Be The Exception In Special Education

School's Out for Summer….did you just sing that in your head? I love summer for so many reasons. It is a great time to relax and recharge, while also squeezing in some learning on things that actually interest you.

In this week's episode, I'm sharing some of my favorite books to add to your list for the next few months. This list includes both professional development and leisure reading. I always try to find some balance in my own reading and you should too!

In this episode you will learn:

• The benefits of finding balance in your reading list.
• How to find the link for the books (we are making it easy for you!)
• How to find similar books to ones you have enjoyed in the past.
• About both audio books and print copies.

This episode is brought to you by Mightier.

MIGHTER have developed programs that help kids improve their social skills. Through screen time activities that involves interactive play and physical movement. Instead of sitting still at home all day watching television shows or playing video games. Click the link above to find out more information about the program.

Links and Resources

Amazon Link for Books Mentioned

Reading List Blog

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If you are loving the podcast, I would be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other teachers find my podcast and I love hearing what you think about the podcast as well. Just click here to review, select "Ratings and Reviews" and "Write a Review" and let me know what part of the podcast you found to be the most helpful!

Life skills are so important for our students and many are often lacking even the basic things. This could be everything from washing hands to being able to fix a simple meal. As teachers, we know that having a grasp on these skills can mean the difference between having to rely completely on others and independence.

In this week's episode I am chatting with Heather Hall from Special Needs Embracing Autism. She has been a special education teacher for 16 years and she is sharing some of her best tips to incorporate life skills into your classroom or practice no matter the age of your client.

In this episode you will learn:

• The benefits of asking for help.
• How to adapt your centers to teach life skills.
• How to teach money skills to your students.
• About taking life skills into the community for even more learning.

Links and Resources

Special Needs Embracing Autism Freebie

Connect with Heather Hall

Special Needs Embracing Autism Instagram

Special Needs Embracing Autism Facebook

Special Needs Embracing Autism Twitter

Special Needs Embracing Autism Blog

Special Needs Embracing Autism TpT Store

Connect with Dawn

Find me on IG

Etsy Shop

TpT Store

Subscribe

Are you subscribed to my podcast? Trust me, you definitely want to do that so you don't miss a thing! Click here to subscribe in iTunes!

Leave a Review

If you are loving the podcast, I would be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other teachers find my podcast and I love hearing what you think about the podcast as well. Just click here to review, select "Ratings and Reviews" and "Write a Review" and let me know what part of the podcast you found to be the most helpful!

Extended School Year is not for everyone but when a student has shown regression over breaks, they may need a little assistance over the summer. And someone has to teach that student. So….did you get voluntold? It will be okay…you can teach extended school year and not feel completely burnt out by the end of it, I promise!

In this week's episode I'm sharing some tips and strategies along with some resources that will make ESY smooth sailing for you and your student!

In this episode you will learn:

• The benefits of making learning fun.
• How to adapt materials you already have for ESY services.
• How to create task boxes and other hands-on activities to meet the goals of the student.
• About some amazing resources that are easy for you to use.

Links and Resources

Brand New Sticker Designs for Special Educators

Brand New Tshirt Designs for Special Educators

Extended School Year Bundle

Community Based Virtual Field Trips

Digital Escape Rooms

Connect with Dawn

Find me on IG

Etsy Shop

TpT Store

Subscribe

Are you subscribed to my podcast? Trust me, you definitely want to do that so you don't miss a thing! Click here to subscribe in iTunes!

Leave a Review

If you are loving the podcast, I would be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other teachers find my podcast and I love hearing what you think about the podcast as well. Just click here to review, select "Ratings and Reviews" and "Write a Review" and let me know what part of the podcast you found to be the most helpful!

The end of the year is right around the corner. I know we are all ready for it. It doesn't matter how much we love our students (and we do), we need the break to regroup and recharge so that we are ready to tackle all the things again next year. But did you know that there are things you can do to end this year that will make next year easier?

In this episode, I am chatting with Jenn from Teach Love Autism and she is going to share a few things that she says are must-dos to close out this school year.

