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-t
Pitch Analysis
Required Pod Score for this show. PitchCentric checks your profile against host openness, topical fit, and audience signals before you generate a pitch.
Contact path
Verified email
Booking probability
35%
Guest openness
Selective
Verified email on file
80/100
Required Score
Sign up to generate a grounded pitch for Teaching Autism and Special Education by Nikki.
What is Teaching Autism and Special Education by Nikki?
Teaching Autism and Special Education by Nikki is a education podcast hosted by Teaching Autism, with 190 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.
About the host
Teaching Autism hosts Teaching Autism and Special Education by Nikki, a education show with 190 episodes published.
Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.
Teaching Autism and Special Education by Nikki
Why Behavior Changes With Substitute Teachers
Sep 18, 20268 minS2
Why Behavior Changes With Substitute Teachers Ever noticed how even your most regulated students can seem completely different when there’s a substitute teacher in the classroom? In this episode, we’re talking about why behavior can change when a familiar teacher is absent - and why it often has much more to do with predictability, regulation, and nervous system safety than simply “testing the sub.” We’ll chat about: Why predictability can be so important for autistic students How a change in teacher can increase stress and uncertainty The role familiar adults can play in co-regulation Why “testing boundaries” may actually be a student gathering information about a new adult How masking and regulation can change on substitute days Simple ways to prepare students and make substitute days feel more predictable What substitute teachers can do to support regulation When a student behaves differently with a substitute teacher, instead of immediately assuming defiance, consider what changed in their environment . Because sometimes behavior isn’t about the person standing in front of them. It’s about the familiar pattern that suddenly changed.
The After-School Restraint Collapse Have you ever heard, “They’re perfect at school… but the second they get home, they completely fall apart” ? In this episode, we’re talking about after-school restraint collapse - when a child spends the day holding it together, masking, managing sensory input, following expectations, and regulating their emotions, only to release everything once they reach a safe space. We’ll chat about: What after-school restraint collapse can look like Why a child can appear completely “fine” at school but struggle at home The huge amount of energy that masking and constant self-regulation can require Why parents and teachers can see two very different sides of the same child How schools can reduce the build-up of stress throughout the day Simple ways parents can support decompression after school Instead of measuring how well a child is coping by how calm they appear at school, we need to consider how much effort that calm might be taking . Because sometimes the meltdown at the end of the day isn’t about one tiny thing going wrong. It’s the nervous system finally saying, “I can stop holding it together now.”
Micro-Stressors That Build to Meltdowns Sometimes a meltdown can feel like it came completely out of nowhere - but often, there’s been a whole day of tiny stressors quietly building in the background. In this episode, we’re talking about micro-stressors : the small sensory, social, emotional, and environmental demands that can gradually fill a student’s “stress bucket” until their nervous system reaches overload. We’ll chat about: What micro-stressors can look like in the classroom Why autistic students may experience them more intensely The “final straw” effect and why the last trigger often isn’t the real cause Early signs that a student’s stress bucket is filling Simple ways to build regulation and decompression into the school day Why breaks should be preventative - not something students have to earn Instead of asking “What caused that meltdown?” , this episode encourages us to ask: “What filled the bucket today?” A simple shift that can help us move from reacting to meltdowns to proactively supporting regulation in a neuro-affirming way.
