This episode of the Learning Can’t Wait podcast features special education leaders Allie Nudelman and Vicki Trujillo, along with BCBA Allan Smith, sharing how their unlikely paths (from aspiring doctor, lawyer, and basketball player) led them into education and intensive behavior support in rural Arizona districts. They describe how partnering across Kingman Unified and Lake Havasu Unified with Allan has transformed how staff understand behavior, shifting from emotion and exclusion to data, operational definitions, relationships, and capacity-building so teachers and classified staff can support even the most complex learners in their own classrooms. Throughout the conversation, they emphasize Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, the power of positive reinforcement, the science behind functions of behavior and extinction bursts, and the necessity of fidelity and proactive structures such as rotations and clear routines. The episode closes with concrete advice for new teachers: stay open and adaptable, seek mentors and supportive colleagues, avoid negativity, and relentlessly invest in relationships with students and adults.
Learning Can’t Wait