STEPPING INTO SPECIAL EDUCATION, Special Education, SPED, Special Ed, Students with Disabilities, Classroom Management

80. Are You Returning Next School Year? 5 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Leaving Your Special Ed Teaching Position

Hey Special Education Teacher,
Have you thought about the possibility of not returning to your current role next school year? Has the thought of leaving special education altogether crossed your mind? Before you make any decisions, I encourage you to tune into this episode!
Choosing whether to stay or leave is not easy and many factors play into the decision. Research shows that 25% of special education teachers leave their positions each year which is significantly higher than teachers teaching in traditional classrooms. Our job is hard! And if you are thinking about leaving your current role, this episode is for you. I am sharing the 5 questions I believe you should ask yourself before you make a decision about leaving your special ed teaching position.
Take Care,
Michelle
 
Resources mentioned:
Episode 14: Are You Feeling Alone in Your Special Education Journey? 4 Places to Make Connections & Build Relationships to Get That Special Ed Support You Need!
Join the FACEBOOK COMMUNITY!
Connect with Michelle Vazquez:
IEP Success Method: IEP 101 Course Waitlist - Get on the list HERE! 
Download your FREE IEP Meeting Checklist HERE!
Become an INSIDER & join the email list HERE! 
Follow on INSTAGRAM! 
Contact: steppingintospecialed@gmail.com

79. Which Teaching Credential or License Is Right for You? 5 Types of Special Education Specialty Areas

Hey Sped Teacher,
Are you a special ed teacher looking to choose the right specialty area for your passion? Is deciding which credential is the best fit feeling overwhelming? Do you know the opportunities and responsibilities that come with each credential?
Join me in this episode as I break down the 5 different types of specialty areas in special education. As special educators, it can be confusing and stressful to decide which license or credential we want to pursue. Oftentimes, we may not even fully understand what each one means or the opportunities that we will have once we receive our license or credential. If you are currently in that position, I completely understand because I’ve been there! That’s why I’m diving into the special education specialty areas and making them easy to understand so you can make the choice that best fits your passion!
Take Care,
Michelle
 
Connect with Michelle Vazquez:
IEP Success Method: IEP 101 Course Waitlist - Get on the list HERE! 
Download your FREE IEP Meeting Checklist HERE!
Join the FACEBOOK COMMUNITY!
Become an INSIDER & join the email list HERE!
Follow on INSTAGRAM! 
Contact: steppingintospecialed@gmail.com

78. Don’t Do These 5 Things with Parents of Special Needs Students

Hey Special Ed Teacher,
Are you supporting parents of special needs students in the best way possible? Have you wondered if there are things you can do to build stronger relationships with your students’ parents? 
In this episode, we’re diving into 5 things to avoid when building strong relationships with our students’ parents. As busy special education teachers, it can be so easy to forget how important paying attention to the little details of communication is but these little details can make a big impact on our relationship with parents. We need to ensure we are being supportive and respectful of the parents, their thoughts and feelings, and any worries they may have. Tune in to hear how you can help to build strong, positive relationships with parents of special needs students!
Take Care,
Michelle
Resources mentioned:
Download your FREE IEP Meeting Checklist HERE!
Connect with Michelle Vazquez:
IEP Success Method: IEP 101 Course Waitlist - Get on the list HERE! 
Join the FACEBOOK COMMUNITY!
Become an INSIDER & join the email list HERE!
Follow on INSTAGRAM! 
Contact: steppingintospecialed@gmail.com

