[senco-forum] What are we for? / mailing lists and Bulletin Boards (longish)

Date: Sun, 29 Oct 2006 10:33:48 +0000> Subject: Re: [senco-forum] What are

Hello

  I really don't want the format of the Forum changed.  I have a very visual memory and I hate anything changing!!  Ages ago, someone (I'm sure many will remember who) spent loads of time and posted lots of info trying to convice the Forum that we should automatically post to everyone.  We didn't change.
  I don't want the Forum changed in that way.  I just want to use it the way I have been doing for the last however many years.

  Amanda
  Secondary SENCO
  Cornwall

dolfrog <dolfrog at tiscali.co.uk> wrote:
  Hi Mike, Janice, Amanda, Jean and Jason,

AS one of the so called shouters, or axe grinders, I hear what you are
saying.
One problems that has emerged from this discussion is that there are many
types of contributor to this forum, who are seeking to have communication at
various levels regarding SEN, and some with their own communication issues.
The archives of the forum are a great source of information foe those who
are able to use that type of information recording, and I know it works as
the APDUK web site gets many referrals from old posts even 2 or 3 years old,
but for some this is not always an ideal way of solving an immediate
problem.
As I have mentioned before I have been on many forums both in the UK, the
USA, Australia etc over recent years, and the mail list type of forum has
one built in problem and that is everyone gets everything, and after a while
the same issues repeat themselves, and the same respondents make their
point, and because of this some become very heated. Some of these forums
have sought alternative formats for their forums or have added a new format
to run in parallel. 
One such forum that I had stopped the daily emails and even the daily
digests and only visited the forum web site to view the most recent posts
once or twice a month; because of most of the reasons many have listed in
this discussion, has just reinvented itself by creating a Bulletin Board
format. All the old existing members have moved to the new style forum, the
old archives have not deleted as they are a great source of information and
opinion for professional researchers and others. 
The Bulletin Board style of forum has some distinct advantages, it is not a
mailing list, but you can use Private Posting on site or email replies if
the member wishes to have email contact. The Bulletin Boards can be set up
in to categories, each category can have its own selection of boards. This
allows the forum to divide into general comment and specific topic sections
and subsections. Bulletin Boards are based on members visiting a web page,
and selecting the topics of interest, and making contributions on the board
for all to visit and re visit, or ignore. (Gives the Delete button a rest)
The Forum I am talking about is the USA ReadbyGrade3 forum.
The old forum was based at
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/readbygrade3/
the new version has relocated to
http://www.ednews.org/community/index.php 

Some other UK based community forums that also use a similar format are the
DfES Standards forum
http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/forums/ubbthreads.php 
and the relatively new UK based Adult Dyslexia forums
http://beingdyslexic.co.uk/forums/index.php 
http://www.beesthewrongwayround.com/dyslexia_forums/phpBB2/index.php 
both set up by adult dyslexics in the UK.

These Boards also allow for the creation of user groups of specific
interests who may have access to their own separate Board which is included
in the who Forum set up.
BECTA should be able to create its own board format, if that is an
alternative they wish to consider.

Best wishes

Graeme
dolfrog
dolfrog at apduk.org
http://www.apduk.org
dolfrog at dolfrog.com
http://www.dolfrog.com
http://www.ldlinks.org.uk 
-----Original Message-----
From: senco-forum-bounces at lists.becta.org.uk
[mailto:senco-forum-bounces at lists.becta.org.uk] On Behalf Of
mikestroud01 at aol.com
Sent: Monday, October 30, 2006 10:36 AM
To: jwwray14 at hotmail.com; jeanld at fish.co.uk; amandavh at btinternet.com
Cc: senco-forum at lists.becta.org.uk
Subject: Re: [senco-forum] What are we for? (very long - sorry!!)

Yes Janice, 
We are, well I am anyway, I am sure the others are as well, and I will make
sure that it is discussed at the meeting on the 13th.
Mike Stroud
SENCo. Birmingham Secondary School.

-----Original Message-----
From: jwwray14 at hotmail.com
To: jeanld at fish.co.uk; amandavh at btinternet.com
CC: senco-forum at lists.becta.org.uk
Sent: Sun, 29 Oct 2006 11.35AM
Subject: RE: [senco-forum] What are we for? (very long - sorry!!)

