Special Education for Beginners | Managing Paraprofessionals, Special Education Strategies, First Year Sped Teachers, Special Ed Overwhelm, Paperwork for Special Education Teachers

Summer PD Opportunity: Professional Growth Doesn't Have to Feel Like Work

• Episode 216

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In this final episode of our June Summer Strategy series, we’re turning the spotlight back on YOU—your growth, your leadership, and your mindset. Summer isn’t just a time to rest (though that’s definitely important!)—it’s also the perfect opportunity for intentional learning that fills your cup instead of draining it.

Whether you want to build stronger systems, lead your para team more effectively, or learn how to better support your autistic learners, this episode reminds you that professional development can be empowering, not overwhelming.

🎧 In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • Why summer is the ideal time to invest in your own growth
  • How to reframe PD as nourishment—not a task
  • What kind of learning actually fuels you as an educator
  • How to get FREE access to the Preschool Autism Summit (July 14–16)
  • What you’ll gain from my brand-new session: The Power of Us

📌 Mentioned in this episode:
 Get your FREE ticket to the Preschool Autism Summit: www.spedprepacademy.com/summit 

👥 Whether you're a resource teacher, self-contained teacher, therapist, or paraeducator, there’s something in this summit just for you.

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Speaker 1:

Well, hey, there, this is Jennifer and you're listening to episode 216 of the Special Education for Beginners podcast. If you've been following along, this month we've taken some intentional steps to help you wrap up the school year and ease into summer without carrying the weight of burnout with you. We started with a reflective episode to help you pause, process and walk away from the year with clarity and not just exhaustion. And then I gave you permission to do less this summer with the do less summer plan, because growth doesn't always have to mean hustle. Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is to give yourself the rest you need. And then last week we got a little more strategic with five quick wins for back to school prep, offering small, simple actions you can take now that will make a big difference when August rolls around. And today we are finishing the month of summer strategies by turning the spotlight back on you, your growth, your leadership, your mindset, with a conversation about why learning in the summer isn't just beneficial, it's empowering. And I have a special offer you are not going to want to miss. Let's get to it. Hey, special educator, are you overwhelmed by the absurd amount of paperwork on your to do list? Do you wish you had the skills to build a rock-solid team with your staff. Do you find yourself scouring the internet for how to meet the needs of each student on your caseload? Well, hey there. I'm Jennifer Hoffaber, an award-winning veteran special education teacher and current instructional coach, who has walked in your shoes through each of these challenges and, yes, I have the metaphorical blisters to prove it. I have cried your tears and felt your pain, and now I'm here to support you in the way I wish someone would have been there to support me. Listen in each week as my guests and I dish out practical wisdom to help you handle all the classroom curveballs that are thrown at you and learn how to laugh in spite of the chaos, to celebrate those small yet significant victories that only a special educator can understand. So are you ready? Wipe your tears and put on your superhero cape, because together we are going to learn how to survive and thrive in the ever crazy, completely overwhelming laugh. So you don't cry. Profession of being a special education teacher.

Speaker 1:

So let's talk about why summer is such a powerful time for intentional growth. Here's the truth when the school year ends, we are often so exhausted that we swing hard in the opposite direction. We shut down everything no alarms, no plans, no thoughts of school and honestly, who can blame you? That's healthy. You need to rest, but after you've had that chance to breathe, summer also has something the school year rarely does Margin. There are no schedules to make, no IEPs to write at the last minute, no emails to respond to, and while, yes, your calendar might still be full of family vacations, doctor's appointments and, hopefully, a few slow mornings, there is usually a little more space to breathe and in that space we get to choose how we show up for ourselves. That's where summer learning comes in, not as another to do, but as an act of self-investment.

