Special Educators Resource Room Podcast: Real Talk for Special Education Teachers

Jennifer DeBrosse
  • 5.0 (18)
  • Self-Improvement
  • Updated Weekly

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!)

  1. 6d ago

    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 share what to realistically expect during the first two weeks of school—and why you don't need 100 tasks to build a successful independent work routine. Remember: You don't need more materials. You need one system that works. If you've followed the series from the beginning, you now have everything you need to build an independent work system that supports your students and gives you the freedom to teach.  One working system will always outperform 100 disconnected ideas. Start with one. Build from there.  Important Links: Task Box Club Library - grab your clipboard and use the search tool If you're a busy special education teacher looking for tips, tricks, and resources to save you precious time, I've got you covered! I'm here to help you regain your confidence in the classroom and feel calm and collected as a special educator. Tune in every Friday for practical tips, tools, and the support you need to to THRIVE in the classroom. Grab your FREE Special Educators Cheat Sheets at positivelylearningblog.com/free-resource-library/ Join the Facebook group I'd love to hear what's working for you! Send me a message on Instagram @positivelylearning

  2. Jul 24

    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 (and what's not) in your classroom routines. In this episode, I'll walk you through the five most common student behaviors I look for while teaching a small group and explain what each one tells me about what to adjust before back-to-school. Instead of trying to fix everything at once, you'll learn how to identify the one change that will have the biggest impact on student independence. Whether you teach in a resource room, self-contained classroom, or inclusion setting, this episode will help you spend less time putting out fires and more time teaching your students. Important Links: Special Educators Summer Series on YouTube - Playlist LinkIndependent Work Club and Task Box Club Library If you're a busy special education teacher looking for tips, tricks, and resources to save you precious time, I've got you covered! I'm here to help you regain your confidence in the classroom and feel calm and collected as a special educator. Tune in every Friday for practical tips, tools, and the support you need to to THRIVE in the classroom. Grab your FREE Special Educators Cheat Sheets at positivelylearningblog.com/free-resource-library/ Join the Facebook group I'd love to hear what's working for you! Send me a message on Instagram @positivelylearning

  3. Jul 17

    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 resource room—it was about making every learning minute count. Then we'll walk through a simple five-minute "Small Group Test" to help you identify exactly where your system is strong and where it still needs support before back-to-school. In this episode, you'll learn: Why independent work is not busy workThe real purpose of an independent work systemThe 3 questions to ask while teaching a small groupHow to identify the biggest "leak" in your classroom routineWhy every breakdown is valuable diagnostic information—not failure Whether you're teaching in a resource room, self-contained classroom, or inclusion setting, this episode will help you build a classroom where students continue learning while you provide the individualized support they need. Important Links: Special Educators Summer Series on YouTube - Playlist Link Independent Work Club and Task Box Club Library If you're a busy special education teacher looking for tips, tricks, and resources to save you precious time, I've got you covered! I'm here to help you regain your confidence in the classroom and feel calm and collected as a special educator. Tune in every Friday for practical tips, tools, and the support you need to to THRIVE in the classroom. Grab your FREE Special Educators Cheat Sheets at positivelylearningblog.com/free-resource-library/ Join the Facebook group I'd love to hear what's working for you! Send me a message on Instagram @positivelylearning

  4. Jul 10

    185. Teach Routines That Last (Special Educators Summer Series Week 6)

    Build Your Independent Work System - Week 6 of Special Educators Summer Series Setting 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 teaching sequence that helps students build independence, reduces prompt dependence, and creates consistent routines for both students and paraprofessionals.  Learn how slowing down at the beginning of the year can save time all year long. Important Links: Special Educators Summer Series at Positively Learning on YouTube Task Box Club and Independent Work Club Library If you're a busy special education teacher looking for tips, tricks, and resources to save you precious time, I've got you covered! I'm here to help you regain your confidence in the classroom and feel calm and collected as a special educator. Tune in every Friday for practical tips, tools, and the support you need to to THRIVE in the classroom. Grab your FREE Special Educators Cheat Sheets at positivelylearningblog.com/free-resource-library/ Join the Facebook group I'd love to hear what's working for you! Send me a message on Instagram @positivelylearning

  5. Jul 3

    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 the TASKS Framework: Keep It Consistent. You'll learn the five simple components that help students move through independent work with confidence while giving paraprofessionals, substitutes, and student teachers a routine that's easy to follow. Links & Resources Build Your Independent Work System Summer Series on YouTubeFree Task Box LabelsTask Box Club / Independent Work Club If you're a busy special education teacher looking for tips, tricks, and resources to save you precious time, I've got you covered! I'm here to help you regain your confidence in the classroom and feel calm and collected as a special educator. Tune in every Friday for practical tips, tools, and the support you need to to THRIVE in the classroom. Grab your FREE Special Educators Cheat Sheets at positivelylearningblog.com/free-resource-library/ Join the Facebook group I'd love to hear what's working for you! Send me a message on Instagram @positivelylearning

  6. Jun 26

    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 talking about one of the most important parts of building an independent work system: setting up the task itself. Every independent task needs three things: • A clear start • A clear work signal • A clear finish This week's challenge is simple: choose one task, find one gap, and make one change. Need some free tasks to get started?  Grab your sets from Positively Learning: https://positivelylearningblog.com/the-3-task-boxes-id-pick-for-you/ Want to jump ahead to the entire library? Check out the Task Box Club:  https://positivelylearningblog.com/membership_resources/ If you're a busy special education teacher looking for tips, tricks, and resources to save you precious time, I've got you covered! I'm here to help you regain your confidence in the classroom and feel calm and collected as a special educator. Tune in every Friday for practical tips, tools, and the support you need to to THRIVE in the classroom. Grab your FREE Special Educators Cheat Sheets at positivelylearningblog.com/free-resource-library/ Join the Facebook group I'd love to hear what's working for you! Send me a message on Instagram @positivelylearning

  7. Jun 19

    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 material. Today is the A. Access your materials. Be sure to follow along the teacher summer series at Positively Learning on YouTube: https://youtu.be/FR0bpZ27pNw If you're a busy special education teacher looking for tips, tricks, and resources to save you precious time, I've got you covered! I'm here to help you regain your confidence in the classroom and feel calm and collected as a special educator. Tune in every Friday for practical tips, tools, and the support you need to to THRIVE in the classroom. Grab your FREE Special Educators Cheat Sheets at positivelylearningblog.com/free-resource-library/ Join the Facebook group I'd love to hear what's working for you! Send me a message on Instagram @positivelylearning

  8. Jun 12

    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 is the T in the TASKS Framework: Think it through. In this episode: Why starting with activities instead of skills is what keeps independent work from ever really stickingFive questions to ask before you download anythingHow to write down three priority skills that become your filter for every independent work decision this yearHomework: Write down three priority skills before you search for a single material. That list is what you're bringing into next week. This is episode 2 of 9 in the Special Educators Summer Series.  Follow along @Positively Learning on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PositivelyLearning If you're a busy special education teacher looking for tips, tricks, and resources to save you precious time, I've got you covered! I'm here to help you regain your confidence in the classroom and feel calm and collected as a special educator. Tune in every Friday for practical tips, tools, and the support you need to to THRIVE in the classroom. Grab your FREE Special Educators Cheat Sheets at positivelylearningblog.com/free-resource-library/ Join the Facebook group I'd love to hear what's working for you! Send me a message on Instagram @positivelylearning

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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!)

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