Teaching Autism and Special Education by Nikki

Teaching Autism

Hi, I’m Nikki —a passionate special educator, autism specialist, and founder of Teaching Autism. With over a decade of experience creating hands-on, engaging resources for educators worldwide, I’m here to make your teaching journey easier, more effective, and a lot more fun! With each episode, I’ll bring you practical tips, creative strategies, and inspiring insights to help you thrive in your autism and special education classroom. From tackling behavior challenges to creating meaningful lesson plans, we’ll dive deep into what works—and what doesn’t—in the world of special education. You’ll find: ✅ Real-world strategies you can use tomorrow. ✅ Expert advice for creating inclusive, student-centered classrooms. ✅ Honest conversations about the joys and challenges of teaching. ✅ Plenty of laughs, relatable moments, and inspiration to keep you going. Whether you’re a seasoned educator, new to special education, or simply looking to level up your teaching game, this podcast is your go-to resource for empowering yourself and your students. Join me on this journey, and let’s build better classrooms together! Hit “subscribe” and tune in to each episode to fill your teaching toolbox with fresh ideas, tools, and motivation. Let’s make teaching less stressful and a whole lot more impactful!

  1. 5d ago

    Masking in the Classroom

    In this episode of Teaching Autism and Special Education with Nikki, we’re exploring masking in the classroom and why a student looking “fine” on the surface does not always mean they feel safe, regulated, or understood underneath. We unpack what masking actually is, why autistic students often do it, and how behaviors like forced eye contact, suppressing stims, copying peers, staying silent, or pretending to understand can become survival strategies in school environments. While masking can sometimes look like success or compliance, it often comes at a huge emotional and cognitive cost. We also dive into the hidden signs of masking that educators may easily miss, including rigid posture, exhaustion, emotional shutdowns, after school meltdowns, and students who appear calm but are working incredibly hard internally just to “hold it together.” I talk about the difference between true regulation and masking, and why rewarding quietness, stillness, or invisibility can unintentionally teach students that their natural autistic traits are unacceptable. This episode is packed with practical, neuro affirming shifts schools can make to reduce masking pressure and create safer classrooms for autistic learners. We discuss normalizing movement, reducing verbal overload, not forcing eye contact, using visual supports, checking in privately, and celebrating authentic communication instead of silent compliance. Instead of asking, “They’re doing fine, aren’t they?” this episode encourages us to ask, “Are they genuinely regulated, or are they simply surviving the environment?” That shift can completely change how we support our students.

    10 min

  2. Jun 25

    Why Compliance Isn’t the Goal

    In this episode of Teaching Autism and Special Education with Nikki, we’re exploring a question that sits right at the heart of education and behavior support: should compliance really be the goal? For years, many of us were taught that quiet, obedient children who follow instructions without question are the definition of success. But in this episode, we unpack why compliance alone tells us very little about a student’s actual wellbeing, understanding, regulation, or sense of safety. We dive into the difference between true engagement and silent survival, and why some highly compliant students may actually be masking, overwhelmed, anxious, frozen, or operating from a fear-based “fawn” response. I also talk about how compliance can hide confusion, suppress communication, and teach students to ignore their own discomfort and body signals in order to please adults. Especially in special education, prioritizing obedience over autonomy can unintentionally silence the very communication skills we want students to develop. This episode is full of gentle but important mindset shifts around regulation, autonomy, boundaries, and skill building. We discuss how to maintain safety and structure without relying on power-based approaches, how to create space for choice and communication, and why teaching students to advocate for themselves is far more valuable long term than teaching blind compliance. Instead of asking, “Did they do what they were told?” this episode encourages us to ask, “Did they feel safe, understood, and supported enough to genuinely engage?” That shift changes everything.

