What if we stopped calling kids “difficult”… and started getting honest about what difficult behavior is really communicating?
In today’s episode, Karen Mayer Cunningham sits down with John Vergara (aka The Difficult Student) — an assistant principal over special education and one of the most impactful voices online when it comes to behavior, leadership, and building classroom culture that actually works.
John shares his personal story — from being the student with challenging behavior to becoming a leader supporting teachers, paraprofessionals, and IEP teams across two schools. This conversation is real, practical, and grounded in what helps kids and protects learning for everyone in the room.
✨ What You’ll Learn
Resources + Links
✅ Join The Academy (Skool Community): https://www.skool.com/special-education-academy/about
✅ Get Karen’s book The Epic IEP (official link): https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1637635125?tag=simonsayscom
Find John Vergara (The Difficult Student)
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“When we get it right for the child, we get it right for everybody.” — Karen Mayer Cunningham
✨ When we get it right for the child, we get it right for everybody. ✨
👩⚖️ Hosted by Karen Mayer Cunningham, Advocate & Special Education Boss®
Each week, Karen shares real stories, legal insights, and no-nonsense strategies to help you navigate special education with clarity and confidence.
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