Center-based learning can feel overwhelming in ABA and self-contained classrooms—especially when staffing is tight, learner needs vary widely, and data collection feels nonstop. In this episode, Caitlin and Audra break down how to actually run centers in an ABA classroom without burning out your staff or your students. From staffing rotations to flexible grouping, this conversation focuses on practical, realistic ways to make center-based learning work in real classrooms.

🔑 Key Takeaways
• Centers ≠ small group instruction 📍—they serve different purposes and need different planning.
• Not every learner needs intensive teaching at the same time—shrinking DTT groups reduces pressure and chaos.
• Plan staff and student rotations intentionally 🔄—rotate people, not just activities, to prevent burnout.
• Structured play is work for many learners 🎲—design play centers with intention and support.
• Start small 🧩—introduce centers in short bursts before increasing expectations or duration.
• It’s okay to pause data collection 📊—focus on routines and transitions first when rolling out centers.

📦 Resources Mentioned
• Related Episodes:
Ep. 9 Superhero Skills to Battle Burnout → https://abainschool.com/ep9
Misfit Minute 17 How to Make Transitions Easier for Students with Autism → https://abainschool.com/mm17
• Misfit Behaviorists Facebook Group → https://abainschool.com/misfits
• The Misfit Behaviorists Podcast → https://abainschool.com
• School-Based BCBA & Teacher Resources → https://abainschool.com or https://beltransbehaviorbasics.com/

🙌 Join Us & Share
• How do you structure centers in your ABA or self-contained classroom?
• What’s worked—or totally flopped—for your team?
• Share your ideas in the Misfit Behaviorists Facebook Group → https://abainschool.com/misfits

• Know a teacher or BCBA struggling with centers? Send them this episode 💙

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!

Talking with families about hard things is part of the job—but it doesn’t have to feel awkward, cold, or overly clinical. In this Misfit Minute, Caitlin shares four practical tips for sharing difficult behavior updates, regressions, or service concerns with families in a way that builds trust and keeps the relationship collaborative. The goal isn’t to deliver “bad news.” It’s to partner with families and open the door to problem-solving together.

🔑 Key Takeaways
• Start with a strength or shared goal 🌱—ground the conversation in what’s working and what you’re working toward together.
• Be direct, but kind—objective language builds clarity without blame.
• Drop the jargon 🧠—families don’t need deficit-heavy or technical language to understand concerns.
• Invite collaboration 🤝—ask what they’re seeing and frame concerns as a shared problem to solve.

📦 Resources Mentioned
• Join the Misfit Behaviorists Facebook Group → https://abainschool.com/misfits
• The Misfit Behaviorists Podcast → https://abainschool.com
• School-Based BCBA & Teacher Resources → https://abainschool.com or https://beltransbehaviorbasics.com/

🙌 Join Us & Share
• How do you share difficult updates with families while keeping trust intact?
• Drop your strategies in the Misfit Behaviorists Facebook Group → https://abainschool.com/misfits
• Share this episode with a teammate navigating a tough family conversation this week

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!

Ever feel like your BCBA schedule is just one long game of “calendar Tetris”? Between driving to in-home sessions, juggling billable hours, supervising staff, and trying to have a life outside of work, it can feel impossible to fit it all in.

In this episode, Audra and Caitlin break down 10 practical, doable strategies to help you build a sustainable schedule—whether you’re clinic-based, school-based, or driving from house to house—without sacrificing supervision quality or your own sanity.

🔑 Key Takeaways
• Plan backwards from priorities. Start with non-negotiables (IEPs, supervision, contract hours, family time). Protect those boundaries before adding anything else.
• Stop nickel-and-diming your time. Say “let’s debrief later” instead of responding to every hallway request. Constant yes-ing leads straight to burnout.
• Cluster your work. Group by location, building, or grade level to cut down on travel and get more quality time where it matters.
• Build in buffer time. Avoid back-to-back scheduling. Use small breaks to wrap data, reset materials, and mentally transition.
• Theme your days. Assign predictable “observation,” “feedback,” or “planning” days to make unstructured tasks easier to manage.
• Use hybrid & overlapping supervision. Mix in-person and telehealth when appropriate, and overlap tasks (observation + data review) when allowed.
• Enter with a focus. Know your purpose before you walk in—modeling, feedback, goal review, or program check—and prep staff so everyone’s aligned.
• Reinforce staff intentionally. Use specific praise, tailor feedback style to each person, and follow up with quick notes to build strong relationships.
• Use tools that fit you (and your team). Digital or paper—organize systems in ways that make efficiency possible and accessible for everyone.
• Protect your own reinforcement. Schedule admin time, hold boundaries, unplug when needed, and prioritize mental stamina so you can do ethical, effective work.

