Chatting with Members of The Autism Helper Professional Development Membership

Hi everyone, happy Thursday! I am coming on this Facebook Live today because I'm going to hopefully be chatting with 4 members from my professional development membership group. So reminder, the professional development membership is open for enrollment now until February 1st. We only open enrollment 2 times a year, so this is the last time to join this school year. And we have people join at these certain times, and we don't have enrollment open all the time because I want everyone to go through the content together. Within the membership, you get access to training videos, and those training videos build as we go throughout the year. So we're always building on what we've learned about, and the idea is to really give you a path and a plan for your classroom. So instead of trying to do everything a little bit, you're focusing on doing a few things well. The goal is to reduce overwhelm. The goal is to, um, is to give you confidence and reassurance when making decisions about your classroom because you are now a part of this amazing community. So I said we're gonna— the plan is during this live I'm going to bring on 4 members from my professional development group. Now I have in the last week done 3 webinars, a Facebook Live, and recorded individual welcome videos to every single member that has signed up. And I so far, you guys, have had no tech issues. Did I just totally jinx myself? Um, so in the past, sometimes it's a little tricky to add people on Facebook Lives, and I'm hoping I can just continue my streak of no issues. So that's the plan. In a few minutes, I'm gonna add my first member on here right now. Well, let me give you a little bit of an overview of everything that you get in the membership. And if you have joined this enrollment period so far, thank you so much. I think we are currently at over 1,000 members. We have educators, parents, clinicians, RBTs, SLPs, BCBAs. It's so cool to see everyone joining our Facebook group, introducing each other. Super, super exciting. So within the membership, you get access to 4 to 6 new training videos each month. Those videos are on staff training, academics, behavior, and classroom setup. And then you get to always keep those previous videos from other months so you can rewatch them. Or what's really cool is you you can use them for staff training. Oh my gosh, that is so helpful. And then after you get those videos, you get the stuff, you get the tools, the templates, the downloads to put those, those concepts into action. Every month you get to pick 3 resources to download that's in line with things that we're learning about that month in our training videos. You also get access to our members-only Facebook group, which is the nicest, most collaborative group of people. It's like shocking that in this day and age on the internet, people are nice to each other. They truly are. So you get to join that amazing Facebook group. I do monthly Q&As and we have special little members-only webinars, um, in there also. So let me tell you about some 2021 perks because we've got some really cool things brewing for the membership this year. So if you join the membership right now, you will get access to my upcoming literacy course included within your membership cost. So I've been working nonstop on a new course called The Roadmap to Reading that walks you through the entire process of teaching reading, reading to learners with autism. So from assessment to materials to guided reading groups to fluency to direct instruction, you get that whole course within your membership this summer. That course is gonna be, with all the toolkits, around $300. So So you're getting that within your membership.

Super cool.

Other exciting thing is we have been trialing an app. So hopefully sooner than later, there will be an app that you can be utilizing all of the membership tools right on. It'll be super easy to access everything. I think it's already pretty easy, but we want to make it even easier. And the last perk is that we have been working on members-only resources. So resources that aren't on TPT, resources that are just for the membership that are really aligned to exactly what you're learning about. So for example, a new video coming out February 1st is on fluency instruction. Well, I made 4 new resource packs. I made 4 sets of fluency programs, one for Pre-K, K, 1st through 3rd, 4th through 6th, and life skills. So each of those different fluency sets includes those programs for that specific skill area. So it's really nice to then learn about fluency instruction and then go download tools that are relevant to you. So that's a big picture of the membership. If you want all the details, click on the website. But until then, let's see if we have success bringing on our members. So first we are going to add Heather.

Let's see, you guys, I told you maybe I was gonna break my streak. All right, all right, Heather, can you request to join again? So let's see if I can add her. Okay.

Yay!

Great success! Yay! All right, this is Heather, and you guys may recognize her from Instagram because I got to know Heather through the membership. And loved her so much that she started blogging on our team and sharing all of her awesome ideas. Heather, you mind telling a little bit about what type of classroom you teach in? Sure.

And if I keep looking down, I have notes so I don't forget. But I teach an educational learning skills classroom at the pre-K level in our district. So we have an AM and PM session. It's highly structured and we follow an alternate curriculum, which is STAR, which I've written about on some of the blogs. And we, I have maxed out at 6 kids in the morning, 6 kids in the afternoon. It's myself, 2 TAs, and then related service schedules themselves. So they're in the room each day a week so that there's always 4 adults.

Awesome. So do you mind sharing a little bit about how you utilize the membership? Because I know you have been a member since the beginning.

