In the latest episode of Teach Task Box Inspire, we dive into the importance of executive functioning skills and how they directly impact student success both in and out of the classroom. We explore key strategies teachers can implement to support students in developing critical skills like organization, time management, planning, and self-regulation. You'll hear practical examples, tools, and tips that can be integrated into your daily routines, helping your students build independence and confidence in their academic journey.

Resources Mentioned:

• Free training: 3 Simple and Powerful Ways to Cultivate Independence in Your Special Education Classroom

Show Notes: https://chalkboardsuperhero.com/episode49

In this episode of Teach Task Box Inspire, Lisa discusses the essential role paraprofessionals play in the special education classroom and shares practical strategies for supporting them effectively. From establishing clear communication and expectations to offering professional development and fostering a positive working relationship, Lisa provides actionable tips to ensure that paraprofessionals feel valued, equipped, and motivated.

This episode emphasizes the importance of collaboration and mutual respect in creating a successful and supportive classroom environment.

Resources Mentioned:

• Free training: 3 Simple and Powerful Ways to Cultivate Independence in Your Special Education Classroom

Show Notes: https://chalkboardsuperhero.com/episode48

Are you starting off the school year with behaviors you are unsure how to deal with? You won't want to miss episode 47! In this episode of Teach Task Box Inspire, Lisa discusses effective strategies for managing classroom transitions for students with special needs. Transitions can be challenging for students, often leading to anxiety and disruptive behaviors. Lisa explores how preparation, reducing anxiety, and streamlining transition processes can make these moments smoother and less stressful. She also shares practical tips such as using visual schedules, countdown timers, First-Then strategies, and creating calm corners to help students feel more secure and confident during transitions.

Episode Highlights:

• Visual Schedules:
• Utilize visual schedules to provide students with a clear and predictable sequence of events, helping them understand what’s coming next and reducing anxiety.
• Countdown Timers and Transition Cues:
• Use countdown timers and consistent transition cues to mentally prepare students for upcoming changes and make transitions smoother.
• First-Then Strategies:
• Implement First-Then strategies to help students manage anxiety by clearly outlining what needs to be done now and what they can look forward to afterward.
• Calm Corners and Positive Reinforcement:
• Offer access to calm corners for students who need to decompress during transitions and use positive reinforcement to motivate successful transitions.

Resources Mentioned:

• Token Boards
• Preference Assessments
• Color Coded Visual Schedules
• Visual Aids
• Free training: 3 Simple and Powerful Ways to Cultivate Independence in Your Special Education Classroom 

Show Notes: https://chalkboardsuperhero.com/episode47

Family involvement in your classroom is essential! In this Teach Task Box Inspire episode, Lisa explores the importance of building strong relationships with families in special education. She emphasizes that effective communication, involving parents in the IEP process, and providing consistent updates on student progress are key strategies for creating a collaborative and supportive environment. By fostering these connections, teachers can work with families to ensure the best outcomes for their students, making them feel valued and empowered in their child's education journey.

Episode Highlights:

• Effective Communication: Regular updates and two-way communication build trust and keep parents informed and engaged.
• Involving Families in the IEP Process: Preparing parents and collaboratively setting goals make them active participants in their child’s education.
• Providing Consistent Support: Frequent progress reports and celebrating student successes help maintain strong parent-teacher connections.
• Cultural Sensitivity: Understanding and adapting to cultural differences in communication ensures that all families feel respected and included.

Resources Mentioned:

• FREE communication sheet
• Free training: 3 Simple and Powerful Ways to Cultivate Independence in Your Special Education Classroom 

Show Notes: https://chalkboardsuperhero.com/episode46

In this Teach Task Box Inspire episode, Lisa delves into five effective strategies to help students manage big emotions. From active listening and co-regulation to providing space, using distractions, and encouraging creative expression, Lisa offers practical tips and insights for educators looking to support their students' emotional well-being. These strategies are essential tools that can be used in various situations to help students navigate their emotions and reduce challenging behaviors, ultimately fostering a more supportive and understanding classroom environment.

Episode Highlights:

• The Power of Active Listening: Discover how truly listening to students can reveal the root of their emotional struggles and provide a foundation for support.
• Co-Regulation in Action: Learn how modeling calming strategies alongside your students can help them manage their emotions more effectively.
• Giving Space When Needed: Understand the importance of allowing students the time and space to process their emotions independently.
• Creative Expression as an Outlet: Explore how drawing, writing, and other creative activities can offer students a non-verbal way to express their emotions.

Resources Mentioned:

• Free training: 3 Simple and Powerful Ways to Cultivate Independence in Your Special Education Classroom 

Connect with Me:

• Instagram: @chalkboard_superhero
• Join my Facebook group, Special Education Superheroes
• Join my email list
• Shop my TPT store

Show Notes: https://chalkboardsuperhero.com/episode45

In this episode of Teach Task Box Inspire, host Lisa Hollady shares 8 simple yet impactful Social Emotional Learning (SEL) practices to start the day, designed to set a positive tone for the entire classroom. These strategies are easy to implement and perfect for busy educators looking to enhance their morning routines. Lisa also highlights how her task boxes can be seamlessly integrated into these SEL practices, making them even more engaging and effective for students.

