I have a wealth of knowledge and experience working with children with complex needs in educational and residential settings. My passion to teach arose when working in a residential children’s home with children who were disengaged and reluctant to learn. I found that creating a positive and enjoyable learning environment with creative activities linked to the children’s interests was a turning point in their desire to learn.
My speciality is teaching children in KS2, although I have also taught KS1 and worked with older children, developing their life skills, independence and social and emotional well-being. I have excellent knowledge of the national curriculum and how to adapt teaching to meet children’s individual needs and unique learning styles. Through one to one tutoring, I have developed a child-centred curriculum to support a child in reaching their goals and desired outcomes.
My specialist experience working with students with SEN to develop trusting and meaningful relationships.
I aim to build positive, genuine and warm relationships with the children I work with. I have a flexible learning approach and respond to pupil’s need as they arise and evolve. I tailor my sessions to the interests of the student and use a holistic approach. I am extremely creative and love to incorporate art, drama and music into learning and teach children new skills. I encourage children to express themselves and use their imagination and interests to create enjoyable sessions. I take time to check in with students and reflect on any difficulties or worries they may have, showing empathy and care towards them.
My experience teaching young people working memory/ processing needs.
To support learners with working memory and processing difficulties, I use techniques to help them to retain and recall information. I make the information meaningful or memorable to them and create activities to help them with this. I use a variety of learning styles and focus on children learning by doing.
My experience teaching young people with anxiety.
I have worked with a number of young people with anxiety and panic disorders. I keep sessions predictable and minimise changes in routines. I have supported children with developing coping mechanisms to mange their anxiety such as mood diaries, sharing their worries and using mindfulness and relaxation techniques. I work with students to identify their triggers and look at how these can be minimised during sessions.
My specialist experience working as a mentor; providing engaging sessions to inspire a love of learning.
I have worked with a number of children who were disengaged learners, refused to attend school or who were unable to attend school and were reluctant to engage in any education at home. To engage them, I provided activities that they enjoyed and incorporated learning into them, sometimes without them realising they were learning. I tailor activities to children’s interests and hobbies to make it enjoyable and engaging. I focus on activities where children learn from doing, rather than completing worksheets. It is key to make learning meaningful for children and for them to understand the purpose and benefit to it. I use frequent positive reinforcement and praise to improve children’s confidence and self-esteem.
My experience working with children with ASD.
I have worked with a number of children with ASD and have implemented strategies and tools to support them with their needs. I understand the importance of routine and structure and have used visual timetables, now and next boards and social stories to support children with change and consistency. I have supported children with identifying and practicing helpful strategies for when they experience overwhelming emotions and sensations. Many children I have worked with have benefitted from mindfulness and meditation techniques and I trained a staff team on how to implement these with children. I explored a range of sensory tools with a child I worked with, to help manage their anxiety and created a sensory den with them including a weighted blanket, fluffy cushions, lights and a sensory box with different textured items. I have created communication passports with children to develop a deeper understanding of them and for them to reflect on their likes, dislikes, helpful and unhelpful strategies, interests, needs and desires. These can be shared with other professionals to help support the child consistently.
My experience working with children who display challenging behaviour.
Working with children with a range of needs, I have used a range of techniques and strategies to help them to identify and regulate their emotions. I have developed risk assessments and behaviour management plans for children I have worked with, identifying helpful strategies to manage their behaviour and best support them. It is important to involve children in how they would best like to be supported so that their voice is heard and they feel empowered. Examples of strategies I have implemented with children include breathing techniques, punch bags, physical exercise and creating calm tents. I have done a range of exercises and activities with children to help them to be more emotionally intelligent and reflect on their emotions and behaviour. Most importantly, I am calm, understanding and compassionate towards them and build trusting relationships to make them feel safe and accepted.
My experience working with young people with social interaction and friendship skills.
I have worked with children in a forest school, supporting them to have positive social interactions and develop friendship skills. Using games, role playing, group discussions and group activities, I have supported children to build friendships and manage conflicts appropriately. I have also provided social opportunities for a child I tutored to learn with a friend. I use scenario based tasks and role play to help children to see others perspectives in situations and identify how to manage difficulties with friendships.
My experience supporting children to develop life skills and independence.
I have worked with some older children in a residential children’s home, preparing them to leave care and be independent. This included developing their skills in money management, self-care, learning to drive and travelling independently. My strategy is to give young people the knowledge, tools and support they need and then gradually reduce the amount of support. Whilst working with a 17-year old, I supported her in developing the skills to meal plan, budget, food shop and prepare her meals. I carefully created plans with her and slowly reduced the support I gave her, to allow her to do this independently. I learnt the importance of adding and reducing support when needed and being aware that this can be fluid, especially for young people with additional needs. We created checklists and visual prompts to help her break down steps and understand the tasks she would need to complete to become more independent.
My experience providing education outdoors and in the community.
I believe it is key for children to learn through experience. I have planned a range of different educational activities in the community based on a child’s interests and that fit into the national curriculum. For example, I have taken a child to the National Space Centre following sessions learning about space. Other visits I have led include: The Black Country Living Museum, Worcester Museum and Art Gallery, Thinktank Birmingham Science Museum and Legoland Discovery Centre. I am passionate about encouraging children to be creative and learn new skills and have enjoyed visiting pottery painting and needle felting workshops with children I have worked with. Using nature and the outdoors to facilitate learning can be beneficial to a child’s well-being. Therefore, I like to plan visits to forests, farms and wildlife centres, where I can engage children in artistic and creative activities, like making nature paint.
I have also attended a forest school with a child, supporting them to engage in activities and develop their social skills.
My experience teaching children who have an acquired brain injury.
I have experience home tutoring a child with an acquired brain injury who had not accessed education in a number of years. I worked as part of a multidisciplinary team including SLTs and OTs to meet the child’s academic, language, social, physical and sensory needs. I used a flexible approach, being aware of their difficulties with processing information, memory and concentration. I designed activities specific to them and their interests and gave them opportunities to unleash their creativity through art, music and drama.
My experience teaching English, reading and phonics.
I have taught children in a number of schools from lower key stage one to upper key stage two and have a good knowledge of the key stage two curriculum and outcomes. I have worked with children reluctant to read or write and therefore have tailored activities to their interests (reading their favourite magazine or writing a fact file about their favourite musician). I have a range of tools and resources to help develop children’s reading and writing and like to make this creative by using different materials to write with. I have used a number of apps and technology to develop children’s reading and writing, which make it fun and engaging for them. For a child who was unable to read and write, I created a recipe using photo’s we had taken when making it, so they could make it again independently. I am phonics trained and am able to teach reading and writing to children who have not yet developed this skill.
