or with the CORE model, grab your 7 day trial of the Special Educator Academy!

03:09 - How to use a “One Man Down” plan to find time to training your paraprofessionals

05:42 - Why having someone else lead an activity makes for a great time to observe and train

06:38 - How video modeling can be incredibly useful way to train your staff

09:03 - Why checklists are a great way to clearly let staff know what is expected

12:47 - Why modeling for your paraprofessionals is one of the best ways to train them

13:51 - BONUS tip to help you successfully train your paraprofessionals

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A huge factor in how efficiently and automatically your classroom runs is if your staff is on board with the classroom systems. We want our classrooms to run smoothly and with less support from you as the special education teacher. In order to do this, we must effectively communicate our expectations of special education paraprofessional duties to our staff.

There are many tools and strategies that can be implemented to help communicate the duties of the paraprofessionals in your classroom. Making sure the staff knows the students’ needs, using a zoning plan, having a system for lesson planning, and using checklists and visuals can all help to ensure your special education paraprofessional duties are understood by the staff.

Be sure to grab your FREE Staff Target Visual Supports and Lesson Plan Templates to help get these systems in place! If you’re looking for the how-to of implementing the CORE model in your classroom, grab your 7 day trial of the Special Educator Academy!

03:43 - How to make sure that your staff knows the needs of your students using

05:43 - Why using a zoning plan helps to ensure your staff knows what is expected of them throughout the day

08:58 - Why lesson plans are so important in making sure your staff knows what they need to do for each activity

11:19 - How to use checklists to communicate the steps of routine tasks

12:05 - What you can use as visual supports for staff

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Using the CORE model of systems in your classroom can free up time to do more direct instruction, planning, and time for yourself. In order for these systems to help reduce stress and exhaustion, they must be set up ahead of time. One key thing to set up ahead of time are the systems of instruction we will use in our classroom.

As special educators, we need to make sure that our systems of instruction are set up in a way that allows us to instruct in a predictable way that follows best practices. So today, we are talking about characteristics of strong instructional programs and why we should always use consistent methods of instruction.

I’d love to hear what systems work for you! Come join us in the Special Educators Connection Facebook Group and share your favorite teaching methods! If you’re looking for more support with your systems of instruction, check out the Special Educator Academy!

02:02 - The 3 things to focus on for a strong instructional program

05:25 - The importance of repetition when learning something new

07:47- Why we should be using consistent methods of instruction and how having a written teaching plan helps with that

10:34 - Why we need to ensure we are setting up our programs to help students generalize their skills

14:13 - How checklists are beneficial in an instructional system

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As special educators, we have so many things going on in our classrooms everyday. We all want to find a way to be more efficient and save time in the classroom. That’s where the CORE model comes in. Setting up the different elements of the CORE model may take some time upfront but will save you so much time in the long run.

When trying to save time in the classroom, there are a few tips that can really help. We want to ensure we have buy-in from our paraprofessionals, set aside specific time to complete tasks, set time limits for ourselves, and make information easily accessible for ourselves and other staff members. If you have some great efficiency tips, I’d love to hear them! Come share them inside the Special Educators Connection Facebook Group! If you’d like more in depth information about how to create these systems, check out the Special Educator Academy!

03:04 - Why you should be getting input from other team members when creating your classroom systems

05:31 - How setting specific times to work on different elements of your systems will help make you more efficient

07:17- Why you should be setting a time limit when completing different tasks

09:22 - How centralizing information for your team saves you and your team time and increases efficiency

11:44 - How checklists and to do lists can help save time in the classroom

12:48 - The power of getting an accountability buddy to complete tasks with

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Are you ready to reduce stress and decision fatigue and regain some energy and happiness by improving the systems you have in your classroom? We all know there is no stress like teacher stress and if we can set our classrooms up in a way that can reduce this stress, it is well worth the time and effort to get the systems put in place.

We are covering the benefits of the CORE model, the impact of decision fatigue, and five ways the CORE model helps reduce special educator stress. Have you found systems that work in your classroom? Come share time inside the Special Educators Connection Facebook Group! If you’d like more in depth information about how to create these systems, check out the Special Educator Academy!

02:34 - How the CORE model helps to reduce the need to make decisions in the moment

05:16 - Why the CORE model can reduce decision fatigue

08:50- How this model reduces special educator stress by increasing engagement and reducing behaviors

10:52 - Why making decisions when you’re calm helps you to make better decisions

11:10 - How to reduce the teacher stress of wondering how your classroom will run if you aren’t in the room

12:19 - How the CORE model systems help your classroom run more efficiently leading to less decision fatigue

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Looking at how your classroom currently runs, do you have systems in place so you don’t really have to think about what you’re doing because it runs automatically? Having efficient classroom systems has so many benefits including higher engagement for students and less decision-making fatigue for you.

Today we are talking about what systems you should have in place in your classroom, why your systems should start with your students’ TIPs, and how to prepare for different scenarios to prevent decision fatigue. We’d love to hear about your classroom systems inside the Special Educators Connection Facebook Group!

01:44 - What systems are, and examples of different system types

04:35 - Why your classroom systems have to start with your students and how looking at the TIPs helps guide your systems

10:07 - How to ensure all of the systems are implemented correctly by having a Zoning Plan in place

13:18 - Other systems you want to have in place including a lesson plan system, a data collection system, and a data analysis system

15:55 - Scenarios to consider and create a Zoning Plan for so you aren’t making in-the-moment decisions

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Is your classroom set up in a way that allows it to run smoothly and almost automatically (or auto-magically, as I like to say)? Special education classroom organization is a huge piece of The CORE Model. It promotes collaboration, reduces stress, and allows you to get back to teaching instead of just managing your classroom.

In this episode, I share what the CORE Model is, how it came about, what should be included, and why this model is so important.

02:42 -What the CORE model stands for and why strengthening the CORE should be a priority

07:52 - What elements go into the CORE and how the Teaching Implementation Plan ties into this model

09:34 - The importance of having a zoning plan and why your special education classroom organization is so important

10:21 - Why having a system for data collection and lesson planning is so important

12:08 - Two very important components for our students in Special Education and how they impact the outcomes we are trying to focus on

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We live in a society where consequences seem to be the expectation for certain “bad” behavior. A lot of teachers seem to struggle with knowing what they’ll do when a student demonstrates disruptive behavior. So in this episode, I talk about consequences and how ones you choose may not always be the most productive for your students.

2:51 - Why all consequences aren’t equal for all students

6:58 - How an action meant to be a punishment can backfire (using a student named “Thomas” as an example)

10:02 - Solutions for “Thomas” when opposite consequences won’t address the student’s behavior

13:08 - Considerations when choosing a consequence to a student’s challenging behavior

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I have a love-hate relationship with interactive whiteboards. They have so much potential which I love, but too often they just get used as giant TVs. The interactivity part of the equation gets thrown out the window! So in this episode, I talk about the dos and don’ts of using these boards and how to help students use them constructively in the classroom.

1:35 - Why this is such a hot topic for me

5:42 - The “don’ts” of using interactive whiteboards

9:35 - The “dos” of using interactive whiteboards

12:43 - Why video modeling may work better than live modeling

15:37 - Some ways you can help your students use whiteboards effectively

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How can parents, other caregivers, or service providers be trained in implementing behavioral support for autistic kids? And should you, as a teacher, facilitate it? I get asked these questions often when speaking about behavioral support in the classroom. In this episode, I answer these questions and give you specific ways to help students’ families handle their behavior.

3:52 - How you train others in managing behavior depends on this

5:34 - The variety of ways in which you can do this type of training for families

7:23 - My general rule for training families who are new to behavioral support training

8:42 - What to do to get parents on board once you know what works for the student

10:07 - What I recommend if you chose to make a visit to the student’s home

12:05 - What to do if parents can’t come to the school and you can’t visit their home

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Teachers deal with distracted students all the time. There’s the student who wants to be on the computer instead of reading his assignment or the one who’s waiting for lunch instead of working on her math problems. I get asked questions all the time about these kinds of behavioral support issues. So in this episode, I talk about some of the strategies you can use to deal with students who want to do one thing when it’s time to do something else.

1:58 - The 1st step to addressing this unwanted behavior

3:55 - What to do if the student’s behavior escalates to the point of being potentially harmful

5:42 - A couple of examples using specific students with potential solutions

11:56 - If the student just doesn’t want to wait to do the desired activity

17:24 - How you can implement the behavioral support strategies talked about in this episode

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Being thankful comes with a lot of health and mood benefits. And now that we’re in November, it’s the perfect time of the year to stop, take stock of what has happened to you, and give thanks. Your autistic students should have that opportunity as well, but they get robbed of the benefits if they don’t have the support to give that type of thanks in a way that other people will understand.

In this episode, I talk about several ways you can help your students with ASD participate in giving thanks on Thanksgiving.

1:57 - Why people will sometimes assume others aren’t thankful

4:27 - A way of giving thanks visually

5:16 - One unique way of giving thanks through speech

9:06 - Another method that helps for those who struggle with speaking in groups or finding the right words

9:49 - A technique for expressing thanks that most of us tend to think of

11:31 - One strategy for the person who can’t be there in-person

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Someone recently asked me about using a first-then schedule. They wanted to know when to use one instead of a regular schedule. A first-then schedule is one of the simplest kinds of visual support you can use for autistic and other special needs kids. So in this episode, I talk about first-then schedules and how and when to use them in the classroom.

1:46 - What a first-then schedule does and the different forms it can take

2:15 - How this type of schedule can be used for behavioral support in the classroom

5:02 - Using a first-then schedule as a daily schedule

7:28 - A word of warning about using first-then schedules

8:39 - Why creating a first-then schedule doesn’t have to be fancy

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For the last few episodes, you’ve heard me talk about visual schedules. But there’s a type of schedule that often gets forgotten about or overlooked by teachers. In this episode, I discuss group or class schedules and why they’re every bit as important as other kinds of schedules to use for your special education classroom.

2:19 - Something I find happens a lot in self-contained special ed classrooms

4:16 - The different forms that group schedules can take

4:43 - The key to constructing a good group schedule for your students

5:27 - What to do if students are doing different activities at the same time

6:03 - Five reasons why groups schedules are important to use in the classroom

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How do you decide what kind of schedule to use for your students? While we focus on visual schedules for autistic classrooms, they’re very useful for a variety of reasons. In this episode, I discuss the different types of schedules, how I decide which type to use, and how I decide when I need to change it to a different kind of schedule.

2:13 - The different kinds of visual schedules you can use for your students

5:26 - Where I start if I don’t know where a student is in their learning of a schedule

8:07 - The pros and cons of using photo schedules and when I primarily use them

12:14 - What I do with a student with visual impairments

13:09 - Advantages and disadvantages of using a written schedule

16:22 - A quick recap of the episode

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Everyone says you must have visuals in an autism classroom. But everyone assumes you know what that means or that these visuals will somehow magically solve students’ behavioral problems. While they can’t do that, they are a really important component of your classroom (and not just for those with autism, either). In this episode, I discuss seven reasons why you need to use visual schedules in your classroom.

3:32 - The 1st reason helps with your primary goal for students

5:10 - Reason #2 helps cut down on arguments between you and the student

5:54 - Why the actual visual aspect of visual schedules is important

7:07 - How the 4th reason relieves student stress and anxiety

8:40 - Reason number 5 sounds obvious but helps those with difficulty processing information around them

9:38 - The 6th reason reveals a common trait for special ed students (and honestly, a large part of society in general)

10:38 - The final reason why you want to use visual schedules

11:35 - One more thing you need to know to make visual schedules useful in your classroom

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Just the facts, ma’am. That’s the attitude you need to have when you’re collecting antecedent behavior consequence data in a functional behavior assessment. Like I talked about last week, you want to keep your emotions out of it. In this episode, I want to get a little more specific and follow up with a couple more things to think about when taking ABC data, including a strategy to help you amend some of them if your classroom staff have difficulty keeping emotions out of it.

1:36 - What you can do if you think you know the function of the student’s behavior

3:01 - Why making assumptions about the behavior data you gather can backfire

5:40 - Examples of how underlying causes of behavior can be different in the same scenario

7:16 - The mistake to avoid with your factual observations after taking the data

8:57 - One thing that can help if classroom staff struggle with sticking to the facts

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Students learn their ABCs, but special ed teachers need to know their ABC. When dealing with challenging behavior from students, you need to collect antecedent behavior consequence data (a.k.a. ABC) so you can figure out the why behind the behavior. In fact, it can give you all kinds of information, but only if you take it correctly. In this episode, I reveal some specific things you need to know in order to correctly collect ABC data.

2:16 - The first thing you need to know about collecting ABC data

4:07 - What do consequences mean when talking about antecedent behavior consequence data

5:12 - One of the biggest issues I see when using ABC data sheets

6:24 - How to be objective while recording antecedent behavior consequence data

8:56 - Why objectivity in ABC data collection is so important

11:17 - One last thing you must include in your data collection

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For a lot of special educators, data is the giant elephant in the room. It gets treated like that kind of a four-letter word when it’s not. Now I’m a huge data geek, so much so that I wrote a book about it. But I know data only helps you if it’s real, reliable, and teachable. So in this episode, I talk about how you can use data in a real classroom, with real students for group instruction.

3:14 - The key to making data collection feel less painful

4:18 - What we know about taking instructional data and how my naturalistic data sheet is set up

6:29 - How to take data on multiple points for multiple students during group activity

7:45 - Do you necessarily have to be the one to run the group activity?

9:59 - Another way to more easily record instructional data

10:23 - Tips for making instructional data collection work in your classroom

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In this episode, I discuss how to make analysis happen and the three elements to consider for developing systems that ensure the data gets analyzed and is practical for your classroom.