In this episode you will learn:

• The benefits of thinking ahead.
• How to double check all your dates to make sure your paperwork is ready to go.
• How to organize your bulletin boards, etc ahead of time so you are ready for day one.
• About preparing a list of summer activities that your students would benefit from.

Links and Resources

How to Utilize Your Teacher Contract Hours

Teaching Life Skills for Kids

Things You Should Know About Autism

Connect with Jenn - Teach Love Autism

Teach, Love, Autism Instagram

Teach Love Autism Facebook

Connect with Dawn

Find me on IG

Etsy Shop

TpT Store

Subscribe

Are you subscribed to my podcast? Trust me, you definitely want to do that so you don't miss a thing! Click here to subscribe in iTunes!

Leave a Review

If you are loving the podcast, I would be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other teachers find my podcast and I love hearing what you think about the podcast as well. Just click here to review, select "Ratings and Reviews" and "Write a Review" and let me know what part of the podcast you found to be the most helpful!

Do you have a dream job in mind? You have talked with friends and colleagues and you just know that this one school would be a perfect fit for your teaching style and now they have an opening! But how do you prepare for the interview so that you can land that job?

In this episode I am sharing some interview tips that will leave you feeling confident and ready. With this in mind and your own fabulousness, you will have the best chance at getting exactly what you want.

In this episode you will learn:

• The benefits of dressing for success.
• How to show that you are a lifelong learner.
• How to be a team player.
• About ways to answer questions about IEPs, challenging behavior and co-teaching.

Links and Resources

Any resources mentioned or can be linked

Connect with (guest's name)

Connect with Dawn

Find me on IG

Etsy Shop

TpT Store

Subscribe

Are you subscribed to my podcast? Trust me, you definitely want to do that so you don't miss a thing! Click here to subscribe in iTunes!

Leave a Review

If you are loving the podcast, I would be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other teachers find my podcast and I love hearing what you think about the podcast as well. Just click here to review, select "Ratings and Reviews" and "Write a Review" and let me know what part of the podcast you found to be the most helpful!

We all know that when you teach in the special education setting you are often teaching multiple subjects, especially at the elementary level. It is hard to love them all, meaning that sometimes one area is a little more challenging to create engaging lessons. Math is one of those areas for me…so I went to one of the experts!

In this week's episode, I am chatting with Ashley from Spedtacular Days. She has a love for math and the variety of types of lessons you can teach. She is sharing some of her best tips on how to plan math lessons that your kids will love.

In this episode you will learn:

• The benefits of knowing the standards of not only the grade you are teaching, but also the grade below.
• How to adapt the general education teacher's lesson plans to work for the students with an IEP.
• How to use visuals to teach math.
• About some digital learning options for additional practice.

Links and Resources

Spedtacular Days Blog about Math Differentiation

Spedtacular Days Blog

Episode 70 with Ashley

Connect with Ashley

Spedtacular Days on Instagram

Spedtacular Days on TpT

Spedtacular Days on Facebook

Connect with Dawn

Find me on IG

Etsy Shop

TpT Store

Subscribe

Are you subscribed to my podcast? Trust me, you definitely want to do that so you don't miss a thing! Click here to subscribe in iTunes!

Leave a Review

If you are loving the podcast, I would be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other teachers find my podcast and I love hearing what you think about the podcast as well. Just click here to review, select "Ratings and Reviews" and "Write a Review" and let me know what part of the podcast you found to be the most helpful!

How are your IEP meetings going? Could you use a little extra help with organization? If you are anything like me then you are always looking for ways to make your meetings go just a little smoother. I started using an agenda many years ago, but through the years I have made small changes that have had a big impact on my meetings.

In this episode I am sharing about all things of an agenda. I'm talking about why it works and exactly what should be on it.

In this episode you will learn:

• The benefits of using an agenda for your IEP meetings.
• How to share the agenda with the team before the meeting.
• How to include a parking lot on your agenda for questions that come up.
• About what things should be included on the agenda.