Episode Highlights:

• Daily Greetings - Build rapport and reduce challenging behaviors with personalized morning greetings.
• Emotions Check-In - Help students identify and regulate their emotions with a quick morning check-in.
• Positive Affirmations - Boost confidence and set a positive tone with daily affirmations, supported by affirmation cards in task boxes.
• SEL Journaling - Encourage reflection with morning journaling prompts, easily integrated into task boxes.

Resources Mentioned:

• Free training: 3 Simple and Powerful Ways to Cultivate Independence in Your Special Education Classroom 

Connect with Me:

• Instagram: @chalkboard_superhero
• Join my Facebook group, Special Education Superheroes
• Join my email list
• Shop my TPT store

Show notes: https://chalkboardsuperhero.com/episode44

In this episode of Teach Task Box Inspire, host Lisa Hollady dives into the power of behavior-specific praise. Discover how this targeted form of positive reinforcement can transform your classroom dynamics by providing clear, meaningful feedback to students. Lisa explains the simple yet effective formula for delivering behavior-specific praise and shares real-life examples to illustrate its impact. Whether you're looking to boost student motivation or improve classroom behavior, this episode will give you practical strategies to enhance your praise game and create a more positive learning environment.

Episode Highlights:

• Understanding Behavior-Specific Praise: Learn what behavior-specific praise is and why it’s a powerful tool for reinforcing positive behavior.
• The Magic Formula: Discover the three key components of effective behavior-specific praise and how to apply them in your classroom.
• Real-Life Examples: Hear practical examples of behavior-specific praise in action, including how it can help manage transitions, encourage teamwork, and more.
• Implementing Praise Effectively: Find out why using a 4:1 ratio of positive praise to corrections can improve classroom behavior and student engagement.

Resources Mentioned:

• Free training: 3 Simple and Powerful Ways to Cultivate Independence in Your Special Education Classroom 

Connect with Me:

• Instagram: @chalkboard_superhero
• Join my Facebook group, Special Education Superheroes
• Join my email list
• Shop my TPT store

Show notes: https://chalkboardsuperhero.com/episode43

In today’s episode, Lisa Hollady, the host of Teach Task Box Inspire, shares all about implementing an effective token economy in your special education classroom. A token economy is a powerful system for delivering positive reinforcement, encouraging desired behaviors, and reducing unwanted ones. Lisa will explain the basics of a token economy, practical examples of how it can be used, and essential dos and don’ts to ensure your token economy is successful. By the end of this episode, you’ll be equipped with the knowledge to create a motivating and effective reinforcement system that promotes positive outcomes in your classroom.

Episode Highlights:

• What is a Token Economy? - Learn the basics of a token economy and how it can reinforce positive behaviors by allowing students to earn tokens for desired actions, which can be exchanged for rewards.
• Practical Examples - Discover how to use token economies for various behaviors, such as completing assignments, following classroom rules, and encouraging positive social interactions.
• Dos and Don’ts - Essential tips for setting up a successful token economy, including picking the right target behaviors, using a variety of reinforcers, and being consistent in implementation.
• Implementation and Fading - Understand the importance of setting achievable goals, taking data, and having a plan for fading the token economy to naturally occurring reinforcement systems.

Resources Mentioned:

• Token Boards
• Preference Assessments
• Visual Schedules
• Visual Aids
• Free training: 3 Simple and Powerful Ways to Cultivate Independence in Your Special Education Classroom 

Connect with Me:

• Instagram: @chalkboard_superhero
• Join my Facebook group, Special Education Superheroes
• Join my email list
• Shop my TPT store

Show notes: https://chalkboardsuperhero.com/episode42

Implementing visual boundaries in the special education classroom can significantly improve students' understanding of where they are expected to be, reducing wandering and invasions of personal space. Using tools like painter’s tape, vinyl spots, and clear labels can effectively define these boundaries. Consistent teaching, reinforcement, and data tracking are essential to ensure students adhere to the boundaries and understand the expectations. This approach not only helps maintain order but also supports students in developing spatial awareness and independence.

Episode Highlights:

• Effective Tools: Painter’s tape and vinyl spots are practical tools for creating visual boundaries in the classroom.
• Clear Expectations: Labeling student and teacher spaces helps clarify boundaries and reduce confusion.
• Consistent Reinforcement: Regularly reinforcing and redirecting students helps them learn and adhere to boundaries.
• Data Tracking: Collecting frequency data on boundary adherence helps track progress and celebrate successes.

Resources Mentioned:

• Free training: 3 Simple and Powerful Ways to Cultivate Independence in Your Special Education Classroom 

Connect with Me:

• Instagram: @chalkboard_superhero
• Join my Facebook group, Special Education Superheroes
• Join my email list
• Shop my TPT store

Show Notes: https://chalkboardsuperhero.com/episode41

In this episode of Teach Task Box Inspire, Lisa shares the top five essential items she never goes without self-contained classroom. These tools help maintain a safe, functional, and happy learning environment, ensuring smooth and productive days for both staff and students.

Lisa delves into the importance of visual supports, timers, communication aids, sensory tools, and flexible seating options, providing practical tips on how to incorporate these items effectively to enhance structure, communication, and time management for students with autism.

Resources Mentioned:

• Visual Aids
• Free training: 3 Simple and Powerful Ways to Cultivate Independence in Your Special Education Classroom

Show Notes: https://chalkboardsuperhero.com/episode40