4:40 - The biggest takeaway from what little research exists on classroom data collection

6:14 - A tool that makes graphing your classroom data easier than ever

9:22 - How my ex-preschool’s strategy can help you fit this into everything else you have to do

10:52 - Two keys to adapting the preschool’s strategy to work for you

12:56 - Why paraprofessionals must get on-board with the analysis process

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When it comes to data collection, there’s no one-size-fits-all, and it involves way more than just finding the right datasheet. You have to ensure you build a system with the right data, not more data. So today is all about focusing on data systems.

In this episode, I walk you through how to get started and what you need to consider when creating your systems for instructional data collection.

3:14 - The question I get asked a LOT about data collection and why there’s no real answer

4:48 - Why quality over quantity matters when collecting data

6:06 - Two things you must be aware of when you’re collecting data

7:52 - How to get started on building a strategy for data collection

11:04 - Why you need to integrate your data plan with your zoning plan and what to look for afterward

12:41 - The final key about data collection systems I must reveal

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Wouldn’t it be nice to have data collection work for you instead of against you? I hear from teachers all the time that data collection is one of the most difficult things to figure out. You get told to take it but not how. In this episode, I cover the three most important aspects of the data you collect and five things you can do to improve your data collection over the next few months.

1:45 - Three things your collected data must be

3:03 - How to write data-friendly goals

7:37 - How to make a data plan (and why it’s critical)

10:09 - Creating a data collection system for your classroom

12:27 - How to correctly analyze the data you’ve collected

14:25 - Using your data to write your next set of goals

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As a leader of the classroom, you’ve done everything you needed to do to set up your staff for success. You’ve created the zoning plan, trained them, and provided feedback to them (and received feedback in kind). But what do you do when things still aren’t going well with the staff? That’s the really hard question I tackle in today’s episode, so buckle in!

1:57 - What to do if you have concerns about student safety due to a staff member’s behavior

4:13 - The mindset you must have in order to lead classroom staff effectively

6:15 - Where to start when someone on your staff isn’t performing as planned

7:25 - How to address a problem you see with anyone on the classroom staff

10:03 - What to do if the staff member’s issue keeps repeating itself

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You went into education wanting to teach kids, not manage adults. But to run a special ed classroom takes a village--one you need to lead--and that takes the form of your classroom staff. I’ve dedicated this month to discuss how to train that staff and so far in this series, I’ve talked about setting up the classroom structure for them and addressed three of the most common roadblocks in training them.

In this episode, I continue with how you can give meaningful feedback in the classroom when you have no time for one-on-one collaboration.

2:35 - Why giving feedback is such a critical training tool

4:23 - Why you don’t want to wait to give feedback to your staff

6:15 - My first tip for having meaningful feedback

8:35 - An easy way you can provide feedback

9:28 - A way I love to share positive feedback, in particular

11:13 - The golden ratio of positive-to-negative feedback and how to integrate it

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Special education classrooms are unique in that they have a level of supervision not seen in other areas of the school. In running the classroom, you have a staff and are expected to train, but you’re not really a supervisor nor have a hand in selecting who’s on the staff. And with the students taking up so much time, you also don’t have a lot of opportunities to train them, either.

In today’s episode, I focus on three of the biggest roadblocks you’ll face in training your staff and ways you can clear those roadblocks.

3:32 - How to deal with the first roadblock to training your classroom staff

5:30 - Does everyone on the staff need this?

7:26 - My rule of thumb for handling the second roadblock that can come up

10:57 - Some solutions for clearing arguably the biggest roadblock of all

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Teachers struggle a LOT with building and leading their classroom team. I want to structure this month’s podcasts around helping you do both because even if you’re just out of school and surrounded by paraprofessionals with three times as much experience, you need to take the lead. So today, I start with a discussion of the nuts and bolts of building the structure with a classroom staff so they can work as a team.

1:48 - Why leadership isn’t some big, scary thing

3:55 - An overview of the first part of the structure you’ll need: the classroom zoning plan

6:20 - What a zoning plan doesn’t include and the key to making it work

8:00 - The purpose of the lesson plan and setting up the vision for your classroom

10:50 - What to keep in mind as you build the classroom structure with your staff

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You want your students to have the best chance for successful inclusion, no matter the teaching environment. But students with autism, intellectual disabilities, or behavioral issues can sometimes find being in a larger educational setting difficult. So in this episode, I continue my discussion from last week and include four more tips on how to plan and organize for students with ASD entering a general education atmosphere so they can be set up for success.

3:00 - How to be proactive with providing behavioral support for successful inclusion

6:43 - Why you don’t want to wait to provide support for a behavioral problem until after it occurs

8:13- What you need to consider about reinforcements in the new, larger environment

10:57 - An important inclusion step educators often forget about

14:18 - How to make sure you prepare your staff

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How can autistic students be successful and make the most progress in a general education setting? Whether they’re spending time in a specialist class like music or art or a full day in general education, there are some core things you can do to make sure the core program still works for them. In the first episode of this two-part series, I reveal some of the structure and support you can provide for students with ASD in larger environments.

3:45 - The first step in planning successful inclusion for a special needs student

4:53 - An example of how the first step can play out with a student

7:33 - Effectively communicate your goals to the staff

8:58 - A really good strategy for identifying primary goals and sharing them with others

10:14 - Don’t forget about these (I’ve seen so many general ed classrooms that don’t have them)

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If you’ve been listening for a while, you’ve heard me talk about student engagement. I’ve talked about the need to keep them engaged and things to do to keep them engaged. But this time, I want to talk about it very explicitly in terms of why it’s the key to everything for students with ASD and other disabilities.

2:29 - What engagement means and what it looks like

4:36 - Why engagement is so important for your students

8:20 - The trick about engaging students you need to be aware of

9:04 - How to keep engagement on track during transitions

11:51 - How to schedule engaging activities when you have less staff on hand to help

14:52 - How to plan for unexpected breaks that can wreak havoc in your engagement scheduling

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How was the Special Educator Academy born? One of my biggest dreams has always been to create a place where special educators could come together and learn from each other. And Facebook, while great for connecting, wasn’t going to cut it. In this episode, I reveal how I came up with the idea for the academy, what if offers to educators like you, commonly asked questions about it, and how you can make use of it (even if you think you don’t have time).

00:56 - What it was like to work as a school consultant pre-Internet

4:38 - How the academy has changed over time to make it easier to find answers to your questions

7:00 - An area the academy covers that I know is always in need

9:03 - How the academy is designed to used in very small doses of time and still be worth it

12:09 - What the academy is intended to be

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July’s here! It’s an interesting month for us teachers. Everyone tends to slow down this time of year, go on vacation, and just relax and chill. But those of us in the teaching world take some time out of our summer to gear up for the new school year. So to move you forward in that direction, today I want to give you some idea of materials I’d prioritize as you sit by the pool and think about how you want to set up your classroom.

1:30 - How I used to spend my summers prepping for the classroom

5:12 - Ways to set up your visual schedules

6:33 - Making the use of visual schedules much easier (attention newer teachers!)

8:43 - What kind of picture schedule should you use?

12:29 - Ways to create materials for independent task work

14:09 - Why work tasks are important and the kinds of tasks you want to include

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Students (and not just autistic ones) can get stuck on specific topics or items that they just can’t seem to let go. But these obsessions serve a purpose for the student. It’s your job to figure out what that is and how to handle it. In this episode, I take a look at perseverations, functions they can serve, and some strategies you can use to address them in your classroom.

2:06 - How to know when you have a student who perseverates

3:54 - Figuring out what function perseveration serves for the student

10:37 - Ways to handle obsession-based perseveration

14:13 - My favorite concrete way to set limits on perseveration

17:09 - How to handle object-based perseveration

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The things I hear about visual schedules and autism always amaze me. I might hear some myths once or twice while others stick around for years. Some teachers don’t think they need to use them for their autistic students, but even some who do can have implicit biases that cause their visual schedules to not be as effective as they should.

So in this episode, I want to set the record straight. If you’re a teacher or someone trying to help others who work with individuals on the spectrum, then these myth busters will help you see how visual schedules can aid your students with autism.

2:52 - Busting myth #1 about high-functioning students with autism

4:27 - The myth that scapegoats visual schedules for the way autistic students behave

5:49 - My counter to myth #3 about dependency on visual schedules

7:14 - The myth I see people embrace most often that drives me nuts

8:43 - Why visual schedules are more than just daily picture schedules

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I’ve talked about what makes a good behavior management system in the classroom. Today, I want to talk specifically about three classroom management systems you can use in a group setting. Not only can you use these systems in a general or special education classroom, but you can even tailor one of them to the individual student. So there should be something to match the needs of all different kinds of classrooms and kids.

1:40 - How to implement one of my favorite classroom management strategies: the marble jar system

5:14 - A variation of the marble jar system I’ve used in the past

6:36 - One disadvantage to using the marble jar system

7:06 - How to execute a strategy that’s been around since the late 60s-early 70s

11:40 - One disadvantage to be aware of when using this 2nd strategy

14:29 - The classroom management strategy that can be individualized

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Not getting hit by a student is better than getting hit and having to respond. I think that’s a statement we can all agree on. However, focusing on the form of student behavior requires waiting for the behavior to happen, though. Focusing on the function of the behavior instead allows you to do plenty of things to prevent the behavior from happening.

So how can you support appropriate student behavior while discouraging inappropriate behavior? In this episode, I discuss what you can do to prevent behavioral problems through your classroom setup.

3:45 - How to have clearly defined expectations in place

6:29 - How to ensure your rules are understandable and not overwhelming for students

9:05 - How to have clear routines and procedures

13:50 - How to have planned responses to challenging behavior that avoid behavior reinforcement

17:36 - Differentiating the responses to behavior based on student needs

20:15 - How to avoid downtime by keeping students actively engaged in learning activities throughout the day

22:16 - Quickly recapping the strategies to prevent challenging behavior

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I want to veer off track a little today. I’ve dedicated this month to discuss the relationship between communication and behavior. But in this episode, I talk about what happens when you put your amazing behavior plan in place... and it still doesn’t work, despite your best efforts. What do you do then? Tune in to find out my step-by-step process!

1:36 - How to know if, how, when, and where behavior has actually changed

6:14 - Discovering if your behavior strategies are being implemented correctly

8:10 - Another common thing you might discover by talking with your staff

8:59 - Have you given the plan implementation enough time to work? If so, consider these questions

10:34 - What to do if problem behavior hasn’t decreased despite demonstrations of replacement behavior from the student

12:06 - When all else fails (a.k.a. going back to the drawing board)

13:56 - An important reminder about the FBA process (especially if you need some consolation)

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Communication doesn’t explain all challenging behavior in students with autism. What if behavior related to anxiety or sensory input gets reinforced inside the body? Those students who function in the average to above-average range still face hurdles, and one of them is an increased rate of anxiety and depression. In this episode, I discuss how you can address those with communication responses in your functional behavior assessment.

5:12 - The conversation with an Academy member that got me thinking

8:28 - The tricky nature of proper behavior analysis for students with anxiety disorders

11:14 - Keep this in mind when attempting to fit anxiety into the functional behavior analysis process

13:46 - An example of a behavior hypothesis for the FBA that takes anxiety into account

17:14 - Further illustrating why behavior and communication aren’t always necessarily the same

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Instructing small kids to “use their words” to replace problematic behavior with communication skills might be enough. But for your students who’ve built up habits around their challenging behavior, it’s not so easy. It takes some thought and planning to make it work. In this episode, I talk about functional communication training and how this process of teaching communication skills as a replacement to challenging behavior can be hugely effective and work really well in the classroom... when done right.

3:47 - The first step in functional communication training

4:41 - The single biggest decision you’ll make in your FC training

7:28 - Some guidelines to help you be efficient with step two of the process

10:57 - How I would approach implementing FCT in the classroom

13:08 - The keys to making functional communication training stick for the student

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It always amazes me when I talk to people about positive behavioral support and find out what they think about it. I’ve been mystified by some of the definitions I’ve heard out there. Today, I really want to get into the nitty gritty of positive behavioral interventions and support (PBIS). So in this episode, I talk about what PBIS is, where it came from, and where it’s gone since its arrival.

2:16 - The origins of positive behavioral interventions and support

6:37 - The myth that PBIS isn’t based on science

8:03 - How school-based positive behavioral support data helps teachers with administrations

9:07 - Why PBIS is different from ABA (applied behavior analysis)

11:44 - The element of PBIS I find the most challenging (and the most interesting)

13:05 - How some states, school districts, and organizations may approach using PBIS

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You’ve more than likely heard the old story about what it means when a boy pulls a girl’s pigtails, right? I bet many of you were skeptical when someone first told you that that behavior was a form of communication and made it sound like an okay thing. And while it isn’t okay, there is a very strong connection between communication and behavior.

Since May is Better Speech and Hearing Month, I’m switching gears and making this month’s podcast theme about the connection between communication and behavior. In this episode, I share some of the research I’ve found about how communication impacts behavior, how behavior grows out of communication deficits, and what all that means for intervention purposes.

4:42 - What research shows about the development of communicative intentions of children in the past 50 years

6:40 - Why language-impaired kids show more behavior problems than other kids their age

9:22 - Why some with developmental disabilities experience a decrease in problem behavior

10:22 - Why it’s not enough to teach students just any communication skills

11:08 - A quick rundown of what functional communication training is

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All month long I’ve been talking about the controversial topic of applied behavior analysis on this podcast. In today’s episode, I wrap up the series about ABA by discussing what teaching programs are and why they’re important. You’ll also learn how to really boost your instruction and your student’s learning across the classroom.

