Scheduling in special education isn’t for the faint of heart! Whether you’re leading a resource room program, a self-contained classroom, or managing inclusion services across multiple grades, you’ve probably felt like you were playing an endless game of Tetris...trying your hardest to make all the pieces fit without leaving gaps or losing a part of your soul.

In this episode, I’m breaking down three distinct approaches:

Part 1: Scheduling for a Resource Room

We’ll dig into a practical, step-by-step method for building a workable resource room schedule. You’ll learn how to:

• Use Google Sheets in 5-minute increments for precision and flexibility
• Add all staff names across the top so you can visually track who’s doing what, when
• Assign a unique color code for each para, subject, recess/lunch duty, and transition for instant clarity
• Map out student service minutes straight from their IEPs using color-coded sticky notes, so you can see exactly where those minutes fit best before locking anything in
• Adjust your plan for inevitable overlaps, push-ins, or schedule conflicts

Part 2: Scheduling in a Self-Contained Program

When your students are with you all day, the challenge shifts from fitting them into other schedules to structuring a daily flow that supports learning and regulation. We’ll cover how to:

• “Anchor” your day by first plugging in non-negotiables like arrival, lunch, recess, specials, and dismissal
• Place your most demanding academic lessons during peak alertness times, and save hands-on or lower-energy activities for after lunch or late afternoon
• Run smooth small group rotations with paras leading activities or supervising independent work
• Schedule sensory and movement breaks proactively, not just reactively
• Build in life skills, social skills, and transition time as intentional parts of the schedule
• Use color-coding to quickly read the master schedule at a glance
• Teach the schedule to your students so it becomes a predictable part of their day

Part 3: Scheduling for a Full Inclusion Program

If your special education program is fully inclusion-based, scheduling is more about strategically embedding support into the general education environment. You’ll discover how to:

• Start by collecting all general education class schedules across the grades you serve
• Layer in your students’ IEP minutes so you can match support to the most critical times of instruction (rather than spreading minutes too thin)
• Coordinate with general education teachers to determine when you’ll push in, co-teach, or provide targeted small group support in the classroom
• Factor in paraprofessional coverage so your staff are placed where they’re most needed without overlapping unnecessarily
• Plan for high-need transition times like arrival, dismissal, and lunch to ensure students are supported during those unstructured moments
• Keep a flexible mindset—your inclusion schedule will likely shift frequently at the start of the year as you learn student needs and teacher expectations

By the end of this episode, you’ll have a clear framework for making the most of your time—without feeling like the pieces are constantly falling too fast. The key isn’t creating a “perfect” sch

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Whether you are ready or not, back-to-school season is knocking on the door!

And if you're feeling a little frozen in place, like a deer in the headlights, you're not alone.

In this episode, I'm sharing the three high-impact areas you should focus on first to minimize overwhelm and set yourself up for success as a special education teacher. Whether you’re brand new to the field or returning for another year, these priorities will help you go from stuck to strategic—without trying to do everything at once.

We’ll cover:

• ✅ How to truly understand your students' IEPs and why it’s your most important first step
• ✅ How to organize your classroom around function over flashy
• ✅ What core systems you must set up before day one

Grab my Sped Teacher Checklist: Support for New Special Educators—your step-by-step guide for staying focused, organized, and calm during back-to-school chaos.

🎧 Whether you’re staring around your classroom wondering where to begin, or knee-deep in planning already, this episode will help you breathe easier and prioritize what really matters.

🔗 Resources Mentioned:

• Sped Teacher Checklist: Click here to grab it
• Free 10-Step Team Culture Guide for Paraprofessionals: spedprepacademy.com/team
• Episode 221: 3 Steps to Start Strong with Your Paraprofessionals

Get your copy of the new and improved Paraprofessional Handbook and make this the best year ever when it comes to working with staff.

👉 Let’s Connect!
Instagram: @spedprepacademy
Website: www.spedprepacademy.com

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Welcome to the final episode of our July Paraprofessional Series! This month, we’ve talked mindset, delegation, communication, and even heard directly from paras themselves.

But today’s episode is all about action—because a strong team doesn’t just happen… it’s built. And it starts with YOU.

In this episode, I’m walking you through 3 simple but powerful steps you can take to start the school year off right with your paraprofessionals. These are the exact things I wish I had started doing earlier in my own career—and they’ve made all the difference.

Whether you’re working with one para or a whole team, this episode will help you lay the foundation for a school year built on respect, clarity, and collaboration.

What You’ll Learn:

• How to get your hands on a free 10-step guide to build team culture
• Why every para deserves a handbook and where to find one
• Five essential questions to open the lines of communication from day one

Resources Mentioned:

• 🎁 Free Team Culture Guide: spedprepacademy.com/team
• 📘 Editable Paraprofessional Handbook: TPT Listing - 50% off through Aug. 6
• 📚 Bound Handbook on Amazon – Coming Soon! Link will be added to the show notes once live

Next Month’s Sneak Peek:
August is all about back-to-school success! I’ll be sharing tips for setting up your classroom, building a master schedule, and managing your caseload without overwhelm. Make sure to follow the podcast so you don’t miss an episode!

✨ Let’s kick off the year with confidence and collaboration. You’ve got this!

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