The Autism Helper Podcast

If you are in the special ed world, utilizing visuals isn’t a new concept. You are probably an expert on how and why using visuals is important. But let’s go one level deeper. The goal for all of our students and kids is independence. In this episode, we discuss how visuals help develop independent skills and how to translate this strategy to the real world. Evaluate the visuals you already have and assess where you need more or better visuals within your classroom or home. Then teach and fade. Visuals are a tool that need to be taught and once successful teaching is complete, pull back. Learn some essential tips to get your whole team on the same page for this important endeavor.  

Links:

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In this episode, Brigid McCormick, BCBA shares valuable ways to improve your instruction, decrease your staff training time, and increase the overall enjoyment of learning all by spending time pinpointing behaviors. Brigid is the founder and clinical director of Precision ABA and passionate about utilizing Precision Teaching. Brigid shares what Precision Teaching is and how all teachers, parents, and clinicians can utilize the first step of Precision Teaching to create a detailed and specific definition of the behavior you are trying to increase. She shares how 4 words can be clearer and easier to understand than 20 when it comes to IEP goals. We discuss best practices on creating IEP benchmarks and objectives, learning channels, and what to do when your IEP goals aren’t getting mastered. This episode is loaded with examples and amazing lightbulb moments! 

Links: 

Learning Channel Matrix: https://theautismhelper.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Matrix-Academic-1.pdf

Click here to find out more info about The Autism Helper Professional Development Membership: https://theautismhelper.com/membership/

Want more information about The Autism Helper Courses? Visit: https://theautismhelper.com/courses/

Looking for a specific product or resource? Find it in our new Autism Helper store! https://shop.theautismhelper.com/

Or visit The Autism Helper store on TpT: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/The-Autism-Helper

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Learn from my missteps during my first year in the classroom. In this episode, I share 5 major mistakes that wreaked havoc on my first year and how you can avoid these. Trying to “do it all” really never works but it definitely doesn’t work when you have no clue what you are doing Learn how to tackle small projects one at a time and avoid the “hamster wheel” syndrome. Ignoring staff training is one big mistake I made my first year. This mistake is now shifted into one of my passions. I am so into staff training because I know first hand how disastrous it can be if you avoid it. Not asking for help and being the lone wolf are two other mistakes I made my first year. Being part of the school community is essential. Learn how to reach out for support while building rapport with your colleagues. Lastly, understand the importance on safety. This was something I didn’t realize in my naive first year. Don’t learn this the hard way. Plan now. 

Links: 

https://theautismhelper.com/planning-worst-case-scenario/ 

https://theautismhelper.com/episode-6-crisis-plan/

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Looking for a specific product or resource? Find it in our new Autism Helper store! https://shop.theautismhelper.com/

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Back in the day as a new teacher, I thought the bulk of my job would be actually teaching my students. I was so wrong. This job encompasses so much more - managing staff, paperwork, collaborating with clinicians, etc. And now we have one more title to add to the list: publicist. Take a second and think about what most of your school thinks about your students. Does the teacher down the hall know that Sam just mastered his colors after weeks of working on it? Do the other 3rd grade students know that Jenny knows everyone’s birthday in your class? Does everyone see the personalities, quirks, and other great qualities of your students that you experience on a daily basis? The other teachers and students in your school most likely remember the tantrum one of your students had in the middle of an assembly last month. The vice principal remembers that you running down the hallway with a bag of plastic gloves, wipes, and adult diapers when you need to toilet on of your students while your paras were at lunch. The rest of the 6th graders remember when your student went around and touched everyone’s ears at gym class. They unfortunately probably don’t have a correct perception of your class. You can’t blame them. People remember the bad things over the good things in general. And sometimes our bad things are pretty loud and dramatic to put it nicely. In this episode, learn how to spread the word about the awesome, amazing, stellar, impressive, and down right fantastic things your kids are doing. Learn how to advocate for your students by educating your entire school community in a positive and proactive why. Be your classroom’s publicist and spread some good PR. 

Staff Special Education Presentation: http://theautismhelper.com/making-time-for-staff-training-now/?fbclid=IwAR068ZohhMh188oVuTPSWTx7B8yKJgJeb9fTGw1bMD1EsrvhuSre5PbwL5A 

Autism Awareness Unit: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Autism-Awareness-Unit-Help-Raise-Understanding-and-Knowledge-608226?aref=nfvcvvc3

Click here to find out more info about The Autism Helper Professional Development Membership: https://theautismhelper.com/membership/

Want more information about The Autism Helper Courses? Visit: https://theautismhelper.com/courses/

Looking for a specific product or resource? Find it in our new Autism Helper store! https://shop.theautismhelper.com/

Or visit The Autism Helper store on TpT: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/The-Autism-Helper

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My name is Sasha and I am a problem behavior causer. As a parent and a teacher, I have caused increases in problem behaviors. This happens because I negotiate, I give in, or I give attention. And guess what? This works for me in the moment. Negotiating or giving in gets that meltdown or negative behavior to stop. That’s what I want. I want that behavior to stop. But it does something else too - it teaches that child that negative behaviors result in something awesome. So they keep at it. Let’s change this contingency. In this episode, learn how to look to a long term instead of short term solution for behavior change. Negotiating or giving in may work in the moment but it doesn’t teach a positive alternative way for your child to communicate his wants and needs. It doesn’t promote long term success. I share specific strategies to respond, not react when behavior episodes occur and how to apply this to your everyday life.