2:16 - What teaching programs are and what they look like

4:41 - Why having a specific teaching program for your autistic students is important

5:46 - What happens when I do training on task analyses

7:06 - Four reasons why you must have a written teaching program in place

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Are you sabotaging instruction in your classroom without realizing it? Luckily, you can easily catch and fix it as long as you know there might be an issue. In this episode, I slightly shift gears away from talking about ABA to discuss ways you could be sabotaging your own instruction. You’ll hear about seven saboteurs and how to find out if you’re committing one of them.

3:50 - Instruction saboteurs #1 and #2: How your facial expressions give you away

5:31 - Saboteur #3: Why you should watch your hands

6:49 - Saboteur #4: Beware of these verbal cues

8:25 - A pretty obvious saboteur to avoid

8:53 - How saboteur #6 can cause hiccups with functional instruction

10:08 - The most subtle saboteur of them all

11:07 - Why it’s critical to ensure you’re teaching what you mean to teach and how to avoid these issues

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What is naturalistic instruction? In today’s episode, I talk about what it is and how implementing it in a classroom setting can be a little tricky. I also give you a few strategies, along with other tips, to help make it easier for you to use this type of instruction and still make an impact for your students.

2:06 - Reiterating an important point I made about applied behavior analysis in the previous episode

3:28 - Defining what naturalistic instruction is

5:37 - The principles of naturalistic intervention

7:06 - An example of incidental teaching to give you an idea of a naturalistic strategy

9:16 - Another thing that’s tough about naturalistic instruction in the classroom

11: 23 - Some tips and resources to boost naturalistic instruction success

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Applied behavior analysis has been a sticky issue in the autism community. A number of people advocate very strongly against it. Being a board-certified behavior analyst myself, I’m not against it. But I still recognize that it has its problems. In this episode, however, I want to focus on what applied behavior analysis really is and talk about some of its misconceptions and strengths.

3:37 - Why applied behavior analysis isn’t just about teaching

4:57 - How behavior analysts train to apply ABA to real-life problems

6:58 - One of the biggest myths I hear about applied behavior analysis

7:46 - Another thing applied behavior analysis is NOT

8:48 - A tendency some people have with ABA that drives me nuts

11:13 - What originally attracted me to applied behavior analysis

12:14 - The most common myth about ABA and why the misconception exists

14:15 - Remember this if you come up against lots of resistance when you’re teaching

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Today marks the completion of my podcast episode series on independent work systems! Over the last few weeks, I’ve talked about why we use these systems in the classroom as well as critical elements and frequently made mistakes in implementing them. In this episode, I wrap it up by discussing some of the most common questions I get about these independent work systems and some of the things educators struggle with when setting them up.

1:58 - What do you do if a student never finishes the work?

5:53 - How do you get your staff to stop talking when prompting students?

8:15 - Does a student need to have their own independent work system?

11:26 - What if a student doesn’t yet have any skills independently to practice in the system?

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When implemented correctly, independent work systems are amazing! It drives me crazy when people reduce them to busy work, because every single element within an independent work system exists for a reason. In this episode, I talk about the most common mistakes I see with these systems in classrooms and how you can avoid them so that your students can develop independence as quickly as possible.

3:21 - Why “program slippage” happens to both new and highly experienced classroom staff

5:29 - The students who still needed a place to finish

9:05 - The importance of a clear start and end to independent work tasks

9:56 - A certain kind of task I often see included that shouldn’t be

11:53 - Don’t make this mistake, especially with young kids

14:19 - A smart student who still needed this motivator to complete his work

17:26 - A useful tip to help you catch program slippage quickly

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Every special education classroom should have some kind of independent work system. Even students in general ed, with or without autism, need one too. Some people don’t believe that, but I’ve successfully used systems for students without autism (and there are research studies out there that back me up). In this episode, I talk about why independent work systems are so important and the benefits they provide for the classroom and the students.

0:39 - The simple reason behind my passion for building independence in students

7:09 - Classroom benefits of having an independent work system in place

8:34 - The many ways an independent work system benefits your students

11:39 - What you can do once students get independent with their system

12:45 - What independent work systems are and are NOT designed to do

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If you follow me on social media, you can probably tell that I love independent work systems! Social media has made sharing tasks among each other much easier compared to the days before the arrival of Pinterest and Instagram. But it also means you have access to tons of misinformation, and there’s a lot of it out there when it comes to independent work systems.

What is an independent work system, though? Today, I’m kicking off a new series of episodes about independent work systems by clearing up those misconceptions, defining what the system is, and discussing what it's truly designed to be.

5:32 - Defining what an independent work system is and the four questions it must answer

8:55 - Why these systems are effective tools for students

9:31 - The critical element I often see get left out of independent work systems

10:58 - What the work structure in the system is designed to do for the student

11:42 - A must-have element for a student to complete the work system and the only thing it’s designed to teach

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Do you remember when you asked a teacher at some point, “But when am I ever going to use this?” You understood that you had to learn things merely to get to the next stage of learning. But you probably had a teacher who made something like geometry finally make sense by showing how it could help you figure out the amount of paint you needed for a room, not just solve the x in the equation on the board or in the math book.

That’s why I love teaching life and functional skills and squeezing academics into student activities they think are fun! Cooking is an excellent example because it offers tons of opportunities to practice so many different kinds of skills. In this episode, I talk about some of those skills you can teach and generalize with cooking in the classroom.

2:07 - Thoughts for those thinking, “But I can’t do cooking in the classroom!”

3:29 - Learning readiness skills and what they do and don’t mean

5:11 - The many many levels of math skills you can teach with cooking

8:48 - Why cooking doesn’t have to be a “one and done” activity for your students

9:17 - The functional literacy skills that come with cooking

11:16 - How students learn social skills through classroom cooking activities

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I’ve mentioned my sister (who’s on the autism spectrum) in a previous episode. Looking back, she’s one of the reasons why I’ve been so focused on life skills instruction in my work. She moved through the general education system, and even got an accounting associate’s degree, without extra help.

However, she struggled to generalize her knowledge to everyday situations. In this episode, I want to talk about not only ways to get your students engaged in life skills instruction but also how to vary your teaching so they can generalize their skills for functioning in daily living.

0:43 - How my sister got through school and demonstrated a struggle with generalizing knowledge

4:47 - Keeping students actively engaged while working on reading comprehension life skill activities

7:22 - An engaging tool for students that doesn’t seem like a reading activity on its surface

8:45 - One of my favorite ways to work on functional reading and math

10:14 - A strategy I used in a life skills program for elementary students with severe challenging behaviors

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I want to see color when I walk into a room. I don’t want to live in a world that’s robbed of color. Yet, walking into a transition classroom devoid of it inspired an idea. So in today’s episode, I want to talk about life skills classroom materials and what to look for when you buy them, make them, or find them.

0:54 - The depressing classroom set-up that sparked one of my life skills products

3:49 - How we tend to approach teaching adults with autism

5:38 - Why I created my real-life photo matching file folder tasks

6:41 - How to incorporate the written word into the file folder tasks and ways to customize the materials

8:13 - How to use the file folder tasks for teaching students math skills

11:40 - Avoid doing this when looking for materials for older students in life skills classes

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Today, I’m shifting from morning meeting to life skills in the special education classroom. Even if you think you know what the term “life skills” means, it doesn’t mean the same thing for everyone, including every parent and school system. Making that assumption can sometimes get you in trouble.

But there are also some myths about life skills that need eliminating. So in this episode, I kick off a new series about teaching functional life skills and bust some of the myths that people have about them.

3:01 - Defining what functional means to me and what life skills are

5:02 - Tackling the first myth about life skills for autism that has developed over the years

6:52 - Another misconception that stems from the idea that programs must be “all or none”

9:01 - Busting the life skill myth I hear most often, especially in the autism community

10:48 - Why you shouldn’t wait until you notice a problem before you start teaching functional skills

12:01 - The biggest functional life skills myth of all and how my family plays into my perspective on it

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Surprise! You thought I was done with the morning meeting series on the podcast. I thought I was done too and said so in the last episode. But I’d forgotten that I hadn’t covered how to get morning meeting right for older students yet. So today, I want to talk about age-respectful activities and walk you through what a morning meeting can look like for middle or high school students.

3:03 - What I mean when I use the term “age respectful” for activities

7:03 - An example of a morning meeting for a middle or high school classroom

10:55 - Another important skill you can make into a functional activity

12:24 - How I incorporate some kind of music and movement activity for students during the day

14:38 - An activity I use to settle students down after music and movement time

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3:14 - The key to making data collection feel less painful

4:18 - What we know about taking instructional data and how my naturalistic data sheet is set up

6:29 - How to take data on multiple points for multiple students during group activity

7:45 - Do you necessarily have to be the one to run the group activity?

9:59 - Another way to more easily record instructional data

10:23 - Tips for making instructional data collection work in your classroom

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In the last couple of episodes, I’ve talked about why morning meeting or circle time is important and the skills you can teach in whole group instruction. There are strategies you can really capitalize on during morning meeting/circle time while others might come as a surprise to you as a possibility in a group. So in this episode, I discuss those strategies for teaching skills to students in group instruction.

2:09 - How explicit teacher-focused instruction can enhance your generalization instruction with students

3:38 - A misconception about using discrete trials in morning meeting and circle time

5:09 - The surprising similarity of instructional strategies across different disciplines

6:20 - A quick overview of the steps of discrete trials and ways you can implement them in group instruction

8:04 - How pivotal response training is like incidental teaching on steroids

9:26 - Other strategies to teach skills during circle time or morning meeting

11:14 - An alternative to choral responding that’s one of my favorite tools to use in any group activity

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Circle time or morning meeting? While what we call it depends on the age of the students, the need to effectively teach skills during this time is still the same. So in this episode, I discuss the importance of targeting both curriculum skills and individual goals for various age groups, as well as the kind of skills to teach.

2:26 - Why circle time/morning meeting is a good time to address curriculum goals

3:08 - Five common areas to consider regarding general goals of morning meeting for the group

4:07 - The three different types of instruction I use for daily scheduled activities

6:02 - Discussing specific skill targets to meet in group instruction

8:35 - Ways to implement social skills for younger and older students

12:10 - Ways to implement communication language and learning readiness skills for all age groups

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Confession time. Early on in my career, I hated morning meeting. I thought it was a complete waste of time and dreaded when anybody asked me to run it because I didn’t feel confident in my ability to do it well or make it fun.

Moving to South Florida changed that. I got to work with educators there who modeled circle and class meetings done right and ones where things didn’t go so well. In this episode, I want to talk about why group activities are so important and intimidate some educators.

3:06 - Skills that autistic students need to learn that morning meeting can provide

4:24 - Why these kinds of group activities are important for students of all ages

6:47 - The necessity to teach in a respectful and relevant way, especially for older students

9:22 - How group instruction helps autistic students in the three areas where they have difficulties

11:10 - Some challenges that teachers face with group activities

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Rolling staff shortages. Revolving substitute teachers. Understaffed classrooms. These are the problems I hear about from many of you on social media and through the academy.

I recorded today’s episode last year in the midst of the pandemic. But as we’ve gone through 2021, the importance of special educators advocating for their needs has become even more apparent.

It’s clear that we need to make our voices heard and do so in a productive way. So in this episode, I discuss three strategies you can use to advocate for yourself in an assertive but not argumentative way.

3:19 - Four reasons why teachers might avoid asking for help

9:09 - A simple-sounding strategy that can have complexities beyond the surface

10:52 - The most successful method for advocating for any type of classroom assistance

14:52 - A tip I frequently recommend when you don’t know how to address a problem

17:03 - The #1 element that underlies all three strategies

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Teachers often ask me about how to handle challenging behavior from their students. It’s one the biggest hurdles in their classroom and a main cause of burnout. I’ve spent a good chunk of my career assessing, addressing, and researching challenging behavior in students. So in this episode, I discuss the research and principles underlying my approach and include some ideas and examples of what does and doesn’t work.

2:02 - Why appropriate student behavior must be taught, not expected

3:53 - The importance of separating the behavioral problem from the student in your mind

6:07 - Conditions that can affect challenging behavior in your student

8:32 - The main reason why problematic student behavior occurs in the first place

9:57 - How the function of challenging behavior is directly related to deficits in skills

12:21 - How to base your treatment on the behavior’s function

15:55 - Why you should be less concerned about the form the behavior takes than its purpose

16:51 - Summarizing the seven principles of handling challenging behavior

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People on the outside may think our classrooms have gone back to pre-pandemic normal. But we know that’s not true. Last year may have presented different problems for teachers, but some of those problems still exist.

I recorded today’s show last December, hoping that we wouldn’t have to face the same issues a year later. Yet, many of you are still understaffed, tired, feeling compassion fatigue, and have families in crisis.

In this re-released episode, I talk about lessons I’ve learned from highly stressful, personal situations in hopes of giving you ideas to take care of yourself better.

5:52 - The biggest thing that prevented me from burning out

7:26 - How I put it into practice when my mother’s health started declining

8:05 - Ideas for how to implement this burnout-proof strategy in your classroom

9:15 - How a supportive community helps you avoid burnout

11:05 - What you absolutely must do for yourself to overcome teacher tiredness

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2:52 - Busting myth #1 about high-functioning students with autism

4:27 - The myth that scapegoats visual schedules for the way autistic students behave

5:49 - My counter to myth #3 about dependency on visual schedules

7:14 - The myth I see people embrace most often that drives me nuts

8:43 - Why visual schedules are more than just daily picture schedules

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Many times, a student’s reaction to not getting what they want is a temper tantrum or a meltdown. So you try to avoid that outcome by giving them what they want. But oftentimes, I’ll hear someone say that they can’t reinforce students by giving them what they ask for even if they’re asking nicely.

