Podcasts are some of my favorite ways to get my news, entertainment, and most recently some professional development/professional collaboration! Here are 5 of my absolute favorite special education podcasts.
Get your AirPods ready!
Angela Watson’s Truth for Teachers
Do you know Angela Watson from her blog, 40 Hour Work Week Club, or her books? Angela is one of my FAVORITE and most trusted voices in education. While her podcast isn’t a “special education podcast”, her content is incredibly valuable. Each episode tackles topics like dealing with challenging administration and what to do when you feel like you need to leave your job. These topics affect all teachers. Honestly, they affect us special education teachers in a more tangible and regular rate, unfortunately. Add her podcast to your “I should have started listening on my commute YESTERDAY” list.
You may already know Nicole Morris from her instagram account and her blog, but did you know she has a podcast? Her podcast features topics on autism, special education, and more personal (yet super relatable) themes like anxiety, quarantine, and reading habits. I love how her episodes are super bite-size and usually no more than 15 minutes. This special education podcast is perfect for cooking dinner, winding down after work, or while you’re getting ready!
If you don’t know about my friend Sasha’s podcast – DEAD! (Drop Everything And Download – lol, I know). Sasha is QUEEN in the autism world. As a special educator myself who does not work exclusively with children on the spectrum, I still gain SO much from each episode. Sasha is a great teacher and explains concepts in such simple and meaningful ways. She often interviews some pretty incredible people in her episodes, from ABA therapists to parents to communication experts. You just need to trust me on this recommendation.
Braelan’s podcast is the one we never knew we needed – she just dives right in! I got hooked when I heard her episode on setting boundaries and prioritizing self care as a special educator, but then dove in head first to her other episodes. It’s hard to find podcasts from teachers who are actively IN the classroom, and this is one of them! Hearing about strategies from someone who is currently using them just makes it that much more real.
If you know me at all, you know that union membership and involvement is really important to me as a teacher. While I know not all of us have the ability to be unionized, we do all have access to this podcast! Episodes prioritize on progressive and important topics on teachers rights, teaching with a social justice lens, resources for paraprofessionals, Black Lives Matter week, and more. TUNE IN!
What podcasts should I know about? Comment below!
Not a podcast listener? Check out some of my favorite special education focused books here and here!
