Explore every episode of the podcast Autism Classroom Resources Podcast: A Podcast for Special Educators
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 227. 5 Tips for a successful Start Teaching Special Needs Students [Getting Ready for BTS] | 30 Jul 2024 | 00:20:49 | |
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:
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. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | |||
| 226. The Nuts & Bolts of Leading Your classroom Team [Getting Ready for BTS] | 23 Jul 2024 | 00:15:26 | |
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:
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. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | |||
| 217. Preparing Students With ASD for College: Interview With Dr. Marc Ellison From the West Virginia Autism Training Center | 21 May 2024 | 00:29:54 | |
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:
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. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | |||
| 131. The Nuts & Bolts of Leading Your Classroom Team | 07 Aug 2022 | 00:15:26 | |
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 Grab the transcript, freebie and resource links at http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode131 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 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/autismclassroomresources/message | |||
| 4 More Tips for Successful Inclusion of Students with ASD in General Ed | 31 Jul 2022 | 00:16:56 | |
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 Grab the transcript, freebie and resource links at http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode130 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 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/autismclassroomresources/message | |||
| 129. 3 Tips for Successful Inclusion of Students with ASD in General Ed | 24 Jul 2022 | 00:14:47 | |
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) Grab the transcript, freebie and resource links at http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode129 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 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/autismclassroomresources/message | |||
| The Magic of Student Engagement and Why It’s So Important | 17 Jul 2022 | 00:18:23 | |
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 Grab the transcript, freebie and resource links at http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode128 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 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/autismclassroomresources/message | |||
| How Can the Special Educator Academy Make Your Life Easier? | 10 Jul 2022 | 00:15:46 | |
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 Grab the transcript, freebie and resource links at http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode127 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 | |||
| How to Prep for the New Year By the Pool | 03 Jul 2022 | 00:19:32 | |
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 Grab the transcript, freebie and resource links at http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode126 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 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/autismclassroomresources/message | |||
| How to Address Perseveration [From the Academy] | 26 Jun 2022 | 00:21:59 | |
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 Grab the transcript, freebie and resource links at http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode21 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 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/autismclassroomresources/message | |||
| Visual Schedules and Autism Busting 5 Myths and Setting it Straight | 19 Jun 2022 | 00:11:59 | |
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 Grab the transcript, freebie and resource links at http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode74 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 | |||
| What Do I Do When the Behavior Plan Isn’t Working? | 29 May 2022 | 00:18:10 | |
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) Grab the transcript, freebie and resource links at http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode125 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 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/autismclassroomresources/message | |||
| Where Does Anxiety Fit in the Behavior-Communication Connection? | 22 May 2022 | 00:23:35 | |
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 Grab the transcript, freebie and resource links at http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode124 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 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/autismclassroomresources/message | |||
| 216. Writing IEP Goals: 5 Things You Need to Ask | 14 May 2024 | 00:17:08 | |
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:
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. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | |||
| Why Functional Communication Training Is More Than Just “Use Your Words” | 15 May 2022 | 00:18:03 | |
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 Grab the transcript, freebie and resource links at http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode123 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 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/autismclassroomresources/message | |||
| What Is Positive Behavioral Interventions & Support, Really? | 08 May 2022 | 00:16:52 | |
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 Grab the transcript, freebie and resource links at http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode122 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 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/autismclassroomresources/message | |||
| What’s the Behavior-Communication Connection? | 01 May 2022 | 00:13:50 | |
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 Join us inside the Special Educators Academy for your 7 day free trial. Grab the transcript, freebie and resource links at http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode121 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 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/autismclassroomresources/message | |||
| The Importance of Teaching Programs | 24 Apr 2022 | 00:11:44 | |
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 Grab the transcript, freebie and resource links at http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode120 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 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/autismclassroomresources/message | |||
| 7 Ways You May Be Sabotaging Your Instruction | 17 Apr 2022 | 00:13:00 | |
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 Grab the transcript, freebie, and resource links at http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode119 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 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/autismclassroomresources/message | |||
| 5 Ways to Make Naturalistic Instruction Easier | 10 Apr 2022 | 00:17:38 | |
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 Grab the transcript, freebie and resource links at http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode118 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 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/autismclassroomresources/message | |||
| What is Applied Behavior Analysis or ABA? | 03 Apr 2022 | 00:17:30 | |
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 Grab the transcript, freebie and resource links at http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode117 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 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/autismclassroomresources/message | |||
| Frequently Asked Questions About Independent Work Stations | 27 Mar 2022 | 00:15:29 | |
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? Grab the transcript, freebie and resource links at http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode116 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 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/autismclassroomresources/message | |||
| The Biggest Mistakes I See in Independent Work Stations | 20 Mar 2022 | 00:18:53 | |
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 Grab the transcript, freebie and resource links at http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode115 Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library... http://library.autismclassroomresources.com Want more information about the Special Educator Academy? http://SpecialEducatorAcademy.com Join the Free Facebook Group http://specialeducatorsconnection.com --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/autismclassroomresources/message | |||
| Why Should I Use an Independent Work System? | 13 Mar 2022 | 00:15:37 | |
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 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/episode114 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 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/autismclassroomresources/message | |||
