The Misfit Behaviorists - Practical Strategies for Special Education and ABA Professionals

Get the Month 2 Para Training Workbook: https://abainschool.com/month2 IEPs can be 40, 50, even 60 pages long. The good news? As a paraprofessional, you don’t need to memorize the whole thing. In Week 6 of Para Training in a Pinch, we’re breaking down the IEP and focusing on the information paras actually need to support students successfully throughout the school day. Think of the IEP as the team’s playbook. You don’t need every play. You need to know the ones for your position. We’ll cov...

Get the Month 1 Para Training Workbook: https://abainschool.com/month1 Before prompting, data collection, or behavior plans, there’s something even more foundational: the relationship you build with your students. In Week 4 of Para Training in a Pinch, we’re talking about connection, pairing, reinforcement, and how strong relationships can make learning more effective. We’ll also look at how a little flexibility can help prevent unnecessary power struggles. We’ll cover how to: ✔️ Build rap...

Get the Month 1 Para Training Workbook: https://abainschool.com/month1 A disability label can give us useful information, but it doesn’t tell us who a student is. In Week 2 of Para Training in a Pinch, we’re talking about understanding the individual students behind the labels. Every learner brings different strengths, interests, communication styles, experiences, and support needs to the classroom. We’ll cover how to: ✔️ Presume competence ✔️ Look beyond disability labels ✔️ Recognize ind...

What do you do when a paraprofessional just can’t keep up with the pace, data, or demands of your classroom? Before jumping to frustration, this Misfit Minute walks you through a practical, compassionate approach to coaching staff, improving systems, and making data-based decisions that keep your students first. 🔑 Key Takeaways • Check the system, not just the person • Define what “keeping up” actually means • Simplify and prioritize tasks • Model + narrate your thinking • Pract...

In this episode, Audra and Caitlin tackle one of the hardest parts of working in special education and behavior support: talking with families when things are not improving yet. When behaviors are escalating or strategies aren’t working, those meetings can feel tense for everyone in the room. The conversation explores how educators and BCBAs can stay transparent, rely on objective data, and keep relationships strong with families even when the news is difficult. Instead of panic, blame, or su...

The past few years have reshaped classrooms in ways many educators are still trying to make sense of. In this episode, Audra and Caitlin react to real conversations from teachers and parents about burnout, behavior changes, staffing shortages, placement decisions, and the growing gap between expectations and reality in special education. They share honest reflections, practical perspective, and reassurance for educators wondering if it’s just them… or if things really have changed. 🔑 Key Tak...

When another professional walks into your classroom, things can get complicated fast. In this episode, Audra and Caitlin answer a listener question about what to do when support staff, behavior consultants, or other specialists aren’t showing up in the way you expected. They share practical, professional ways to navigate power dynamics, clarify roles, and protect your classroom while keeping relationships intact. 🔑 Key Takeaways • Document objectively and consistently 📋 — focus on facts, pat...

Sometimes you just need five minutes, not a full lesson plan. In this episode, Audra and Caitlin share five simple social games you can pull out during transitions, brain breaks, or those in-between moments when it’s not time for intensive instruction but kids still need structure. These low-prep “pocket-size” games are designed for preschool, kindergarten, and special education classrooms and can be easily adapted for small groups or social skills instruction. 🔑 Key Takeaways • Not every mo...