Links and Resources

Special Education Forms for the IEP Meeting

7 Steps to Running a Smooth IEP Meeting Freebie

Connect with Dawn

Find me on IG

Etsy Shop

TpT Store

Subscribe

Are you subscribed to my podcast? Trust me, you definitely want to do that so you don't miss a thing! Click here to subscribe in iTunes!

Leave a Review

If you are loving the podcast, I would be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other teachers find my podcast and I love hearing what you think about the podcast as well. Just click here to review, select "Ratings and Reviews" and "Write a Review" and let me know what part of the podcast you found to be the most helpful!

How many of you are in a co-teaching situation at your school? There are so many wonderful things about an inclusive classroom, but it can also be hard to know how to best help your students and even how to collaborate in the best way with the general education teacher.

In this week's episode I am chatting with Rachel Glassman from Engaging Early Learners about how to support all the needs in your co-teaching classroom.

In this episode you will learn:

• The benefits of collaboration with your education colleagues.
• How to adapt the visuals you already use to teach independence.
• How to make simple changes to improve behavior management.
• About easy classroom organization ideas that make a huge difference.

Links and Resources

Rachel's Free Resources in the TpT Store

Connect with Rachel Glassman

Rachel's Instagram

Rachel's Facebook

Rachel's Website

Connect with Dawn

Find me on IG

Etsy Shop

TpT Store

Subscribe

Are you subscribed to my podcast? Trust me, you definitely want to do that so you don't miss a thing! Click here to subscribe in iTunes!

Leave a Review

If you are loving the podcast, I would be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other teachers find my podcast and I love hearing what you think about the podcast as well. Just click here to review, select "Ratings and Reviews" and "Write a Review" and let me know what part of the podcast you found to be the most helpful!

The sun is shining, the grass is getting greener and the plants are starting to come alive. April is one of my favorite months and I love how it lines up so perfectly with Earth Day and my Science lessons. There are so many different hands-on activities that you can bring into the classroom during this time.

In this week's episode I am sharing some of my favorite science related activities and a few resources that make teaching super easy for you (my favorite way)!

In this episode you will learn:

• The benefits of hands-on learning in your Science lessons.
• How to adapt Earth Day activities to work for you.
• How to teach Science in a special education classroom with adapted material.
• About different videos that you can use to help improve your students' understanding.

Links and Resources

Earth Day Freebie

Earth Day Resource

Science Bundle

Connect with Dawn

Find me on IG

Etsy Shop

TpT Store

Subscribe

Are you subscribed to my podcast? Trust me, you definitely want to do that so you don't miss a thing! Click here to subscribe in iTunes!

Leave a Review

If you are loving the podcast, I would be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other teachers find my podcast and I love hearing what you think about the podcast as well. Just click here to review, select "Ratings and Reviews" and "Write a Review" and let me know what part of the podcast you found to be the most helpful!

Are your students struggling with transitions? Or maybe they always want to know what is coming next? Do you have a student who is challenged with changes in their normal routine? If you answered yes to any or all of those questions you need to listen to this week's podcast.

McAlister Greiner from The Neurodivergent Teacher is joining me to chat about using visual schedules to help your students with transitions. She is sharing tips and strategies about everything from how to create a visual schedule to teaching even your most concrete students how to use one correctly.

In this episode you will learn:

• The benefits of visual schedules.
• How to adapt the day to day changes into a visual schedule.
• How to use task boxes within your visual schedule.
• About how to use your TAs when working with visual schedules.

Links and Resources

TpT Freebies from the Neurodivergent Teacher

The Neurodivergent TeeSpring (clothes, bag, stickers, etc)

Connect with (guest's name)

McAlister's Instagram (The Neurodivergent Teacher)

McAlister's Facebook (The Neurodivergent Teacher)

Connect with Dawn

Find me on IG

Etsy Shop

TpT Store

Subscribe

Are you subscribed to my podcast? Trust me, you definitely want to do that so you don't miss a thing! Click here to subscribe in iTunes!

Leave a Review

If you are loving the podcast, I would be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other teachers find my podcast and I love hearing what you think about the podcast as well. Just click here to review, select "Ratings and Reviews" and "Write a Review" and let me know what part of the podcast you found to be the most helpful!