So what if you’re in a situation where you can’t do that? What are you supposed to do then? In this episode, I talk about Dante and what you can do with a student like him to teach him that he can’t always have what he wants.

2:33 - Why this problem happens in the first place

3:53 - What you shouldn’t do to solve the problem

5:53 - The key to teaching a student like Dante to wait when he asks for something

6:55 - Where to start first when you’re teaching your student to wait

9:03 - How to handle your student’s AAC device in the classroom

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With Thanksgiving fast approaching, so many teachers are still not settled into any type of normalcy. You’re teaching in what I like to call a triage classroom: a bare-bones or revolving door staff. In this episode, I want to discuss how to survive and thrive in the holiday season. I go over some basics that might have fallen by the wayside but need to come back into play as you gear up for the end of the year.

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5:58 - A visual that helps keep things calm when routines and schedules get turned upside down

7:40 - A visual to help when new situations and expectations crop up

9:18 - A visual to help remind students how to behave in situations

10:05 - A visual to let students know the length of a special activity

11:11 - A visual to have around for struggling students when you’re not around

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What do you do when you can't honor a student’s attention-seeking replacement behavior? And how do you avoid a resurgence of the negative behaviors or the sabotaging of your behavior support plan in a new environment? In this episode, I talk about Stephan and reveal six techniques to think about when replacements for attention-seeking behaviors aren't being effectively reinforced.

00:42 - A little story about attention-seeking Stephan

4:08 - Critical pieces to have in place before you start dealing with an attention-seeking student

5:33 - How to teach your student to wait for attention reinforcement

7:29 - What to do if you can’t give the reaction when it’s requested

8:34 - A method for letting a student know when to expect a reaction to attention-seeking behavior

9:29 - Helping a student see how situational behavior results in specific outcomes

10:52 - How to implement limits for students on attention-seeking behaviors

12:16 - Using social narratives or stories

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What do you do when you can’t honor the function of the replacement behavior you’ve chosen? What if you run into a situation where it’s just impossible? In this episode, I focus on escape-related behavior with a quick story about a boy named Mica and reveal five things to try if trouble arises due to task demands you’ve given your student. Welcome to episode 100!

00:50 - A quick behavioral story to kick off this milestone episode

5:38 - One simplistic way to address behavioral issues regarding task demands

6:31 - Turning on what I call the “high-octane task mix”

7:21 - Another method similar to the high-octane mix

8:42 - How to effectively give your student choices when presenting them with tasks

9:36 - The best way to amp up the engagement of the tasks themselves

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You’ve seen some suggestions for addressing behavioral problems that don’t work when put in a real life context. I know I’ve been in a lot of situations where the theoretical, data-supported response just doesn’t have an effect in my classroom. The context of what inspires challenging behavior is just as important as the science behind the behavior. So in today’s episode, I want to highlight how we think about our responsive strategies in behavioral support.

1:33 - A story to demonstrate how simplistic behavior approaches don’t always work in the real world

3:23 - The most critical element to include in your behavioral support plan (and the different forms it can take)

5:10 - The second contextual element your responsive strategies must have

7:03 - How I’d think through the problem illustrated in my story to address challenging behavior

10:48 - The third and final element your strategy needs to contain

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It’s that time of year when challenging student behavior starts cropping up and behavior plans get put to the test. When coming up with replacement behaviors, you can’t just rush your way through it and hope for the best, though. You need to carefully consider certain characteristics in the ones you choose. These three traits will make the difference in whether your plans work or not. So in this episode, I discuss more about replacement behaviors and making sure they’re effective in actually changing the way students conduct themselves in your class.

2:30 - A quick explanation for understanding the truth of replacement behaviors

3:31 - The secret sauce that makes replacement behaviors work effectively

4:29 - The 3 must-have characteristics of efficient replacement behavior

5:43 - An scenario where replacement behavior proves inefficient and fails

8:09 - Illustrating an effective and successful replacement behavior

9:36 - The real beauty of this kind of functional communication training

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I’m guessing you don’t like to be hit or spit at by your students, right? Due to the time of year and the kind of year (or year and a half) we’ve had so far, we’re in the midst of some challenging classroom behavior. So today, I want to talk about ways we can actually help students avoid committing these problem behaviors in the first place. These won’t solve all the problems you’ll face, but by using these techniques you can narrow your focus and cut back on things that require a bigger approach.

2:00 - The benefit of practicing useful strategies before entering a difficult situation

3:06 - Transition warnings, one of the most common strategies used

4:35 - A strategy for students challenged by bigger environments

6:45 - How strategy #3 is similar to taking a field trip

8:31 - A strategy for students with focus issues or behavior related to automatic reinforcement

10:01 - The most common strategy for students with autism

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Now that the new school year is underway, you’re probably dealing with some challenging behaviors. Students are readjusting to being back in the classroom. Some are even dealing with interruptions from quarantines which can increase challenging behaviors to a level you haven’t seen before. So in today’s episode, I want to focus on the three biggest mistakes I see in behavioral support and management plans and processes.

2:08 - The #1 mistake I see in behavior plans

4:28 - Why people make the second biggest mistake

4:58 - An example of what mistake #2 can look like and how to correctly address it

8:44 - Why you shouldn’t wait to implement your new behavioral support plan

12:16 - Wrapping up with a quick recap

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Some problems can arise that indicate an issue with your zoning plan. Luckily, like classroom schedules, zoning plans are one of the easiest things to troubleshoot. In this episode, I won’t speak about obvious issues. Instead, I talk about three subtle problems you and your staff might face that you can address by simply fixing your zoning plan.

1:22 - First issue that demonstrates a need to change your zoning plan

2:12 - How to fix issue #1 on the zoning plan

2:43 - Second problem that exposes a clear zoning plan issue

3:41 - Final problem and why zoning plans need to be a collaborative document

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Are you running into problems with your students that a tweak or two of your classroom schedule can solve? While the schedule is the hardest thing to create in the classroom setup process, it’s also possibly the easiest to fix because it’s pretty clear what the issue is when it occurs. So listen in as I cover five specific problems you could run into in the classroom that indicate a need to fix your schedule.

1:15 - Two ways to address incomplete student activity

2:09 - A similar behavioral issue and how to approach it

2:45 - Visual cue solutions to try if changing the schedule isn’t feasible

3:20 - What to do if you’re always running out of time before activities can finish

3:55 - How to handle a particular problem that can occur when transitioning students to new activities

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Last week, I started talking about behaviors you can address in your classroom with visual support tweaks. I continue that this week with even more common behavioral issues that can be eliminated with visual cues. I know that at this point in the year, you really don’t have time at all. So I also provide a free download to help you implement some of the solutions I discuss in today’s episode.

1:06 - Addressing the lack of clean up by students or staff at the end of an activity

1:53 - A visual cue solutions for off-limit areas or activities

2:31 - A free visual resource you can use

2:43 - How to deal with distractions in the classroom for your students

3:24 - Why you’ll want feedback from outside your classroom to double-check this

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You see visual cues everywhere you look--restroom signs with gender indications, traffic lights and stop signs at intersections and on corners, etc. They’re pretty easy to implement and even though they don’t automatically solve problems, they work more often than not. So they should work in the classroom too, right? In today’s episode, I discuss student behavioral issues that you can address by adding or changing the visual cues in your classroom design.

1:07 - Possible signs and causes of student behavioral issue #1

1:34 - Visual cues to check before you start assigning supervision

2:24 - Next thing to keep in mind for after you implement visual cues

2:49 - Student behavioral issue #2 and what to do to solve it

3:54 - A solution to a couple of similar problems I often see

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Last week I discussed a couple of behavior problems you might face with your students in the classroom and how to solve them. Not a chance that those were the only ones, right? Ha!

So I’m back this week to talk about even more behavioral issues that indicate a need to fix your classroom’s physical design. Once again, I quickly reveal the problem then give some solutions that should help you reduce or eliminate the issue.

1:14 - Why your students might be climbing the furniture

1:52 - A few quick tips to prevent any further furniture climbing

2:28 - A crucial step you need to put in place that goes beyond preventative measures

3:16 - How NOT to resolve this student behavioral problem

3:34 - Three solutions to help you protect materials for classroom use

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We’re almost at the end of our journey on classroom setup! We’re in the troubleshooting phase right now, but starting today I’ll be delivering snack-sized episodes that discuss making decisions about what isn’t working and discovering how to know what to change. In this episode, I talk about a couple of warning signs that show a need to fix your physical classroom environment and share solutions that should help.

2:00 - Why students might be running around your classroom

2:50 - Ways to prevent your students from running in the classroom

3:57 - How some teachers solved a problem in this area of their classrooms

4:45 - The solution to your students leaving an activity area or table

5:08 - What to do if the solution causes your back to face the room

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For the last few episodes, I've discussed setting up all the elements of the basic CORE you need to run your classroom. Next comes the most critical piece as you start working with your students: troubleshooting. As the school year starts, all of your systems will need some tweaking. So I’m kicking off a series of episodes to walk you through the process. Today, I outline a plan for helping you prioritize the troubleshooting process so it won’t overwhelm you.

1:59 - What you should do with your team each day for the first school week

3:11 - A suggestion if you can’t get your team together

4:36 - What you need to know before you begin prioritizing

5:29 - The first rule for prioritizing what to fix in the troubleshooting process

6:52 - Which things you should tackle before anything else

7:41 - What’s coming up in the next few episodes

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Resources

Grab the transcript, freebie and resource links athttp://autismclassroomresources.com/episode89

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You’ve collected some classroom data, so now what? Leaving it sitting in a binder doesn’t help anybody; therefore, it’s critical that you set up systems for regular analysis. We take this data for legal reasons, to show progress, but most importantly, to troubleshoot any learning issues confronting our students. So in this episode, I discuss how to make analysis happen and the three elements to consider for developing systems that ensure the data gets analyzed and is practical for your classroom.

4:40 - The biggest takeaway from what little research exists on classroom data collection

6:14 - A tool that makes graphing your classroom data easier than ever

9:22 - How my ex-preschool’s strategy can help you fit this into everything else you have to do

10:52 - Two keys to adapting the preschool’s strategy to work for you

12:56 - Why paraprofessionals must get on-board with the analysis process

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Resources

Grab the transcript, freebie and resource links athttp://autismclassroomresources.com/episode88

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When it comes to a data collection, there’s no one-size-fits-all, and it involves way more than just finding the right data sheet. You have to ensure you build a system with the right data, not more data. So today is all about focusing on data systems. In this episode, I walk you through how to get started and what you need to consider when creating your systems for instructional data collection.

3:14 - The question I get asked a LOT about data collection and why there’s no real answer

4:48 - Why quality over quantity matters when collecting data

6:06 - Two things you must be aware of when you’re collecting data

7:52 - How to get started on building a strategy for data collection

11:04 - Why you need to integrate your data plan with your zoning plan and what to look for afterward

12:41 - The final key about data collection systems I must reveal

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Resources

Grab the transcript, freebie and resource links athttp://autismclassroomresources.com/episode87

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You know what gets a bad rap with special ed teachers? Lesson planning! Whenever I ask around, I always discover there’s a mixture of opinions, and some teachers incorporate lesson plans while others don’t.

In the last episode, when I discussed some common routines for setting up classroom systems, I touched on lesson planning for a bit. You might think it’s unnecessary. But if you truly want your classroom to run on autopilot so you can focus on teaching students instead of managing the room, you’ll need lesson plans as a tool to help you do it.

It doesn’t have to take up a ton of time, either. So today I want to talk about why lesson planning is important and how to make it work for you.

3:43 - Making the case for why lesson plans are critical

4:37 - Two examples of the form that lesson plans can take

5:21 - How lesson plans help your administration, families, the state, and beyond

6:22 - The relationship between IEPs and teaching plans

7:02 - The biggest piece you need to turn your lesson plan into a routine

10:05 - Another important component to add to your lesson planning

10:34 - Two final things to do for your students and staff

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Resources

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Do you pressure yourself to do everything alone? Then listen up! Running a special education classroom isn’t something you can do by yourself, and having a system of routines just makes things easier. So in this episode, I want to talk about organizing strategies and routines to assist you in the daily running of your classroom. You’ll start the new school year off well and keep your classroom structure running more smoothly and automatically!

5:03 - Looking at the routines you need to consider for your classroom

5:47 - How establishing a lesson plan routine benefits both you and your staff

7:02 - Another group you’ll want to give responsibilities to in your routines

8:06 - How to make sure your routines get done and get done right

9:47 - What I’ve learned about delegating tasks and how it affects you

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Resources

Grab the transcript, freebie and resource links athttp://autismclassroomresources.com/episode85

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Graphics are good! Despite those who say otherwise, you can never have too many visuals. When you start putting a classroom together, it can feel a little overwhelming. How do you make decisions about where to start prepping without stressing yourself out? In this episode, I talk all about visuals and specifically focus on prioritizing the ones you need to include for a smoother teaching experience.

4:31 - The first step to narrowing down decision-making

5:18 - What you need to consider when prioritizing individual schedules

7:28 - The critical items you must include to make student schedules work

8:12 - Systems I believe every special ed classroom should have

8:56 - Signs you need to have on-hand early on

10:29 - Schedules to think about beyond day 1

12:40 - Use this if you know you’ll have an issue with rules

13:33 - How to keep your student's feet to the floor

14:03 - Visual cue ideas to keep your staff on track

Join us inside the Special Educators Academy for your 7 day free trial.