Yes, so I like to watch the videos alone and process really what you're talking about to see what we need more information on as a team. I like to download the handouts too so that I can follow along with your videos. And then I go back to the team and I share some of the notes that I have, some of the resources that were given. And then we as a team choose what we want to implement, what maybe we're already doing, or what can we do better based on your training videos.

I love how you incorporate your whole team into this.

Yeah, they're amazing.

But that's getting like such buy-in right away that you're like doing it together.

Yes, yes, and they love, they love learning from me too.

Oh, great. And I hope— to me, like, I always think about when I was in the classroom, I would have sometimes felt uncomfortable being the one to do all the training. So to have like someone else say it too.

Yes, it's, it's very helpful for the buy-in for not only my team, but the rest of our staff.

Oh, that's great. And then, do you utilize the Facebook Community? How has your experience within the Facebook Community been?

Yeah, so everybody is so helpful. I know I've thrown a lot of questions up there. Everyone is quick to respond and respectful. They're respectful with questions or asking more questions to get a little more information if we're not sure of the answers for each other. And then even if somebody wants to go on and brag about their classroom, everyone kind of gives, you know, cheers for them there too.

And I love when that happens. Like, we need times to just be like proud of ourselves.

Yes, like I did this and it worked.

And it's like with people that get it, you know, like if you tell like your husband or your wife or your roommate, they're like, okay, cool. So what kind of advice would you give if anyone's like on the fence about joining? What kind of would help you kind of make that choice to go jump, jump over the edge? That's not the right saying, but you know what I mean. Take that next step.

I would for sure join. And you can talk, like I, in the beginning I talked with my administration to get it started and they were very open for it. They looked into it. They love using it. And it's a great way, especially to get more inclusion ideas for your students. And you can take notes. And I've started Google Slides to share with our whole staff so that we could work on the things that you're training and everything is organized and you get resources. And I would for sure do.

Awesome. Yeah. Thank you for the reminder about school license. Cause you know, you're so smart in like just asking, like so often administrators are like, yes, sure. You want this, like we'll support you. Yes. Awesome. Well, thank you, Heather. And a little plug for all of Heather's awesome blog posts. She is such a great preschool teacher and I love, um, when she shares all of her ideas and everything. So thanks again for jumping on, Heather, and sharing your perspective on the membership.

Thank you.

Okay, let's see if I can have success adding my next member. Sierra, if you're on, will you see if you can request to add?

Let's see. Maybe, maybe not. Maybe I just got one here, guys.

You know, I had someone in a webinar recently, at the last webinar I did, ask, you know, "Oh, I'm a preschool teacher. I don't know if this is the right fit." And we have actually a really dynamic group of preschool teachers within the membership. And before COVID we started, which we're going to hopefully start doing these again, we started having these kind of mini think tanks.

Oh, there's Sierra.

Yes, two! I got two in a row, guys! Where we were connecting members that were in kind of similar positions and doing Zoom calls with just preschool teachers or just BCBAs in schools, and that was so valuable to be able to connect educators with other people who are specifically in that role. So we are going to definitely be bringing that back now that everyone's kind of settled into our lives a little bit. And be connecting people that are, you know, in the same position.

All right, says adding, but let's see. All right, we'll give it a minute and see if she comes.

If anyone has any questions, please feel free to drop them in. And another reminder, you know, like Heather said about school licenses, Heather had her school cover the fees of the membership, and we have been getting lots of requests in the last few days for school license information. You know, it's a Thursday, you can email your admin tomorrow and see if they can get that processed. A lot of times, you know, there is— there is—

let's try again.

I see you, Sierra.

It says adding. I jinxed myself, huh, by saying— by saying no.

Oh, there we go. Yay! Hi Sierra, how are you? Can you hear me? I see you. Let's give it a minute. I hope everyone had a virtual learning day with no tech issues. There we go.

I think I can hear you now.

Can you hear me, Sierra?

This is the world we live in, right guys?

Trying to get things to work. Can you hear me? One other way if you want to hear from current members, what I would definitely recommend is checking out the podcast. Episode 58, I interviewed 5 different, different members, and they're all in different settings. They all work with different age levels, and it was cool, you know, it was a little bit more in-depth interviews. Hearing the different ways that they utilize the membership too was really, really fun.

Ah, bummer, I guess that didn't work. Let's try one more time.

Um, hearing all of the different ways that, you know, okay, yeah, there we go.

The charm. I know, right?

Oh, thank you so much for hopping on here. I appreciate it.

Yeah, definitely. Thank you for having me.

Do you mind sharing a little bit about what type of classroom you teach in?

Yes, so my in-person classroom is kindergarten, first grade students with autism with more of the intensive support needs. But this year I'm actually doing virtually self-contained students who have chosen virtual. So I have K through 5.

