WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.700 Hi, my name is Jordan. I am a special education 00:00:02.700 --> 00:00:06.160 teacher from the UK. I share my passion for everything 00:00:06.160 --> 00:00:09.119 communication, sensory regulation and fun lesson 00:00:09.119 --> 00:00:11.660 ideas for my classroom of disabled pupils aged 00:00:11.660 --> 00:00:15.300 4 to 11. Each week I am joined by experts in 00:00:15.300 --> 00:00:17.640 the field answering your questions and sharing 00:00:17.640 --> 00:00:19.559 our knowledge and experience working alongside 00:00:19.559 --> 00:00:22.559 our beautiful young people. Let's get started. 00:00:27.660 --> 00:00:30.379 Hello everybody and welcome back to the Sensory 00:00:30.379 --> 00:00:32.759 Classroom podcast. Today I'm joined by Ellie, 00:00:33.060 --> 00:00:34.899 a special needs teacher, and we're going to talk 00:00:34.899 --> 00:00:37.500 all things special needs classroom today. Hello 00:00:37.500 --> 00:00:40.759 Ellie. Hi, nice to meet you. And you, welcome 00:00:40.759 --> 00:00:42.840 to the Sensory Classroom podcast, even though 00:00:42.840 --> 00:00:44.479 I feel like you're very comfortable in a sensory 00:00:44.479 --> 00:00:47.539 classroom. Yes. yes definitely my second home 00:00:47.539 --> 00:00:49.520 no exactly it does end up like your second home 00:00:49.520 --> 00:00:51.000 doesn't it in fact I've probably got more of 00:00:51.000 --> 00:00:53.939 my things in my classroom than at home literally 00:00:53.939 --> 00:00:56.960 or like the more I just spend money on like things 00:00:56.960 --> 00:00:58.780 for in here more so than I do for home like oh 00:00:58.780 --> 00:01:00.420 that'll do my classroom very nicely that's a 00:01:00.420 --> 00:01:04.579 special education teacher thing yeah 100 i'm 00:01:04.579 --> 00:01:06.340 just like oh yeah that looks shiny i'll take 00:01:06.340 --> 00:01:08.400 that oh that looks sensory i'll take that yeah 00:01:08.400 --> 00:01:10.459 maybe it's because we can't just print out we 00:01:10.459 --> 00:01:12.180 can't just photocopy like it's not as easy as 00:01:12.180 --> 00:01:15.040 that it's all stuff isn't it it is it's so like 00:01:15.040 --> 00:01:17.299 concrete resource heavy that i just think when 00:01:17.299 --> 00:01:19.260 you see it you just know like i know that'll 00:01:19.260 --> 00:01:21.420 be useful i don't know how yet but it will be 00:01:21.420 --> 00:01:24.000 useful it's shiny it's got texture it's gonna 00:01:24.000 --> 00:01:26.989 be good it's so true and also they they You can 00:01:26.989 --> 00:01:30.230 never find the perfect item when you need it. 00:01:30.310 --> 00:01:32.049 Literally. So you just need to have everything. 00:01:32.370 --> 00:01:34.549 Literally. My cupboards are just full. And then, 00:01:34.549 --> 00:01:36.590 yeah, like Amazon just comes every other day, 00:01:36.609 --> 00:01:38.430 I swear, for like new books into the classroom. 00:01:38.870 --> 00:01:42.329 Amazon is, how do teachers do it before Amazon 00:01:42.329 --> 00:01:45.370 and the internet? Because also it is always last 00:01:45.370 --> 00:01:46.989 minute, isn't it? So you do need it the next 00:01:46.989 --> 00:01:49.840 day. Yeah, like literally like. we just did an 00:01:49.840 --> 00:01:51.480 attention awesome today with like St. Patrick's 00:01:51.480 --> 00:01:53.420 Day and I was like oh like there's bound to be 00:01:53.420 --> 00:01:55.140 things on Amazon that I didn't know yeah there 00:01:55.140 --> 00:01:57.120 was like some bubbles that I found hilarious 00:01:57.120 --> 00:01:59.939 like just so much so good amazing but dangerous 00:01:59.939 --> 00:02:03.579 for our finances right so true yeah I know right 00:02:03.579 --> 00:02:06.180 tell us about your classroom then so yeah what 00:02:06.180 --> 00:02:08.400 how many what kids have you got what age are 00:02:08.400 --> 00:02:11.680 they how many so I am I'm quite new to teaching 00:02:11.680 --> 00:02:13.840 so I've been this is my second year teaching 00:02:13.840 --> 00:02:16.960 um I've been at the school I've had like here 00:02:16.960 --> 00:02:18.659 for a really long time I'm thinking it's like 00:02:18.659 --> 00:02:20.400 my eighth or ninth year now but I've just sort 00:02:20.400 --> 00:02:22.439 of progressed so the kind of classroom I have 00:02:22.439 --> 00:02:25.000 now is really interesting because I've I feel 00:02:25.000 --> 00:02:27.300 like I've known these since they were in early 00:02:27.300 --> 00:02:30.439 years so I'm now in a secondary classroom I've 00:02:30.439 --> 00:02:33.740 got eight children all either non -speaking pre 00:02:33.740 --> 00:02:37.500 -verbal vocal users and I've got five adults 00:02:37.500 --> 00:02:38.979 so that kind of gives you an idea of like sort 00:02:38.979 --> 00:02:41.599 of the needs as well The school that I'm in, 00:02:41.620 --> 00:02:43.400 we only take children with autism. That's like 00:02:43.400 --> 00:02:45.240 sort of the fundamental. Everyone's got to have 00:02:45.240 --> 00:02:48.180 a diagnosis of autism to be enrolled in our school. 