The Misfit Behaviorists - Practical Strategies for Special Education and ABA Professionals
Are you a teacher looking for support with students with diverse needs or behavior management in the classroom? Tune into The Misfit Behaviorists podcast, hosted by Caitlin Beltran, Audra Jensen, and Sami Brown, three BCBAs (and two special education teachers), as they bring you actionable tips to behavior reduction and skill acquisition. Listen to evidence-based strategies with a student-centered focus as they share practical advice for special education teachers, behavior support teachers, BCBAs, and ABA professionals.
Whether you're seeking advice or just want to laugh, new to the field or a veteran looking for a fresh perspective, tune in for this unique blend of professional expertise and real-life experience. Weekly episodes will be concise, because we know your time is limited! Don’t miss it!
Join the Facebook group for collaboration and freebies: https://abainschool.com/misfits
😍 More, you say? We’re here for you!
- Apple podcast | abainschool.com/misfitsonapple
- Instagram | @themisfitbehaviorists
- YouTube | @themisfitbehaviorists
👋 Find us!
- Audra | abainschool.com
- Caitlin | beltransbehaviorbasics.com
- Sami | behavioranalyticsupport.com
🖱️ Rate, Review, Like & Subscribe so you don’t miss an episode! Showing this love helps us get out to more educators out there!
The Misfit Behaviorists - Practical Strategies for Special Education and ABA Professionals
Misfit Minute 24: 5 Things I Wish I Knew as a New Special Education Teacher
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In this Misfit Minute, Audra shares five career lessons she wishes she’d learned earlier as an educator: don’t overplan—use one strong activity with built-in extensions instead of many activities that won’t work; don’t skip data collection because “I’ll remember later” leads to missing or skewed data—quick tallies beat perfect data never recorded; don’t try to do everything alone—treat paras, therapists, and gen ed teachers as true collaborators; protect breaks and boundaries early to prevent burnout by leaning on staff and requesting admin support when needed; and prioritize connection over compliance, since connection creates longer-lasting engagement and makes behavior strategies more effective. She encourages newer professionals to give themselves grace, set parameters, and develop step by step to stay in the field long-term.
00:00 Welcome and Setup
00:19 Tip 1 Stop Overplanning
00:55 Tip 2 Track Data Now
01:14 Tip 3 Collaborate More
01:37 Tip 4 Protect Boundaries
02:23 Tip 5 Connection Over Compliance
03:18 Closing Encouragement
🙌 Join Us & Share
• Join us on FB for freebies, sharing, and more! → https://abainschool.com/misfits
• Subscribe for weekly behavior insights + full-length episodes
• Send this episode to a teammate who needs a little "pump" this week!
Join the Facebook group for collaboration and freebies: The Misfit Behaviorists
😍 More, you say? We’re here for you!
- Apple podcast | The Misfit Behaviorists
- Instagram | @themisfitbehaviorists
- YouTube | @themisfitbehaviorists
👋 Find us!
- Audra | ABA in School
- Caitlin | Beltran’s Behavior Basics
- Sami | B.A.S.S.
🖱️ Rate, Review, Like & Subscribe so you don’t miss an episode! Showing this love helps us get out to more educators out there!