Resources

Grab the transcript, freebie and resource links athttp://autismclassroomresources.com/episode84

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We’re building the center of the classroom to support instruction so that the day-to-day running of the classroom works on its own. But in order to do that, we need systems. Systems get set up so that the people in the classroom know what needs to be done and can do it on their own without the teacher’s attention being pulled away to direct something. A system like a zoning plan takes some time upfront, and yours will need to be tweaked since you won’t get it perfect at the beginning. But a zoning plan can help save you time and energy and make your life a whole lot easier.

4:55 - Needing to direct staff as a special ed teacher

6:31 - 3 reasons why a zoning plan saves your sanity

Join us inside the Special Educators Academy for your 7 day free trial.

Resources

Grab the transcript, freebie and resource links at http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode83

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Last week, I talked about creating a schedule for implementing the IEP in your classroom. With your schedule in hand, now you’re ready to start putting together the actual physical design of your classroom. In other words, it’s now time to move the furniture. So in this episode, I’m all about the goals of what we need to consider in moving that furniture and setting up your classroom.

3:02 - How certain spaces make you feel

7:18 - Overall goals for classroom setup

9:02 - Ways to design the physical classroom space

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Resources

Grab the transcript, freebie and resource links athttp://autismclassroomresources.com/episode82

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Today, I’m focusing on setting up the classroom schedule for the IEP. To me, the schedule is the most important and pivotal element of classroom design. It drives the other pieces of the classroom, tells me what the physical space will look like, and it’s based on the teaching implementation plan. Once the TIP is completed, it’s easier to see what activities are going into the schedule, and once the schedule is complete the other pieces start falling into place. So in this episode, I talk about the characteristics of a strong schedule.

2:49 - High levels of engagement with instruction and interaction

6:07 - Tying each activity to specific goals and objections for each student

7:11 - Quickly-moving daily pace and engaging students

10:34 - Integrating each student’s goals and objections and your curriculum

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Resources

Grab the transcript, freebie and resource links athttp://autismclassroomresources.com/episode81

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So far, I’ve spent the last few episodes talking about creating a collaborative IEP. So now that that’s done, you have to then actually implement the IEP. Start thinking about how to organize your learning environment and incorporate the IEPs for all of your students to meet their individual needs. It takes a well-structured, well-organized classroom design. Today, I discuss your teaching implementation plan (TIP) for the IEP.

4:10 - What the TIP is and its objective

7:37 - How the TIP serves as a road map for your instruction

9:14 - How using the TIP makes your life easier

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Resources

Grab the transcript, freebie and resource links athttp://autismclassroomresources.com/episode80

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I’m excited to share with you an episode from a Special Educator Academy podcast I’ve pulled specifically for this IEP series. One of the things I think is extremely important but sometimes difficult to do is advocating for your students as an educator. Many times we’re their voice and know them in the classroom environment at a level that neither the administration nor their families do.

But advocating for students can sometimes feel a little dicey when you’re faced with parents or administrators who don’t agree with what should be done. I recorded this episode a while back for the Academy members to give them tips on how to do this in a way that keeps you in good standing with your district while still serving your ethical responsibility to advocate effectively for your students. I hope you enjoy it and it gives you some ideas!

4:09 - What advocating doesn’t always mean

4:45 - Tip #1 for advocating on behalf of your students

5:55 - Using your data

6:50 - Considerations when talking to your district

10:59 - Recognizing other perspectives, especially if there’s disagreement with the family

16:00 - Surefire way to get your district to mistrust you

19:44 - A quick recap of the tips

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Resources

LINK TO Instructional Troubleshooting Quick Win form

Grab the transcript, freebie and resource links athttp://autismclassroomresources.com/episode79

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I’m continuing my series on IEPs (and how much we love or don’t love them). Today, I focus on collaborating and want to talk a bit about perspectives. To start off the episode, I read a social narrative written for the IEP team, then cover what to avoid from the family’s point of view and how to make them feel comfortable during the meeting. 1:03 - The perspective everyone is meant to bring into the IEP meeting 3:34 - Obstacles in the IEP collaboration process for parents and students 7:44 - Ways to make families feel more comfortable during the meeting It’s very important in the collaboration process that we’re putting ourselves in each other’s shoes and trying to take each other’s perspective. We all have a different viewpoint and can come up with better solutions, but we have to work together to make it happen. Join us inside the Special Educators Academy for your 7 day free trial. Resources Grab the transcript, freebie and resource links at http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode78 Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library... http://library.autismclassroomresources.com Want more information about the Special Educator Academy? SpecialEducatorAcademy.com Join the Free Facebook Group specialeducatorsconnection.com

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Have you ever wondered about the role of a general educator in IEP meetings, especially when the students involved have significant disabilities? General staff is required to be part of the IEP team, including the general education teacher. Sometimes that teacher fits into the team seamlessly. Other times they struggle with their role, and others may feel they’re not really needed and will just have them come in to sign the paperwork.

But the general ed teacher can bring a lot of meaningful, functional things to the team and the meeting. As special educators, we can help prepare them for how to actively participate in these meetings, and that’s what I want to talk about in this episode as I continue this series on IEPs.

3:36 - Ensuring that the general educator knows the student

5:38 - Helping the general ed teacher see their value to the IEP team

7:28 - Presenting social opportunities for or observations of the student

9:09 - Sharing information about typical grade-level students to the IEP team

9:52 - The advantage of the general education teacher’s instructional expertise

11:18 - Figuring out potential friends and role models for the student

Resources

Grab the transcript, freebie and resource links athttp://autismclassroomresources.com/episode77

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IEPs can be intimidating, some more than others. I like to often use the Mary Poppins phrase, “Well begun is half done.” It’s true of almost everything, but it’s definitely true of IEPs where the meetings can go off the rails before they’ve even begun.

The better prepared you are, the smoother these meetings go. And the smoother the IEP, the smoother the school year, generally speaking. Over the years, I’ve created a to-do list of what I think are the most important actions to take to start your relationship with the family off on the right foot and ensure a well-run IEP meeting, and that’s what I share in today’s episode.

2:59 - Getting the parents input before (or during) the meeting

4:34 - Tips for preparing to talk about your experience as a special educator

6:53 - Meeting time set-up considerations to accommodate the family

8:39 - Advantages of using an agenda (and how IEP forms lead you astray here)

10:15 - How to ensure you have the needed forms ahead of time

12:08 - Quickly recapping the five tips

Resources

Grab the transcript, freebie and resource links athttp://autismclassroomresources.com/episode76

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If you’re a special educator, then IEPs are probably not your favorite topic, but I’ll let you in on a secret. I kind of like them. I don’t like the marathons or the arguments, or even writing them. But I can’t imagine trying to work with our students without them and that’s one reason it’s so important we devote time to developing IEPs with your team.

When I talk about them in this context, I’m referring to both the documents and the meetings because we need them both.

Many times, it feels like IEPs drive our lives, and in a sense they do. They’re at the heart of special educational services and need to be living, breathing processes that have meaning and purpose. So you have to spend time and attention on both the document and the process by which you get there.

To help, today kicks off a new, short series of episodes about IEPs and how to make sure yours live up to what you need them to be.

Resources

Grab the transcript, freebie and resource links athttp://autismclassroomresources.com/episode75

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If you are a special education teacher working with students with autism, then you know about visuals. But you might be surprised about some of the myths about them. You even might believe some of them. I'm busting 5 of the most common I hear and have tons of resources and free leisure schedule visuals. Whether you are an experienced special educator, you don't think visuals are for your students, or you work with someone who resists giving students visuals, this episode has something for you.

Grab the transcript, freebie and resource links athttp://autismclassroomresources.com/episode74

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Many of you may not know this, but I have a sister with autism. But that makes April pretty personal to me. In this episode I'm going to talk about her experiences and why I think we need to move beyond awareness and on to appreciation as a society to #celebratedifferences.

In this episode I am talking about my sister but I'm mostly focusing on how you can build appreciation for autism in your school and community.

Some details about my sister's experiences I think we can all learn from
Why I think autism appreciation and acceptance is so important
4 ways to develop autism appreciation with your school and community this April

LINKS

Grab the transcript and resource links at http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode73

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In today's episode I want to share a strategy that has become a huge tool for students to learn how to problem solve social situations. I've talked about it in the past and describe it in more detail in this post. Traditionally, in the literature we have about it, it's called a social autopsy. However, I have found that many students (and sometimes teachers) hate this name. Because those students are really perceptive. Who wants to have their behavior autopsied after all!

So one of them suggested the name After-Action Reports. So I'm going to start referring to them as After-Action Analysis Reports. And it's the analysis that is really key to helping students learn to problem solve.

Highlights of Episode 72 * Find out what a social autopsy is and how it can be used in a social skills program * Learn how social autopsies, or after-action analysis (AAA) reports, can help your students problem solve social situations * Discover 3 key elements of AAA reports that you must have to help them be effective for problem solving * Learn how AAA reports can also save you, as an educator, time by serving as a data source for behavior * And grab a free set of of social autopsies or after-action reports from the free resource library --see the link to the post below

If you are looking for a deeper dive into teaching social skills, we have a whole course on it in the Special Educator Academy.

LINKS

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In this episode, Dr. Susan Kabot is sharing her biggest takeaway messages on how to teach pragmatics to students with autism and why it's so important. This is the continuation of the interview from our last episode.

In episode 70, she explained what pragmatics is and how it impacts these students so significantly. We also talked a good bit in that previous episode, and again in this one, about how it's easy to underestimate the need to teach these skills explicitly for these students. She emphasizes something we both say frequently. "Smart is not enough." And she explains why.

Highlights from Part 2: How to Teach Pragmatics Sue and I packed a lot into these 12 minutes, including the following.

Can we tease pragmatics apart from social skills, the hidden curriculum, etc.?
The impact of problems with pragmatics on common situations for students with ASD in the community.
What educators can do to teach pragmatics to their students.
Whether we should be teaching pragmatics with adults or peers.
How to prioritize skills to teach pragmatics.
And her biggest takeaway that she wants every educator to know about pragmatics for individuals with autism.

Grab the transcript, free download and resource links at http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode71

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Before I started working with Dr. Susan Kabot, I had never heard of pragmatics. And I certainly didn’t realize what a big impact they could have on the behavior of an individual with autism. So, when I started to think about episodes on how social skills impacts behavior, Sue was my first call. Because trust me, she can explain the intricacies of pragmatics in language than I can.

We had such a great discussion, that I decided to cut the interview into two. In this episode we talk about what pragmatics are and how they impact student with high functioning autism. And I have a free download in this post related to one of the characteristics she notes. In the next episode, we will talk about how to teach pragmatics and things educators should think about when addressing behavior.

Highlights of How Pragmatics Impacts Behavior * Sue answers the biggest question of What Are Pragmatics? Because I had never heard of them before I met her. * We talk about how pragmatics and social language impact individuals with autism with average or above cognitive skills (spoiler alert–some of it relates to our expectations). * She talks about how educators’ expectations students impacts the behaviors and has a great story about this happening. * And we talk about the role of pragmatics as a setting event in challenging behavior, among other impacts.

Links:

Grab the transcript, free download and resource links at http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode70

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In this episode, I'm talking about how deficits in social problem solving puts our students at risk for negative behavior.

I will also talk about why we need to look at social skills and social problem solving as part of our functional behavior assessment.

And why we need to incorporate social problem solving instruction into our students' curriculum to prevent challenging behavioral issues.

Finally, I've got a free tool that to download in the post for this episode that can help to remind them of some social problem solving strategies.

Links:

Grab the transcript, free download and resource links at http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode69

Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library... http://library.autismclassroomresources.com

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In this episode I focus on specifically how the hidden curriculum impacts students' behavior. This relationship is particularly an issue for those who have the invisible disability that we've been talking about in this series that places them in situations with limited adult supervision. That's primarily because their lack of understanding of the unspoken social context is often the reason they engage in behavior,.

So I'm going to outline some common areas in which the hidden curriculum impacts students' behavior and some considerations we need to have in how we address the behavior. And I'll point you to some posts and resources for that as well.

Grab the transcript and resource links at http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode68

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While I can't detail all the ins and outs of teaching emotional regulation within an episode of a podcast, I can give you pointers toward 3 strategies that you can integrate together that can get you started. So, in today's episode I have 3 tools I want to share to help you teach your students how to self-regulate along those same 3 steps.

And I have a free download for you in the Resource Library that can help you get started with one of the strategies. And lots of helpful links in the resource links below for relaxation strategies to use with your students too.

Don't forget if you are looking for strategies to prevent challenging behavior in your classroom, I have a free Preventing Challenging Behavior webinar that you can watch anytime. Plus if you are looking for more resources to help with challenging behavior in the classroom, we have a whole course on it plus tons of resources and workshops in the Special Educator Academy. Come give us a try with a 7-day trial at specialeducatoracademy.com.

Grab the transcript and resource links at http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode67

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In last week's episode (episode 65) I talked about students with ASD who overreact to the smallest of events, often involving change or small problems. I typically call it catastrophic reactions to trivial events. Often these students melt down, but sometimes they also shutdown or give up. The significance is that they overreact to events that are not in line with their reaction.

In other words, the events are not seen as a significant event to us, but they are seen as devastating by the student. For instance, students who misspell a word, tear up their paper and refuse to continue the assignment. Another example would be a change in the daily schedule. Or a change in who runs an activity.