| 215. Discovering the Hidden Curriculum Meaning With Dr. Brenda Myles | 07 May 2024 | 00:32:59 | |
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:
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. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | |||
| What Is An Independent Work System Really? | 06 Mar 2022 | 00:16:23 | |
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 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/episode113 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 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/autismclassroomresources/message | |||
| Working On Functional Literacy With Cooking in the Classroom | 27 Feb 2022 | 00:13:15 | |
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 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/episode112 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 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/autismclassroomresources/message | |||
| Tools to Increase Engagement In Life Skills Instruction | 20 Feb 2022 | 00:14:38 | |
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 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/episode111 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 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/autismclassroomresources/message | |||
| Are Your Life Skills Activities Not Engaging Your Students? | 13 Feb 2022 | 00:14:31 | |
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 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/episode110 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 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/autismclassroomresources/message | |||
| 5 Myths About Life Skills | 06 Feb 2022 | 00:15:57 | |
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 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/episode109 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 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/autismclassroomresources/message | |||
| Creating Age-Respectful Morning Meeting Activities for Secondary Students | 30 Jan 2022 | 00:17:13 | |
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 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/episode108 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 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/autismclassroomresources/message | |||
| Instructional Strategies for Morning Meeting and Circle Time | 16 Jan 2022 | 00:14:52 | |
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 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/episode106 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 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/autismclassroomresources/message | |||
| Skills to Target During Morning Meeting for Younger & Older Students | 09 Jan 2022 | 00:15:33 | |
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 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/episode105 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 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/autismclassroomresources/message | |||
| How Do We Get Morning Meeting Right in Special Ed? | 02 Jan 2022 | 00:15:49 | |
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 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/episode104 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 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/autismclassroomresources/message | |||
| How Can Special Educators Advocate For Their Needs? 3 Tips to be Effective | 26 Dec 2021 | 00:20:03 | |
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 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/episode52 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 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/autismclassroomresources/message | |||
| 214. Building Solid Teacher Parent Relationships: From the Parent Perspective With Kelley Coleman | 30 Apr 2024 | 00:58:22 | |
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:
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. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | |||
| Getting Started with Challenging Behavior in the Classroom | 19 Dec 2021 | 00:20:19 | |
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 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/episode6 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 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/autismclassroomresources/message | |||
| Teacher Tired? How to Use Break to Prevent Burnout | 12 Dec 2021 | 00:13:08 | |
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 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/episode63 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 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/autismclassroomresources/message | |||
| Visual Schedules and Autism: Busting 5 Myths and Setting it Straight | 05 Dec 2021 | 00:11:59 | |
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 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/episode74 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 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/autismclassroomresources/message | |||
| How to Teach a Student He Can’t Always Have What He Wants | 28 Nov 2021 | 00:11:33 | |
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 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/episode103 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 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/autismclassroomresources/message | |||
| Visuals to Save Your Sanity During the Holidays | 21 Nov 2021 | 00:14:36 | |
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. * This page contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases and will be awarded a small commission at no extra cost to you in the event of a sale. * 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 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/episode102 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 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/autismclassroomresources/message | |||
| What to Do When You Can't Honor Attention-Seeking Replacement Behaviors | 14 Nov 2021 | 00:15:01 | |
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 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/episode101 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 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/autismclassroomresources/message | |||
| What To Do When You Can't Honor an Escape-Related Replacement Behavior | 07 Nov 2021 | 00:12:28 | |
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 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/episode100 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 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/autismclassroomresources/message | |||
| 3 Most Important Things to Remember in Responding to Challenging Behavior | 31 Oct 2021 | 00:14:30 | |
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 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/episode99 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 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/autismclassroomresources/message | |||
| The 3 Most Important Considerations in Choosing Replacement Behaviors | 24 Oct 2021 | 00:12:23 | |
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 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/episode98 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 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/autismclassroomresources/message | |||
| 5 Ways to Prep Students to Avoid Challenging Behaviors | 17 Oct 2021 | 00:13:48 | |
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 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/episode97 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 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/autismclassroomresources/message | |||
| 213. The Impact of Students’ Behavior: What Every Paraprofessional (And Professional) Needs to Know (From SEA) | 23 Apr 2024 | 00:12:21 | |
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:
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. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | |||
| The 3 Biggest Behavioral Support Mistakes Committed In the Classroom | 10 Oct 2021 | 00:14:02 | |
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 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/episode96 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 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/autismclassroomresources/message | |||
| 3 Problems In the Classroom That You Can Fix With Your Zoning Plan | 03 Oct 2021 | 00:05:39 | |
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 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/episode95 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 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/autismclassroomresources/message | |||
| 5 Problems In the Classroom That Mean You Should Fix the Schedule | 26 Sep 2021 | 00:06:24 | |
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 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/episode94 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 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/autismclassroomresources/message | |||