Introduction:
If your to-do list has a to-do list, and your brain runs on post-it notes and guilt, welcome home. You’re probably a special education teacher navigating 23 IEPs, a surprise referral, a student under your desk, and a printer jam that may or may not be your villain origin story.
Sometimes we need the same reminders we give our students:
✅ Take a breath.
✅ Ask for help.
✅ You don’t have to finish everything today.
5 Ways Special Ed Teachers Can Survive Burnout:
- Let Go of Perfect Data:
Your notes don’t need to be Pinterest-ready—just useful. The IEP team will survive if your graph is hand-drawn. - Accept the Imperfection:
You’ll fix the goal you forgot. You’re not failing—you’re juggling more than most people will ever see. - Don’t Let Emails Rule You:
Parent communication matters, but so does your peace. Set boundaries. Use templates. Automate if you can. - Progress, Not Productivity:
You won’t get ahead every week. Do what matters. Delegate what doesn’t. - You Deserve Accommodations, Too:
Your job is to support others. But support yourself, too—with coffee, naps, and the “IEP Royalty” shirt you absolutely need [link to product].
Closing Thought:
Burnout doesn’t mean you’re weak. It means you’ve been strong for too long. Accommodate yourself—before the system breaks you. And if you’re ready for a laugh, explore our SpEd teacher survival merch [link to Shopify].