    9 min

  3. Jun 18

    The Role of Shame in Behavior

    In this episode of Teaching Autism and Special Education with Nikki, we’re exploring one of the most misunderstood drivers of behavior in children and teens: shame. We unpack the important difference between guilt and shame, and why shame is not simply an emotional reaction but a nervous system response to perceived social threat. When students feel exposed, corrected, embarrassed, or “wrong,” behavior can quickly escalate into arguing, refusing, shutting down, deflecting, or appearing defiant. Often, what looks like challenging behavior is actually a child trying to escape the overwhelming feeling of shame. We also dive into why autistic students may experience shame more intensely due to repeated correction, masking, social comparison, and constantly feeling different from peers. From public correction and eye rolls to being told “you should know this,” even subtle moments can build an internal belief of “I am wrong” over time. I talk about what shame can look like in the classroom, why it escalates behavior so quickly, and how adults can accidentally stack shame without realizing it. This episode is full of practical, compassionate strategies for reducing shame while still maintaining accountability and boundaries. We discuss calm tone, private correction, neutral language, reducing the spotlight, and separating behavior from identity so students feel safe enough to learn and repair mistakes. Instead of asking, “Why are they overreacting?” this episode encourages us to ask, “Did shame just enter the room?” Because when we reduce shame, we reduce escalation, and when we build safety, we create space for real growth and resilience.

    11 min

  4. Jun 11

    When Students Sabotage Their Own Work

    In this episode of Teaching Autism and Special Education with Nikki, we’re unpacking a behavior pattern that can feel incredibly confusing for educators and parents. Why do some students seem to deliberately mess up their own work just when they were close to succeeding? Whether it looks like ripping up work, scribbling over answers, refusing to finish, shutting down, or suddenly becoming silly, we explore why this is rarely about laziness or disrespect and far more often about protection, anxiety, overwhelm, and nervous system safety. We dive into the hidden functions behind these moments, including fear of failure, fear of success, perfectionism, shame, executive functioning overload, and the need to regain control. I also talk about how success itself can sometimes feel threatening for students who are used to struggle, criticism, or pressure. For some children, sabotaging the work feels safer than risking mistakes, visibility, or increased expectations. Once we understand the “why” underneath the behavior, we stop seeing it as manipulation and start seeing it as communication. This episode is packed with compassionate mindset shifts and practical strategies to help you respond differently in those difficult moments. We discuss lowering emotional intensity, reducing shame, rebuilding autonomy, normalizing mistakes, and spotting the patterns that often sit underneath these behaviors. Instead of asking, “Why would they do this?” this episode encourages us to ask, “What are they protecting themselves from right now?” That one question can completely change the way we support students through fear, pressure, and overwhelm.

    11 min

  5. Jun 4

    The Function of Avoiding Praise

    In this episode of Teaching Autism and Special Education with Nikki, we’re unpacking something that can feel surprisingly personal as educators and parents. Why do some students avoid praise? Why do they shrug off encouragement, get silly, look away, minimize their work, or even become dysregulated right after being complimented? We explore how praise is not always experienced as positive or motivating, especially for autistic students and learners who experience high levels of anxiety, masking, social pressure, or nervous system overwhelm. We dive into the hidden demands that can come with praise, including processing social interaction, managing eye contact, interpreting tone, responding verbally, and coping with the sudden feeling of being “seen.” I also talk about how praise can accidentally increase pressure for some students, particularly those who are perfectionistic, highly masked, or used to praise being linked to compliance and expectations. Sometimes avoiding praise is not rejection of kindness at all. It is a way of reducing social load, avoiding the spotlight, or protecting nervous system safety. This episode is full of gentle, practical shifts to help you encourage students in ways that feel regulating rather than overwhelming. We discuss low intensity acknowledgment, private praise, reducing social demand, and why process-based feedback often works better than big emotional praise. Instead of asking, “Why are they being ungrateful?” this episode encourages us to ask, “What about this moment feels unsafe for them?” That small shift can completely change the way we support our students.

