[senco-forum] Training for all teachers

Sorry you are crushingly bored - and rude.

I think your points about recognising the parental role were extremely
relevant, valuable and well made.    Please do not be put off by responses
that make you feel uncomfortable - we have probably all "been there" on the
forum.  It makes it a scary place to be sometimes.  I just want to stress
that your contribution was worthwhile.

Thank you
Sharon

-----Original Message-----
From: senco-forum-bounces at lists.becta.org.uk
[mailto:senco-forum-bounces at lists.becta.org.uk] On Behalf Of
astryngia at tiscali.co.uk
Sent: 01 August 2006 17:57
To: senco-forum at lists.becta.org.uk
Subject: Fw: [senco-forum] Training for all teachers

I'm sorry you were offended.  You may have missed the 'winkie'. I simply 
used the list to make a point.  My comments were not intended as a personal 
slight.

Learning about some of the dynamics, realising how desperately anxious 
parents and children are (for their different reasons) and having the 
confidence to deal with what at first sight seems insurmountable (by knowing

that there are solutions and that small actions can make big differences) is

much more challenging than dealing with factual information and could so 
easily be put to one side as 'too difficult'.  If there is a limited amount 
of time for training then I do feel quite concerned at the suggestion that 
time be taken up in going through the SEN CoP. Factual information can be 
read at any time and particular areas of relevance can be highlighted in 
handouts.

I was quite offended by your remark to me.  I struggled to remind myself 
that 'behaviour has a reason' and managed to see beyond my own offence and 
realise that I had offended.  But I needed time to think.  It's more 
difficult to do this in the classroom and there is less inclination to see 
children as having been hurt and angered by some action or comment in the 
classroom - or even having the right to such feelings.  Where there is no 
malicious intent, we often forget that we have been 'thought - less' (as 
perhaps I was).  It raises the issue of how much 'thought' we are prepared 
to offer SEN children, particularly those with invisible disabilities who 
can be very unrewarding.

Namaste, as they say.  :-)

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Sheila Daly" <sdaly at btinternet.com>
To: <astryngia at tiscali.co.uk>
Sent: Tuesday, August 01, 2006 7:10 AM
Subject: Re: [senco-forum] Training for all teachers

> Sorry you are crushingly bored - and rude.
>
> My 10 points were not in order of priority. I did not say parents should 
> be
> put last.
>
> Teachers do need to know what is in the SEN CoP.
> And children probably do not have all the answers.
> --
> Sheila
> Primary
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: <astryngia at tiscali.co.uk>
> To: <senco-forum at lists.becta.org.uk>
> Sent: Tuesday, August 01, 2006 12:37 AM
> Subject: Re: [senco-forum] Training for all teachers
>
>
>> Let's not make SEN too crushingly boring. ;-)  I don't think teachers 
>> need
>> to learn what's in the SEN Code of Practice - that's the job of the 
>> SENCO.
>> In my experience the change needed at classroom level is in skills and
>> attitude.  In particular, I'd like to see parents being put first, not
> last.
>> Parents are the greater expert in their SEN children, in their children's
>> disabilities and how to manage those disabilities; furthermore, it is
> their
>> legal responsibility to ensure their child is educated according to age,
>> ability, aptitude and special educational needs.  They have every right 
>> to
>> be fully involved.  At the same time, they have little knowledge of - or
>> power over - the system. That can be very threatening, leading to 
>> conflict
>> and misunderstandings.
>>
>> 1.  To listen to parents, to create a positive working relationship and 
>> to
>> manage that relationship by treating parents as equal partners and as
>> experts in their own field.
>> 2.  To recognise and value difference
>> 3.  To understand the concept of invisible disabilities and to practice
> that
>> required 'leap of imagination'.
>> 4.  To understand that all behaviour has a purpose and that if there is
>> 'behaviour' then the teacher needs to stop and 'listen'.
>> 5.  To have confidence that there really are simple solutions and that
> small
>> adaptations can be hugely effective.
>> 6.  To know that they don't have to have all the answers (but that the
> child
>> probably does ;-))
>> 7.  To understand the impact of the Expert Patient concept and the aims 
>> of
>> SPP and similar in creating parents as experts
>> http://www.expertpatients.nhs.uk/parents.shtml;
>> http://www.nas.org.uk/nas/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=217
>>
>>
>
> 