Click here to find out more info about The Autism Helper Professional Development Membership: https://theautismhelper.com/membership/

Want more information about The Autism Helper Courses? Visit: https://theautismhelper.com/courses/

Looking for a specific product or resource? Find it in our new Autism Helper store! https://shop.theautismhelper.com/

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Get all updates from The Autism Helper Podcast by clicking subscribe above. Head over to theautismhelper.com for more info. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest @theautismhelper.

In this episode, I interview Chrissy Kelly of Life with Greyon & Parker. Chrissy is a parent to two boys with autism. She is a dedicated advocate and has a high level of knowledge in special education and applied behavior analysis. She shares her journey through her blog lifewithgreyson.com and social media platforms instagram and facebook @lifewithgreysonandparker. Chrissy and I discuss best practices for the IEP meeting from both sides of the table. Chrissy shares practicable strategies for parents to implement when approaching the meeting, what red flags to look for, and some overall tips for advocacy. We also discuss what things teachers can do to help parents feel more welcome, comfortable, and confident in the meeting. All of this is for the common goal of having the home and school be one unified team to make the most progress we can with each student. Chrissy's insight and advice is invaluable and this episode is filled with action items that will have an immediate impact.

Click here to find out more info about The Autism Helper Professional Development Membership: https://theautismhelper.com/membership/

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Looking for a specific product or resource? Find it in our new Autism Helper store! https://shop.theautismhelper.com/

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Let's talk about decision fatigue. Making decision after decision all day can be exhausting and mentally draining. Lesson planning not only helps hold you and your team accountable but it reduces the amount of decisions you need to make each day. You don't need to think about what you're doing with group #3 at 10:15 because it's already planned. In this episode, learn why lesson plans are essential to the susses of your class and how to write lesson plans that are actual helpful on a daily basis. 

Links: 

Creating a Classroom Excel Schedule: https://theautismhelper.com/creating-classroom-excel-schedule/

Lesson Planning and Curricular Maps: https://theautismhelper.com/lesson-planning-curriculum-maps/

Click here to find out more info about The Autism Helper Professional Development Membership: https://theautismhelper.com/membership/

Want more information about The Autism Helper Courses? Visit: https://theautismhelper.com/courses/

Looking for a specific product or resource? Find it in our new Autism Helper store! https://shop.theautismhelper.com/

Or visit The Autism Helper store on TpT: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/The-Autism-Helper

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Sometimes independent work tasks are mistakenly thought of as "busy work." Busy work implies something that has the main purpose of being kept occupied. It has minimal functional purpose. Independent work is couldn't be farther from this. Independent work has the purpose of teaching students to work on their own for a sustained period of time. This is one of the most essential life skills you can teach your student or child. Without being able to work on your own for a sustained time period, you will struggle to maintain a job, contribute to your household, or be part of a community. Independent work is key. 

In this episode, learn not only why independent work is so important but how to set this up in a meaningful way in your classroom. Banish the phrase "busy work" from your vocabulary. 

Click here to find out more info about The Autism Helper Professional Development Membership: https://theautismhelper.com/membership/

Want more information about The Autism Helper Courses? Visit: https://theautismhelper.com/courses/

Looking for a specific product or resource? Find it in our new Autism Helper store! https://shop.theautismhelper.com/

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It's happened to all of us. We went to IKEA, picked out the perfect $22 shelf, and proceeded to spend 5 hours putting it together. That shelf is now held together by masking tape but has made move after move with you because you refuse to get rid of it. You spent all of that time putting it together so it's staying with you. The IKEA effect is the idea that we place a higher value on things that we are involved in the creation of. Learn how to apply this concept to your classroom by increasing staff involvement to build buy-in. Whether it's for data collection, materials creation, and behavior plans, ownership leads to responsibility leads to buy-in.

Click here to find out more info about The Autism Helper Professional Development Membership: https://theautismhelper.com/membership/

Want more information about The Autism Helper Courses? Visit: https://theautismhelper.com/courses/

Looking for a specific product or resource? Find it in our new Autism Helper store! https://shop.theautismhelper.com/

Or visit The Autism Helper store on TpT: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/The-Autism-Helper

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In this episode, I answer commonly asked questions pulled from emails, social media, and blog comments. Some highlights: I discuss how to streamline your end of the day transition, what to do when a student is extremely attached to the teacher, misconceptions for using google forms, getting staff buy-in, planning for a substitute, sharing data with parents, implementing centers, and more! 

Staff Training Podcast Episodes: 

https://anchor.fm/theautismhelper/episodes/Episode-1-Staff-Training-e2j6ll 

https://anchor.fm/theautismhelper/episodes/Episode-3-Staff-Training-Pt-II-e2j6mh 

Planning for a Substitute: http://theautismhelper.com/58288-2/ 

Classroom Setup Blog Series: http://theautismhelper.com/category/behavior/summer-series-classroom-setup/

Click here to find out more info about The Autism Helper Professional Development Membership: https://theautismhelper.com/membership/

Want more information about The Autism Helper Courses? Visit: https://theautismhelper.com/courses/

Looking for a specific product or resource? Find it in our new Autism Helper store! https://shop.theautismhelper.com/

Or visit The Autism Helper store on TpT: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/The-Autism-Helper

Get all updates from The Autism Helper Podcast by clicking subscribe above. Head over to theautismhelper.com for more info. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest @theautismhelper.