📦 Resources & Links
• Grab the 10 Tips visual → https://abainschool.com/reg7
• Related Episodes:
Battling Staff Burnout → https://abainschool.com/ep9
Managing paras → https://abainschool.com/ep47
• Join the Misfit Behaviorists Facebook Group → https://abainschool.com/misfits

🤝 Join Us
💬 Tell us your best tip for managing travel time. Drop your thoughts in the Misfit Behaviorists Facebook Group.
🎧 Subscribe on YouTube or your favorite podcast app so you never miss an episode.
📢 Know a BCBA or teacher drowning in their schedule? Send them this episode so they know they’re not alone.

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!

Some days it feels like every classroom around you is perfectly color-coded, freshly laminated, and Instagram-ready… and yours is, well, real life. In this Misfit Minute, Audra shares a mindset reset for teachers who feel stuck in the comparison spiral. Your classroom doesn’t need to look like anyone else’s—your heart work is what changes lives. These five quick tips help you shift from comparing to caring so you can focus on what truly matters: your students.

🔑 Key Takeaways
• Celebrate the invisible wins ✨—the tiny moments that show real growth for you and your students.
• Curate your feed and your feelings—follow voices that uplift, not drain.
• Make one connection a day 🤝—a small moment of eye contact or empathy can shift the whole vibe.
• Create a “done list” ✔️—notice what did get accomplished instead of everything left undone.
• Celebrate the real wins—messy macaroni frames count. Perfect displays aren’t the goal; authentic learning is.

📦 Resources Mentioned
• Join the Misfit Behaviorists Facebook Group
• Related episode: Ep. 9 Superhero Skills to Battle Burnout → https://abainschool.com/ep9
• Free Token Boards → https://abainschool.com/ymnr
• ABA in School Blog → https://abainschool.com

🙌 Join Us & Share
• Share your favorite small win in your room! → https://abainschool.com/misfits
• Subscribe for weekly behavior insights + full-length episodes
• Send this episode to a teammate who needs a little "pump" this week!

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!

Every BCBA and teacher has lived the moment: you pour months into an intervention… only to open an assessment and think, “Wait. Where did all that progress go?”

In this episode, Caitlin sits down with Casey Barron and Dr. Anika Hoybjerg—creators of the Meaningful Outcomes Treatment and Assessment Scale (MOTAS)—to talk about why so many traditional tools miss the skills that matter most, and how the MOTAS fills those gaps with flexible, functional, and family-aligned assessment practices.

🔑 Key Takeaways
• Why MOTAS? It addresses gaps in VB-MAPP/ABLLS/AFLS—especially flexibility, perspective taking, self-awareness, and AAC communication.
• Flexibility Matters: Rigid routines often block participation, independence, and community access—yet many assessments don’t measure this growth.
• Generalization Is Built In: The MOTAS scoring system highlights independence and generalization & maintenance from the start.
• One Scoring System: A consistent 0–5 scale across all 20 domains makes scoring faster, clearer, and more useful for treatment planning.
• Insurance-Friendly: The DSM-5 criteria and medical necessity links are included—huge time-savers for BCBAs writing plans and submitting authorizations.
• Comprehensive Without Being Overwhelming: Practitioners can use a whole domain or just supplement missing areas like AAC, self-awareness, or perspective taking.
• Practical for All Ages: Designed for ages 5+, with an early-learner (0–5) version coming in 2026.

📦 Resources & Links
• Learn more about the MOTAS through Different Roads to Learning (ask the creators for their 20% discount!)
• Follow MOTAS updates from Casey & Anika → anika.hoybjerg@abilearningcenter.com and https://abilearningcenter.com/
• Related Episodes:
Crisis Cycle → https://abainschool.com/ep57
FBA Mini-Series → https://abainschool.com/ep31part1
• Join the Misfit Behaviorists Facebook Group → https://abainschool.com/misfits

🤝 Join Us
💬 Tell us if you’ve tried the MOTAS or want to! Drop your thoughts in the Misfit Behaviorists Facebook Group.
🎧 Subscribe on YouTube or your favorite podcast app so you never miss an episode.
📢 Tag us on Instagram when you try a goal or domain from the MOTAS—we love seeing what resonates!