00:02:48.419 --> 00:02:50.659 And then obviously like with that, we get other 00:02:50.659 --> 00:02:53.680 things, other complex needs that come naturally 00:02:53.680 --> 00:02:56.759 alongside. But the class I'm in would be classified 00:02:56.759 --> 00:02:59.990 as one of our most complex needs class. um due 00:02:59.990 --> 00:03:03.009 to especially the communication um that we have 00:03:03.009 --> 00:03:06.509 in here so yeah like honestly I just love it 00:03:06.509 --> 00:03:08.610 like I've always been in a class really similar 00:03:08.610 --> 00:03:12.129 to this when I first started as a TA um I was 00:03:12.129 --> 00:03:14.990 just put in with a class very similar to this 00:03:14.990 --> 00:03:17.610 I was fresh out of uni and I was like oh my gosh 00:03:17.610 --> 00:03:20.189 what am I doing and I just loved it like I just 00:03:20.189 --> 00:03:22.849 think especially in SEN you either love it or 00:03:22.849 --> 00:03:24.509 you don't and I feel like that's always been 00:03:24.509 --> 00:03:27.400 my approach with my team like we get Different 00:03:27.400 --> 00:03:29.300 staff come in and out as you just do an education. 00:03:29.479 --> 00:03:31.539 I'm like, hey, if you don't like it, it's okay. 00:03:31.599 --> 00:03:36.120 It's not for everybody. You have to give it 150%. 00:03:36.120 --> 00:03:38.120 There's just no day I can turn up and just not 00:03:38.120 --> 00:03:41.060 give it that because... Definitely. And you can't... 00:03:41.060 --> 00:03:44.280 Exactly. And you can't learn to love it. You 00:03:44.280 --> 00:03:47.620 can't go on a course and... get that gut feeling 00:03:47.620 --> 00:03:50.039 you can learn about autism and you can learn 00:03:50.039 --> 00:03:51.800 about communication you can learn about sensory 00:03:51.800 --> 00:03:55.039 needs but you can't learn that gut sense of love 00:03:55.039 --> 00:03:58.099 I think that's what it is it is and also I feel 00:03:58.099 --> 00:04:00.199 like it's really important I think as well in 00:04:00.199 --> 00:04:01.639 this day and age in education just to be really 00:04:01.639 --> 00:04:03.939 honest with it all and say like this is what 00:04:03.939 --> 00:04:06.599 it is you know we've got so many different range 00:04:06.599 --> 00:04:09.830 of needs in our school that just one classroom 00:04:09.830 --> 00:04:11.830 I mean it's the same for children isn't it like 00:04:11.830 --> 00:04:13.289 one classroom doesn't necessarily meet their 00:04:13.289 --> 00:04:15.090 needs that doesn't mean that the school doesn't 00:04:15.090 --> 00:04:17.009 meet their needs doesn't mean that like we need 00:04:17.009 --> 00:04:18.730 to change everything it's just like okay let's 00:04:18.730 --> 00:04:20.750 try something different like and it's just like 00:04:20.750 --> 00:04:25.050 adapting yeah like I love it like obviously like 00:04:25.050 --> 00:04:27.629 I just absolutely love this kind of explore pathway 00:04:27.629 --> 00:04:31.509 last year I was on in a primary class which I 00:04:31.509 --> 00:04:33.730 really really enjoyed as well I just this class 00:04:33.730 --> 00:04:36.870 I just love love it Just I think because I've 00:04:36.870 --> 00:04:38.769 just known them for so long as well. Do you stay 00:04:38.769 --> 00:04:41.750 with your class for more than one year? How does 00:04:41.750 --> 00:04:44.170 it usually work? So it's really interesting because 00:04:44.170 --> 00:04:46.029 obviously this is my second year actually teaching. 00:04:46.649 --> 00:04:49.009 Normally there's a little bit of a shift kind 00:04:49.009 --> 00:04:51.649 of because in our school now we've gone to three 00:04:51.649 --> 00:04:53.910 different style of pathway. So I'm on what we 00:04:53.910 --> 00:04:56.290 call the explore pathway. So those teachers, 00:04:56.449 --> 00:04:59.149 it's very much that skill set. I mean, I would. 