In the pulsating rhythm of STEM education, students with intensive needs find their beat—the beat of excitement, discovery, and triumph. This exhilarating journey is more than an education; it's a celebration of uniqueness, a dance of enthusiasm, and a testament to the limitless potential within each student.

The holiday season is upon us, and while the festive cheer is contagious, every educator knows that the weeks leading up to a break can be a challenging juggling act. Striking the right balance between work and home life becomes an elusive goal as lesson plans, grading, and holiday preparations compete for our attention.

Every teacher knows that feeling when the school year starts, and there's a sense of excitement and enthusiasm in the air. Students are well-behaved, eager to learn, and it seems like everything is going smoothly. However, as time goes on, the novelty wears off, and the true behaviors of students begin to emerge. It's during this transition that the challenges and opportunities of creating a trauma-sensitive classroom come to the forefront.

Being a special education teacher is a dynamic and ever-evolving profession, requiring us to adapt to diverse student needs, changing curricula, and emerging educational trends. Amid this complexity, the practice of documentation may sometimes be overlooked or undervalued. However, in our classrooms with many diverse needs, keeping records of your activities, interactions, and student progress is crucial.

As an educator, one of your most crucial roles is to advocate for your students. Advocacy involves speaking up, taking action, and ensuring that each and every student receives the support and resources they need to thrive academically and personally.

Did you know that each school district does not do case management the same way? Yes, they follow legislation by IDEA but their processes of who is responsible for what actions are different.

One of the most important steps in maximizing the impact of paraprofessionals in your classroom is clarifying their roles and expectations from the outset. This can help avoid any misunderstandings or confusion later.

No one really talks about case management, we all talk about the fun things about teaching from decorating our classrooms to finding those fun and exciting resources to enhance student learning. This is the first article of a blog series about setting yourself up for success for your case management and teaching duties throughout the school year.