Highlights of Episode 66: Strategies for Handling Change * Hear 4 case descriptions of students who struggle with overreactions to minor events or changes that ruin their (and their teachers' days with solutions for addressing them. For instance, meet Brett who struggle with other students being absent and second grader Deandre who makes a simple mistake and sabotages all his hard work. And find out strategies to help. * Learn strategies that can be used to prevent meltdowns relating to change or other minor events as well as strategies for long-term teaching how to cope with them. * Grab a free tool to use in your classroom to use with students who struggle with schedule changes.

Grab the transcript and resource links at http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode66

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In today’s episode, I’m going to talk about 3 behavioral complexities that these students with high functioning ASD present. I’m going to focus on the why of these behavioral challenges. Because when you understand the challenges that face students with autism, sometimes it becomes a little clearer. After all, behaviors that look like one thing (e.g., defiance or noncompliance) may really happen because of something else (e.g., difficulty understanding the direction or overwhelming anxiety).

Grab the transcript and resource links at http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode65

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Today, I’m starting out with a 9-episode theme of individuals with high functioning autism spectrum disorder. These are students with ASD who are working on grade level standards in general education. And that is where we are going to start today.

Over the years I’ve worked with many of these students. And I can tell you one thing for sure as an educator. Being “high functioning” does not mean that these students have an easier time of it in school or that they have fewer needs. It also doesn’t mean that they are less complex or easier to work with. In fact some of the most challenging situations I’ve dealt with over the years have been students in general education.

What is Episode 64 About? These aren’t all the characteristics that individuals with ASD present. But, these 5 characteristics and concerns are part of the reason why these students can really struggle in school. I see them as the 5 issues that we run up against with their interactions around the school. And many of them are related to others’ expectations of the students or perceptions of the students’ behavior. Many times they are the reason they get in trouble. And they are issues that we must address in order to provide quality education and support their needs within school.

Grab the transcript and resource links at http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode64

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The pandemic has been a really tough time to teach. And you all have been amazing. But it's been rough.

This episode is from the heart about lessons I learned about compassion fatigue and having to adjust expectations to manage to get through. These are specific lessons that I've adapted to our current situation. I hope they can help you find ways to help yourself prevent compassion fatigue and burnout in the present situation. I'm also going to share some resources that might be helpful if you are looking for more strategies to help you move forward.

And then, the podcast (and I) are going to take a two-week hiatus over the break. I need to practice what I preach and rest my brain. And I need to do some planning for the coming year to bring you more content. We'll be back January 10, 2021 with a new episode! Happy Holidays and remember to take time for yourself!

Grab the transcript and resource links at http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode63

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I Spy games have always been one of my go-to strategies to fill in time and engage students to build vocabulary and facilitate language skills. I pull it out while we are waiting for the previous specials class to finish up. Or when we have some extra time at the end of a center before rotating that I was expecting. Over the years I've used them with all different types of students and for building all types of skills. But I particularly like them for building expressive and receptive vocabulary skills.

Grab a free I Spy activity in the blog post at autismclassroomresources.com/episode62

In this episode I cover 5 different adaptations of I Spy that will help you:

target receptive vocabulary
target expressive vocabulary
work on question asking and answering
address vocabulary with feature, function and categories
simplify I Spy for early learners
work on turn taking
and even target basic letter skills.

Grab a free I Spy activity, read the post and download a transcript in the blog post at autismclassroomresources.com/episode62

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If we have ever needed to improve work efficiency in the classroom, this year is it. You need to be able to get work done quickly and save some time for yourself and your family. But, I know most of you are always feeling like there is more to be done.

Highlights of Episode 61 In this episode I'm going to talk about 3 ways that I've recently reminded myself of to help improve your work efficiency in your classroom. This is part of self-care. You can't take care of yourself if you are overwhelmed by the demands.

And yet I know that many of you are like me. You want to do everything. And you can't do everything. So we have to prioritize to what needs to be done. But we still need to get them done efficiently or doing 1 thing will take up all your time.

Grab the free download, a transcript and more in the blog post at http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode61

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Thanksgiving weekend episode bonus. Over the years, I've shared on social media things that I think your students would thank you for. So as a bonus episode (i.e., no blog post, but there is a transcript below), I thought I would share 3 things that I think your students would thank you for in this crazy year.

Grab the transcript: https://acrlinks.com/thanks

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Episode 60 focuses on how to teach students to initiate communication. Students with ASD struggle with initiation and often don't tell people what they need for want. Learning how to initiate is a specific skill that needs explicit instruction. This episode will get you started to teach it.

Highlights of Episode 60

Learn why initiation is such a critical life skill to teach explicitly
Review the steps of teaching initiation of requesting
Get tips on how to build independence in initiating through your instruction
Download a free poster (see Resources below) to remind staff to wait expectantly

Grab a transcript or read the post at http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode60

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Today I'm going to talk about the 4 keys you need to address in your instruction for expressive language. Expanding expressive language goes beyond just getting longer sentences or adding vocabulary, particularly for students with ASD. In order to improve communication, we have to focus on how the expressive language is used. That includes increasing the reasons or functions of the use of language. You need to expand the situations in which the student uses expressive language. We should focus on initiating and independence of language. And finally we must expand the types of vocabulary.

BONUS!

Plus, I have free quick tip videos in the dropdown post that demonstrate different strategies I talk about in this episode. You can grab them all in the dropdown of the post at http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode59

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In today's episode I want to share my 5 tips for communicating with a nonverbal student. It is probably the question I get asked most frequently in some form or other. Many of us work with students who do not have a way to communicate effectively and don't speak. And we also sometimes work with students who communicate in alternative ways (e.g., a device, pictures, sign language).

Highlights of Episode 58 * Highlights of research showing that expectations are different for nonverbal students * Discussion and examples of the impact of being nonverbal * 5 tips to help you avoid these expectations traps in the classroom * 2 free downloads to help you implement the tips in your classroom

Grab the transcript, your free download and pictures at https://autismclassroomresources.com/episode58

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I talked about the importance of using adult language in the classroom in a purposeful manner to model communication for students with autism in the last episode of the podcast. Today I am following up with a freebie to help teachers share the information with classroom staff. And I'm also sharing 3 ways that you can help all the classroom staff stay on track with adult language in the classroom.

Highlights of Episode 57 * How adult language gets off track in the classroom and why * Why it’s so important to address adult language in the classroom * 3 ways to to help staff keep their language on track with students’ needs * Ways to get your staff to buy into why it’s important

Grab the transcript, your free download and pictures at https://autismclassroomresources.com/episode57

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Have you been trying to figure out how to promote language in your special education classroom? There are some simple steps that can help with this to get started. My next few podcasts are going to focus on some of them, starting with this episode.

One of the easiest ways to promote language in your classroom is to be quiet. I know that sounds counterintuitive but it’s true. And in today’s episode, I have 5 reasons WHY it’s so important to listen to (and modify) your language in the classroom.

Highlights of Episode 56 * 5 reasons why talking may not always the right language facilitation model * Differences between modeling and directing * Ways to use language modeling effectively to effectively facilitate language * The importance of expectant waiting and how it can be impacted in distance learning * The role of language and talking in facilitating independence for our students

HELPFUL LINKS

Grab the transcript, your free download and pictures at https://autismclassroomresources.com/episode56

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We all know how important visuals are for students in special education. When we think visuals we sometimes think daily schedule as the default. But for some students, mini-schedules (or task analysis schedules) are even more important for independence. In this week’s episode I talk about 3 reasons why mini-schedules can improve your classroom and your students’ learning.

And there's a free mini-schedule to get started.

Highlights of Episode 55

Find out why visual schedules are useful for more than just students with autism
Discover why we should use them in every classroom
Find out how they encourage nonverbal prompting
Mini schedules (and schedules) aren't just for the students, they help staff
And find out how and why they help to build your students' independence

HELPFUL LINKS

Grab the transcript, your free download and pictures at https://autismclassroomresources.com/episode55

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As a preschool teacher recently said to me…"So I realized, for this kid, it's all about choices." This particular kid (and many others) liked to be in control of EVERYTHING! And he did it by refusing the teacher's directions.

This episode focuses on WHY choices can help behavior problems in the classroom and HOW to use them effectively. You want to give the right kind of choices so you aren't getting into huge power struggles and negotiations.

And there is a free download in the blog post linked below.

In This Episode Learn * Why you win when you use choices * What the research says about using choices as a preventive strategy for challenging behavior * What type of choices you might give * 6 tips of how to make choices work for you

HELPFUL LINKS

Grab the transcript, your free download and pictures at http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode54

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In this episode, I’ve got 3 ways that can help you easily, efficiently and effectively communicate with families. And hopefully to get information back from parents as well. Because we know that it needs to go both ways.

Highlights of Effective Teacher Parent Communication So these three ways to communicate with families will meet share these characteristics.

Easy to use
Provide concrete information about activities, issues and performance
Provide options for families to respond and share information
Don’t require lots of time to complete on either side

To help with all of this, I also have a free download in the Free Resource Library that I talk about in the episode. You can grab it by signing up or logging in below. This is a free Google form I created for the Special Educator Academy for the members to be able to edit and use with their families.

Grab the transcript, your free download and pictures at http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode53

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Teaching is hard. You know it’s true…I believe (especially right now) it’s one of the hardest jobs there is. And to do it well, it is essential that special educators advocate for themselves. Educators never cease to amaze me with their ingenuity and grit. But truly, no one can do this job alone. Our special education system is actually built to keep it from being a one-man show. And yet many times our classrooms feel like an island with no where to turn for help.

Asking for help is a critical skill and this episode covers why that is so. I also talk about the barriers that keep educators from advocating for themselves. And finally I have 3 tips that can help advocate most effectively for what you need to make your classroom what you know it can be.

Grab the transcript and pictures at http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode52

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This episode focuses on 3 ways you can create routines and strategies in the classroom to support engagement in learning and reduce downtime. I'll start by talking about what downtime is. Because, no I don't think that teachers make a decision to have downtime in the classroom. They don't say, "Well it would be nice to take a little rest right now and let them do whatever they want." And then I'll share 3 ways that you can prevent downtime in your classroom that can lead to challenging behavior.

Grab the transcript and pictures at autismclassroomresources.com/episode51

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Finding ways to monitor progress in distance learning for special education students is one of the questions I hear most frequently these days. We usually take data hands-on in the classroom, observing the student directly. And educators usually have control over (to some degree) the environment and conditions under which they observe the skills and behavior being monitored. But that's not the case in distance learning, where the student is at home and frequently being facilitated by family or caregivers. So, how do we get the data we know we need?

Highlights of Episode 50

learn 3 easy ways to collect data
download a free digital tool to allow you to get the information you need
learn ways to modify data collection to meet the unique needs of distance learning

Grab the transcript and pictures at autismclassroomresources.com/episode50

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I love cooking in the classroom. It's one of my favorite activities to use with younger students and with life skills students. One of the things I like is that students are motivated by it. Because who doesn't like to eat, right? Another is the number of skills you can build and teach with cooking.

But what about cooking now, as I'm writing and recording this--in the middle of the pandemic? How do you cook in the classroom with virus precautions? Or how do you use cooking as a teaching strategy in distance learning?

In this episode I've got tips that address just those questions. I've got tips about how to cook in the classroom during the pandemic as well as tips for how to incorporate cooking into distance learning.

Grab the transcript and pictures at autismclassroomresources.com/episode49-Includes links to cooking activities in my store

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Face-to-face online learning is useful in distance ed, but engagement can be an issue. Use these 3 tips to boost your students' engagement.

Grab the transcript and pictures at autismclassroomresources.com/episode48

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At the beginning of the school year, it's always all about the classroom routines. But if you are back in the classroom in 2020, you probably have a few new Covid-19 classroom routines that are new to everybody. Adding any new routines in the classroom can throw off the rhythm of the best functioning team. And let's face it, there is enough going on in your head right now that anything you can begin to tame and rock the classroom organization is so worthwhile!

In This Episode

Rethink delegation as a way to boost collaboration
Find out strategies to delegate effectively
Grab a free tool to help you delegate and still get things done the way you want them

Grab the transcript and pictures at autismclassroomresources.com/episode47

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Struggling with distance learning in special ed? The way to make it work lies with strong collaboration and coordination with families. Grab 3 big, meaty tips in this episode for effectively working with families in distance learning to make the year a success.

Highlights of Episode 46

Three big, meaty tips for collaborating effectively with families and caregivers in distance learning for special education
Ideas for how to establish roles when collaborating with families in distance education
Ways to assure documentation for distance education of learning plans

Grab the transcript and pictures at autismclassroomresources.com/episode46

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We know that the coming year is going to be different, in the fall of 2020. But whether you are teaching at a distance or teaching in the classroom, you will probably still be working with paraprofessionals as part of your classroom team. In today's episode, I've got tips for managing staff by setting expectations with a classroom zoning plan for all different situations you may find yourself in.

And there are examples of zoning plans and more information at the blog post for this episode: autismclassroomresources.com/episode45

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As the next step of our Setting up Classroom Series, this episode focuses on designing your classroom setup in special education. Given that it was recorded in fall 2020, I'm also including tips for designing your distance learning space and tips for helping families develop learning spaces at home.

Highlights of Episode 44

7 Goals of setting up the classroom
Tips for designing your virtual instruction area
Ideas for helping families set up their child's learning space in distance education

Find transcript, notes and links at http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode44

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As part of our Setting Up Classroom Series, this episode focuses on creating the classroom schedule for the special education classroom. As we approach the beginning of 2020, and grapple with how to best educate students during the pandemic, setting up the special ed classroom schedule may seem like the least of our problems. In reality, though, it’s still the most important. Whether you are doing distance learning or social distant classroom learning, the schedule continues to drive the predictability and routine our special ed classrooms need. It’s also one of the most complex parts of setting up a special ed classroom.

