I have a lot of varied experience having worked in a SEN school for 13 years. I have taught pupils ranging from age 4 to 19, with a range of conditions and abilities from PMLD-MLD. I have taught pupils with complex medical needs, Dyslexia, SEMH, ASC, ADHD, PDA, previous EBSA, Trauma, Communication difficulties, HI, VI, CP and Downs Syndrome.
My specialist experience working with young people with SEN to develop trusting and meaningful relationships;
I know how vital a positive relationship with a teacher/ tutor is to learning and that this can help support a valuable, enriching and positive learning experience. I know that trust is earnt over time by being reliable, consistent, setting clear expectations and really listening to and understanding the challenges children face, empathising with this and hopefully supporting and encouraging them to reach their goals and aspirations.
My experience working with young people to boost their confidence and self-esteem;
I know how valuable confidence and self esteem are in enabling a child/ young person to flourish and also recognise how this can be negatively impacted sometimes by a system that does not recognise their challenges or appropriately support them in overcoming them whether through lack of time, focus or understanding. I am passionate about helping young people see all their fantastic skills and the things that make them brilliant and find ways to overcome challenges that may make them feel ‘less than’, seeing their strengths and building confidence through overcoming barriers and challenges and acknowledging and celebrating achievement- however that looks for them.
My specialist experience providing engaging sessions to inspire a love of learning;
I know that children learn best when feeling safe, supported and engaged and the key to achieving this is a positive relationship with the pupil; To achieve this I tailor sessions to pupils interests and passions to spark a love of learning. and I believe all children have the right to a good education, with positive experiences within this. I am passionate about finding ways to access even the most resistant learner, instilling a love of learning and a confidence in themselves that will help them flourish and achieve their full potential in education, and beyond.
My skills and experience supporting young people to develop their independence;
I recognise the importance of allowing children to be as independent as possible and know it is a vital part of education to support them in completing tasks for themselves, being able to look after their property, health and hygiene in an age and stage appropriate way. I developed a curriculum for 6th form in my last school using the ‘Preparation for Adulthood’ framework and this was embedded in the school, from KS1, in an appropriate way, thinking of friends and relationships, health and hygiene, keeping safe and life skills and ways in which these can develop to support young people with SEN, remaining as independent as possible.
My specialist experience working with young people with dyslexia;
I know that Supporting children with dyslexia demands a thoughtful, adaptable, and inclusive approach and that the challenges in processing written and spoken language is a barrier that needs clear and direct instructions, tasks broken down to manageable chunks and a multisensory approach to best support and embed learning. I know an adaptive and creative teaching style is often needed and repetition, visual aids and a thorough and comprehensive teaching of new concepts ensure the learner is supported in accessing and embedding knowledge.
My specialist experience working young people with ASC;
I have worked with a range of Autistic pupils, with a range of support needs. I have experience working with Autistic pupils with high support needs that use non verbal communication such as PECS and various software such as ‘grid’ to support communication with ACC. I have experience in Intensive Interaction and Attention Autism, supporting early communication, focus and attending skills. I have used TEACCH approaches with Autistic pupils who prefer a workstation approach and can see how the 1:1 teaching method benefits these pupils, factoring in breaks and always respecting the pupils need to regulate and encouraging them to do so (whether that be stimming, movement breaks, low noise etc.) I have worked closely with OT’s to ensure pupils are supported in their sensory needs and can support in sensory seeking/ avoidant friendly activities which will enable your child to engage with the sessions.
I also have experience with pupils with EBSA and recognise how anxiety can be a huge barrier to learning and accessing education, I use skills such as patience, empathy and understanding with low pressure environments and collaborative work to support these pupils in gaining some trust of the Education system again.
Most recently I worked in a class of 12-15 year olds with behavioural challenges and moderate to severe learning difficulties, some with ASC, ADHD, SEMH, and previous EBSA. During this time I used my skills in adaptive teaching, focused 1:1 time, patience, de-escalation, compassion and utilising therapy programmes, to support each individual learner in achieving their potential. I supported these pupils in life skills, literacy, ICT and Independent living, I also supported them in their pathways to finding further education, and helped manage and support all the anxiety, fears and emotional challenges this bought up.
I also have experience working within EYFS and KS1 with children with high support and medical needs, focusing on communication using ACC and other communication support such as PECS and Makaton. I have worked closely with various therapeutic teams such as Occupational Therapists and Speech and Language therapists and have delivered therapy programmes that I have collaboratively created alongside these therapists.
I also set up a 6th form with young adults from the school, with severe learning difficulties and a range of conditions, focusing on Pathways to Independence and creating a curriculum around this, where pupils had the opportunity to learn life skills and be out in the community, with chances to be as independent as possible
I have taught a range of pupils with ADHD, who have often struggled in mainstream and been labelled as ‘naughty’ carrying the weight of this label and the frustration and sometimes avoidance this understandably can create. I understand a sensory diet and lots of movement breaks are vital in supporting learning. I know that following the pace of the pupil and picking up on cues they are uninterested is important and getting the appropriate balance of ‘just enough’ challenge is vital to keeping pupils engaged. I have successfully used a collaborative approach and have found being creative with teaching, such as learning outdoors has been incredibly successful with a lot of pupils with ADHD.
I have a lot of experience working with pupils with challenging behaviour and know that understanding, empathising with and adapting to these pupils is key. I have experience with PDA and know using a collaborative non hierarchical approach is vital, low pressure and the individual’s interests can be the key to helping these young people to access learning. I am a very patient and empathetic teacher and am able to hold boundaries (where suitable) with care, I recognise some pupils with SEMH need consistent and reliable boundaries and structures and I can offer them a reliable adult who does not ‘give up’ on them.
