Teaching Autism and Special Education by Nikki

Teaching Autism and Special Education by Nikki

Hosted by: Teaching Autism

Hi, I’m Nikki —a passionate special educator, autism specialist, and founder of Teaching Autism. With over a decade of experience creating hands-on, engaging resources for educators worldwide, I’m here to make your...

Episodes

Power Struggles and Nervous System States

Season #2

Power Struggles and Nervous System States Have you ever found yourself in a classroom power struggle where suddenly neither you nor the student wants to back down? In this episode, we’re looking at power struggles...
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Why Students Push Boundaries With Safe Adults

Season #2

Why Students Push Boundaries With Safe Adults Have you ever found yourself thinking, “Why are they only like this with me?” They seem regulated with other teachers, visitors, or senior staff, but with you, you see the...
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The Function Of "I Don't Care"

Season #2

The Function of “I Don’t Care” Have you ever tried to give a student feedback, only to be met with a shrug, an eye roll, and “I don’t care”? In this episode, we’re looking beyond the words to explore what “I don’t...
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PDA Profiles in the Classroom

Season #2

PDA Profiles in the Classroom Have you ever worked with a student who seems to resist even the smallest everyday demands - sometimes even things they actually want to do? In this episode, we’re talking about PDA...
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Rejection Sensitivity and Explosive Reactions

Season #2

Rejection Sensitivity and Explosive Reactions Have you ever given what felt like a tiny piece of feedback, only for a student to have a huge emotional reaction? In this episode, we’re talking about rejection...
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Why Behavior Changes With Substitute Teachers

Season #2

Why Behavior Changes With Substitute Teachers Ever noticed how even your most regulated students can seem completely different when there’s a substitute teacher in the classroom? In this episode, we’re talking about...
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The After-School Restraint Collapse

Season #2

The After-School Restraint Collapse Have you ever heard, “They’re perfect at school… but the second they get home, they completely fall apart”? In this episode, we’re talking about after-school restraint collapse -...
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Micro-Stressors That Build to Meltdowns

Season #2

Micro-Stressors That Build to Meltdowns Sometimes a meltdown can feel like it came completely out of nowhere - but often, there’s been a whole day of tiny stressors quietly building in the background. In this episode,...
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Behavior That Looks Manipulative But Isn’t

Season #2

Have you ever heard someone say, “They know exactly what they’re doing,” “They’re playing us,” or “They’re just being manipulative”? The word manipulative gets thrown around pretty quickly in schools and special...
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The Nervous System Behind Escalation

Season #2

Why can a student seem completely fine one minute and suddenly become overwhelmed the next? In this episode of Teaching Autism and Special Education with Nikki, we’re looking at what’s actually happening in the brain...
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Why Students Fixate on One Staff Member

Season #2

In this episode of Teaching Autism and Special Education with Nikki, we’re unpacking why some students become strongly attached to one specific staff member and what is often happening underneath that behavior....
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When Students Control the Environment Through Chaos

Season #2

In this episode of Teaching Autism and Special Education with Nikki, we’re unpacking a behavior pattern that can feel incredibly intense in the classroom: when students seem to control the environment through chaos....
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