00:04:59.689 --> 00:05:01.769 obviously go to a different pathway but that's 00:05:01.769 --> 00:05:04.529 not where my skill set is okay so you're kind 00:05:04.529 --> 00:05:07.310 of you do stay with the students majority of 00:05:07.310 --> 00:05:09.589 the time just because of the the different pathways 00:05:09.589 --> 00:05:12.189 that we have but I I just so much the same with 00:05:12.189 --> 00:05:14.750 them because I feel like you seem so much more 00:05:14.750 --> 00:05:17.810 progress over a long period of time like when 00:05:18.379 --> 00:05:20.199 I've got a child that I've had from last year 00:05:20.199 --> 00:05:22.500 that moved with me and it just really helps because 00:05:22.500 --> 00:05:25.279 I do think, you know, just like processing time, 00:05:25.379 --> 00:05:28.579 it does take a long time. And we've all had those 00:05:28.579 --> 00:05:30.579 moments where you're like, I just don't think 00:05:30.579 --> 00:05:33.100 this is working. Like, what are we doing wrong? 00:05:33.240 --> 00:05:35.540 Like, I've tried this, I've tried that. And it 00:05:35.540 --> 00:05:38.240 can take like a year for something to really 00:05:38.240 --> 00:05:40.529 settle in. And you're like, I can't. and sometimes 00:05:40.529 --> 00:05:43.550 with the rigidity of rules around autism like 00:05:43.550 --> 00:05:45.769 basically I've I have my same kids for seven 00:05:45.769 --> 00:05:48.189 years and then so they're with me at five in 00:05:48.189 --> 00:05:50.750 reception and then they leave with me in year 00:05:50.750 --> 00:05:53.149 six Wow. Yeah. And then they have a rotation 00:05:53.149 --> 00:05:55.350 like that. And I, it was really interesting. 00:05:55.470 --> 00:05:58.069 I had two students that I'd had for five years. 00:05:58.189 --> 00:06:00.610 So I knew them incredibly well. Yeah. Really, 00:06:00.649 --> 00:06:04.449 really well. You have to know it. But we moved 00:06:04.449 --> 00:06:07.170 to a different classroom and all of a sudden 00:06:07.170 --> 00:06:09.790 they couldn't do the things that we could do 00:06:09.790 --> 00:06:12.389 in the other room. They needed different scaffolding. 00:06:12.389 --> 00:06:14.029 They needed different support systems. They needed 00:06:14.029 --> 00:06:16.529 different behavior plans. We were seeing things 00:06:16.529 --> 00:06:19.670 that we'd never seen before. So it's also like. 00:06:20.160 --> 00:06:22.720 The next teacher could take your exact model, 00:06:22.959 --> 00:06:26.459 be doing as closely consistently as they can. 00:06:26.680 --> 00:06:30.000 Yeah. But just because of the patterns of autism 00:06:30.000 --> 00:06:33.660 and reduced anxiety of what the same teacher, 00:06:33.720 --> 00:06:36.160 same classroom, same routine brings them, they 00:06:36.160 --> 00:06:37.740 will be seeing different things. So if you can 00:06:37.740 --> 00:06:39.459 have your students for longer than a year, then 00:06:39.459 --> 00:06:41.680 their anxiety will be reduced and you'll be seeing 00:06:41.680 --> 00:06:44.459 their best. work aren't you absolutely and you're 00:06:44.459 --> 00:06:46.879 so true like I think like we see that all the 00:06:46.879 --> 00:06:49.540 time here because we do have a it's a similar 00:06:49.540 --> 00:06:51.259 sort of secondary model where we do move around 00:06:51.259 --> 00:06:53.120 so like we'll go down to the cooking room and 00:06:53.120 --> 00:06:55.720 so they do also get to experience different environments 00:06:55.720 --> 00:06:58.540 for their learning but I do think as well it 00:06:58.540 --> 00:07:01.379 is like okay you've got to just also keep those 00:07:01.379 --> 00:07:04.040 consistency and those routine and those boundaries 00:07:04.040 --> 00:07:06.100 wherever you go that you've just got to move 00:07:06.100 --> 00:07:08.199 with it whether that be in the community or whether 00:07:08.199 --> 00:07:10.480 that be in a different classroom but or you know 00:07:10.480 --> 00:07:12.699 when I'm not there you know the amount of times 00:07:12.699 --> 00:07:14.660 where I'm like oh my gosh please come back LA 00:07:14.660 --> 00:07:17.420 we've only been gone on PPA but I'm like you're 00:07:17.420 --> 00:07:19.540 all doing amazing like my team you're doing amazing 00:07:19.540 --> 00:07:21.660 like please never doubt that it's just I'm not 00:07:21.660 --> 00:07:23.740 there they it doesn't even matter it's just like 00:07:23.740 --> 00:07:26.620 whoa that's not normal where are you I need that 00:07:26.620 --> 00:07:29.300 consistency please yeah exactly and I often find 00:07:29.300 --> 00:07:32.889 also it's a strong member of the team to lose 00:07:32.889 --> 00:07:35.009 it doesn't matter it's the teacher yes but it's 00:07:35.009 --> 00:07:37.350 a strong member of the team to lose and if it 00:07:37.350 --> 00:07:40.029 depends who we get replaced