Teaching Autism and Special Education

About Teaching Autism and Special Education

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 teaching journey easier, more effective, and a lot more fun! With each episode, I’ll bring you practical tips, creative strategies, and inspiring insights to help you thrive in your autism and special education classroom. From tackling behavior challenges to creating meaningful lesson plans, we’ll dive deep into what works—and what doesn’t—in the world of special education. You’ll find: ✅ Real-world strategies you can use tomorrow. ✅ Expert advice for creating inclusive, student-centered classrooms. ✅ Honest conversations about the joys and challenges of teaching. ✅ Plenty of laughs, relatable moments, and inspiration to keep you going. Whether you’re a seasoned educator, new to special education, or simply looking to level up your teaching game, this podcast is your go-to resource for empowering yourself and your students. Join me on this journey, and let’s build better classrooms together! Hit “subscribe” and tune in to each episode to fill your teaching toolbox with fresh ideas, tools, and motivation. Let’s make teaching less stressful and a whole lot more impactful!

Publisher

Teaching Autism

Category

education · education · kids & family

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

2 May 2019

Latest episode

9 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

18 of 194 episodes have a transcript.

1. 

   9 Oct 2026TRANSCRIPT

   The Function Of "I Don't Care"

   Nikki, host of Teaching Autism and Special Education, explores how "I don't care" often signals underlying anxiety or fear, offering strategies for empathetic responses.

2. 

   2 Oct 2026TRANSCRIPT

   PDA Profiles in the Classroom

   Nikki, a special education expert, interviews educators about understanding PDA profiles in the classroom and fostering autonomy to reduce demand avoidance.

3. 

   25 Sept 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Rejection Sensitivity and Explosive Reactions

   Nikki, host of Teaching Autism and Special Education, explores rejection sensitivity and explosive reactions in neurodivergent students, offering strategies for delivering feedback safely and building resilience.

Inside a recent episode

The Function Of "I Don't Care"

Published 9 Oct 2026 · Transcript excerpt

[…] I don't care why students say it, what it usually means, and how to respond without escalating the moment. Because if we take it at face value, we miss the emotion underneath. And there is almost always emotion underneath. All right, first up, I don't care is often protection. When someone says I don't care, it can actually sound really cold. But psychologically, it is often a shield because if I act like it doesn't matter, then it can't hurt me. And if I pretend I'm not invested, then I can't fail. And if I say I don't care, then your opinion can't reject me. It is protective language. It can also mean this feels too big because sometimes I don't care actually means I care too much. […]

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

11,287

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.5 / 5

42 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 58 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

51

Social presence

0

YouTube

76

Engagement

85

Contact Teaching Autism and Special Education

Guest appearances

Does not typically book guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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