Nationally Board Certified Teacher, Mentor, Author, & Podcast Host
Hi, I'm Antoine McCoy. . . and I see you
You're drowning in IEPs. Running between classrooms. Wondering if what you're doing is actually helping your students.
You're the only SpEd teacher in the building, and everyone expects you to have all the answers. But no one showed you how to manage 15 IEPs, co-teach in three different classrooms, and still find time to actually teach.
You're not failing. The system is overwhelming.
And you're not alone. I've been exactly where you are.
Why I Understand What You're Going Through
The summer after I graduated from Brown University, I took a job at a camp in the South Bronx. That's where I met Jose, a seventh grader who couldn't read.
He was a big kid who got in trouble a lot. But the real issue wasn't behavior. It was that he couldn't access the work. So he acted out.
Sound familiar? You probably have students like Jose in your classroom right now.
I was brand new to teaching. I had no idea what I was doing, but when Jose asked I agreed to come to his house twice a week after work and we'd work on reading together.
His mom wanted to pay me. I said no, but the food smelled amazing, so we made a deal: she'd feed me Puerto Rican food and teach me Spanish words, and I'd help Jose learn to read.We did that for three quarters of the school year. And Jose started making progress.
That experience, combined with working with struggling learners at the private school where I taught, showed me what I wanted to do: help students who were stuck access what their peers were learning.
Three years later, I got my master's in special education from Bank Street College of Education. And for the next 18 years, I taught special education across private schools, public schools, Title I schools, and rural districts.
The Challenges You're Facing Right Now
Over 25+ years, I've taught every grade level. Resource rooms and inclusion classrooms. And I faced the same challenges you're facing:
Being the only SpEd teacher.
You're trying to case manage, write IEPs, run meetings, teach classes, and co-teach all at once with limited time and resources.
Lack of curriculum and materials.
You need to do specially designed instruction, but you don't have appropriate materials. Especially if you're teaching high school students who are reading at elementary levels.
Constant overwhelm and burnout.
Everyone expects you to have all the answers. But you don't always have them. And the weight of that is exhausting.
If this is where you are right now, you're not alone and there's a better way forward.
Why I Started Helping Other SpEd Teachers
After I moved to Oregon, I went back to teaching high school. Most of the SpEd teachers at my school were new. They kept coming to me with questions:
How do I manage these caseloads?
How do I write this IEP?
How do I collaborate with Gen Ed teachers when there's no time?
Sound familiar? You're probably asking the same questions.
I realized I could help more teachers by stepping outside the classroom. So I became a district instructional mentor. For eight years, I mentored 10 to 20 new SpEd teachers every year across K-12, particularly those in their first two to three years of teaching.
Now, through the Teacher Support Network, I help teachers like you build sustainable systems so you can support your students without burning out.
What This Means for You
Everything you'll learn from me comes from 25+ years in the trenches. Not theory. Not what sounds good on paper.
These are systems that worked in my classroom and in the classrooms of hundreds of teachers I've mentored.
You'll get practical strategies you can use right away.
You'll learn how to manage your caseload without drowning. How to collaborate with Gen Ed teachers even when time is tight. How to write IEPs that actually guide instruction. How to support students without sacrificing your own wellbeing.
And you'll do it in a way that's sustainable, not just survivable.
My Background
Masters Degree in Special Education
National Board Certified Teacher
18 years teaching SpEd in private, public, Title I, and rural schools
8 years mentoring 10-20 new SpEd teachers annually as District Instructional Mentor
What You CanExpect
You won't get one-size-fits-all advice that ignores what's actually happening in your classroom.
You'll get practical systems I've used myself and helped hundreds of other teachers implement successfully - systems that reduced overwhelm, created consistency, and helped students actually make progress.
Your time is valuable. You won't find fluff here. Just strategies that work.
And we'll talk about mindset, because sustainable teaching starts with how you think about the work, your students, your collaboration with Gen Ed teachers, your partnerships with families, and your own wellbeing.
You're doing important work. You deserve systems that support you while you support your students.
Overwhelmed and Not Sure Where to Start?
Start by downloading your free reflection guide.
This 10-minute reflection will help you identify what's draining you most right now and give you one clear next step.
