🎙 Join Caitlin and guest Michelle Morris, an experienced self-contained classroom teacher, as they unpack real talk for new special ed teachers. From unexpected chaos to building strong staff dynamics, Michelle shares the five things she wishes she knew starting out—plus how to lean into your team and your strengths without losing your mind.

💡 Whether you're brand-new or deep in the trenches, this episode will leave you feeling seen, supported, and ready to pivot with grace.

🔑 Key Takeaways
🌀 Be flexible—plans change, behaviors erupt, and that’s okay
🙅 Don’t take things personally—from students or staff
🤝 Use your resources—you're not expected to do it all alone
✨ Play to your strengths (and your team’s!)
🧘‍♀️ Take breaks when you need them—it’s not weakness, it’s wisdom

📚 Resources and Ideas
🎧 Other episodes you’ll love:
🔗 Ep. 47: Managing Paras
🔗 Ep. 30: Supervising RBTs and Paras
🔗 Misfit Minute #5: Best Clipboards for data collection

Join Us...
🎙 Next Episode: Redirection Misfit Minute
🌟 Subscribe: Don’t miss upcoming episodes on practical strategies and must-have resources for behavior support!
📢 Share this episode with a teacher, BCBA, or administrator looking for fresh approaches to special education and behavior analysis!
💬 Let us know how YOU connect with staff in our Facebook group @TheMisfitBehaviorists
📚 Connect: Follow us for more tips, tools, and discussions about all things behavior and education.

Join the Facebook group for collaboration and freebies: The Misfit Behaviorists

😍 More, you say? We’re here for you!

• Apple podcast | The Misfit Behaviorists
• Instagram | @‌themisfitbehaviorists
• YouTube | @‌themisfitbehaviorists

👋 Find us!

• Audra | ABA in School
• Caitlin | Beltran’s Behavior Basics
• Sami | B.A.S.S.

🖱️ Rate, Review, Like & Subscribe so you don’t miss an episode! Showing this love helps us get out to more educators out there!

In this short and practical episode, we explore the power of pre-correcting behavior—a quick strategy to set students up for success before a problem even starts. You’ll learn how to spot patterns, cue expectations in the moment, and reinforce positive behavior with intention.

💡 Key Takeaways
🔍 Know the behavior patterns—when and where issues usually occur
🗣️ Use quick verbal cues right before problem moments
🎯 Reinforce success immediately with specific praise and rewards
📋 Pre-correction is easier than correction—set students up to shine
🎒 Keep visual cues on a lanyard or clipboard for fast, effective reminders

📚 Resources & Visuals
🎨 Lanyard Pre-Correction Visuals (rhyme + statement versions in color/B&W)
🖍️ Student Coloring Pages for Each Routine (included in the visuals)
📏 Line-Up Behavior Chant Visual – “1, 2, eyes on you…”

🙌 Join Us & Share
💬 Join the Facebook group for free downloads and behind-the-scenes discussions
🎧 Subscribe so you don’t miss a weekly strategy drop
👯‍♀️ Share this episode with a fellow teacher or behaviorist who needs an easy win!

Join the Facebook group for collaboration and freebies: The Misfit Behaviorists

😍 More, you say? We’re here for you!

• Apple podcast | The Misfit Behaviorists
• Instagram | @‌themisfitbehaviorists
• YouTube | @‌themisfitbehaviorists

👋 Find us!

• Audra | ABA in School
• Caitlin | Beltran’s Behavior Basics
• Sami | B.A.S.S.

🖱️ Rate, Review, Like & Subscribe so you don’t miss an episode! Showing this love helps us get out to more educators out there!

This episode started as a quick Misfit Minute—but it turned into a deep dive, so we made it a full one. Inspired by that iconic Big Bang Theory clip with Sheldon and the chocolates, we break down a question behavior folks love to debate:

👉 Is it positive reinforcement... or positive punishment?

We walk through a simple way to understand the four terms:
Positive/Negative Reinforcement and Positive/Negative Punishment
…without getting stuck in jargon, so you can apply it in real situations, not just pass a test.

🔑 Key Takeaways
✅ Behavior terms like “positive” and “negative” aren’t value judgments—they describe what’s added or removed
✅ You must define the target behavior first before labeling an intervention
✅ Positive reinforcement = behavior increases + something added
✅ Negative reinforcement = behavior increases + something removed
✅ Positive punishment = behavior decreases + something added
✅ Negative punishment = behavior decreases + something removed
✅ Yes, the Sheldon chocolate clip is still relevant—and worth discussing

📚 Resources and Ideas
📌 Download the flow chart from the episode
🧩 Use it for quick reference in team meetings, FBAs, or your BCBA exam prep
🖼️ Join the conversation in our Facebook group to share your interpretation of the Sheldon example!

📌 Related Episodes:
– Ep. 18: Behavior Management Basics
– Ep. 45: Must-Read Behavior Books for Teachers and BCBAs

Join Us...
🌟 Subscribe: Don’t miss upcoming episodes on practical strategies and must-have resources for behavior support!
📢 Share this episode with a teacher, BCBA, or administrator looking for fresh approaches to special education and behavior analysis!
📚 Connect: Follow us for more tips, tools, and discussions about all things behavior and education.

Join the Facebook group for collaboration and freebies: The Misfit Behaviorists

😍 More, you say? We’re here for you!

• Apple podcast | The Misfit Behaviorists
• Instagram | @‌themisfitbehaviorists
• YouTube | @‌themisfitbehaviorists

👋 Find us!

• Audra | ABA in School
• Caitlin | Beltran’s Behavior Basics
• Sami | B.A.S.S.

🖱️ Rate, Review, Like & Subscribe so you don’t miss an episode! Showing this love helps us get out to more educators out there!