Before You Close the Door: Reflecting on The School Year

Whether you are closing out your room , transitioning into ESY or just enjoying that first deep breath of summer , this month is all about summer strategies for special educators .

Today's episode is all about reflection , because , before we start thinking ahead to next year , or even before we try to rest and recharge , it's helpful to take a moment to look back what actually worked this year and what didn't , where were you successful and where were you derailed .

So grab a notebook , take this , walk with me down memory lane and let's unpack the wins , the struggles and how to use all of that to build a stronger school year next time around . 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 Hopperberg , 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 sodon't-cry profession of being a special education teacher . So , as special educators , our roles are so layered . We really just do so much in addition to teaching .

We are responsible for managing paraprofessionals , collecting data , running instruction groups , supporting behaviors , writing IEPs and trying to communicate with a dozen people at once every single day , and I don't need to tell you everything you do .

I know you already know that , but there are aspects of what we do that we may be doing really well at , while there are other areas where we are just barely keeping our heads above water or maybe even sinking a little . That's totally normal . It's very , very rare to find a teacher who excels in every single area all the time .

The truth is , we wear so many different hats that it's impossible for everything to be perfect all the time , and that's why this kind of reflection that I want to do with you today is so important . It gives you a chance to pause and look at the big picture , instead of just coasting into summer and promising ourselves we'll figure it out next year .

We're going to intentionally take some time to really examine what's working , what needs tweaking and what might need a total overhaul , because when you look at each part of your role individually

, it really becomes a lot easier to celebrate your wins and identify small , manageable ways where you can grow All right . So instead of just asking how was your year and asking you to reflect on it , I want to help you do your reflection in a more meaningful way . We're going to break it down .

We're going to reflect on several different areas of your program and , don't worry , this isn't about judgment . It's about clarity , because when we take time to reflect across all of these areas , we will be better equipped to plan for next year with intention and confidence . So grab a piece of paper and sketch one out for yourself .

I'm going to walk you through it or , if you want , you can go to the show notes and print out the reflection resource that I provided for you . So on the chart , there are four columns and nine rows . The columns are titled reflection area nailed it could do better and crashed and burned .

And then , under the reflection area , the eight remaining rows are titled with all of those hats you wear , I have paraprofessionals , instruction , routines and procedures , data collection , iep management , behavior support , scheduling and then communication . Now , not all of these might apply to you , and if that's the case , just cross one off .

And if there's an area that's specific to your role , your setting or even your own goals this year that isn't on there , feel free to add it . Maybe you took on transition planning , maybe you are doing co-teaching or mentoring new teachers or managing assistive technology . Whatever it is , this tool is flexible and meant to work for you .

Okay , so let's start on a high note . What worked for you this year . This is your chance to celebrate the wins , big or small .

As I walk through each reflection area , think about what felt smooth , successful or just better than the year before and write those down in the nailed it column For paraprofessionals you might consider did your team work well together ? Maybe you created a schedule that finally stuck ? Maybe you trained your paras more intentionally or built stronger relationships ?

Did they feel supported or even take on more leadership ? In the next row , instruction , were there small group lessons that clicked ? Did your students

show growth ? Maybe you try to do strategy like using more visuals , scaffolding or co-teaching , and it made a difference For routines and procedures . Think about your daily flow . Did arrival , transitions or packing up go smoother this year ? Maybe you implemented a visual schedule that actually worked or practiced routines until they stuck .

For data collection , did you finally find a system that worked for you ? Maybe you kept up with progress monitoring more consistently . Maybe you used a new form that worked better or you trained your paras to help with documentation For IEP management . Were you more prepared for your meetings this year ?

Maybe you started drafting present levels earlier or kept track of deadlines better or used templates that saved time For behavior support . Ask yourself . Did you use a behavior plan that actually worked ? Maybe you had fewer referrals , maybe you found a new way to reinforce positive behaviors , or you just felt more confident in handling those tough moments .

