In this episode, I dive into the idea of "age-appropriate" in special education and why it’s okay (and often beneficial) when students gravitate toward interests that don’t align with their chronological age. I share a personal story about using a student’s love for trains to drive engagement and growth, explore the balance between respecting interests and teaching social awareness, and give practical tips for leveraging student interests to build skills and confidence.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

What "Age-Appropriate" Really Means:

The Power of Interests:

When Age-Appropriateness Matters:

Using Interests as a Teaching Tool:

The Big Takeaway:

Challenge of the Week:
Next time you’re planning, think about how you can incorporate a student’s unique interest into a lesson or goal. Whether it’s Peppa Pig or dinosaurs, lean into what they love!

Memorable Quotes from This Episode:

Episode Resources & Links:

Share This Episode:
If this episode resonated with you or gave you a fresh perspective, share it with another educator or parent. Let’s celebrate what makes our students unique!

In this episode, I’m diving into one of my favorite topics: building independence in the special ed classroom. We’ll explore why independence is such a crucial skill for our students and how it benefits not just them but us as teachers, too. I’ll share a personal story about how teaching one small skill made a big difference and give you practical tips to help your students develop life and self-help skills, no matter where they are on their journey.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

Why Independence Matters:

My Aha Moment:

Practical Tips for Building Independence:

Adapt for Individual Needs:

The Big Takeaway:

Challenge of the Week:
Choose one small skill to focus on this week with your students. Whether it’s opening a snack, following a visual schedule, or putting on a coat, start small and celebrate big!

Memorable Quotes from This Episode:

Episode Resources & Links:

Share This Episode:
If this episode gave you some fresh ideas or inspiration, share it with a fellow teacher who could use some encouragement. Let’s celebrate the small wins together!

Episode Summary:
In this episode, I’m diving into a topic that I know we’ve all struggled with at some point: work-life balance. If you’ve ever been the first car in the parking lot or the last to leave, this one’s for you. I’ll be sharing my personal journey, what I’ve learned about setting boundaries, and why taking care of yourself isn’t selfish—it’s essential.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

My Journey with Work-Life Balance:

What Burnout Costs Us:

The Power of Boundaries:

Why Slowing Down Isn’t a Weakness:

Finding Your Balance:

Challenge of the Week:
This week, I’m challenging you to pick one thing you can do to set a boundary.

Whatever it is, take that step—it’s worth it.

Memorable Quotes from This Episode:

Episode Resources & Links:

 Share This Episode:
If this episode resonated with you, share it with a fellow teacher who might need a reminder that they matter too. Let’s support each other in building sustainable, fulfilling lives.

Welcome back! It’s been a long time since my last episode, but I’m so excited to be here with fresh energy, exciting updates, and a renewed passion for this podcast.

A lot has changed since June 2021, and in this episode, I’m catching you up on everything—from personal life shifts to how I’ve been balancing motherhood, working, running a business, and taking care of myself. Whether you’re a returning listener or brand new, I’m thrilled to share relatable stories, practical tips, and a sneak peek at what’s coming next.

Let’s dive in!

What I Talk About in This Episode:

Where I’ve Been:

I share a candid update on what life has looked like since my last episode, including: Becoming a mom to an energetic 3-year-old who keeps me on my toes. Life with my sweet (but lively) dog and my Zoom-famous cat. How I’ve been navigating personal changes, prioritizing my family, and finding a healthier work-life balance.

What This Podcast Is About:

Practical tips and strategies to help you thrive in your special education classroom. Fun, relatable stories to remind you that we’re all in this together. A supportive space to inspire, empower, and maybe even make you laugh along the way.

What’s Coming Next:

Episodes on topics like building independence in students, managing challenging behaviors, and getting the most out of your classroom resources. Guest speakers, including educators, behavior specialists, and some surprise guests. A mix of personal stories and teaching insights—because, let’s face it, life as a teacher is always full of surprises!

How You Can Get Involved:

I’d love to hear from you! If you have a topic you’d like me to cover, a classroom challenge you’re facing, or even a funny story to share, reach out to me on Instagram at @teachingautism or through my website.

Your Action Steps: Subscribe so you don’t miss any new episodes. Scroll back and check out some of my previous episodes—there are so many tips and ideas waiting for you. Connect with me to share your thoughts, stories, or suggestions.

Thank you for being here and for being part of this amazing community. Whether you’ve been following my journey from the start or just stumbled across the podcast, you’re the reason I’m dusting off the mic and diving back in. Let’s make this year full of laughter, learning, and inspiration together. You’ve got this—and I’m here to help every step of the way! 🎙️✨

Today on the podcast is an episode that is really important to me.. Teachers, Enjoy Your Summer Break! And it’s something that I feel really passionately about. It is so easy these days to think that we need to sacrifice our summer break and keep working. Many teachers even admit to going into school to work over the summer holidays.. And this is something that I really want to focus on with you today and help you be able to enjoy your summer break again.. Not spend it working!

In this podcast episode today, I am talking all about;

• Why you need to be taking time off over the summer.
• The benefits of taking time off over summer.
• Consequences if you spend your summer working.
• My top 5 tips to help you get organized. These will help you to be able to enjoy your summer break – and not spend it working!
• Ways to get organized in advance next school year, so that you can enjoy your summer.