Highlights

Free download of 5 classroom schedules for all different school ages
Grab tips about how to select the activities for the special ed classroom schedule
Find ideas about how to schedule for distance learning
Thoughts for ways to schedule centers in a socially distanced classroom
Learn my decision process in deciding on allocating time to activities
Tips to help with grouping students
Ideas for how to put it all together and samples of real-life classroom schedules

Find transcript, notes and links at http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode43

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Imagine knowing, as you start the classroom setup process, what every student's needs are and how you plan to implement them in the classroom or in distance learning.

What if you had a document you could hand to paraprofessionals that would not only make sure they know the IEP goals, but that they would know where and how to teach them and take data?

And what if you had a document that helped you plan out distance learning as well as classroom learning and communicate it to the family?

Well the Teaching Implementation Plan can help you with all of those and help get your classroom foundation off to a strong and solid start.

Find transcript, notes and links at http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode42

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We are kicking off a a series all about setting up your special education classroom to maximize the engagement of your students. I'm super pumped about this series because it's one of my favorite topics. hint: I used to feel like I set up classrooms for a living.

So come along and find out why i'm excited about it, what it's about, and get started.

*And I know that this fall (2020) is going to be different so I'll be giving tips and strategies that will help whether your classroom is virtual or bricks and mortar.

Find the Building Classroom Teams at https://autismclassroomresources.com/episode1

Find transcript, notes and links at http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode41

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This is just a quick episode that talks about some of the thoughts around the very difficult time our country is going through. But I am the first to say this is NOT my area of expertise. But we have clear data that show that students do not experience education equally. I'll talk about that and how we, in the classroom, can make a difference.

Also, I'm taking a hiatus from the podcast until after July 4...I'll be back on July 12 with a new episode. In the meantime, I have some blog posts I want to share that can help with distance learning and getting ready for the new year. So check it out at https://autismclassroomresources.com

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We are coming to a "rest" in our remote learning journey. And that gives us an opportunity to stop and reflect on what we learned. I am a big proponent of reflecting on classroom practice regularly. Without taking the time to reflect on it, we don’t have the opportunity to refine it and improve it over time.

When I set up a classroom, one of the things we do every day after students leave is to sit down and talk about what worked and what didn’t work. I suggest doing this for at least a week or two at the beginning of the year. This is a procedure that I use in part because I’m consulting and introducing new things. And it’s always interesting to hear that things worked—especially if staff didn’t expect it to. And knowing what didn’t work allows us to brainstorm how we should solve it.

Today's Episode So, for today’s episode I’ve pulled 5 questions from our workshop on reflecting on distance learning that I think can be helpful in guiding the next steps in the process of transitioning our students back to school and/or continuing with some level of blended or remote learning. And I've got a free worksheet you can use to get you started.

Grab your free guide worksheets at https://library.autismclassroomresources.com

Find transcript, notes and links at http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode40

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As special educators, we all want our relationships with families to result in positive IEP meetings. This episode focuses on 5 things special educators can do during IEPs to build positive relationships with families and result in positive IEP meetings. I've talked about the mechanics of virtual IEPs in Episode 34. But with the advent of more virtual IEPs, I think the 5 tips from today's episode are increasingly important to assure that we can build strong collaborative relationships with families, which ultimately will lead to more positive IEPs.

From the SEA Todays episode comes from the Morning Meeting Reflections Podcast from the Special Educator Academy. This bi-weekly podcast (1 of 2) focuses on stress relief, self care, and managing interpersonal issues like working effectively with families and building collaborative teams with educators. If you are looking for a community and ideas to make your job easier as an educator, come check out the 7-day free trial.

Find transcript, a free checklist, notes and links at http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode39

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Have you ever had a family who questioned your experience? If you are a teacher or related service provider, especially if you have been doing this for a bit, you probably have.

Think about it. You go to the dr. An expert in their field. You see diplomas and certificates on their wall, right? Where do you see that in a classroom? How is a parent to know what your qualifications are? Or how to assess your skills?

We are talking about parents who are entrusting their child’s care and educational future to you. That sounds grand and dramatic, but it is true. Because of that building a relationship with the family is incredibly important. But that can only happen when there is trust...and you can start to build that trust by being ready and willing to answer questions about your background and experience.

So today I want to give you a framework to prepare to talk about these things. You can use this in the context of thinking about IEPs and getting to know new families for next year. Or maybe you are interviewing for new jobs for next year. The same information is going to be helpful to an administrator interviewing you. Nothing makes an admin more confident about an interviewee’s skills than them being prepared to share specific information with them about their past experience and training.

Find transcript, a free checklist, notes and links at http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode38

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IEP mastery criteria is the unsung hero (or dastardly villain) in IEP writing. We don't think about it nearly as much as we probably should. And there are so many ways it can help us or hurt us down the road as we actually are trying to teach the skills from the IEP.

We tend to slap on 80% or 4/5 on the end of the goal call it done. But, the mastery level can be one of the biggest area of disagreement when determination of mastery of the goals comes about because they are often written in a way that meant different things to different participants.

Why is IEP Mastery Criteria Important? While IEP mastery criteria seems pretty straightforward, it can trip up an IEP team in many different ways. If it isn't clear, there may be disagreement among the team about when the skill is or isn't mastered. If the mastery criteria is written vaguely, there is unlikely to be agreement. And some mastery criteria can seem different depending on the reader.

And, IEP mastery criteria is critical when you go to create your system of data collection. There is nothing worse than sitting down to analyze your data, only to discover it doesn't match the way the mastery criteria was written.

Highlights for Practical IEP Mastery Criteria So, I thought I would share a couple of things I’ve learned over the years that might help when determining mastery criteria.

Learn how to make sure your IEP goals match your data collection
Assure the way you teach the skill matches mastery criteria
Find out why it's important to have a time frame in the mastery
Discover tips that are useful for making goals practical, meaningful and avoid issues down the road.

Find transcript, a free question cheat-sheet, notes and links at http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode37

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Do you write enabling goals? Goals that enable students to access the curriculum more effectively? Episode 36 focuses on writing enabling IEP goals that focus on how a student accesses the curriculum more than the curriculum that is taught. Essentially, curriculum should be taught whether it's on the IEP or not. But the IEP should provide individualized goals that allow students to access and learn more effectively now and as they develop.

In this episode find out...

What exactly are enabling IEP goals
Why are enabling goals useful
How can enabling goals help you help your students
Examples of enabling IEP goals for all different types of students in special education
Download a copy of questions you can ask to determine if you have enabling goals in your IEP

Find transcript, a free question cheat-sheet, notes and links at http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode36

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As school closures continue, we all need to find manageable ways to support instruction at home for our students in special education. I can feel and hear the stress weighing on families and educators the longer this goes on, particularly for students in special education.

Fitting instruction into their day at home can be tough. Especially since many parents are working from home and others are still working outside the home. This is a long time to be trying to balance everything. So to me, one of the most natural ways for families to teach and assure that students don’t lose their skills is to fold the skills into natural activities we would do at home.

I’ve heard from many of you, as well, that some of our students are not really enthused about having school work at home. Some engage in challenging behavior when presented with new material. Integrating naturalistic instruction into the day may help to get around that issue as well.

Highlights of Ideas for Instruction at Home * Ideas for games students can play at home and skills that can be easily embedded in them * Suggestions for functional tasks and how to facilitate learning life skills at home * Ideas for how educators can support families in naturalistic instruction * Ways to integrate instruction into daily life activities

Find transcript, a free sample agenda, notes and links at http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode35

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As we continue on this journey of distance learning in special education as part of the Covid 19 school closures, we come upon the need to hold virtual IEP meetings. Many schools hold the majority of their IEP meetings near the end of the school year to prepare for the next year. So one of the questions I have heard recently is how to run a virtual IEP meeting.

This episode shares tips for:

preparing for the meeting
using the tech chosen
best practice for effective communication of the team
solutions for keeping teams on track
a sample agenda you can download and edit to your needs

Find transcript, a free sample agenda, notes and links at http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode34

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In Episode 33, during the school closures from COVID-19, one of the questions I get asked frequently is how to involve paraprofessionals in the distance learning efforts of their classrooms. Everyone is on a completely different page and different platform, so we need a variety of strategies. I've shared 7 ideas in this episode.

Find transcript, notes and links at http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode33

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So, I had a few things I wanted to say. I hope they don't sound too sappy. But I think it's important to recognize the hard work that educators are doing. This isn't a substantive episode, which is why I made it a bonus. It's wed to the time in which it was recorded. But I wanted to share that there is a new blog post with resources for online teaching available. And I wanted to add a few words of encouragement and thanks to the airwaves. Thanks for indulging me.

LINKS:

NEW BLOG POST: Distance Learning Resources to Make it Easier. I wanted to round up the videos and the tools I've created to have them all in one place to share with you. https://autismclassroomresources.com/distance-learning-resources

TeachersPayTeachers Link to enter for a free gift card. https://blog.teacherspayteachers.com/getting-more-resources-in-the-hands-of-educators/

TPT sale April 6 &7, 2020: TPT: http://shopautismclassroomresources.com or My Store: https://shop.autismclassroomresources.com

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TRANSCRIPT: https://acnnewsletterfreebies.s3.amazonaws.com/PODCAST+TRANSCRIPTS/COVID+19+BONUS+EPISODE+TRANSCRIPT.pdf

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Whether you are educators or family member, if you live in the U.S. in the time this is written, you've likely been asked to "home school" your child with support from your child's teacher. Coping with this type of home schooling when it wasn't expected is not an easy thing for educators or families.

Episode 32 has tips for both families and educators in managing this completely new experience. We are building the plane as we fly. We have some great blueprints of programs that came before us. But they were designed for completely different circumstances. We can do this but we need to grant ourselves grace, because it doesn't happen overnight. Listen in for some tips that can help.

Find transcript, notes and links at http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode32

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The need to use distance learning with our students to span this school closure from Covid19 is very clear at this point. It’s amazing that just last week in episode 30, I was talking about how to prepare your students for leaving school…and many of you never got to see your students before you knew you were shutting down. Now I am talking about distance learning and how to do it overnight in special education.

In This Episode on Distance Learning * Unique issues we are facing and confronting that make all this difficult * Identifying barriers so we can solve them * What makes distance ed in special ed unique * Review of different ways to do distance learning in special education * Strategies and ideas to implement distance learning

Find transcript, notes and links at http://autismclassroomresources.com/distance-learning

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Whether you are in the midst of this particular pandemic closure (Covid-19) or are just experiencing closures due to a regular flu epidemic or extended weather closings, I think this episode will still hold up with tips for preparing your students to leave and return from school. It also may give you some ideas of things to send home with students and ways to communicate with families during the hiatus.

LINKS:

Blog Post, Links and Transcript https://autismclassroomresources.com/episode30
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In episode 29 I'm talking about 3 specific behavior management strategies for groups or classrooms that are effective and practical to implement. They will work in general and special education settings. And most importantly they are based on the research about the good foundations of classroom management in the classroom that I discussed in episode 28.

Highlights:

Discussion of the marble jar strategy
Review of the Good Behavior Game
Using token economies effectively

For a transcript and links referred to in the episode can be found at autismclassroomresources.com/episode29

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In Episode 28, I want to help you create a classroom management plan that serves you and your students well. As with most things in teaching, effective classroom management is likely to change dependent on the makeup of the classroom. And for that reason, I think sometimes it's a little harder for special ed teachers than general ed teachers, because the diversity of our students are so significant.

Highlights of Episode 28

What makes a strong classroom management plan
5 key elements every plan should include
Pros and cons of common systems
The importance of positive reinforcement in classroom management

Plus grab a free set of visual classroom rules, behavior reinforcement punch cards, and token boards in the post

Show Notes

Show notes, transcript and Freebies: https://autismclassroomresources.com/episode28

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In Episode 27, I am talking about making positive reinforcement systems to use positive reinforcement in the classroom. If you have listened or read the blog at any point, you know I love a good system. Systems make the classroom run with much less thought and decision making throughout the day. And that allows us to focus on the actual instruction we need to do. So today I’ve got some guidelines for using reinforcement in the classroom and 3 ways to do it that are actually do-able for you. Plus I've got some tips on how to get everyone on the team on board. LINKS: Show notes, transcript and more: https://autismclassroomresources.com/episode27 Want more information about our membership, Special Educator Academy? https://specialeducatoracademy.com Join the free Facebook Group at https://specialeducatorsconnection.com Join the Free Resource Library at https://autismclassroomresources.com/community

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In this episode I'm busting 5 common myths about reinforcers and reinforcement. It's amazing how much misinformation is out there about the use of reinforcement in the classroom. Whether it's that reinforcement makes students dependent on it or this student doesn't have a reinforcer, I'm sharing the facts and the reasons why reinforcement is the fundamental underpinning of so much of our instruction.

Show notes, transcript and more: https://autismclassroomresources.com/episode26

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Reinforcement is such a critical element for special education classrooms. Yet we don't spend much time talking about it. Reinforcement underlies most of our effective instructional strategies, but sometimes we leave teachers by just saying "reinforce him" without making sure everyone is on the same page about what that means.