by right if we get 00:07:40.029 --> 00:07:41.490 replaced by somebody who doesn't know the children 00:07:41.490 --> 00:07:44.970 that's a huge shift in change and dynamic isn't 00:07:44.970 --> 00:07:47.910 it yeah like definitely and I think like that's 00:07:47.910 --> 00:07:49.910 one thing in education at the moment I think 00:07:50.220 --> 00:07:53.040 I feel like I've seen such a change in education 00:07:53.040 --> 00:07:55.259 in the last, I think really in the last five 00:07:55.259 --> 00:07:58.180 to six years, you know, we have a high amount 00:07:58.180 --> 00:08:01.920 of agency staff and it is really tricky to employ 00:08:01.920 --> 00:08:03.980 staff members at the moment. And I know that 00:08:03.980 --> 00:08:05.920 that's across the board in education from conversations 00:08:05.920 --> 00:08:08.500 I have with colleagues of mine, you know, people 00:08:08.500 --> 00:08:11.000 just even through my socials, like, you know, 00:08:11.000 --> 00:08:12.379 we're struggling, haven't got the same consistency. 00:08:12.540 --> 00:08:15.560 And I always just say like, it is, it's so tricky 00:08:15.560 --> 00:08:17.899 because you have to like take a step back as 00:08:17.899 --> 00:08:20.069 a teacher and go, right. If I'm feeling a little 00:08:20.069 --> 00:08:21.910 bit overwhelmed by the fact there's another member 00:08:21.910 --> 00:08:25.189 of staff in, they're giving it their 100%, but 00:08:25.189 --> 00:08:27.269 they don't know all the little bits. And there's 00:08:27.269 --> 00:08:30.170 so many little things. Like you think you've 00:08:30.170 --> 00:08:32.409 told somebody all the important bits and then 00:08:32.409 --> 00:08:34.049 you go, oh no, sorry, can you not, don't put 00:08:34.049 --> 00:08:35.509 that there. Oh no, they don't like that there. 00:08:35.590 --> 00:08:37.389 Or make sure you do it like that with them. That's 00:08:37.389 --> 00:08:38.409 how you're going to get the best from them. And 00:08:38.409 --> 00:08:40.669 then you just forget, like there's so much in 00:08:40.669 --> 00:08:43.559 there you've got to know. to really help that 00:08:43.559 --> 00:08:45.940 child in that moment or however it might be. 00:08:46.059 --> 00:08:48.960 So it's so true. And I often remind, it's a good 00:08:48.960 --> 00:08:50.700 reminder for ourselves of how much we know and 00:08:50.700 --> 00:08:53.179 how much we know the children, isn't it? Because 00:08:53.179 --> 00:08:55.940 I do exactly the same. We have a lovely book 00:08:55.940 --> 00:08:57.860 and everything they need to know is in it. But 00:08:57.860 --> 00:09:01.000 like you say, of course it isn't. Oh yeah, don't 00:09:01.000 --> 00:09:03.259 wear your lanyard. Oh yeah, tie your hair back 00:09:03.259 --> 00:09:05.679 or anything like that. It's so true. Like, you 00:09:05.679 --> 00:09:07.360 know, you've got like, we're the same. Like, 00:09:07.460 --> 00:09:08.840 you know, we've got their, they're all about 00:09:08.840 --> 00:09:10.940 me as we call them and their, you know, behavior 00:09:10.940 --> 00:09:13.460 plans. But then it's really hard as well sometimes 00:09:13.460 --> 00:09:15.019 to get that into paper. And I feel like, oh, 00:09:15.139 --> 00:09:16.799 there's so much more to you than just this piece 00:09:16.799 --> 00:09:19.379 of paper. Like, of course, you're so much more 00:09:19.379 --> 00:09:21.179 than that. And it's so tricky sometimes to get 00:09:21.179 --> 00:09:24.120 that across. But yeah, like they all are just, 00:09:24.179 --> 00:09:26.440 yeah, they're just brilliant. I mean, no day 00:09:26.440 --> 00:09:29.720 is the same. That is for sure. It is so interesting, 00:09:30.019 --> 00:09:32.940 isn't it? Because we are so, we have a predictable 00:09:32.940 --> 00:09:35.669 routine. structure we have our you know systems 00:09:35.669 --> 00:09:38.269 every day should be the same and it absolutely 00:09:38.269 --> 00:09:42.250 isn't it was full moon this week oh and my goodness 00:09:42.250 --> 00:09:46.919 i know doing what people just like net like don't 00:09:46.919 --> 00:09:48.480 it seem to go if they don't work and I'm like 00:09:48.480 --> 00:09:51.620 no the wind the full moon oh my gosh does it 00:09:51.620 --> 00:09:54.700 influence like how my week is going to be we 00:09:54.700 --> 00:09:57.240 have a little calendar and a staff every single 00:09:57.240 --> 00:09:58.580 time we just do a little moon and I'm like right 00:09:58.580 --> 00:10:00.340 then we all know hun so we can all just you know 00:10:00.340 --> 00:10:02.240 be on the same page prepared to get an extra 00:10:02.240 --> 