A practical, no-jargon guide to engaging students with disabilities — from someone who's actually been in the classroom.
What's Inside
If you're holding this book chances are you feel like you are failing and need some support. That's why I'm here.
Teaching is challenging because learning is not one-size-fits-all. Each learner brings a different learning style and some have to navigate disabilities that affect how they process information. Effective teaching requires creativity, flexibility, and patience in order to meet the needs of each of these individuals and support meaningful learning for everyone.
This book isn't about diagnosing your students. It's not filled with special education terminology, and it's not a district manual. It's the guide many teachers wish they had their first few years of teaching. You're not a bad teacher — most of the time you just haven't experienced or learned about all the unique differences each child brings. You just need support.
Real strategies from real classroom experience — no fancy citations, no jargon. Just what works, explained in a way that actually makes sense in your brain.
Although I'm young (26), I have a lot of experience in classrooms and behind the scenes. I graduated with a Bachelor's in Psychology from UW Milwaukee, worked as a Psychometrist under a licensed neuropsychologist giving IQ tests, ADHD evaluations, and Autism evals for ages 2–25. I then became a SPED assistant for a year and a half at an elementary school working 1:1 with kids aged 5–8, dealing with major behaviors, nonverbal kiddos, medical needs, and full self-contained rooms. My current job is Early Intervention Specialist — all things mental health, behavior management, and supporting teachers who need backup.
Being a young professional working with newer teachers is a strength. I've learned from experienced coworkers and I bring modern strategies and a perspective that's in the same generation as you. I'm not here to judge. I'm here to help.
At the end of this book there's a form you can fill out and send to me if you're experiencing something not covered, or want to set up a one-on-one consultation. But for now — let's get into it.
Why does this feel so hard? I feel so guilty.
Because it is. And because it's all new.
You walk in your first year all prepared — lesson plans made for the next 6 weeks, fun and interactive — and then reality hits. One kid is running out of the classroom, someone is crying, another is under the table hitting someone else. But why? You planned everything exactly how your professors taught you.
Most courses you took focused on lesson planning and curriculum standards. You weren't prepped on sensory needs, emotional regulation struggles, or students with attention differences — and yet those students are in almost every classroom. When things feel chaotic, personal, or constant, it's easy to assume the problem is you.
What looks like lack of effort from kids is often not laziness or defiance. It's anxiety, frustration, and skill gaps. This does not mean you are doing anything wrong — traditional strategies just aren't working for those kids. College didn't prepare you for these behaviors. Experience does.
Your day didn't go as planned and you're just glad you're finally in bed — until the guilt creeps in. "I should've handled that better." "Maybe I made things worse." "Why does it work for other teachers and not me?"
This guilt shows up because you care deeply about your students. Inclusive classrooms are complex. Some days may seem like you took a big step backwards but you're becoming wiser through this.
When another teacher comes in and the kids behave perfectly — it's not because they love that teacher more than you. Kids like the novelty of a new face, and that teacher is getting the honeymoon phase. Give it a few days and those same struggles will pop up for them too. You are not the problem.
Kids you'll meet — "What you think it means" vs. "What's actually happening"
None of this makes them a "bad kid." It just means they learn and process things differently than others.
What you think: Troublemaker. Defiant. Doing it for a reaction.
What's actually happening: This child might be getting zero attention at home, or have undiagnosed/unmedicated ADHD. Negative attention is still attention — just like a friend who picks fights with her boyfriend because she's bored. Not smart, but it works for them.
Being educated about how different brains work gives you grace in the back of your head knowing that this behavior isn't about you. Some parents don't want their child medicated or even tested — respect that, and instead ask them what works at home.
Have the kid complete a few questions, then go take a short walk. Repeat.
Keeping their hands busy helps them focus. Ask admin about alternative seating like a ball chair.
If the child doesn't want to be singled out, put a timer at the front of the class so everyone can see it.
Talk to admin about wiggle stools, ball chairs, or standing desks for sensory-seeking kids.
Not running away angrily — just has the urge to get out. It's sensory: like if you had an itch you had to scratch. Their classroom is overwhelming and they need relief immediately. It's not malicious.
Over time you'll learn to predict when this child is going to elope — after snack, during a subject they don't like, when they're dysregulated. Get ahead of it.
Low-prep realistic approaches to keeping kids involved & preventing meltdowns
Keeping kids involved doesn't have to be expensive or complicated. Enthusiasm + creativity = 10× the engagement.
Think about what was fun in school for you. Earning stars for a class pizza party. PJ day. Lunch in the classroom. Blanket forts for math. Dance parties between activities. It's really that simple — and if you keep rotating options, kids never get bored.
Class points toward something they choose — extra recess, a game, their favorite book read aloud. No need for a pizza party budget.
Bring boxes from home. Let kids color and build houses, castles, whatever they want. Hands-on + creative = focused.
2–3 minute YouTube dance videos between activities. Gets energy out, resets focus, and kids love it.
How many problems can you do in 3 minutes? Turning work into a game works every time.