Highlights of Episode 25:

Defining reinforcement of all kinds
Tips for using it effectively in the classroom
Signs that it's not working and why
Tools and guidelines for finding and choosing reinforcers for students
Methods for making sure your reinforcers and reinforcement are effective

Show notes, transcript and more: https://autismclassroomresources.com/episode25

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In this episode I share 5 tips for systems you can use in your classroom. These tips can help you delegate more effectively. In other words, if you are like me and have a hard time giving up responsibility, I’ve got some suggestions for you (and me). The tips will also help you set up systems in the classroom that will increase productivity of all the adults in the area where they are needed. And this means less work for you at the end of the day.

Show notes, transcript and more: https://autismclassroomresources.com/episode24

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This episode of the podcast (episode 23) will focus on training staff effectively and tips for getting it done in the classroom. As we all know the days of paraprofessional making copies and filling in for office work are done…and we cannot do the jobs we do in our special education classrooms, or support students in general education classrooms without the help of paraprofessionals.

But I know that training staff is a huge issue for many of us with data collection, behavior plans, and pretty much everything. And I've got some tips and free resources that can help!

Highlights of Episode 23 on Training Paraprofessionals * Why just presenting information to staff is not enough for training. * How learning to play the piano is like training staff. * What research tells us is best practice in training paraprofessionals. * Specific steps to take to train staff so that it makes a difference in your classroom. * Practical strategies to use to fit training into your everyday classroom routines. * Free download of resources to use and a quick win for freeing yourself up to do training with your staff.

Find the Free Tools, Links, and Transcript at autismclassroomresources.com/episode23

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IEP data collection is one of the most difficult things that I hear teachers trying to figure out. Let’s face it, everyone tells you to take data, but few people actually walk through how to do it.

So in this episode, I want to walk you through what the 3 things that we need our data collection to be and why those things are important. But more significantly I’m going to walk you through 5 ways that you can use to improve your data collection over the course of the next few months. These are 5 ways that you can implement in your classroom without a ton of specialized knowledge. And I’ll point you to some free resources that can help you in that journey as well.

Find the Free Tools, Links, and Transcript at autismclassroomresources.com/episode22

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This episode was pulled from our Special Educator Academy (SEA) Show, one of 2 of the members-only podcasts that are part of the membership. I hope you enjoy a taste from SEA.

Perseveration is when someone gets stuck on a topic, a phrase, or an object and can’t move on to other things. This episode will talk about how to address different types of perseveration based on the potential function. I’ll talk about why perseveration happens and what it might look like as well as how to reduce it. Sometimes we can set limits, sometimes we need to address an underlying anxiety, but we always need to make sure we are addressing the function of the perseveration.

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This episode is drawn directly from the Monday Morning Inspirations members-only podcast for the Special Educator Academy. I'm focusing on why and how taking a break during the school holidays or over the summer can make you a better teacher. Get a taste of our inspirational and leadership podcast (1 of 2 podcasts members can access) from the Special Educator Academy and a reminder of why sometimes doing less gets more done.

Interested in learning more about the Special Educator Academy (SEA)? Check it out here: http://specialeducatoracademy.com

Want to join the Free Facebook Group? Join (and answer the 3 questions) here at http://specialeducatorsconnection.com

Need to grab a transcript or just would rather read this episode? Head over to http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode20

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So today I want to talk about our last step, which is implementing and monitoring our plan. It's important to remember that this process really uses the scientific method in the method that we're using, in a naturalistic assessment which is what we've been talking about, is going to involve implementing it, monitoring it, and verifying your hypotheses based on your interventions. And I think that verifying it with your implementation is probably one of the strongest ways to show whether or not your assessment was accurate or go back and problem solve and that process is going to be very important. So that's what I'm going to talk about today are the 3 steps that go into that process.

LINKS, EXAMPLES and SHOW NOTES autismclassroomresources.com/episode19

Behavior Data Sheets on TPT https://acrlinks.com/2Z89XzI

Behavior Data Sheets in Autism Classroom Resources Store https://acrlinks.com/2Q6xzAr

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Even if we have the most kickin' plan on the planet for this student with tons of preventive strategies and replacement skills being taught, the behavior is still going to occur at some point. And so it’s critically important this we write out this part of the plan for everyone to follow consistently. This episode will outline what to include and why it's important.

Highlights

What strategies to include for responding to challenging behavior.
Why it's important to have a written section in the behavior plan for responding to challenging behavior.
Considerations in choosing strategies for responding to problem behavior.
How to use FBA data to make decisions on how to respond to behaviors.
How to handle crises effectively with written plans.

Sign up for the 30 Short Videos of Behavior Tips! autismclassroomresources.com/free-resource-library

Want to find the show notes, transcript and pictures of the flow chart? Go to autismclassroomresources.com/episode18

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As I noted in the last episode it is important that we teach skills that serve the function of the behavior from our functional behavior assessment (FBA). However, only teaching those skills is wasting a lot of the information that our FBA gained for us. Based on our ABC data and our hypothesis statements, we also have behavioral skills that can be taught to address responding to the antecedents of behavior. And we can teach students more independence at managing situations that lend themselves to problem behavior.

Grab the Transcript, Show Notes or Read the Post at https://autismclassroomresources.com/episode17
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Looking for free resources? Check out the Autism Classroom Resources Free Resources Library--with 30 free 3-5 minute videos on behavioral strategies at https://www.autismclassroomresources.com/free-resource-library/
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In Episode 16 I am focusing on replacement behaviors. I'll share

What replacement behaviors are,
How they can make or break your behavior management;
What characteristics are important in choosing them;
And how to implement them so they work.

LINKS:

Autism Classroom Resources Episode 16

Special Educator Academy

Free Facebook Group

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In this episode, Episode 15, I address the preventive components part of the plan. I'll give you some examples. And I'll talk about why they are important to both offset setting events and to help our students cope better with potential triggers in their environment.

In this episode

What are prevention strategies in behavior support plans?
The two paths of prevention: addressing setting events and antecedent strategies.
How to prevent behavior by accommodating for setting events when you can't eliminate them.
Areas of antecedent strategies that we can implement to reduce behaviors before they happen.
The relationship of prevention strategies to replacement strategies.
How to choose prevention strategies based on your hypotheses statements and function of behavior.

Links:

Shownotes & Transcript

Special Educator Academy

Free Facebook Group

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In episode 14 we're talking about taking all the information from our functional behavior assessment and using our hypotheses statements (from episode 13) to craft a behavior plan that not only reduces challenging behavior but one that can also be implemented in the classroom.

In this episode:

Why I use "behavior support plan" instead of behavior intervention plan or behavior management plan
What a behavior support plan is designed to do
The research that tells us the majority of school behavior plans are NOT based on the FBA--and how you can change that
The research behind why creating behavior support as a team is so important
How to assure that your behavior support plan has all the needed elements to reduce behavior and improve quality of life.

Show notes, visuals and transcript

Special Educator Academy

Free Facebook Group

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So we've analyzed our data in episode 12. In Episode 13 we need to take all the information we have gathered--the interviews, observations, data, etc. and integrate it into hypothesis statements. Writing a hypothesis statement goes well beyond just identifying the function of the challenging behavior. It needs to outline everything we know about the behavior so we can use it to lead directly into our behavior support plan.

I'll walk you through examples of hypothesis statements and how to include the needed information that will lead us to what our interventions will be. As a bonus, there is a free graphic organizer in the post for this episode that can help.

Grab the transcript and free organizer in this post.

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In Episode 12 we are exploring ways to graph ABC data to come up with meaningful information for your behavioral hypotheses statements and for developing your behavioral support plan. in this episode I'm walking you through things to graph to make sense of the ABCs and things to think about when looking at your data to help it make sense and be helpful.

Bog Post With Transcript & Links

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In Episode 11 of the podcast, I talk about setting events as a factor we need to assess for in our functional assessment. They are sneaky but powerful impacts on students' behavior. Setting events may affect when the student reacts to certain antecedents at one time and not another. Consequently, while sometimes hard to track, they are important to consider in your functional behavior assessment to assure your results are accurate.

Download a transcript, links and more here https://AutismClassroomResources.com/episode11

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This is episode 10 of the Autism Classroom Resources Podcast and we have been talking about challenging behavior and functional behavior assessment We are on Step 2 which is gathering information and we're talking about data collection. So this week we are talking about antecedent behavior consequence data. I have a couple of free tools that you'll be able to download at the end and I will be also sharing some tips for how to make sure that your ABC data is meaningful and helpful to what you're trying to do.

Grab your free data sheet and links here.

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In today's episode, we'll be talking about step number 2 in the 5 step behavioral problem solving process--gathering all the information we need to begin to figure out why the behaviors are happening. I've talked a lot about the importance of basing our treatment on the function of the behavior not the form (but yes, I still felt the need to say it again). So, how do we figure that out? That's what we are starting on today.

Grab links and tools from this episode

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I talked in Episode 7 about the need to look at the function of the challenging behaviors rather than the form. Why we focus on whether it gets something or avoids something rather than whether it's biting or spitting. In this episode, I give you a deeper dive into what those functions can be and the beginning steps for what to look at to figure them out. You'll also get an overview of the 5-Step Process to Behavioral Problem Solving that will guide us through the next few episodes.

Show Notes & Resources:

Autism Classroom Resources Podcast Episode 8

Free Facebook Group: Special Educators Connection

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In Episode 7, I talk about how we can prevent behaviors problems from happening in the first place. I focus on 6 strategies you can put in place to create a behaviorally supportive classroom and you can grab a tool for implementing one of them in the corresponding blog post link below. These strategies are effective for all students in all types of classrooms. I share examples across the ages and classroom settings of how to put research-based strategies in place to support appropriate behavior as well as why those strategies are important. Using a function-based approach (described in Episode 6) allows us to prevent behaviors from occurring or keep them from escalating and requiring more significant intervention. While it won't eliminate all challenging behaviors, by preventing many of them, you will have time to focus your more intensive efforts on individual students.

Links:

Show Notes, Transcript and Links

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In Episode 6, I'm talking about the basic principles of behavior. These principles may be a review for some, but I think even behavior pros will find at least a kernel that they can use to help their team understand how behavior works (and how it doesn't). Sometimes it's unfathomable to those of us who do this all the time why others in the classroom or school just don't seem to get these ideas. To us they may be basic principles that feel like water and air. But to others, they are the opposite of what they learned about behavior from their parenting, previous classroom teams, previous administrators or just previous experience with students. So I think they bear repeating a bit to make sure we are all on the same track.

Shownotes and Links https://autismclassroomresources.com/episode6

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Giving feedback to teaching team mates can be one of the most frustrating and intimidating things about being a teacher. It's tough to put yourself out there and have the tough conversations. But without giving feedback, no one improves and issues just continue. This podcast has tips that can help you give clear, meaningful feedback in a way that brings the team together instead of splintering it further.

Blog Post with Links

Brene' Brown's Daring Classrooms

Building Classroom Teams and Zoning Plans Toolkit (on TpT)

Building Classroom Teams and Zoning Plans Toolkit (on Shopify)

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In this episode, I talk about setting the expectations in the classroom for the staff using staff zoning plans. Even though things seem obvious to you in the classroom, they aren't obvious to everyone and they may not be obvious to your paraprofessionals.

Part of your job as a teacher is to give direction. But we aren't always used to giving directions to other adults. So, in this episode I talk about why we need class zoning plans, how they can help you, and some tips to help make them more successful.

LINKS:

Grab all the links and examples at Autism Classroom Resources Podcast: Episode 4.

Grab a free zoning plan template in the Autism Classroom Resources Library

Want more information about how to actually create and use a zoning plan, along with more info about building teaching teams? Grab my Classroom Teams and Zoning Toolkit.

Building Classroom Teams and Zoning Plans (on TpT)

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Today, for Tip 3 in the Building Classroom Teams series, I'm talking about creating a classroom vision. Having a classroom vision that is a shared vision with the team is important for uniting everyone with a purpose. You might call it a classroom values statement or a mission statement, but no matter what you call it, It's so helpful when you need to give feedback to staff to get them back on track. Check the website for some free supports to create your vision.

Show notes and links: autismclassroomresources.com/episode3

LINKS

Building Classroom Teams and Zoning Plans (on TpT)

Building Classroom Teams and Zoning Plans (in the ACR Store)

Brene Brown's Daring Classrooms Hub

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Continuing our 5-part series on Building Effective Classroom Teams, this episode focuses on how you, as a team member, have responsibility for establishing and nurturing the classroom culture with both the students and the staff. Your tone, your behavior, and your approach can make the difference between a classroom that people tolerate working in each day and one that includes a team of adults working together for the good of the students.

Now, this is so easier said than done, right? In this episode I will give you some ideas of how to set the tone for the classroom and what you want it to be along with some personal experiences I have that taught me some good lessons about finding positives.

LINKS, TRANSCRIPT, AND SHOW NOTES autismclassroomresources.com/episode2

LINKS:

Special Educators Connection Private Facebook Group

Episode 1 Building Relationships

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Today I'm launching a 5-part series on working effectively with staff. Over the years, one of the biggest issues that I see and hear most teachers struggling with is working with other adults. Regardless of your role as a special educator, sometimes it seems the students are easier to work with than the staff. So in this series, we'll chat about how to build a team from the start, get everyone working toward the same goals, and automate the operations of the classroom to reduce stress.

In episode 1, I'm focusing on building relationships with staff. We take for granted this will happen, but we shouldn't. So I'll talk about ways to make it happen well as well as how to make it work in a world in which there is rarely time for staff to talk without the students present.

Links from this episode:

Special Educators Connection Facebook Group: http://specialeducatorsconnection.com

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Introducing the Autism Classroom Resources Podcast. Find out what it's all about!

Autism Classroom Resources

Special Educator Academy

Facebook Group: Special Educators Connection

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Autism Classroom Resources Podcast: Recent Episodes

Christine Reeve