Technology in education has come so far in just the last few years. It seems like things change every single day. So how do we keep up? What works best for our special education students? What holds their attention but also keeps them learning? And what is the best thing for me as a teacher? There are so many questions!

In this week’s episode I’m joined by Kara Guiff, a 31 year veteran educator who shares with us some of the latest and greatest in the educational technology world, and specifically how we can be using the GSuite to improve our work function and our student output.

In this episode you will learn:

• The benefits of GSuite in collaboration with your virtual students.
• How to adapt your lessons to work in a virtual classroom.
• How to use Google forms to gather work and input from your students.
• About learning even more from Kara.

Links and Resources

Setting Up Data in Google Forms Freebie Video

Wait List for Thriving in SpEd 3

Kara's Facebook Group   

Connect with Kara

Kara's Website

Kara's Facebook Group

Wait List for Thriving in SpEd 3

Google Forms Freebie Video

Connect with Dawn

Digital Planner Freebie 

Buy the Digital Planner Here 

Find me on IG

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!

You made it! It is the end of the year and we have all survived...and at times even thrived...a pandemic. I am so proud of you and all that you have overcome. Let’s finish out the year strong, and together. In this week’s episode I want to share with you a few tips that have worked for me to add just a little calm to the chaos.

In this episode you will learn:

• The benefits of still maintaining a schedule
• How to adapt grading to make it easier on yourself
• How to set up centers so you can get 1:1 time to observe goal progress
• About prepare for next year so you are ready to start strong

Links and Resources

Easy Grading Rubric 

Connect with Dawn

My Digital Products

Find me on IG

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! 

Title:  How to Incorporate Social Skills in the Special Ed Classroom

Challenging behaviors can appear at any time from any student, but they always seem to be more prevalent in the Spring. Where do these behaviors come from and how can we respond appropriately?

Join me in this week’s episode as I chat with Amanda and Danielle from Navigating Behavior Change for answers to these questions and more.

In this episode you will learn:

• The benefits of using the scope and sequence method in teaching behavior
• How to deal with Spring fever in your classroom
• How to be a safe person for your students
• About a teaching interactions checklist that can help you get started with teaching behavior the right way

Links and Resources

Teacher Interactions Checklist 

Connect with Amanda + Danielle

Navigating Behavior Change Website

Navigating Behavior Change Membership Site

Navigating Behavior Change Facebook

Navigating Behavior Change Instagram 

Connect with Dawn

7 Steps to Running a Smooth IEP Freebie 

TpT Store 

Etsy Shop 

Find me on IG

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!

As special education teachers we are tasked with the unique job of teaching both state standards and a student’s personalized IEP goals. It can be very overwhelming at times. In this week’s episode, I’m going to share with you some strategies that I have found that can make things a little easier to balance.

In this episode you will learn:

• The benefits of focusing on state standards in whole group instruction
• How to use your one on one time for IEP goal instruction
• How to turn circle time into state standard instruction
• About breaking down the data for each of your students

Links and Resources

Easy Grading Rubric for Special Education

Data Freebie  

Connect with Dawn

Find me on IG

Cultivating Exceptional Minds 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!

Are your ducks a little out of line right now? Do you feel like you are completely overwhelmed to the point that you don’t even know where to start? Join me as I chat with Lauren Larson from Structure Special Ed about all things organization in this week’s episode.

In this episode you will learn:

• The benefits of finding your own system
• How to adapt what you already have in place
• How to stop listening to what works for others and find your own path
• About the benefits of trial and error

Links and Resources

Earth Day Freebie on TpT Store 

Connect with Lauren Larson

Lauren on Instagram: @structuredspecialed

Lauren’s website: www.structuredspecialed.com

Connect with Dawn

My Digital Products

Find me on IG

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 school year is right around the corner! Statewide testing and IEP season are both in full swing. So how do you and your students finish the year strong? Join me for this week’s episode where I will share some tips and strategies for you and your kiddos to be the best that you can be!

In this episode you will learn:

• The benefits of the pyeudonym PIRATES
• How to help your students prepare for testing
• How to stay organized and sane during IEP season
• About being intentional with your time

Links and Resources

Test Prep Resources

IEP Input Forms

TpT Store   

Connect with Dawn

Distance Learning Freebie

My Digital Products

My Distance Learning Products

Find me on IG

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! 

Being a new teacher can be such a scary thing. Some have just graduated and have a good foundation, others are coming from different fields entirely and need tons of support as they make the transition. Teacher Mentors an absolute necessity for those first crucial years. In this week’s episode I’m chatting with Kasey and Madison from Ability Driven Teaching about how to be an impactful teacher mentor. 

In this episode you will learn:

• The importance of setting a schedule with your mentee
• Simple ways to make yourself available throughout the day
• Helping your mentee know what questions to ask
• How to learn from your mentee

Links and Resources

Spring Bundle

March Escape Room Activity  

Ability Driven Teaching on Instagram

Ability Driven Teaching Podcast

Madison's Website

Kasey's Website    

Connect with Dawn

Distance Learning Freebie

My Digital Products

My Distance Learning Products

Find me on IG

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!

The dream of every special education teacher is for their students to be in a positive learning environment: behaviors are appropriate, students are engaged and succeeding. So how do we get our classrooms to this utopia? One of the key steps is giving positive and specific praise as often as you can. In this week’s episode we will talk about positive and specific praise and how to use it correctly to create your very own dream world. 

In this episode you will learn:

• The benefits of positive and specific praise
• How to know when to give praise
• How to balance praise and necessary feedback
• About creating your own dream classroom 

Links and Resources

Spring Bundle

March Escape Room Activity  

Connect with Dawn

Distance Learning Freebie

My Digital Products

My Distance Learning Products

Find me on IG

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 pushing your buttons as we near the end of the school year? Do you feel like your entire classroom needs a reset button? Join me in this week’s episode of Be the Exception as I talk with Chyna, an elementary behavioral special education teacher. She shares some strategies that are tried and true to get your students back on track and maintain some order to finish strong.

In this episode you will learn:

• The benefits of building relationships with your students, even if you don’t start until March
• How to adapt your consequences so kids connect with them 
• How to use data charts to track behavior
• About professional development that is geared towards being a special education teacher

Links and Resources

https://sites.google.com/cultivatingexceptionalminds.com/cbitrips/home

Connect with Chyna:

http://www.especiallysped.com/

https://www.instagram.com/especiallysped/?igshid=13azfflqcnokm

https://www.facebook.com/especiallysped/

https://twitter.com/especially_sped

https://www.teachitspecial.com/

Connect with Dawn

Distance Learning Freebie

My Digital Products

My Distance Learning Products

Find me on IG

Title: Being Intentional with Wait Times as a Teacher

So what is wait time? How much should you give? There are so many questions when we deal with our students who are struggling with developmental delays and sometimes not enough answers. In this week’s episode we will talk about the definition of wait times, the benefits of allowing for longer ones and how paying attention to the directives given makes all the difference in the world. 

In this episode you will learn:

• The benefits of allowing extra wait time
• How to adapt your directions to get a response from your students
• How to use effective prompts and verbal gestures 
• About the consequences of not giving wait time

Links and Resources

Free IEP Goal Training Session

Connect with Dawn

Distance Learning Freebie

My Digital Products

My Distance Learning Products

Find me on IG

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!