Episode 51: How to Get Excited for a New School Year

Today’s episode is all about making the 21-22 school year a great one!

During a "normal" school year,  there seems to be two camps when it comes time to head back into the classroom each year. 

• The first group includes the teachers who are stoked for a new school year. They are in their rooms early July putting everything together, making plans and decorating their rooms to be Pinterest worthy. 
• Then there are those, and I have always been in this camp, who want to squeeze every drop out of their summer vacation and don’t prep or plan for a new school year until they are on the clock to do so.

But it has been my experience that even for those teachers who don’t seem ready to head back to school, once they get there, the excitement of a new year kicks in and we do what we teachers do best...

We prepare to make the school year exciting and fun for our students.

We do this because it’s in our blood and it’s in our hearts. We know teaching is a demanding profession. We juggle policies, co-workers, administration and parents all while trying to do what is in the best interest of the students. But in spite of all the hardships that come with being a teacher,  It is encouraging to know that the majority of teachers look forward to starting the process all over again every August & September. And that’s where today’s guest fits in.

Mandi Nash from The Nerdy Speducator is a middle school self-contained special education teacher. She has trained under state department officials in the areas of special education compliance and special education law and is currently working towards becoming a certified Master IEP Coach.

Today Mandi shares with us...

• Her favorite part of starting a new school year
• What routines and procedures she puts into place before the students arrive
• Suggestions for those who might not be quite ready to head back just yet
• And how to regain the excitement for each new school year

You can definitely feel Mandi’s excitement about getting back into the classroom and hopefully some of that excitement will wear off on you as well.

Mentioned in the Show...
Resource Library

Back to School Parent Brochure

Connect with Mandi:
Instagram

If "No Concerns" is still making its way into your IEP sections as a standalone remark, this episode is your call to action to enhance your PLAAFP (Present Levels of Academic and Functional Performance) writing practices.

The PLAAFP section is not just the foundation of the IEP; it’s the blueprint that guides every aspect of a student's educational plan.

In this episode (recap of episode 81), we discuss these important aspects of the IEP PLAAFP section:

• Essential Components: What must be included to paint a complete picture of a student’s capabilities and needs.
• Common Pitfalls: What to avoid to prevent vague or incomplete PLAAFP sections.
• Sourcing Information: Best practices for gathering comprehensive data from a variety of sources.
• Stakeholder Input: How to effectively incorporate feedback from everyone involved in the student’s education, including the students themselves.

Resource highlights include:

• Write Better PLAAFP Statements for IEPs | Special Ed Teachers

• Writing Impact Statements for IEP PLAAFPS | Special Education Teachers

• PLAAFPs-Present Levels of Performance Cheat Sheets

Tune in to learn:

• How to ensure that every PLAAFP section you write is as robust and informative as possible.
• Why revisiting and refining your approach to PLAAFP can make a substantial difference in your educational outcomes.

Mentioned in the show:

• Write Better PLAAFP Statements for Your IEPs Guide – Find this essential resource through the link in our show notes.
• Survey Level Assessment – Discover how this tool can aid in creating precise and personalized IEP goals.

Revisiting this topic reinforces our commitment to excellence in special education. Perfect your PLAAFP sections and ensure that every IEP you write fully reflects the unique needs and strengths of your students. Your mission to better understand and articulate your students' levels starts here!

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#60 5 Things I Wish I'd Been Taught in College

As a teacher leader and someone who provides support to other special educators both online and throughout my district as a department head and through providing professional development to teachers...I hear this All.  The. Time.

I wasn’t taught that in college.

And the sad truth is that they are right. They weren’t taught a lot of things in college that they are having to deal with today and it’s very aggravating. Imagine if a doctor were to say..."Sorry I can’t treat that sore throat because I wasn’t taught that in school." Or if an electrician said, "Your house may or may not burn down because I wasn’t taught how to fix that in school."  And just as 2 examples...both doctors and electricians are taught while actually working within their field. They have clinical experience and hands-on training that help prepare them for when the unexpected happens. 

Episode 52: The Power of Playing Games in the Classroom

Let's have some FUN!!
 
Today’s show was so much fun to record and it just so happens to be all about having fun! On this episode, we are chatting with Nicole Manley from Teaching in a Top Knot about how to implement game playing in a special education classroom. Nicole shares all the pros of playing games with your students from...learning social & emotional skills to incorporating content to teaching those life long lessons of how to be a good loser and a graceful winner.

And then she also gives us tips of how to address some of the challenges that come up with game playing like managing student behaviors during this more unstructured time, how to pay for the games in your classroom and what to say to others when they tell you you’re students can’t be learning because they’re playing.

After recording the show, I got to thinking about how playing board games with kids at home is most likely a lost art in a lot of families because of technology. Kids gravitate to those fast paced, instant gratification activities like video games and phone apps instead of old-fashioned board games and card games, but there are only so many skills you can learn while engaging in technology.

That's why implementing game playing within your classroom is so super important!

Nicole shares with us...

• What role playing games in the classroom has
• The social & emotional benefits
• Challenges teachers might face as they implement game playing in the classroom
• How to get set up and stock your game closet
• How to support academic content through the use of game playing
• And MORE!!

Tune in to hear all about the benefits of game playing in the classroom!

Nicole was named Teacher of the Year for her district by the local Lions’ Club.  She was also recognized as Outstanding Teacher by the PTA and as a leader for individuals with disabilities by GASELPA.  Nicole is active in special education reform at the district level and is a charter member serving on the Special Education Advisory Committee where she helped to create her district’s Special Education Manual. Nicole is responsible for single-handedly getting her school recognized as a Unified Champion School by Special Olympics Southern California.  As part of this program, she hosts an annual Abilities Awareness Week on her campus.  A week-long event that includes lunch activities, classroom learning, unified games and sports and raffles.  This event receives support not only from teachers, families and administration but also from local businesses.

You can connect with Nicole on Instagram

And check out her TPT store to find resources to support the games in your classroom

Mentioned in the Show...
Resource Library

Ep 58: The Why and How of Building Relationships with Parents

If you aren't building strong relationships with the parents of your students...you need to begin to make an intentional effort to do so and today's episode of the Sped Prep Academy Podcast will tell you why and how you should go about it.

This episode includes a story about how a typical IEP meeting with a parent became a very emotional and memorable experience for both the parent and myself.

The story that I share made me realize just how much of an impact we, as special educators, can actually make in the lives of our kiddos when we build strong relationships with their parents.

And once you've built that relationship, those parents will always see you as someone they could depend on...someone who helped their child succeed.

Look...I know how hard it is being a special educator. I get it. You sometimes have many, many students on your caseload and you are just wanting to get through this meeting so that you can move on with your day. In the midst of juggling paperwork, lesson planning, managing behaviors and of course actually teaching...sometimes we can easily forget the group that can provide us with significant support as teachers and case managers---parents and families.

Here are a few tips I discuss in more detail within the episode:

1. Smile
2. Communicate often
3. Ask questions
4. Help them understand

This Parent Handbook can be found in my TPT store. It guides parents through the special education process and gives them information in layman's terms. Also included are forms that help parents be an active participant in their child's IEP meetings.

Included in the handbook:

✅Parent rights are explained

✅The Special Education Process is explained

✅Personal Directory

✅Child Find Information

✅Evaluations

✅Placement

✅Least Restrictive Environment

✅IEP

✅Program

✅Services

✅Supports

✅Frequently Asked Questions

✅Resources

This FREEBIE will help you explain percentiles to parents by providing a visual to help pinpoint exactly where the student falls when compared to their peers.

Mentioned in the Show...

Sped Prep Academy. com/quiz