When meeting with parents or other members of the ARD committee, it can be a daunting task to know you’re bringing some hard information to share. Here are a few things I remember when I have to bring hard stuff to an IEP meeting. Be Prepared – Have Your Data Ready If you are bringing […] The post How to Share the Hard Stuff in IEP Meetings appeared first on Simply Special Ed ..read more

Every morning, when my students come in, one of the first things on their schedule is Morning Work. They know this means they are going to work in their Morning Binder! Here is how I use a folder or binder for Morning Work for my students in Special Education. Why Morning Work? First thing in […] The post How to Use a Folder for Morning Work appeared first on Simply Special Ed ..read more

Running centers in a self-contained classroom takes teamwork, and your paraprofessionals are your biggest allies! When roles and responsibilities are clearly defined, centers can run like a dream. But without structure? It can quickly feel chaotic. Let’s dive into strategies for effectively managing paraprofessionals during centers, and how the Simple Centers System can help. 1. […] The post How to Effectively Manage Paraprofessionals During Centers appeared first on Simply Special Ed ..read more

Consistency is key in a self-contained special education classroom. It helps students feel safe, reduces behaviors, and allows them to thrive academically. But let’s be real—creating and maintaining structured routines can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re already juggling a million other tasks. That’s where centers come in! Centers are a game-changer for self-contained classrooms. They […] The post Creating Structured, Predictable Routines with Centers appeared first on Simply Special Ed ..read more

It’s winter, which means it’s time to snuggle up with a good book! In my Junior High Life Skills class, I utilize Book Companions for ELA and Reading! Whether it is in small groups or 1:1 instruction, book companions help my students to have meaningful engagement with the text. I think I might love them […] The post Winter Book Companions appeared first on Simply Special Ed ..read more

As we know, behavior is a form of communication. All actions, intentional and not, communicate messages. Therefore, behaviors are GOING to happen. It’s not an “if”, but a “when.” If you teach Special Education classes at any age level, chances are you’ve already dealt with some challenging behaviors. When a student has reached the peak […] The post What To Do After a Behavior Occurs appeared first on Simply Special Ed ..read more

Hosting parent conferences is an important aspect of teaching. These conferences are so important for building relationships between families and teachers. However, most teacher preparation programs don’t prepare us for how to run parent-teacher conferences! Because of that, prepping and running these crucial meetings can feel a little stressful. But, it doesn’t have to be! […] The post How to Run Parent Conferences in Special Education appeared first on Simply Special Ed ..read more

Celebrating the holidays with your special education students is so much fun! I love bringing the magic of St. Patrick’s Day to my classroom each year by making Irish Potato Candy with my class! Read on for the super simple recipe that you can share with your kids this St. Patrick’s Day! What is Irish […] The post How to Make Irish Potato Candy appeared first on Simply Special Ed ..read more

Conferences can be an intimidating task, especially for newer special education teachers. Read on to find out some parent teacher conference dont’s, and what to do instead to ensure a successful conference! Conference don’t #1: Don’t start out with negative things. One thing I have always been told is to present information in the form […] The post What NOT to do at Parent Teacher Conferences (and what to do instead!) appeared first on Simply Special Ed ..read more

Special education teachers are often on the search committee for new Paraprofessional interviews. Here are 50 interview questions you can ask a paraprofessional during an interview to assess their qualifications and skills to see if they are a good fit for the position. Background & Experience: Skills & Abilities: Collaboration & Teamwork: Behavioral & Emotional […] The post 50 Interview Questions to Ask a Paraprofessional appeared first on Simply Special Ed ..read more