For scheduling , did you make a schedule that didn't need redoing every two weeks ? Maybe you found a rhythm that worked for services , inclusion and small groups , or you could have used a digital tool that made it easier . And then , for communication , did you connect more consistently with parents ?

Maybe you started using a communication log , shared wins more often , or improved collaboration with general education teachers . Take a moment to fill in the wins for each of those areas . Even if it wasn't perfect , if it was better than last year or made your day easier , it belongs in the nailed it column . I want you to celebrate it .

Now that you've celebrated your wins in the nailed it column , let's shift into the next two sections . Could do better and crashed and burned . Now remember , reflecting

on what didn't go quite as well isn't about beating yourself up , it's about growing . So keep that in mind as we work through the next two columns . So on paraprofessionals , I want you to think about what you could do better and what crashed and burned . Maybe you didn't hold as many check-ins or team huddles as you intended .

Maybe roles weren't as clearly defined as they could have been . And then on crashed and burned , maybe you had major scheduling issues or inconsistent support or communication breakdowns that left everyone frustrated . For instruction on could do better . Maybe your small group instruction was okay but a little bit inconsistent .

Or you struggled to differentiate the way you wanted For crashed and burned , maybe you had groups that never got off the ground , plans you never implemented or a subject you felt totally unprepared to teach . For routines and procedures , maybe you had good intentions but forgot to reteach routines after winter break .

Or you didn't have time to build them strong in August . Maybe your students never really grasped your expectations or chaos was the daily norm during transitions . For data collection , what could you do better ? Maybe you started strong but fizzled out mid-year .

Or maybe your data wasn't as organized as you'd like For crashed and burned organized as you would like For crashed and burned , maybe you had no system , no consistency , sticky notes everywhere and you didn't know which sticky note belonged to which student . We've all been there . For IEP management , you maybe met your deadlines , but you felt rushed .

Maybe you want to improve your present levels or your goals . And for crashed and burned Maybe you missed a deadline or forgot a meeting altogether or didn't feel proud of the documents that you submitted . For behavior support what you could do better . You might have had plans , but you didn't always follow through with them .

Or maybe you weren't proactive enough For the crash and burn column .

Maybe meltdowns ruled the room , you felt reactive and not strategic and nothing seemed to work . For scheduling , you maybe had a schedule , but it constantly needed adjusting . Maybe service minutes weren't always met the way you planned . Or maybe no real schedule ever stuck and you spent most of the year flying by the seat of your pants .

And then , lastly , for communication maybe you meant to send more updates home or loop gen ed teachers in more often , but you didn't . Or maybe you avoided to send more updates home or loop gen ed teachers in more often , but you didn't . Or maybe you avoided tough conversations , had parent complaints or felt disconnected from your team .

The goal here is not to make you feel bad , it's just to give you clarity . Once you filled in all of the columns , you will have a solid snapshot of what to improve and what to let go of . You have named what worked , you have owned what didn't , and you have started thinking critically about each part of your role . So here is your final task .

I want you to use this chart to set two to three intentional goals for next year . You don't need to overhaul everything . Just look at the patterns . Is there a row where your crashed and burned column is overflowing ? That might be a top priority ? Is there something in the could do better column that feels totally doable ?

With just a little bit more planning , that could be a quick win for you . Or maybe there's something in the nailed it column that you want to build on or replicate in other areas ? Pick two or three goals that feel realistic , meaningful and helpful just for you , and write them down , not for your admin , not for an evaluation , just for you .

This is how we grow intentionally not by making a million promises to ourselves in August , but by starting in June with honest reflection and a clear plan .

You can grab the printable version of the reflection chart in the show notes to make this process easier , but I want you to use it now , tuck it into your planner and then revisit it when you start thinking about next year . It's one of the best gifts you can give your future self . Thanks for joining me today .

You have done incredible work this school year In the summer . I want to keep supporting you every step of the way . I'll see you next week with more summer strategies for special educators .