Have you ever heard someone say, “They know exactly what they’re doing,” “They’re playing us,” or “They’re just being manipulative”? The word manipulative gets thrown around pretty quickly in schools and special education settings. But once we give a student that label, it can completely change the way we see - and respond to - their behavior. In this episode of Teaching Autism and Special Education , we’re looking at behavior that can look manipulative from the outside, but may actually be a response to distress, dysregulation, communication difficulties, or a missing skill. We’ll talk about situations like crying when work is presented, escalating after being told no, and behaving completely differently depending on which adult is around. While these behaviors can sometimes look calculated, there’s often much more happening underneath the surface. We’ll also explore the nervous system side of behavior and how fight, flight, freeze, and fawn responses can easily be mistaken for intentional control or avoidance. In This Episode, We Talk About: Why labeling a student as “manipulative” can be harmful What true manipulation actually requires Why crying to escape a difficult task doesn’t necessarily mean a student is manipulating you Why students may behave differently with different members of staff What can really be happening when a student escalates after hearing “no” How frustration tolerance and emotional regulation affect behavior The role of fight, flight, freeze, and fawn responses The important difference between reinforcement and manipulation How children naturally learn patterns based on what happens after a behavior Why we should look for the missing skill instead of assigning negative intent Practical ways to teach replacement communication and regulation skills How to maintain boundaries without turning behavior into a power struggle One of the biggest takeaways from this episode is that reinforcement does not automatically equal manipulation . A child can learn that a particular behavior results in escape, attention, or relief without sitting there and deliberately planning how to control the adults around them. Instead of asking, “How are they trying to manipulate me?” we can ask: What skill might be missing here? Do they need support with communication? Emotional regulation? Frustration tolerance? Executive functioning? Asking for help or requesting a break? Changing that question can completely change our response. You can still hold boundaries. You can still say no. You can still have expectations and protect the needs of everyone in your classroom. But we can do all of those things without villainizing the child. The next time you hear behavior described as manipulative, ask yourself: Is this strategy… or survival? That one question might change how an entire team responds to a student.
Why can a student seem completely fine one minute and suddenly become overwhelmed the next? In this episode of Teaching Autism and Special Education with Nikki , we’re looking at what’s actually happening in the brain and body during escalation and why understanding the nervous system can completely change the way we respond to behavior. Escalation is often a stress response. Sensory overload, difficult demands, unexpected changes, social pressure, fatigue, hunger, and lots of other small stressors can build throughout the day until a student reaches their tipping point. In This Episode, We Talk About: What happens in the brain and body during escalation Fight, flight, freeze, and fawn responses Why escalation is often cumulative Early warning signs of dysregulation Why reasoning and lecturing don’t work at the peak What students need from us during escalation How our own regulation can influence the situation What to consider when escalation happens frequently Escalation is information. It tells us that, in that moment, a student’s capacity was exceeded. Instead of asking, “How do I stop this behavior?” , try asking: “What did their nervous system just detect?” That can change the way we understand and respond to escalation.
Every question we get asked before someone starts their trial.
If you have a concern about deliverability, AI quality, data privacy, or whether this will actually work for your specific situation, it's probably answered below.
What is the difference between Founder Solo and Founder Pro?
Founder Solo gives you 50 AI pitches per month using the credit model (Standard pitches cost 1 credit, Enriched pitches cost 2). Founder Pro raises that to 200 credits per month and adds full Booking Probability access, unlimited Magic Match, Apollo enrichment credits, and data export capabilities. Both plans use the same credit system, so you can stretch your monthly budget further by using Standard-mode drafting.
How do agency tiers work?
Agency tiers have no base fee. You pay per managed client and per talent profile. Agency Standard is $199 per client per month; Agency Pro is $399 per client per month. Both add $39 per talent profile per month. Your own team's user seats are always free.
What is a talent profile?
A talent profile represents one person (founder, executive, or spokesperson) you are booking onto podcasts. It includes their bio, topics, headshots, and outreach history. Team plans include 5 profiles; agency plans are pay-as-you-go.
Can I switch plans later?
Yes, at any time. Upgrades take effect immediately; downgrades apply at the end of the current billing period. Contact support if you need help migrating between plan families.
Do you offer a free trial?
Every paid plan includes a 15-day free trial. Your card is saved at signup but you will not be charged until day 16. Cancel any time from your dashboard.
What happens if I cancel?
You keep access until the end of your current billing period. No charges after that. Your data is retained for 30 days in case you reactivate.
Is the 20% annual discount automatic?
Yes. Select Annual on the pricing toggle and the discounted price is applied automatically at checkout. The annual price shown is the full year cost.
What if I have more than 50 profiles or 20 clients?
That is our Enterprise tier. Contact our sales team and we will build a custom plan with volume pricing, a dedicated account manager, and SLA guarantees.
