Hey Special Education Teacher, Are you looking to find a better work and home life balance? Are you convinced that staying late and taking work home is just the way it is for teachers? I spent several years staying after school for hours. I had no idea how to turn off work mode and felt like I had to do all the things! A few years down the road, I realized that I was not giving my family the attention they deserved and I needed to figure out how to get my work done at school and prioritize my...

Hey Sped Teacher, Curious about what a veteran special education teacher wishes she knew before beginning her special education teaching journey? Do you wish you had insider knowledge before beginning your own journey as a special ed teacher? I’m sure I am not alone when I say that after getting some experience as a new special education teacher, I found myself thinking about all the things I wished I had known before because I guarantee I am not the only one who felt thrown right into it all...

Hey Special Education Teacher, Feeling the pressure of the last month of the school year? Wondering how to keep students engaged during the last month of the school year? We are entering the final stretch of the school year! But this last month of school always seems challenging. Between all the end of year tasks, maintaining student engagement, meetings, and feeling burnt out, the end of the year can be incredibly overwhelming! The good news is that it doesn’t need to be! In this episode, I...

Hey Sped Teacher, Are you struggling to connect with your gen ed colleagues as a special education teacher? Do you want to collaborate with general ed teachers to better serve your students but aren’t sure where to start? As our students’ case manager, we are to provide our students with the least restrictive environment. This means that we should be working closely with our general ed teachers to ensure our students with an IEP are getting the opportunity to be in their least restrictive...

Hey Special education Teacher, Are you considering making a transition from SDC to RSP, or RSP to SDC? Have you wondered what the differences are between these positions? In my 15 years of experience, I’ve spent 10 years as an SDC teacher before transitioning into my current role as an RSP teacher. I know that knowing and understanding the differences between these roles can be helpful when deciding which position is the best fit for you! So today, I am sharing the 7 biggest differences...

Hey Sped Teacher, Do you have elementary or middle school students transitioning on to their next school? Are you unsure how to prepare for a transitional IEP meeting? When students are moving from an elementary school to a middle school or a middle school to high school, it is crucial to have transitional IEPs to help with facilitating a smooth transition for your students with special needs. These transitional IEPs don’t need to be overwhelming, though! Whether you will be preparing your...

Hey Special Ed Teacher, Are you looking for ways to help your students with special needs manage test anxiety? Do you want your students to be as relaxed and prepared as possible for state testing? We all have students who overthink and stress out before tests. This can come out in a variety of ways including crying, attitudes, dropping to the floor, etc. This can be gut wrenching to see and seeing them look to you with overwhelm in their eyes when the tests begins is even worse! The good...

Hey Special Education Teacher, April is Autism Acceptance Month! Do you have a favorite way to celebrate Autism Acceptance Month?  Working in the education field, there is an extremely high chance that you have already worked with or will work with a student with Autism. That is one reason I feel it is so important to celebrate Autism Acceptance Month. We are striving to be more inclusive and promote education, understanding, and respect for the differences of people with autism. In this...

Hey Sped Teacher, Are you nervous about an upcoming observation? Do you tend to stress yourself out by overdoing it on your observation lesson plans? For many teachers (me included!), pressure and nerves come along with knowing you have an observation coming up. I would try to come up with some new and exciting lesson that covered every aspect of a standard. I was a nervous wreck! After a few years, I realized that I didn’t need to be doing this elaborate prep or creating brand new activities...

Hey Special Ed Teacher, Do you struggle with managing behavior in your special ed classroom? Are you ready to create a better learning environment for your students with disabilities? When I was in my first couple years of teaching, I was so excited about decorating my classroom, getting my students into the classroom, and teaching them all the exciting lessons I had planned. And then the first days of school came and I had students crying, running out the classroom, flipping desks, etc. I...

In this episode, I am breaking down the 6 steps I take to preparing myself and my students for state testing.

Tune in to hear my 6 best productivity tips for when it feels like you can’t fit everything into your day!

In this episode, I am diving into the 6 areas you need to look at first before thinking of changing a student’s placement.

Hey Special Ed Teacher, Are you unsure if you want to teach in a mild to moderate or extensive needs classroom? Are you not really sure what the differences are between the two? I’ve been there and I’m breaking it all down for you today so you can make the best decision possible for you! There are some distinct differences between teaching mild to moderate support needs vs extensive support needs. Some of these differences may affect which setting you want to teach in. Join me as I unpack the...

I am sharing the 5 questions I believe you should ask yourself before you make a decision about leaving your special ed teaching position.

Join me in this episode as I break down the 5 different types of specialty areas in special education.

In this episode, we’re diving into 5 things to avoid when building strong relationships with our students’ parents

Today, I’m breaking down the 5 steps I take to ensure I am ready to step into my IEP meetings prepared and confident.

Hey Sped Teacher, How do you use token boards in the special ed classroom? How do you use token boards effectively? How can it be used to promote positive behavior? In today’s episode, I’ll share 7 steps to replace behaviors you want to change with your students with special needs! Sometimes, our whole classroom behavior system does not work for every student. This is when extra behavioral support is needed to help our students with disabilities. The faster we set these strategies, the sooner...

Hey Special Education Teacher, How do you work with parents of your students with special needs? What do you say when you first introduce yourself? How do you keep your special needs parents' relationship going strong?   In today’s episode, I’ll share how I collaborate and keep a good relationship with my special needs parents! That first impression is crucial in building a relationship with them. I’ve learned a lot of lessons along the way to make it a better supportive experience for the...

Hey Special Ed Teacher, How do you structure your special education classroom? How do you manage your special ed class? What do you do to keep it organized? In today’s episode, I’ll share my top, tried, and true organization tips that I use in my own sped classroom! After going to two different districts, two different positions, three different schools, and moving into seven different classrooms (yes, SEVEN!)...I’ve made many organizational decisions throughout my 15 years of teaching! These...

Hey Sped Teacher, How was your 2023 year? Did you learn any new lessons personally and/or professionally? Any upcoming goals you’d like to accomplish for the next 2024 year? In today’s episode, I’ll be getting personal and sharing the hard lessons I learned in 2023 and some new goals I foresee this upcoming year! Reflecting on a not-easy year can be difficult, but it’s freeing to be open and honest and understand how to better ourselves so it doesn’t happen again. We can all start this new...

Hey Special Ed Teacher, It’s almost time for winter break! Do you have a plan for how you are spending your vacation? Will it be all about rest time? Or will you be catching up on work? Today, I share the pros and cons of working during your break and what I do during my vacation time! When our winter break finally arrives, all we want to do is….NOTHING!! But before you know it, it’s the day before returning, and we’re in panic mode, scrambling to finish work tasks! It’s time to plan your...

Hey Sped Teacher, Is your classroom environment feeling overwhelming? Want to feel more organized after winter break? Don’t know what areas to start clearing? Today, I share 7 areas to begin decluttering your special education classroom! We are so busy teaching and writing IEPs that we sometimes let our classrooms go. Let’s start the new year with a clear classroom and a refreshed mind! Take Care, Michelle Connect with Michelle Vazquez: Download your FREE IEP Meeting Checklist HERE! Join the...