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!

Transitions can be tough—especially when students move from a preferred activity to something less exciting. In this quick Misfit Minute, Audra shares practical ways to make transitions smoother and reduce challenging behaviors before they even start. Whether it’s adding countdowns, visuals, or empathy, these small tweaks can make a big difference in your day (and theirs).

🔑 Key Takeaways
• Predictability is prevention: Use visual cues, countdowns, or consistent verbal prompts to prepare students for change.
• Show empathy early: Acknowledge that stopping something fun is hard—this builds trust and reduces escalation.
• Use visuals and first/then supports: Help students see what’s coming next and what reinforcement follows.
• Progress over perfection: Even a 10% smoother transition is a win—track small improvements and celebrate them!

📦 Resources Mentioned
• Join the Misfit Behaviorists Facebook Group → https://abainschool.com/misfits
• Related episode: Ep. 69 Catch Them First — 3 Ways to Prevent Misbehavior Before It Starts → https://abainschool.com/ep69
• Free Token Boards → https://abainschool.com/ymnr
• ABA in School Blog → https://abainschool.com

🙌 Join Us & Share
• Share your favorite transition tips in our Facebook group → https://abainschool.com/misfits
• Subscribe for weekly behavior insights + full-length episodes
• Send this episode to a teammate who dreads transitions (we’ve all been there!)

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!

Every teacher has that moment when they realize—“ugh, I missed it.” The chance to redirect before things spiraled. In this week’s episode, Audra and Caitlin flip the classic “Catch Them Being Good” idea into something even more powerful: Catch Them First. They share three simple, proactive strategies you can use to prevent behavior issues before they happen—so you spend less time reacting and more time connecting.

🔑 Key Takeaways
• Catch Them First: Don’t wait for misbehavior—frontload support and reinforcement before problem moments arise.
• Prime Your Students: Use pre-corrections or positive greetings to set expectations early.
• Be Specific: Genuine, detailed praise helps students know exactly what behavior to repeat.
• Timing Is Everything: Immediate reinforcement makes connections stronger and behaviors stick.
• Small Wins Matter: Even subtle acknowledgments (“Great job being ready!”) build trust and consistency over time.

📦 Resources & Links
• Related Episode: Ep. 68: 5 Quick De-Escalation Tips for Teachers → https://abainschool.com/ep68yt
• Related Episode: Ep. 57: The Crisis Cycle → https://abainschool.com/ep57
• Free Visual: De-Escalation Strategy Visual → https://abainschool.com/mja5

🤝 Join Us
💬 Share what you “caught first” this week in our Misfit Behaviorists Facebook Group → https://abainschool.com/misfits
🎧 Subscribe on YouTube
or your favorite podcast app
📢 Tag us when you try these proactive tips in your classroom—we love hearing your wins!

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!

Sometimes our students giggle, get wiggly, or completely check out when it’s time to write. Is it task avoidance? A skills gap? Sensory overload? In this Misfit Minute, Audra walks through 5 quick questions to help you figure out what’s really going on—and what to do about it—when pencil-and-paper tasks go sideways.

🔑 Key Takeaways
• Start with: Is it a can’t or a won’t? Skill deficits and motivation issues need different responses.
• If it’s a can’t, reduce the demand—use scribes, stamps, typing, or tracing to build participation.
• Use shaping to gradually increase writing tolerance—think small steps with strong reinforcement.
• If it’s a won’t, reassess the reinforcement—maybe the “then” isn’t strong or fast enough.
• Try shared turns—write together, take turns, and make it social and fun to build engagement.

📦 Resources Mentioned
• “Can’t Do vs Won’t Do” visual (in the Misfit Behaviorists FB group and linked in show notes) or here → https://abainschool.com/mm2w
• Related episode: 5 Preschool Behavior Strategies → https://abainschool.com/ep66 • Crisis Cycle Creation → https://abainschool.com/ep57 • FBA process starts here! → https://abainschool.com/ep31
• ABA in School blog → https://abainschool.com
• Free token boards → https://abainschool.com/ymnr

🙌 Join Us & Share
• Keep the conversation going in our Facebook group → https://abainschool.com/misfits
• Subscribe for more short tips + full-length strategy episodes
• Share this with a teammate who works with reluctant writers or early learners

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!