Oh my God, crazy.

So it's, yeah, it's a lot of, a lot of modifying material and differentiation. A lot of utilizing Teachers Pay Teachers and Autism Helper products, making it work. But yeah, so it's nice to, it's nice to experience virtual and learn all these things that I can actually take back into the classroom.

Yeah, that's true. That's a good way to look at it. And that's, you got to stay positive in some ways, right?

Yeah.

Right.

So I would love to hear how you are utilizing the membership and how it's been helpful to you.

The membership is like, I mean, I knew it was going to be awesome, but it is so much more than that. The videos are amazing. I think because they're quick, they're not too quick, but they're quick enough to where I can like sit down in the morning if I have a few extra minutes before a class, I can watch one, take some notes, and I can really think about specific students and how to use those techniques with that student. I can also think about things in the past, like, oh, if I would have done this, maybe I'd see that outcome. And I'm just able to kind of really apply a lot of the trainings to specific students and specific situations. And the resources that we get each month are worth way more than the membership cost. You know, I mean, they are top-level resources. Like, I don't think people realize how good of resources we get to choose from. They're not like the dollar options on Teachers Pay Teachers. Huge level curriculums and they're, you know, the writing packets. I mean, the resources alone have me sold. Awesome.

I'm happy you brought up like the length of the videos because that's really what I was thinking too. Like, you know, we're busy. No one has time for like a 90-minute like webinar. Like in theory, yes, that'd be great, but we don't, you know? Right.

Yeah, yeah. I mean, it would be nice if we had all this extra time, especially this year with hybrid and in-person and virtual, it is just so nice to have something quick, refreshing, you know, watch it and apply it as you go. It's really nice.

Have you enjoyed being a part of the Facebook group and the community on there?

Yeah, like Heather said, it's so positive. And like when people do get on there, like, oh look, like share success, it's— they're like bragging, but like we get why they're bragging because like we're in it too. And I feel like it's such a genuine group. And everyone is just like in it for each other's success. And we can, if you post a question or a topic, it's like immediate response. And it's like, it's just top quality interaction. It's not just somebody who's scrolling Facebook and they're going to like write something and move on.

Yeah.

It's really good.

Yeah. And I keep being like a little bit surprised. I'm like, how are this many adults on a Facebook group? I'm like, be nice to each other. Yeah.

Yeah.

It is nice. It is weird that everybody's positive, but you know, we can also vent on our bad days and people, offer like the answers you want to hear. Yeah, that does, that is really unfortunate.

Maybe try this, you know, like even if you're, and they know even if you're venting, that doesn't mean you're not in it for the kids or, you know, we all have bad days.

Yeah, yeah. And I think it's a group of educators who all get it.

Yeah. Oh, thank you. Well, thank you so much for being a part of the group and I appreciate you hopping on here and sharing your experience.

Definitely. Thank you.

Thank you. Bye. All right guys, I did too. Look at that. Okay, Tina, if you are on here, can you request? I thought I could request people, but I guess not. Tina, if you are on here, will you request to join?

See if I can get 3.

So that was so great to hear. You know, I really, um, was trying to create a tool that could be utilized within the busy day of a teacher. So to be able to watch a 5-minute video, a 10-minute video when you have the time, because we don't always have a lot of time. Yay, I did it! Hi Tina, how are you? Yeah, thanks for having me.

Good, how are you?

Tina is a fellow—

thanks for having me—

is a fellow BCBA and teacher. I love that you have both experiences, so valuable. Do you mind sharing a little bit about what type of classroom you teach in?

Yeah, I teach in a middle school level. I teach in a self-contained class primarily with students with autism. I've been doing it for 10 years too.

I have like a very similar little timeline here. Middle school, BCBA.

We connect. I connected with you right away.

Do you mind sharing a little bit about how you have been utilizing the membership?

Yeah, so just like what, like, Sierra and Heather had said, they like nailed it, but I wanted to add a little bit of something different. With the training videos, how many of us have watched training videos, you're like, yeah, can't do that in my class, like, that is like perfect classroom model type of class, that's not happening for me. I feel like the way you describe it, you're like, yeah, I can totally do what she's saying, I could take that little bit of information and incorporate it right away and feel successful at the same time. So that's what I really love about your membership. And I, when I brag about it, I always tell people, I'm like, you can do, you can do these little small changes in your classroom right away. It's not like any other training, like video you're going to watch.

Oh, that's awesome.

I know.

I, you know, I struggle with that too. Like you said, you sometimes you go to trainings and you're like, yeah, but that isn't going to work here because I have 13 kids or I have, you know, these types behaviors. So I really always want to be able to share tools that you can do in that overcrowded classroom that so many of us are in.

