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Special Educators Resource Room Podcast: Real Talk for Special Education Teachers
Special Educators Resource Room with Jennifer DeBrosse is the podcast for busy special education teachers. Whether you’re brand new to the world of special education or an experienced teacher, this podcast will provide time-saving solutions for any busy special educator.
Get ready to move things off your special educator plate without feeling like you have to live at school.
I’m your host, Jennifer DeBrosse. I’m dual-certified, have been in education for over 25 years, and spent time in both the inclusion classroom and the resource room setting. I was also a special education instructional coach and mentor to hard-working educators just like you.
Tune in each week for quick action-packed episodes. They will be short, sweet, and to the point because I know how busy you are. I’m on a mission to help you get your time back!
Let’s connect! You can find more special education support at: Positively Learning Blog (PS: while you’re there, be sure to grab the free Special Educators Cheat Sheets!)
Episodes
200 episodes
197. Supporting Paraprofessionals Without Micromanaging | The LIST Edition
If you started the year wishing paraprofessionals had a little more direction… and now you feel like you’re directing every little thing, this episode is for you.We’re talking about that tricky middle ground between no direction a...
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196. What Happens When Students Don’t Know What Comes Next?
If behavior seems to increase during certain parts of your school day, take a closer look at what students are waiting for.Waiting to know how to start.Waiting to find out if they’re doing it correctly.Waiti...
194. How Do I Teach a Small Group Without the Rest of the Class Falling Apart?
You know small-group instruction matters. But what is the rest of the class supposed to be doing while you’re actually teaching that small group?In this episode, we’re talking about what needs to be in place so you can actually sit down,...
193. When Your Back-to-School Plan Isn’t Going to Plan
When your back-to-school plan isn’t going to plan, it doesn’t mean you need to start over. In this episode, we’re talking about what the first month of school can teach you about classroom routines, student needs, independent work, and special ...
192. Your Classroom Schedule Looks Good on Paper. But Will It Actually Work?
Ep. 92: Scheduling Tips for Special EducatorsTask Box Club and Independent Work Club:
191. You Don't Need a Paraprofessional Handbook for the First Week of School
A detailed paraprofessional handbook can be a helpful reference—but it probably isn’t what your support staff needs most during the first week of school.In this episode, I’m sharing the four things I would prioritize instead: a few spec...
190. What Routines Should I Teach the First Week of School?
Your students don’t automatically know how your classroom works — even when the activities are ready.In this episode, we’re talking about four routines to explicitly teach during the first two weeks of school, from getting started and as...
189. 3 Things I Would NOT Prep Before the First Day of School
If your back-to-school prep list keeps getting longer, this episode is your permission to make it shorter.I’m sharing 3 things I would NOT prep before the first day of school — and what I’d spend that time on instead.Because you d...
188. Your First Two Weeks of School (Independent Work Edition)
In this final episode of the Build Your Independent Work System Before Back-to-School series, I'm walking you through the five questions every teacher should answer before launching independent work with students.Plus, I'll shar...
187. If Your Small Groups Keep Getting Interrupted, Listen to This
Do your small groups keep getting interrupted by students who won't get started, stop working halfway through, or constantly ask for help?Those interruptions aren't random—they're giving you valuable information about what's working (an...
186. The Small Group Test: Is Your Independent Work System Really Ready?
Can your classroom keep learning while you're teaching a small group?In this episode, we're putting your independent work system to the test. I'll share why independent work was never about keeping students busy in my re...
185. Teach Routines That Last (Special Educators Summer Series Week 6)
Build Your Independent Work System - Week 6 of Special Educators Summer SeriesSetting up an independent work system is only half the job—students need to be taught how to use it. In this episode, Jennifer shares a simple four-step...
184. Why Your Students (and Your Para) Shouldn't Have to Guess
If your students are constantly asking, "What's next?" or support staff isn't sure how independent work should flow, this episode is for you. This is Week 5 of the Special Educators Summer Series and we're covering the K in t...
183. Clear Start. Clear Work. Clear Finish. | The Secret to Independent Work
There is a difference between a task a student can do and a task a student can do independently.Most classroom activities are designed for the first. Independent work requires the second.In this episode, we're talk...
182. Teacher Prep - Why You May Already Have Everything You Need
Special Educators Summer Series Week 3 - What You Actually Need to Build the Tasks. We're in the TASKS Framework. Last week was the T — Think it through — and your homework was three priority skills written down before you searched for a single...
181. Teacher Planning Made Easy: Start With the Skill, Not the Activity
Most teachers build independent work by finding things that look good. This episode is about doing it the other way around — starting with the skills your students actually need, before you open TPT or search for a single material.This i...
180. Special Educators Summer Series Week One!
If independent work keeps falling apart in your classroom, this episode is for you.Many special educators assume they need better activities, more task boxes, or more resources.But most independent work problems aren't actually ma...
179. Special Education Classroom This or That (End-of-Year Edition)
End-of-Year Classroom This or ThatToday’s episode is a lighter end-of-year conversation all about classroom “this or that” choices in special education classrooms.We’re walking through a few end-of-year teacher opinions, ro...
178. What Is Your Classroom Telling You Before Summer?
The end of the school year reveals a lot about how a classroom is really functioning.In this episode, we’re talking about what late May behavior, routines, and classroom energy might actually be telling you — especially in special educat...
177. What 4 Years of Task Box Club Taught Me (+ a BIG giveaway!)
This month, Task Box Club turns 4 years old 🎂In this episode, I’m reflecting on:how the club startedwhat independent work looked like in my classroom years agothe evolution of the club over the last 4 years<...
176. When Teaching Feels Unsustainable: Should You Stay or Go?
This time of year, a lot of educators quietly start asking themselves:👉 Can I do this again next year? 👉 And do I want to do it here?In this episode, we’re talking about the difference between teaching being ...
175. What I’d Buy for a Special Ed Classroom With $100, $250, $500, or $1000
If you had end-of-year budget money for your classroom… what would actually be worth buying?In this episode, I’m sharing: ✔ what I’d prioritize at different budget levels ✔ what purchases truly support independence&...