The Ultimate Classroom Behavior Management Toolkit: Strategies and Free Printables for Teachers Classroom behavior management is one of the biggest challenges teachers face. Whether you’re in general education or special education, disruptive behavior can quickly derail learning. The good news? With the right tools in place, you can prevent many issues before they even start and teach students positive strategies for managing their own behavior. Why a Behavior System Works Better Than a Chart Traditional behavior charts often single out students without teaching them replacement skills. A complete system, on the other hand, focuses on: Prevention: Setting clear expectations, routines, and positive incentives Management: Providing calming strategies and reflection tools Instruction: Teaching conflict resolution and self-regulation skills Must-Have Tools for Behavior Success Here are some teacher favorites you can use tomorrow: Calming Corner reflection sheets and mo...

  The First 30 Days:  A Special Educator’s Back-to-School Survival Guide Back-to-school in special education can feel like juggling IEP meetings, behavior plans, scheduling nightmares, and paperwork… while balancing on a moving school bus. But here’s the truth: the first month doesn’t have to leave you running on coffee fumes by September 15th. With the right plan, you can set up your year for success — without burning out before fall even begins. This survival guide gives you a week-by-week checklist , quick win routines , and a “what can wait” reality check so you can focus on what matters most: your students. Week 1: Build the Foundation Main goal: Get organized and get to know your students. Checklist: Review all student IEPs — focus on accommodations, modifications, and service minutes. An IEP at a Glance would be helpful for this! Create a master caseload tracker (grab my editable Special Education Teacher Binder to save hours). Introduce yourself to ...

Back-to-School Survival Guide for Special Education Teachers: Tools, Tips, and Must-Have Resources Back-to-school season is here! For special education teachers, it’s a whirlwind of IEPs, schedules, student needs, and a classroom that somehow has to run smoothly on day one. The key to starting strong isn’t just hard work - it’s having the right tools and systems in place. In this guide, I’m sharing my ultimate back-to-school toolkit for special education teachers. These are the resources I personally rely on to save time, stay organized, and start the year confident. Plus, I’ll share classroom essentials from Amazon that make teaching easier and help you create a functional, stress-free space. Whether you’re a first-year teacher or a seasoned pro, these tips and resources will set you up for your smoothest school year yet. 1. Start with a Back-to-School To-Do List When everything feels urgent, it’s hard to know where to start. The best thing you can do is focus on what actually...