Modifying work might look like you're giving a kid an easy out — but some kids are completely overwhelmed by large amounts of work and get discouraged. A shorter version of the same curriculum is still learning. And if it's a legal modification (changing learning standards), you can't do that yourself — that's what IEPs are for. If you think a student needs one, loop in your school psychologist and SPED team to get them tested.
Give that student a separate area to do tests or modified work away from peers. Reduces both distractions for them and commentary from classmates. You don't owe anyone an explanation.
Think of it like this: your friend drank too much and wants to call her ex. You can see it coming from a mile away. Do you wait for the call, or do you swipe her phone before she hits dial? Once you know a kid's triggers, preventing the meltdown is 10× easier than managing one.
What to say — real scripts for real situations
The do's and don'ts of speaking with, redirecting, and supporting kids — plus actual language you can use starting tomorrow.
The child is refusing to work, scribbling on the paper, yelling. High stress. Others watching. Here's how to handle it step by step:
If they refuse work and still get full recess, they learn they can do that every day. You don't have to take away all of recess, but using a few minutes to complete the missed work is a consequence that actually makes sense. Make it productive — not punitive sitting.
This is completely different territory. You need to be in regular communication with the SPED teacher on that child's caseload. Collaborate on goals, modifications, and how to make your classroom more inclusive. You are not alone in this — and you don't have to be.
When you feel like you're failing — strategies outside of work to reset
Everyone struggles the first few years. You're not a bad teacher — you're a new one. There's a difference.
Each day you show up, you are learning new strategies, adapting to new situations, and gaining experience. Progress isn't linear and sometimes it's invisible. Try to shift toward a growth mindset — every situation teaches you something, even the disasters.
That said — I don't expect you to have that mindset every day. Some days are just survival. That doesn't make you a terrible person or teacher. We're all human.
When I was a SPED assistant, I never wanted to ask for help because I didn't want to seem weak. I held in tears some days. The second I started asking for help, it was a day-and-night flip. I was excited to go to work because I knew my coworkers had my back. Some experienced teachers told me even they need to tap out sometimes. You are not failing by asking for support.
If you're constantly stressed and in fight-or-flight mode, the cycle keeps going until it's too much and you quit. You have to break it intentionally.
Even 10 minutes of vitamin D and movement calms your nervous system. Even a loop around the parking lot on lunch counts.
Spend time with friends and family. A quick FaceTime on the way home makes a real difference.
Reading or coloring (not doom-scrolling) keeps your mind focused and helps you wind down and sleep better.
Working out, even a short one, has a measurable effect on stress levels. You know you'll feel better after.
Coffee helps in the short term but sleep is what actually resets your mood, memory, and cognition. Non-negotiable.
They want to help. They don't want you burned out or quitting. Asking to set up a strategy meeting is a sign of professionalism, not weakness.
Practical resources you can use starting tomorrow
Simple, low-cost, high-impact. These are the tools I used every single day.
This chart shows two or three directions and lets the child see exactly what's coming — no surprises. Make it interactive: print, laminate, and add velcro so the child can physically place the pictures themselves during the day. I'd also recommend having pictures of each activity (not just words) so non-readers and non-verbal kids can follow along.
My lead SPED teacher made small laminated copies of choice boards, one-hole-punched, that we kept on our lanyards. Wherever we went in the building, we had the tools we needed. You can also add small pictures of things your kids love to look at — anything that helps de-escalate.
A board with pictures of all the choices a child can pick from — calm-down strategies, apps they can use, recess activities. When kids get to choose, they feel ownership and power, which helps them buy in. These are especially valuable for non-verbal students who can point to what they want instead of struggling to communicate verbally when already dysregulated.
Many kids are overwhelmed by loud environments — gym, lunchroom, assemblies. Headphones let them stay present without sensory overload.
Every classroom needs one. Fidgets, books, maybe a spinning chair. Make it cool and welcoming for ALL students — no one feels singled out.
When the calming corner is available to everyone — not just the "problem kids" — there's no stigma around using it. It becomes a normal part of how your classroom works, and kids with sensory or emotional needs can use it without embarrassment.
Need More Support?
We'll break it down together and build a realistic action plan you can use starting tomorrow. No judgement. No jargon. Strictly classroom strategies.
Once you submit, I'll review your form within 1–2 business days and reach out with next steps. Everything you share is completely confidential.
This book wouldn't exist without the people who showed me what great support really looks like.
A huge thank you to Danielle, honestly one of the best SPED teachers I've ever had the privilege of working alongside. Nearly everything you've read in this book — the visuals, the tips, the tricks, the strategies — came from watching her work and learning from her every single day. She is the kind of educator who makes everyone around her better, and I am so grateful she shared her knowledge with me. This book is really a reflection of her brilliance as much as my own.
Thank you to the incredible trainers at the Waukesha School District who poured their expertise into preparing me for this work. The foundation you built gave me the confidence and the tools to walk into any classroom and show up for kids who needed it most.
To everyone who has ever mentored a young professional just trying to do right by kids — thank you. It ripples further than you know. 🧠