• My Chocolate Croissant Recipe
• 5 End of Year Tips
• Ending the School Year Positively
• Preparing for the End of the School Year

If you found this ‘Teachers Enjoy Your Summer Break’ podcast episode helpful, please consider sharing it with your friends and colleagues on social media.

P.S. Have you signed up for a 3 day free trial of our VIP membership yet? If not, click here to do it now and go and get access to a huge range of resources, templates, crafts and more for free.

Today on the podcast I’m discussing ending the school year positively. Let’s face it, the end of the school year can be tough, stressful and very overwhelming. And it’s very easy to start feeling really negative and just wishing those last few days away.

But the end of the year is the perfect opportunity for us to reflect and look back on the school year. And there’s no better feeling than walking out of that door on the last school day of the year and feeling positive and happy.

In this episode I am talking about;

• End of year overwhelm.
• Connecting with staff.
• Memory jars.
• Reminiscing.
• Breakfast club.
• Takeout lunch.
• Compliment circle.
• Ending the year on a positive.

Below are some helpful links to podcast episodes, blog posts and resources that I discuss in this podcast episode;

• End of Year Tips for Special Education Teachers Podcast Episode
• Keeping Students Engaged at the End of the Year
• Preparing for the End of the Year
• End of the Year Resources
• Memory Book

If you found this podcast episode about ending the school year positively helpful, please consider sharing it with your friends and colleagues on social media.

P.S. Have you signed up for a 3 day free trial of our VIP membership yet? If not, click here to do it now and go and get access to a huge range of resources, templates, crafts and more for free.

I am so excited today to be sharing my 5 must-do’s for the new school year. I always get asked about what my to-do list looks like for the new school year. And while I do have a list longer than 5 items – because let’s face it, who doesn’t? I do have a priority list of 5 must-do’s that I get done every school year. And I focus heavily on getting these 5 things done before I move onto anything else. And because so many of you always ask this question, I decided to make it into a podcast episode for you.

• My 5 priorities for the new school year.
• Visuals.
• Classroom displays.
• Communication aides.
• Work, themes and holidays.
• Classroom schedule.
• Saving time.
• Keeping your summer for you – with no stress!

Below are some helpful links to podcast episodes, blog posts and resources that I discuss in this podcast episode;

• Classroom Visuals Bundle
• Set Up Your Classroom
• Back to School Resources
• Classroom Decor Packs
• Daily Class Schedule Podcast Episode
• My Top 5 Visuals for the Classroom Podcast Episode
• Using a Communication Book Blog Post
• Daily Classroom Schedule Blog Post
• What to Do On the First Day of School Blog Post

If you found this podcast episode about my 5 must-do’s for the new school year helpful, please consider sharing it with your friends and colleagues on social media.

P.S. Have you signed up for a 3 day free trial of our VIP membership yet? If not, click here to do it now and go and get access to a huge range of resources, templates, crafts and more for free.

I am so excited today to be sharing my 5 must-do’s for the new school year. I always get asked about what my to-do list looks like for the new school year. And while I do have a list longer than 5 items – because let’s face it, who doesn’t? I do have a priority […]

The post 5 Must-Do’s for the New School Year first appeared on Teaching Autism.

I am so excited to be sharing my 5 end of year tips for special education teachers in this podcast episode. It’s really important to have a good plan in place for the end of the school year. One reason being is that it will help you to have a more relaxed summer – and actually take time off from work. So, if you’re ready to take control and have a smooth end of year, this is the episode for you.

• End of Year Tips
• Classroom Displays
• Connecting with New Students
• Delegating Jobs
• Food and Perishable Goods
• Cupboards
• Organization
• Back to School Prep

Below are some links that you may find helpful to make your end of year as smooth as possible, as well as helping you get prepared for the new school year.

• Classroom Display Packs
• Editable Newsletters
• Keeping Students Engaged at the End of the Year
• End of Year Resources
• Back to School Resources

If you found this podcast episode about end of year tips for special education teachers helpful, please consider sharing it with your friends and colleagues on social media.

P.S. Have you signed up for a 3 day free trial of our VIP membership yet? If not, click here to do it now and go and get access to a huge range of resources, templates, crafts and more for free.

I think it’s safe to say we all know how hard it is keeping students engaged at the end of the year. Over the years, I’ve really tried a number of different strategies – and used a lot of trial and error – to help with this. And today I am so excited to share my top tips with you for keeping your students engaged during this busy and sometimes crazy time of year.

• Tips for keeping students engaged at the end of the year.
• The importance of routines.
• Free choice time.
• Themes.
• Calming activities.
• Getting outdoors.

Below are some links that you may find helpful to continue learning and gaining ideas and strategies. As well as resources that can help to make this time of year smoother and less stressful;

• 5 Tips for Transitioning Students Podcast
• Preparing for the End of the Year Podcast
• End of Year Resources
• May Classroom Theme Ideas Blog Post

If you found this podcast episode helpful, please consider sharing it with your friends and colleagues on social media.

P.S. Have you signed up for a 3 day free trial of our VIP membership yet? If not, click here to do it now and go and get access to a huge range of resources, templates, crafts and more for free.