00:10:04.539 good night's sleep that the night before yeah 00:10:04.539 --> 00:10:06.799 it's so true can we talk about your journey into 00:10:06.799 --> 00:10:08.600 teaching because I started as a teaching assistant 00:10:08.600 --> 00:10:11.259 too so I'm just wondering if it's quite aligned 00:10:11.259 --> 00:10:14.370 I was a teaching assistant for three years whilst 00:10:14.370 --> 00:10:17.370 I was doing my degree yeah and then I did a PGCE 00:10:17.370 --> 00:10:20.970 in primary education and then I went back to 00:10:20.970 --> 00:10:23.210 that special needs school that I was a TA at 00:10:23.210 --> 00:10:28.039 to teach to do my first year what was your journey 00:10:28.039 --> 00:10:32.220 into teaching yeah so I did a just a degree in 00:10:32.220 --> 00:10:34.580 education and then when I was doing that I did 00:10:34.580 --> 00:10:37.460 a lot of volunteering um in different youth groups 00:10:37.460 --> 00:10:41.139 um in schools and then when I left literally 00:10:41.139 --> 00:10:43.759 applied for the job and as LSA and I was like 00:10:43.759 --> 00:10:45.659 yep let's go for it let's move here let's try 00:10:45.659 --> 00:10:49.419 something new and I did learning support assistant 00:10:49.419 --> 00:10:53.200 TA for about four years I think it was altogether 00:10:53.200 --> 00:10:55.700 very similar sort of stayed in a really similar 00:10:55.700 --> 00:10:58.700 class like this and then I wasn't sure at the 00:10:58.700 --> 00:11:02.039 time how I wanted to do this journey um and back 00:11:02.039 --> 00:11:04.080 then the only option for me to go into teaching 00:11:04.080 --> 00:11:05.779 was to go back to uni which I was a bit like 00:11:05.779 --> 00:11:07.600 I'm not sure if I want to do that so I went and 00:11:07.600 --> 00:11:10.059 did I was a family support worker for social 00:11:10.059 --> 00:11:11.679 care for a little while so I did that for a year 00:11:11.679 --> 00:11:14.559 then we had COVID and I was like this is definitely 00:11:14.559 --> 00:11:17.279 not I miss school so much and then a pastoral 00:11:17.279 --> 00:11:19.200 manager job came up in the school that I was 00:11:19.519 --> 00:11:22.879 previously in applied for it got it did two years 00:11:22.879 --> 00:11:25.980 as a pastoral manager and then my school introduced 00:11:25.980 --> 00:11:30.259 um teaching like on the job basically you learn 00:11:30.259 --> 00:11:32.460 on the job so it had it in place for a couple 00:11:32.460 --> 00:11:34.279 of years and on like my head was just constantly 00:11:34.279 --> 00:11:35.919 like come on Ellie you can do this and I was 00:11:35.919 --> 00:11:37.639 like well I don't know if I can yeah I don't 00:11:37.639 --> 00:11:39.559 know if I can and I just did it I was like come 00:11:39.559 --> 00:11:41.100 on you just gotta bite the bullet like this just 00:11:41.100 --> 00:11:45.120 do it go back to it so I did it and I I just 00:11:45.120 --> 00:11:48.220 highly recommend the route I did to anybody because 00:11:49.129 --> 00:11:52.210 I feel like now, this is only my second official 00:11:52.210 --> 00:11:54.509 year of teaching. I'm still classified as ECT2. 00:11:55.409 --> 00:11:57.929 The amount of experience. And, you know, I go 00:11:57.929 --> 00:11:59.649 to placements because I still have to do placement. 00:11:59.870 --> 00:12:01.210 And they're like, I don't believe you've only 00:12:01.210 --> 00:12:03.169 got like, what is your, and I was like, yeah, 00:12:03.169 --> 00:12:05.929 but I've been in SEN for like six years. And 00:12:05.929 --> 00:12:08.190 you just, I feel like I've built such a holistic 00:12:08.190 --> 00:12:11.289 approach. And like now I know what it's like 00:12:11.289 --> 00:12:13.990 when I'm dealing with CPOM, safeguarding stuff, 00:12:14.049 --> 00:12:16.230 because I've got that social worker hat. I've 00:12:16.230 --> 00:12:18.990 never asked my team to do anything that I wouldn't 00:12:18.990 --> 00:12:20.929 do. And I know what it feels like to be a TA. 00:12:20.990 --> 00:12:23.350 I know what it feels like to literally, you are 00:12:23.350 --> 00:12:26.769 the bones of my class, like TAs. I would be nothing 00:12:26.769 --> 00:12:30.309 without my team, like nothing. I feel like it 00:12:30.309 --> 00:12:32.429 makes me such a better manager and such a better 00:12:32.429 --> 00:12:34.049 teacher because special education teachers are 00:12:34.049 --> 00:12:36.669 managers like we are managing lots of adults 00:12:36.669 --> 00:12:39.230 I've got eight adults in my room it's a hella 00:12:39.230 --> 00:12:41.769 task and I did it differently than you then so 00:12:41.769 --> 00:12:45.649 I did an acting degree Yeah. I had to add three 00:12:45.649 --> 00:12:47.889 years TA experience during that, which helped. 