    10 min

  6. May 28

    Behavior That Escalates After Success

    In this episode of Teaching Autism and Special Education with Nikki, we’re talking about a behavior pattern that can feel incredibly confusing at first. Why do some students seem to fall apart after they’ve done really well? After they’ve achieved something difficult, completed a task, or successfully coped through a challenging situation, behavior can suddenly escalate. We explore why this is usually not defiance, attention seeking, or self sabotage, but instead a nervous system response to the enormous amount of energy success can cost autistic students and other learners with additional needs. We dive into the hidden effort behind “doing well,” including masking, suppressing sensory needs, managing anxiety, holding eye contact, processing instructions, and pushing through executive functioning challenges. I also talk about performance regulation, decompression after effort, and why success does not automatically mean a child has spare emotional capacity left. Sometimes the behavior you see after success is simply the nervous system releasing pressure after holding everything together for too long. This episode is packed with gentle mindset shifts and practical strategies to help educators and parents respond differently. We discuss why planning regulation after effort matters just as much as celebrating achievement, how to reduce demand stacking, and simple language shifts that can completely change the trajectory of a student’s nervous system. Instead of asking, “Why would they ruin that moment?” this episode encourages us to ask, “How much did that moment cost them?”

    10 min

  7. May 21

    Why Some Students Only Meltdown with Safe Adults

    In this episode of Teaching Autism and Special Education with Nikki, we’re exploring why some students only meltdown with certain adults and what that actually tells us about safety, trust, and nervous system regulation. We talk about the “safe person effect,” restraint collapse, and why children often hold everything together in high pressure environments before finally unraveling with the people they feel safest around. If you’ve ever wondered why a student is “fine” for other staff members but falls apart with you, this episode will help reframe that experience through a compassionate, neuro-affirming lens. I also dive into the emotional side of being the safe adult. It can feel personal, exhausting, and confusing when a child only seems to meltdown with you, but often it’s a sign that they no longer feel the need to mask or suppress their stress. We discuss the impact of masking, why safety does not mean having no boundaries, and practical ways to support students through co-regulation, decompression, and predictable support strategies. Whether you’re a teacher, therapist, support staff member, or parent, this episode is a reminder that meltdowns are not performances. They are nervous system overload responses. Sometimes the biggest question is not “Why are they doing this with me?” but “What have they been holding in all day?”

    12 min

  8. May 14

    The Hidden Function of “Silly” Behavior

    In this episode, I’m diving into something I see constantly in autism and special education classrooms: “silly” behavior. The giggling, noises, dramatic movements, baby voices, and chaos energy can often look disruptive on the surface, but in many cases, there’s something much deeper happening underneath. I’m talking about why silly behavior is often linked to regulation, anxiety, sensory needs, task avoidance, and connection seeking rather than simply “attention seeking.” In this episode, I share: The hidden functions behind silly behavior Why autistic students may become the “class clown” What behavior might actually be communicating Practical, neuro-affirming ways to respond calmly and supportively If you’ve ever found yourself wondering what’s really underneath those big silly moments in the classroom, this episode is for you. ✨ My favorite movement breaks mentioned in this episode: Movement Break Cards Yoga Cards Dinosaur Movement Breaks ALL My Movement Breaks (Including themes) Free Ice Cream Movement Breaks I've also put together a blog post that talks all about movement breaks, what they are and their benefits.

    12 min
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4.5
out of 5
42 Ratings

About

Hi, I’m Nikki —a passionate special educator, autism specialist, and founder of Teaching Autism. With over a decade of experience creating hands-on, engaging resources for educators worldwide, I’m here to make your teaching journey easier, more effective, and a lot more fun! With each episode, I’ll bring you practical tips, creative strategies, and inspiring insights to help you thrive in your autism and special education classroom. From tackling behavior challenges to creating meaningful lesson plans, we’ll dive deep into what works—and what doesn’t—in the world of special education. You’ll find: ✅ Real-world strategies you can use tomorrow. ✅ Expert advice for creating inclusive, student-centered classrooms. ✅ Honest conversations about the joys and challenges of teaching. ✅ Plenty of laughs, relatable moments, and inspiration to keep you going. Whether you’re a seasoned educator, new to special education, or simply looking to level up your teaching game, this podcast is your go-to resource for empowering yourself and your students. Join me on this journey, and let’s build better classrooms together! Hit “subscribe” and tune in to each episode to fill your teaching toolbox with fresh ideas, tools, and motivation. Let’s make teaching less stressful and a whole lot more impactful!

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