Definitely, yeah. And I, I love also how like you organize your topics and if you're goal-oriented and you're like, you know what, this is what I'm going to focus on. And you always tell us like, you know, if you're not— if you're going to do this, do this this month. And you're like, okay, I could do that. And like just getting good at one thing and then keeping like building upon it like throughout the year. So I, I really love that. You know, I'm like 10 years in, there's still more to learn. So it doesn't matter if you're a first-year teacher or 10 years in, there's always more to learn because our kids are so diverse and like you don't know how to teach every single student. Sometimes you are going to come up with like a, like one of those like challenging students, you're like, hmm, and then you go into the Facebook group and you're like, how do you teach this kid this? Or I'm struggling with this. And like everybody said, you get a response right away.

That's such a good point that you make that. I used to say that in live PDs when I did those before COVID but I would always say that, like, you know, it takes one hard kid or one hard combo of kids to take, like, the most veteran teacher and make you feel like a first-year teacher. You're like, what am I doing?

Like, exactly.

By the way, so helpful in the Facebook group. Like, your responses are always dead on and always, you know, super, super helpful. And I think That's a good point that you make that whether you're a first-year teacher or a 10-year teacher, I like having that like diversity in our group because it just brings different perspectives and, you know, people do stuff around the country in different ways. So it's so great having those different levels of experiences within one Facebook group.

I agree. And I love that we have access to you. Like, who doesn't want to have access to you? Like, you answer questions right away. Like, oh, I got Sasha responded to me.

That's so cool.

Like, I don't know, like fangirling, but I'm like, I'm like, that's so cool that you respond right away. So it's really cool and I value your knowledge and your help.

Oh, thank you. Yeah, it's really like one of, I have a little routine I do in the morning and that's one of my routines is I check in in the Facebook group, what are people talking about, what things can I answer? So great. Well, thank you so much, Tina, for jumping on. I am so thankful for you in this membership 'cause I think you're such a great leader in the Facebook group and really, Monica, to like check out and be like, check out Peek and check out this. So I like that you are that voice in the group. Thank you. Awesome.

Well, thanks.

All right. Well, let's see if I can have success adding one more person.

Okay, there we go.

Okay, Marie. Marie, can you request to join?

Let's see.

I feel like my cheeks hurt from smiling, but you guys are like making me smile hearing all this, all of this great feedback because, you know, it's really exciting for me to hear from all of these members because I spent a lot of— when we developed the membership, I spent a lot of time trying to think about the best way to set this up and what would bring the most value to everyone. So it's super exciting to hear everyone say these things where I'm like, "Yes! This is This is what I envisioned.

Okay, let's see if we can add our last member. Let's see.

And if anyone has any questions and if this is no longer live, feel free to drop those on because we will be back here checking it out and answering them. And also, if you head over to the Facebook page, the membership page, you can also, you can also pop in the comments there. And there are— there's a little pop-up that will ask if you have any questions, and you can add any questions there.

All right, let's see if I can add her. Well, maybe 3 out of 4 was pretty good, guys. Let's see. All right, well, that might be, that might be it because I can't figure out how to request to add her.

Well, I think that was pretty successful for tech issues. Our last member who was gonna come on Maybe we can have one last little final time if she—

if I can see how to do it.

Our last member who was going to come on actually maybe looks like she's related to me because her name is Marie Long. And every time I see her name, my middle name is Marie too. So I'm always like, "Is that me?" She's not related to me, but she's in membership. She is a sweetheart and such an awesome teacher.

But we cannot quite figure out the connection here. Alright, let's try one more thing and then we will pop off.

Thank you guys all for watching. I hope it was helpful to hear from different members. And like I said, you can always, you can always go to that podcast episode, podcast episode 58, to hear from more members. But I was excited to be able to bring out a preschool teacher and a middle school teacher, the whole range, and someone that's doing virtual, hybrid, and in-person, you know, and have kind of all range of experience levels and show that, you know, they're still getting a lot from the membership. So, oh, there's Marie in there. She's in the comments. I'm sure she'd be happy to answer any questions. We can't quite figure out how to add her on live because, you know, tech things don't always cooperate, do they? But thank you all so much for joining. And if you have any questions, please feel free to message me or shoot me an email, and I will make sure to, um, to get those questions answered for you. Remember, enrollment closes on 2/1, so we only have a few more days, and enrollment will not be open until the next school year. So if you're thinking about asking your admin, definitely ask them tomorrow. And thank you so much for being the rock star teacher that you are. If you are checking out this live, I feel like you are a rock star teacher. So Thank you so much for doing what you're doing. Your students are so lucky to have you. And if you are joining the membership group, I feel lucky to have you in my membership as well. Have a great night.