Speaker 1:

Looking back at the reflection you've hopefully done this month, back in episode 213, go back and listen to that episode if you haven't. Maybe you want to get better at leading your team or improving team dynamics. Maybe you want to learn how to support your autistic learners with power struggles. Maybe you are still trying to figure out how to build systems that actually support your students and your sanity. Maybe you're just realizing that no one ever taught you how to be a leader in a special education classroom and you want to change that. Whatever it is for you. This is the time to explore those things, without the noise of the school year crowding out your intentions. Think of it like this During the school year, professional development often feels like just one more thing on your plate.

Speaker 1:

It is squeezed in between everything else you have to do and because I know this from 30 years of experience you're usually too mentally drained to truly absorb it. But in the summer it hits different. It becomes something you get to do or choose to do, and not something you have to do. It's quieter, slower and you actually have the mental capacity to reflect, absorb and imagine how you want next year to look. And that shift from obligation to opportunity is where the real growth happens. When you engage in professional development during summertime, it can feel like you are finally feeding yourself and you know what you are worth. The investment, not just because it will help your students, not just because it'll make your classroom run smoother, but because you deserve to feel competent, confident and equipped in your role. Taking time to grow on purpose this summer is one of the kindest, most empowering things you can do for yourself, and I want you to remember it doesn't have to be big. You don't have to enroll in a college class. You don't have to take a full course, read 12 books or build a binder system from scratch. Sometimes, just one new small idea, one tweaking of a mindset shift can change everything, and that's exactly why I'm so excited to share something with you that checks all those boxes. It's simple, it's actionable, it's supportive and, best of all, it's free.

Speaker 1:

This summer, I'm honored to once again be one of the featured speakers at the Preschool Autism Summit hosted by Tara from Autism Little Learners. Now, before you tune out because you heard preschool and don't think that this will apply to you, I want you to hang with me for just a second. This summit isn't just about preschool. It's about learning how to support our autistic learners in developmentally appropriate, compassionate and neurodiversity affirming ways, and that applies to all of us working in special education. Whether you are a resource teacher, a self-contained classroom teacher, a related service provider or someone who supports students across grade levels, you will walk away from this summit with tools you can use right away. There are over 25 speakers presenting on topics such as building a more compassionate and empowering educational experience for autistic students, managing behavior in respectful, supportive ways, how to make assessment fun and affirming supporting communication, emotional regulation strategies and, using visuals, schedules and systems that actually work. There are even sessions on picky eaters and toilet training.

Speaker 1:

There are so many great opportunities in this summit and, yes, I will be there too, sharing a brand new presentation called the Power of Us Strengthening Team Dynamics in Special Education Classrooms. In that session, I'm going to walk you through how to build stronger partnerships with your paras, how to define roles and responsibilities, how to handle conflict with professionalism and grace, and how to create a classroom culture where everyone students and adults feel supported. And how to create a classroom culture where everyone students and adults feel supported. This summit is free to attend from July 14th through 16th, which means you can watch every session, soak up all the strategies and connect with other educators in a private Facebook group without spending a dime. That includes 25 expert-led sessions, access to daily giveaways, actionable tips that you can use right away in your classroom and the chance to learn at your own pace over the weekend. But if you're anything like me and you have a hard time committing to three straight days, or you love revisiting good content, or you want to keep those resources long after the summit ends, there is also an all access pass available. With the upgrade, you'll get extended access to all the sessions, certificates of completion, bonus trainings, downloadable resources and even ASHA CEUs for speech-language pathologists.

Speaker 1:

But whether you join for just one session or binge the whole weekend, I want you to know this is the kind of summer learning that fills your cup instead of draining it. You can grab your free ticket right now at wwwspedprepacademycom slash summit. That's spedprepacademycom slash summit S-U-M-M-I-T. I will drop that link in the show notes and you can learn more about Tara and the summit and then get signed up for your free ticket. Whatever role you are in, I know you will get something out of this summit. Let this be your next right step one small way you can keep growing without burning out. Thanks for tuning in. I'll be back in July where we will be talking about ways to support paraprofessionals. See you then.