00:12:47.970 --> 00:12:49.429 And that's what I fell back on when I became 00:12:49.429 --> 00:12:52.409 a teacher. But my goodness, my TAs dragged me 00:12:52.409 --> 00:12:54.610 through the first two years of teaching. I could 00:12:54.610 --> 00:12:56.750 not have done it without them. I didn't have 00:12:56.750 --> 00:13:01.769 a clue. My degree and my PGCE taught me nothing 00:13:01.769 --> 00:13:04.509 about SEN, nothing special education. I think 00:13:04.509 --> 00:13:07.110 we did a lecture on dyslexia. It was shocking. 00:13:07.169 --> 00:13:08.750 And I really hope it's different now. People 00:13:08.750 --> 00:13:10.429 tell me it is. And I think some aren't, some 00:13:10.429 --> 00:13:13.710 aren't. Yeah, I agree. I just, I really. feel 00:13:13.710 --> 00:13:15.389 like this is such a good way to do it because 00:13:15.389 --> 00:13:17.870 you know even somebody that went to I went to 00:13:17.870 --> 00:13:20.669 uni with you know she did um primary teaching 00:13:20.669 --> 00:13:22.590 and she's been a primary teacher and I'm just 00:13:22.590 --> 00:13:25.110 like you know amazing experience but the SEN 00:13:25.110 --> 00:13:27.909 and it is like that it's so much more complex 00:13:27.909 --> 00:13:30.669 than just a couple of lectures or you know a 00:13:30.669 --> 00:13:32.750 couple of slides it's like you've just got to 00:13:32.750 --> 00:13:35.210 live it so I just think it's just made me such 00:13:35.210 --> 00:13:39.309 a best teacher for having a car yes yeah it took 00:13:39.309 --> 00:13:42.509 me it took me years to get to where you're at 00:13:42.509 --> 00:13:45.669 like years luckily we had great therapists and 00:13:45.669 --> 00:13:47.690 occupational therapists as part of the school 00:13:47.690 --> 00:13:50.529 and i was just like teach me like tell me because 00:13:50.529 --> 00:13:53.450 i really didn't come with any knowledge like 00:13:53.450 --> 00:13:55.309 practical knowledge at all not no book knowledge 00:13:55.309 --> 00:13:57.529 at all um and it would have been really helpful 00:13:57.529 --> 00:14:00.370 i do but i also think though like i'm i'm like 00:14:00.370 --> 00:14:02.250 that still now honestly like the speech and language 00:14:02.250 --> 00:14:03.769 team come in and like i sit down with them or 00:14:03.769 --> 00:14:06.149 i'm not going anywhere like i'm not taking like 00:14:06.149 --> 00:14:08.029 time out like i want to sit and watch because 00:14:08.429 --> 00:14:10.570 That's how you also learn. That's why I've got 00:14:10.570 --> 00:14:12.690 such good knowledge of things like communication 00:14:12.690 --> 00:14:15.429 boards, the importance of having constant communication 00:14:15.429 --> 00:14:17.450 everywhere. Like, you know, there's just communication 00:14:17.450 --> 00:14:20.250 boards covering visuals, covering my classroom 00:14:20.250 --> 00:14:22.590 without being overstimulating. So it's like getting 00:14:22.590 --> 00:14:24.450 that balance. But I'm like, you know, the only 00:14:24.450 --> 00:14:26.490 reason is because I'm just constantly like messaging 00:14:26.490 --> 00:14:28.649 them like, hi, it's me again. What can I do for 00:14:28.649 --> 00:14:30.570 this? Because you do, don't you? And also so 00:14:30.570 --> 00:14:33.340 many things change. And it's like. You just need 00:14:33.340 --> 00:14:35.440 to know how to best. I think I always just go 00:14:35.440 --> 00:14:37.419 back to the child. I'm like, how can I best support 00:14:37.419 --> 00:14:40.820 you? And it's by me constantly adapting and growing 00:14:40.820 --> 00:14:42.759 as well. Like I can't just finish here and be 00:14:42.759 --> 00:14:44.399 done. Like I need to also learn. Things are changing 00:14:44.399 --> 00:14:46.019 all the time. Gosh, there was things that I was 00:14:46.019 --> 00:14:48.259 doing 15 years ago that I'm really frowned upon 00:14:48.259 --> 00:14:49.940 now. And that was just how things were done. 00:14:50.200 --> 00:14:52.419 And I feel like it's really dangerous. We were 00:14:52.419 --> 00:14:54.370 talking about this on the podcast recently. the 00:14:54.370 --> 00:14:56.669 answer but that's how I've always done it is 00:14:56.669 --> 00:14:59.909 such a dangerous sentence isn't it to be constantly 00:14:59.909 --> 00:15:01.990 learning constantly adapting constantly changing 00:15:01.990 --> 00:15:04.049 language changing how we're doing things is really 00:15:04.049 --> 00:15:06.750 