The Inclusion Podcast

Praise might feel positive—but it can actually backfire. In this episode, Julie and Kristie dig into why overpraising can reduce motivation, damage trust, and even increase student anxiety. You’ll walk away with seven key shifts educators can make to support authentic, internal motivation in every learner. Download the Praise Reframe Guide at inclusiveschooling.com/download71.

Is “doing hard things” really the right benchmark for students with disabilities? In this episode, Julie and Kristie challenge the idea that completing unpreferred tasks is an appropriate or meaningful IEP goal. They explore what makes a goal truly inclusive, and offer guidance on how to write goals that support autonomy, dignity, and real-world relevance. Download the 5 Questions to Test IEP Goals at inclusiveschooling.com/download69.

Too often, what looks like an inclusive schedule on paper falls apart in practice. In this episode, Kristie and Julie explain the common traps teams fall into when creating student schedules—and how to build ones that truly support belonging and participation. You’ll learn how to spot “support-based scheduling” and replace it with a plan that centers access, collaboration, and student needs. Get the Inclusive System Scheduling Process at inclusiveschooling.com/download68.

Before you can have trust, share a classroom, or divide lessons, you have to build a relationship. In this episode, Kristie and Julie explore what makes co-teaching work—from shared routines to honest conversations—and why relational trust is the foundation of everything. You’ll get practical ways to deepen connection with your co-teacher, whether you’re starting fresh or have worked together for years. Download the free guide: 101 Ways to Get to Know Your Co-Teacher at inclusiveschooling.com/download66

There’s a lot of confusion around what Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) really means—especially when paraprofessional support is part of the plan. In this episode, Julie and Kristie clarify how LRE works under IDEA, why needing support doesn’t mean a student should be removed, and how we can shift from gatekeeping to problem-solving. You’ll walk away with language, mindset shifts, and team questions that build a stronger culture of inclusion. Download the free resource: A Para Is Not an Environment at inclusiveschooling.com/download64.

Before behavior escalates, the classroom environment can do the heavy lifting. In this episode, Julie and Kristie share 16 proactive tweaks that help prevent challenging behavior by reducing stress and increasing connection. From visual supports to relationship rituals, these simple shifts make classrooms calmer and more inclusive for everyone. Download the free resource: Classroom Tweaks That Prevent Challenging Behavior at inclusiveschooling.com/download62.

What your body says in the classroom matters just as much as your words—sometimes more. In this episode, Julie and Kristie break down how your posture, pace, tone, and eye contact can either regulate or escalate behavior. Learn to scan your body and send signals of safety and calm. Download the free tool: Nonverbal Body Scan at inclusiveschooling.com/download60.

What if a student runs? Or refuses to participate? In this episode, Julie and Kristie go beyond labels to focus on nervous system states, explaining why behaviors like eloping or shutting down are signs of dysregulation—not defiance. Download the free resource: Human Ways of Being at inclusiveschooling.com/download58.

This courageous and nuanced conversation dives into one of the biggest fears around inclusion: safety. Julie and Kristie name the fear, challenge ableist assumptions, and provide seven steps to help educators feel equipped, empowered, and proactive when facing concerns about safety in inclusive settings. With humor and honesty, they tackle myths, share research-backed practices, and guide listeners through a shift from exclusion-based thinking to supportive, inclusive responses. Bonus: the handout at inclusiveschooling.com/download56 includes de-escalation techniques, student support plan templates, and strategies to track “success minutes.”

Julie and Kristie explore how paraprofessional support can be both effective and unobtrusive. With humor, heart, and powerful metaphors (yes, including Harry Potter's invisibility cloak!), they unpack what it means for paraprofessionals to “hide in plain sight.” The episode offers strategies to increase student independence, dignity, and social connection by camouflaging support and avoiding over-reliance. With resources like “20 Ways to Provide Invisible Support” and “110 Ways Paras Can Help,” this episode is full of practical tools and radical shifts in mindset. Download the robust 29-page guide at inclusiveschooling.com/download55.

Feeling like your inclusive practices need a boost? You're not alone—and you're in the right place. In this energizing episode, Julie and Kristie share 10 quick inclusion wins that can help you reset, refresh, and re-engage at any point in the school year. Whether it’s the start of a new term or you’re navigating a mid-year slump, these simple but powerful strategies are designed to rebuild relationships with students and staff, add novelty and choice to assignments, rethink participation beyond “raise and respond,” realign and clarify roles with paraprofessionals, and celebrate the progress you’ve already made. Each idea comes with practical tools and bonus resources, including a jam-packed downloadable guide full of embedded supports and strategies. It’s like hitting a reset button for your inclusive classroom or school. Grab your free resource at inclusiveschooling.com/download53, then hit play and get inspired to try just one win today—your future self (and your students) will thank you.

Ever wish you could shift the emotional climate in your classroom? In this episode, we explore co-regulation—and how educators act like thermostats, adjusting conditions so every student can learn and connect. Small shifts can create big changes. The download for offers simple, brain-based strategies that show you how to act as a thermostat — adjusting the emotional environment with intention, not reacting to behaviors alone. Get your free download at https://inclusiveschooling.com/download51.