Special Needs and Disabilities
My
route into teaching has been driven by my interest in Neurodiversity. I am
passionate about finding ways to; connect with; to build trusting relationships
with and to empower young people, so that they are able to progress their own
unique learning journeys.
I have worked with people with a
whole range of abilities; both Physical Abilities and Cognitive Abilities.
My journey into Special Needs teaching began in 2010 with, Working Parts, an excellent training programme for artists working in special schools and my work at Penn Hall Special School, Wolverhampton, was then featured in Black Country Touring's Arts Council England funding evaluation video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vycqP9Czimk
Since relocating to South Yorkshire in 2014 I have completed my (PGCE) Post Graduate Certificate of Education at Sheffield Hallam University and now work mainly in Special Schools.
While working full time on-supply assignments (Sept 2018 - Present) I have built up a varied portfolio of skills having worked both as a Teacher and as a Teaching Assistant; working with children with SLD, PMLD, Deaf and hearing impaired, Blind and visually impaired.
I have a wealth of experience of working with young people with ASC (Autistic Spectrum Condition). This gained firstly through my two years as Textile Teacher at Brantwood Specialist School, a Steiner inspired special school. Students there have diagnoses of ASC, complex sensory profiles and heighted anxiety and some also with PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance).
My journey into Special Needs teaching began in 2010 with, Working Parts, an excellent training programme for artists working in special schools and my work at Penn Hall Special School, Wolverhampton, was then featured in Black Country Touring's Arts Council England funding evaluation video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vycqP9Czimk
Since relocating to South Yorkshire in 2014 I have completed my (PGCE) Post Graduate Certificate of Education at Sheffield Hallam University and now work mainly in Special Schools.
While working full time on-supply assignments (Sept 2018 - Present) I have built up a varied portfolio of skills having worked both as a Teacher and as a Teaching Assistant; working with children with SLD, PMLD, Deaf and hearing impaired, Blind and visually impaired.
I have a wealth of experience of working with young people with ASC (Autistic Spectrum Condition). This gained firstly through my two years as Textile Teacher at Brantwood Specialist School, a Steiner inspired special school. Students there have diagnoses of ASC, complex sensory profiles and heighted anxiety and some also with PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance).
A very special first session while working as part of the teaching team at Sheffield Children’s Hospital
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Hand-over-hand support when needed but still very definitely the student’s own work.
Hand-over-hand support when needed but still very definitely the student’s own work.In early 2020 I was supply teacher at NorthRidge Community School where I worked with a class of eight KS2 students. These students were all non-verbal and several also had complex sensory profiles. Working with these students reminded me of my passion to work with people with non neuro-typical interpretations of the world. Previous experience in this area includes working with older people living with Dementia and also working with young people suffering from post operative brain trauma - Sheffield children's Hospital (2019).
During Lockdown of Covid-19 I have continued my professional Development through online specialist Autism training (University of Bath, Good Practice in Autism Education) and I am particularly interested in Gina Davies Attention Autism Approach and building my understanding of complex sensory needs and sensitivities.
I am also building my own library of resources for Sensory Stories as I have found them a fantastic resource when working in Special Needs settings. Everyone loves a story and I believe that a well resourced, planned and presented one is hard to beat!
So many ways to gain interest and increase visual and tactile stimulus into a learning experience
Clean Mud; one of my favourite calming sensory materials
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communication is the key to independence
communication is the key to independence