Let's hope the SENCO forum advisory panel are reading these postings -
there's a 
meeting on 13th in Birmingham !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Janice 
WraySecondary SENCO, Herts

> Date: Sun, 29 Oct 2006 10:33:48 +0000> Subject: Re: [senco-forum] What are
we 
for? (very long - sorry!!)> From: jeanld at fish.co.uk> To:
amandavh at btinternet.com> 
CC: senco-forum at lists.becta.org.uk> > Thank you, Amanda, for saying so well
what 
those of us who are also> concerned about all of the repetitive shouting are

feeling, too.> > When I joined the forum, about four years ago, it was a 
wonderful source> of support and enjoyment that helped all of us SENCOs,
whether 
primary or> secondary, in large or small schools, to share expertise, ask
for 
advice> and, perhaps most importantly, cheer each other up in the face of 
mindless> politicians and the lunatic fringe [usually on the other side of
the> 
Atlantic] whose claims to "cure" anything from dyslexia to autism have>
caused 
so much distress to parents and teachers alike.> > Like you, I mostly lurk.
I am 
already deleting some emails unopened> because I do not think I can face yet

another tirade along the same old> lines of the previous ones. If you feel
that 
passionately about it, do> something effective - start a pressure group;
lobby 
MPs. In the 60s, we> demonstrated and aimed our protests at those who had
the 
power to change> things: some worked, some didn't, but at least there was a 
chance of> making a difference. As Amanda says, this forum has no power to 
change> things. Aim your passionate protests at those who can.> > Regards,>
> 
Jean> > Primary SENCO> > S Wales> Hello everyone> >> > Time to declare
myself, I 
think.> > What has happened to senco-forum? Where's the wit, the humour,
the> > 
support factor? Why does it seem to be full of people who are shouting> >
into 
both my ears? What has happened to the SENCOs who used to answer?> > Have we

almost all turned into lurkers?> >> > I try to live my professional life by 
this, my adaptation of an old> > saying:> > Oh Lord, give me the will to
change 
what must be changed> > The strength to endure what must be endured> > And
the 
wisdom to know which is which.> >> > I've been on this Forum for years.
Since 
2001, anyway. People come and> > people go - many find the sheer number of 
postings difficult to deal> > with. Some retire - get ill - get a different
job. 
I've stuck with it> > because I really like talking with people from
everywhere 
and I have got> > some great advice over the years.> >> > But I have never
felt 
so strongly that we seem to be dividing into two> > sections.> >> > There
are 
those who want to change the system and see the Forum as a> > means to do
this.> 
> There are those who are working to make an inadequate system work as> >
well 
as possible for current students in the circumstances that exist> > now.> >>
> 
Please - if you want to change the system go and talk to those who> >
control 
it. This Forum doesn't have the power to change policy at a> > local or
national 
level. Plus SENCOs only have the power to change> > practice within schools
if 
there is the will to do this at Senior> > Management level. Telling the
Forum 
how to change the system is not> > helpful to us who are SENCOs. We need 
instant, practical, specific> > advice which comes from practice not theory.
And 
we are already 'the> > converted'. Preaching to us is a waste of your
energy.> 
>> > I am proud to say that I am a 'generalist'. I think I work like a GP,>
> 
seeing every kind of problem and, usually, knowing how to solve it.> > When
I 
don't, I refer upwards to those who do. If there is a waiting> > list, I do
what 
I can in the meantime. The difference between me and a> > GP is that 'what I
can 
do' involves affecting the behaviour of other> > teachers, parents and
pupils 
and not just a patient.> >> > Just an idea of what I have on my books at the

moment - dyslexia,> > dyspraxia, Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, APD (yes, I do

deal with this),> > ASD, ADHD, attachment disorder, MLD, SLD, access 
arrangements, transfers> > in and out of the school - oh and I teach classes
for 
19 out of 30> > lessons a week. I run a team of 14 TAs, not all of whom are
full 
time,> > liaise on a daily basis with two teachers of the hearing imparied
plus> 
> the HI TA and manage all the liason with outside agencies dealing with> > 
pupils with SEN. I'm an AST (though I don't do a day a week out of> > school
at 
the moment). I'm on the school's policy committee (middle> > management
level) 
and I am spending a year on the SMT (one HoD a year> > joins SMT). I'm one
of 
two teacher governors. I don't say this to make> > people feel sorry about
my 
work load - I love the job and the extra work> > - but to show that the role
of 
a SENCO is a complex business, much more> > so than some of the posts from 
non-SENCOs seem to suggest or, indeed,> > understand.> >> > I am going to
have 
to start auto-deleting the posts of those who want to> > affect national and

local policy because it is driving me mad. I feel> > that I am being shouted
at 
about problems I can do nothing about and it> > is getting in the way of me 
doing my job as best I can. At the worst,> > it will drive me off the Forum.
It 
has already meant that the Forum has> > lost some excellent contributors not
to 
mention a sense of humour. What> > happened to the Friday funnies? And I'm a

SENCO - the very people this> > Forum was set up to support. If you are a
SENCO 
and you have read this> > far - thanks. And have a good run up to
Christmas.> >> 
> Tirade over. I'll go back to lurking. All answers to the whole Forum> >
would 
be appreciated.> >> > Amanda> > Secondary SENCO> > Cornwall> >> >> > Amanda>
> 
Secondary SENCO> > Cornwall> >> > > 
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Amanda
Secondary SENCO
Cornwall