77. Time to Collect IEP Meeting Documents? 5 Steps to Begin Gathering What You Need Now as a Special Ed Teacher!

Hey Special Ed Teacher,
IEP season is here! How do you like to prepare for IEP meetings? What do you do to ensure you have all the documents needed before it’s meeting time? Are you looking for a better system so you aren’t scrambling at the last minute to get everything ready? 
Today, I’m breaking down the 5 steps I take to ensure I am ready to step into my IEP meetings prepared and confident. Having everything collected and ready ahead of time helps the meeting go smoothly and takes away the stress of gathering things last minute. I’ve made my fair share of mistakes when it comes to preparing for IEP meetings but I want you to avoid making those same mistakes so tune in to hear about my 5 step system for gathering IEP meeting documents!
Take Care,
Michelle
Resources mentioned:
Episode 11. Set up These 4 Simple Organizational Tools as a Special Education Teacher!
Episode 12. Student Paperwork Stressing You Out? 4 Easy Classroom Systems to Organize All That Paperwork and Data for Your Students with Special Needs!
Episode 19. 4 Steps to Collect Data and Organize It for an IEP Meeting
Connect with Michelle Vazquez:
IEP Success Method: IEP 101 Course Waitlist - Get on the list HERE! 
Join the FACEBOOK COMMUNITY!
Download your FREE IEP Meeting Checklist HERE!
Become an INSIDER & join the email list HERE! 
Follow on INSTAGRAM! 
Contact: steppingintospecialed@gmail.com

76. Token Boards: 7 Steps to Start Replacing Behaviors with Your Students with Disabilities!

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 we can start seeing the positive behaviors we’d like to see!
Take Care,
Michelle
Resources mentioned:
Join the FACEBOOK COMMUNITY!
Connect with Michelle Vazquez:
Leave a 5-star written review HERE! 
IEP Success Method: IEP 101 Course Waitlist - Get on the list HERE!
Download your FREE IEP Meeting Checklist HERE!
Become an INSIDER & join the email list HERE!
Follow on INSTAGRAM!
Contact: steppingintospecialed@gmail.com

75. How to Collaborate and Maintain a Good Relationship with Your Special Needs Parents!

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 person it benefits the most….the child.
Take Care,
Michelle
Resources mentioned:
Leave a 5-star written review HERE! 
Connect with Michelle Vazquez:
IEP Success Method: IEP 101 Course Waitlist - Get on the list HERE! 
Join the FACEBOOK COMMUNITY!
Download your FREE IEP Meeting Checklist HERE!
Become an INSIDER & join the email list HERE!
Follow on INSTAGRAM!
Contact: steppingintospecialed@gmail.com

74. My Top 6 Special Ed Classroom Tips to Keep You Organized!

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 top 6 tips have proven to help with my classroom environment, and I hope they can help you, too!
Take Care,
Michelle
Resources mentioned:
IEP Success Method: IEP 101 Course Waitlist - Get on the list HERE! 
Connect with Michelle Vazquez:
Join the FACEBOOK COMMUNITY!
Download your FREE IEP Meeting Checklist HERE!
Become an INSIDER & join the email list HERE!
Follow on INSTAGRAM!
Contact: steppingintospecialed@gmail.com

73. What I Learned in 2023 as a Special Education Teacher and My Goals for 2024!

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 year with more experience and know how to protect ourselves better so we are ready for 2024!
Take Care,
Michelle
Resources mentioned:
IEP Success Method: IEP 101 Course Waitlist - Get on the list HERE! 
Connect with Michelle Vazquez:
Join the FACEBOOK COMMUNITY!
Download your FREE IEP Meeting Checklist HERE!
Become an INSIDER & join the email list HERE!
Follow on INSTAGRAM!
Contact: steppingintospecialed@gmail.com

72. To Work or Not to Work? The Pros & Cons and How I Spend My Winter Break as a Sped Teacher!

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 vacation NOW so you’re not overwhelmed as soon as you return to your classroom!
Take Care,
Michelle
Connect with Michelle Vazquez:
Download your FREE IEP Meeting Checklist HERE!
Join the FACEBOOK COMMUNITY!
IEP Success Method: IEP 101 Course Waitlist - Get on the list HERE! 
Become an INSIDER & join the email list HERE! 
Follow on INSTAGRAM! 
Contact: steppingintospecialed@gmail.com

71. 7 Areas to Declutter in Your Special Education Classroom Before Winter Break!

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 FACEBOOK COMMUNITY!
IEP Success Method: IEP 101 Course Waitlist - Get on the list HERE!
Become an INSIDER & join the email list HERE!
Follow on INSTAGRAM!
Contact: steppingintospecialed@gmail.com