Blog Updates -

Easy Breezy IEPs: A Beginner’s Guide to Organizing & Leading IEP Meetings – Part 2: Writing the IEP

So, you’ve scheduled the IEP meeting, and it’s approaching fast! Now, it’s time to write the IEP documents! Nowadays, most districts have a digital system for IEP writing, including Infinite Campus, PowerSchool, or IEPWriter, but there are many others! Depending on the IEP program, the layout and order of the IEP components may be different, but all IEPs should cover the same information. How much of the IEP you have written prior to the meeting depends on your district. In some districts, most of the IEP is written during the IEP meeting. While this lends itself to awesome collaboration, it…

Beating the Sunday Scaries: It’s Time to Take Back Your Weekends!

With the start of the school year comes the return of the Sunday Scaries - that feeling in the pit of your stomach caused by the stress of a looming Monday morning and busy work week. Most teachers are too familiar with this feeling. These anxious feelings are only made worse by the fact that I frequently struggle to turn off the “teaching” part of my brain, so letting go enough to actually relax on the weekend is really difficult for me. Over the last few years, I’ve managed to tame my Sunday Scaries - well, for the most part.…

New School Year Prep as a Resource Room Teacher

Fall is my favorite time of year. From the weather to the fashion, to new school supplies, all of my favorite things happen in the fall! But back-to-school stress can really put a damper on the season. I’ve always been a person who plans ahead, which really comes in handy with preparing for a new school year, and as a special education teacher, there’s always so much to do to get ready for the new year! Aside from setting up my classroom and shopping for new clothes, here are the five things I focus on as I prepare for a…

Easy Breezy IEPs: A Beginner’s Guide to Organizing & Leading IEP Meetings – Part 1

As a new special education teacher, IEP meetings, short for Individual Education Plans, can be the most stressful, scary, and overwhelming thing! I remember spending hours slaving over my first IEP and hardly being able to sleep the night before due to nerves! Over the years, I've learned that taking some time to prepare ahead of time can make these meetings a walk in the park and help solidify your relationship with families and your role as an advocate for your students! Now that I've done over 100 IEP meetings, I have my process nailed down! Here’s what I do…

5 Effortless Activities for the First Week of School

With all of my local stores putting up their back-to-school displays, it’s hard to shake the feeling that the new school year is just around the corner. Whether that makes you want to happy dance or gives you the heebie-jeebies, there is no avoiding the back-to-school season! Even though I’m going into my seventh year of teaching, I still get a bit anxious when I see the ads for pencils, folders, and notebooks! I always feel better when I have a plan in place and can look forward to fun activities to do with my future students instead of the…

Make the Most Out of Your IEP Snapshots

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IEP snapshots, also called IEPs at a Glance, are incredible tools for supporting your students and your colleagues. While they may feel like just one more thing added to our already long to do lists as special education teachers, IEP snapshots are a great way to proactively advocate for your students in a non threatening way. They help your general education teachers get to know your students, communicate student accommodations that legally must be followed, and send a signal to the teachers that you are available to support them and are a team player. Here are my tips and tricks…