What Do I Do When I Feel Overwhelmed As A Special Ed Teacher?

Have you ever gone to Google and searched ‘What Do I Do When I Feel Overwhelmed As A Special Ed Teacher?’ If you have, you’re not alone. It’s actually a pretty popular Google search and Reddit topic actually. In this blog post today I’m hoping to pull together allll of my years of experience to try and help give you some answers that will hopefully make a difference for you. Because, nobody knows overwhelm better than a fellow special educator.

Okay, let’s just go ahead and say it out loud:
Being a special education teacher is A LOT.

Some days it’s magical, when a student finally uses their AAC device independently or rocks a life skills task you’ve been working on for weeks.

Other days? You’re crying into your coffee, wondering how you’re going to survive until Friday. Or… Tuesday.

And if you’ve ever sat in your car after school just to avoid walking back inside your house and having to be “on” again, know this:

You’re not alone.

And more importantly, you’re not doing anything wrong.

Being overwhelmed doesn’t mean you’re a bad teacher. It means you’re a human doing an incredibly demanding job.

So what do you do when the overwhelm creeps in (or bulldozes you like a sensory-seeking rhinoceros)?

Let’s talk about it. No fluff. Just real strategies from someone who’s lived it.

First: Check Your Inner Dialogue

When we’re overwhelmed, our inner monologue tends to go full drama mode:

“I’m failing my students.”
“Other teachers seem to handle this fine.”
“I can’t keep doing this.”

Pause.
Take a breath.
Now try this instead:

“This is hard, and I’m allowed to find it hard.”
“My students don’t need perfect, they need someone who cares.”
“I can do one thing right now. Just one.”

Shifting your inner dialogue from self-blame to self-compassion isn’t just fluffy mindset talk, it’s essential nervous system support. Speak to yourself the way you’d speak to your favorite co-worker who’s having a tough day. Or even how you would speak to one of you students who is going through a moment of overwhelm. It happens to all of us.

Then: Step Out of the Chaos (Yes, Even for 3 Minutes)

When you feel like everything is too much, your brain is in survival mode. You’re not going to “think your way” out of it while spinning in a tornado of to-dos.

Here’s what helps:

Physically change your environment.

Step outside your classroom. Stand by a window. Sit in the sensory room for 3 minutes. Just get out of the stimulus soup for a second.

This is where I find it really handy to have a good relationship with the team in your classroom or even with another colleague in a different classroom. Just asking for a quick 2-3 minute walk can do wonders. Sometimes we just need to get out of that physical space, re-enter it and then we can look at the situation and react to it differently.

If you can’t leave your students to change the environment.. Take them with you if possible. Have everyone go to a different area – inside or outside. They may even feel the benefit too!

Remember: You teach your students to be able to ask for a break or go for a walk when they need one. You doing the same isn’t failing. You’re actually modelling the exact behavior and reactions you want to see from them too!

Do a nervous system reset.

Try:

Box breathing (inhale 4, hold 4, exhale 4, hold 4)
Shake your hands and feet out like you’re shaking off stress
Sip cold water slowly while counting the gulps

These tricks tell your body, “Hey, we’re safe. We’re okay. Let’s reset.”

Make a “Bare Minimum” List

When everything feels like a priority, it’s time to zoom out and ask:

“What actually has to get done today?”

Not what would be nice. Not what someone on Pinterest, Tiktok or Instagram is doing. (Social media can be the thief of all joy!)

Just the bare minimum that keeps your classroom running and your students safe and supported.

Your list might look like:

Print the day’s visuals
Set up morning bins
Send home one note to a parent

That’s it.

Everything else? Can wait. You can’t pour from an empty cup, and you can’t teach effectively when your brain is on fire.

Try the “One Thing” Method

Feeling paralyzed by your to-do list? Don’t try to tackle the whole mountain.

Instead: Pick one small, achievable thing.
Set a 10-minute timer. Do that one thing. Then pause and decide what’s next.

Sometimes the momentum from completing one thing helps you move to the next. And sometimes? You do one thing and decide that’s enough for today. Both are valid.

Build Simple Systems to Lighten the Load

Sometimes the overwhelm isn’t just emotional, it’s logistical. So let’s talk about systems. Here are a few simple ones that can make a big difference:

1. Visual Schedules for Students

Once they’re up and running, they reduce behaviors, increase independence, and save you from answering “what’s next?” 473 times a day.

2. Independent Work Stations

Use left-to-right task systems or simple work binders so students can work without constant adult prompting.

3. A Weekly Prep Routine

Pick one day to print/laminate/plan. Even if it’s just 30 minutes of batching tasks, it’s better than living in “panic prep” mode.

Pro tip: My Autism Classroom Training walks you through building these systems step-by-step, without the overwhelm.

Ask for Help (Yes, Really)

You do not have to do this alone.

Ask a para to take the lead on a station while you reset in the corner with coffee.
Message your admin and say, “I need 10 minutes to breathe today, can you pop in?”
Text a fellow teacher: “Today’s rough. Can I vent?”

You’re not being a burden. You’re modeling exactly what we tell our students: It’s okay to ask for help.

Reframe “Overwhelmed” as a Signal

Instead of seeing overwhelm as a weakness, try viewing it as a sign: Something needs adjusting.

Maybe your schedule is too jam-packed. Or, maybe you’re doing too much solo. Maybe a student’s needs have shifted and you haven’t had a chance to recalibrate.

That doesn’t mean you’ve failed. It means you’re paying attention.

Take a step back. Reflect. Tweak one thing at a time.

And Finally: Build Joy Back In

Burnout thrives where joy is missing. Even in the hard seasons, you deserve moments of joy in your day.

Try:

Letting students lead a silly dance break (ice cream movement cards, anyone?)
Swapping morning meeting for a themed story + snack day
Wearing fun earrings and letting your students comment on them
Starting a “tiny wins” notebook where you write down one small good thing a day

Joy doesn’t fix everything, but it softens the edges.

Want More Support?

You don’t have to figure it all out on your own. My Autism Classroom Training is designed to take the pressure off and give you practical, neuro-affirming strategies for running your classroom in a way that works for you and your students.

From behavior supports to independent routines to setting up a sensory-friendly space—you’ll get all the tools, minus the fluff. Click here to learn more.

Feeling overwhelmed doesn’t make you a bad teacher.
It makes you a caring one. One who’s trying, one who’s human.

So breathe. Be kind to yourself. Do one small thing.

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Nikki