positive and I hope that in 15 years I'm looking 00:15:06.750 --> 00:15:08.190 back at what I'm doing now I'm thinking gosh 00:15:08.190 --> 00:15:10.490 I would never do it like that I've I've learned 00:15:10.490 --> 00:15:13.409 an even better way I know even more now it has 00:15:13.409 --> 00:15:15.289 to be that way and I think in every career really 00:15:15.289 --> 00:15:17.690 especially when you're and you're managing and 00:15:17.690 --> 00:15:21.899 and supporting such vulnerable young people yeah 00:15:21.899 --> 00:15:24.399 oh absolutely I couldn't agree more I think I 00:15:24.399 --> 00:15:26.200 think there's even been so much change even in 00:15:26.200 --> 00:15:27.480 the last eight years you know there's things 00:15:27.480 --> 00:15:29.860 that we did as practice that we wouldn't do now 00:15:29.860 --> 00:15:31.759 and I'm like yeah like you look you look back 00:15:31.759 --> 00:15:33.820 but then that's what's really good is that the 00:15:33.820 --> 00:15:36.779 in SELM is just this drive of constantly changing 00:15:36.779 --> 00:15:39.360 you know things like pecs like we don't use those 00:15:39.360 --> 00:15:41.840 now as much as we do you know and there's different 00:15:41.840 --> 00:15:43.799 things that happen and i just think it is really 00:15:43.799 --> 00:15:46.759 important why like even as a you know like i 00:15:46.759 --> 00:15:49.139 say all careers but especially teaching and especially 00:15:49.139 --> 00:15:51.960 sen you have to have a growth mindset otherwise 00:15:51.960 --> 00:15:55.240 it just won't work yeah and the children's needs 00:15:55.240 --> 00:15:58.580 that we are receiving in school is is becoming 00:15:58.580 --> 00:16:01.559 more complex or for the better for one of a better 00:16:01.559 --> 00:16:05.419 word yeah and yeah we're having to learn new 00:16:05.419 --> 00:16:07.679 things all the time every new child into our 00:16:07.679 --> 00:16:10.440 room brings new things that we need to learn 00:16:10.440 --> 00:16:13.080 yeah and also just like i think sometimes even 00:16:13.080 --> 00:16:15.620 the children when they check you know when they 00:16:15.620 --> 00:16:18.820 go through i mean i'm in secondary i've got i've 00:16:18.820 --> 00:16:21.799 got a real wide range of ages because in our 00:16:21.799 --> 00:16:24.799 school we don't um have classrooms based on age 00:16:24.799 --> 00:16:27.950 so it's based on age for appropriacy but it's 00:16:27.950 --> 00:16:29.730 not based on like this is a year eight class 00:16:29.730 --> 00:16:31.970 this is a year nine class it's all it's all mixed 00:16:31.970 --> 00:16:33.929 you know i've got things like hormones going 00:16:33.929 --> 00:16:36.450 on and you just think oh my gosh right we've 00:16:36.450 --> 00:16:39.029 just got somewhere with you and now you've got 00:16:39.029 --> 00:16:41.330 hormones and that's you know a whole other ball 00:16:41.330 --> 00:16:43.710 game when all of that starts happening yeah i 00:16:43.710 --> 00:16:46.830 used to teach a class age 14 to 19 in my last 00:16:46.830 --> 00:16:49.889 school yeah hormones periods masturbation it 00:16:49.889 --> 00:16:52.870 was like it was like a daily topic yeah so my 00:16:52.870 --> 00:16:57.070 22 year old self was like What is this? Bring 00:16:57.070 --> 00:17:00.710 it on. Yeah, exactly. I remember as a teaching 00:17:00.710 --> 00:17:04.250 assistant, actually, I was 18 and I was changing 00:17:04.250 --> 00:17:07.849 the pad of an 18 year old and just thinking like, 00:17:07.990 --> 00:17:11.509 I don't like, I don't know if I just probably 00:17:11.509 --> 00:17:12.990 like looking back, I shouldn't have been put 00:17:12.990 --> 00:17:15.230 in that situation probably because I was like, 00:17:15.309 --> 00:17:16.769 he was quite vulnerable. I was quite vulnerable. 00:17:16.890 --> 00:17:19.490 Like it just shouldn't have been the case, but 00:17:19.490 --> 00:17:21.650 it was. Yeah. And I remember thinking in the 00:17:21.650 --> 00:17:25.519 moment, like this feels weird. Like this. feels 00:17:25.519 --> 00:17:28.660 like a big responsibility for an 18 year old 00:17:28.660 --> 00:17:31.140 to have and do it to do it really well and do 00:17:31.140 --> 00:17:34.700 it really respectfully yeah um yeah it's a huge 00:17:34.700 --> 00:17:36.880 ask isn't it and we are asking our teaching assistants 00:17:36.880 --> 00:17:40.920 daily to be doing these really intimate tasks 00:17:40.920 --> 00:17:45.559 well yeah and and like you say you know ensuring 00:17:45.559 --> 00:17:49.430 that those children have that exact right dignity 00:17:49.430 --> 00:17:51.789 because they are absolutely as entitled to it 00:17:51.789 --> 00:17:54.630 as anybody else and it is really vulnerable you 00:17:54.630 --> 00:17:58.109 know working in especially I feel like sometimes 00:17:58.109 --> 00:18:00.609 the kind of classrooms that I work in here and 00:18:00.609 --> 00:18:02.950 so my classroom next door is really similar we 00:18:02.950 --> 00:18:04.470 have quite similar needs we're both on the same 00:18:04.470 --> 00:18:07.769 pathway you know those children are what's some 00:18:07.769 --> 00:18:10.369 of the most vulnerable in our society and for 00:18:10.369 --> 00:18:13.250 six to seven hours of their day they are away 00:18:13.250 --> 00:18:15.529 from their parents or their carers they're with 00:18:15.529 --> 00:18:17.769 us you know it's so important they're minimally 00:18:17.769 --> 00:18:20.109 speaking so they're vulnerable because they're 00:18:20.109 --> 00:18:22.329 minimally speaking so they can't disclose information 00:18:22.329 --> 00:18:26.910 they can't ask for help or to explain what has 00:18:26.910 --> 00:18:30.289 just happened they are relying on us solely for 00:18:30.289 --> 00:18:34.720 drinks or food or changing or you know cooling 00:18:34.720 --> 00:18:36.960 their temperature, checking if they're ill, you 00:18:36.960 --> 00:18:39.799 know, all of these things. We're all making the 00:18:39.799 --> 00:18:42.380 best guesses all the time, but ultimately, you 00:18:42.380 --> 00:18:46.079 know, they are just hypotheses. Yeah. So that's 00:18:46.079 --> 00:18:48.420 why we're saying vulnerable. Yeah, yeah, yeah. 00:18:48.460 --> 00:18:51.000 Some are physically vulnerable, but also there's 00:18:51.000 --> 00:18:53.450 this vulnerability there. Yeah, yeah. of need 00:18:53.450 --> 00:18:56.809 isn't absolutely yeah no absolutely um and I 00:18:56.809 --> 00:18:58.750 just think you know that's something as well 00:18:58.750 --> 00:19:00.769 that's really important that is like shared within 00:19:00.769 --> 00:19:02.329 the team and it's just really important that 00:19:02.329 --> 00:19:05.190 you do have a good team around you um and a team 00:19:05.190 --> 00:19:07.950 that you know that you can talk to try like just 00:19:07.950 --> 00:19:10.750 have that open communication with and a bit like 00:19:10.750 --> 00:19:13.589 I said like if I don't model and set those expectations 00:19:13.589 --> 00:19:15.970 and also put myself into those situations you 00:19:15.970 --> 00:19:18.730 know I'll happily do whatever I need to do. So 00:19:18.730 --> 00:19:20.990 is that your philosophy of managing your team 00:19:20.990 --> 00:19:23.670 is like, I will never ask you to do anything 00:19:23.670 --> 00:19:27.069 that I won't do. I'll pick up the worst lunchtime. 00:19:27.109 --> 00:19:30.430 I'll pick up the worst jobs, like modeling that. 00:19:30.470 --> 00:19:33.289 Yeah, to the point that my team will be like, 00:19:33.349 --> 00:19:35.970 Ellie, go have a break. I'm like, okay, okay. 00:19:36.150 --> 00:19:40.329 But I just want to 100%. I think I just don't 00:19:40.329 --> 00:19:42.380 believe in. asking someone to do it without me 00:19:42.380 --> 00:19:44.099 doing it as well yeah i really relate to this 00:19:44.099 --> 00:19:46.539 this is why i'm asking i totally relate it's 00:19:46.539 --> 00:19:49.160 funny because i like the lunchtime our lunchtime 00:19:49.160 --> 00:19:51.319 so we actually at the moment sleep in our classroom 00:19:51.319 --> 00:19:53.460 just purely because the transition to the hall 00:19:53.460 --> 00:19:56.200 for all of my students is just too much and we 00:19:56.200 --> 00:19:57.900 have to be in and out of the hall in quite fast 00:19:57.900 --> 00:19:59.799 paced time i'm always in it and the guys are 00:19:59.799 --> 00:20:01.319 like please like let me start i'm like no no 00:20:01.319 --> 00:20:03.099 it's fine come on you have your break like i'm 00:20:03.099 --> 00:20:04.740 just like please have your break for us then 00:20:04.740 --> 00:20:06.700 i'll look after myself and i just think that's 00:20:06.700 --> 00:20:09.380 just how i've always modeled as a Even in their 00:20:09.380 --> 00:20:12.579 team, but she's a teacher, I want to model so 00:20:12.579 --> 00:20:14.420 that you know that I will always do it as well. 00:20:14.559 --> 00:20:16.720 I never would ask you to do something without 00:20:16.720 --> 00:20:18.779 me doing it first. I think the same with the 00:20:18.779 --> 00:20:20.579 children, right? Like if you're going to ask 00:20:20.579 --> 00:20:23.400 them to put their hand in slime, then you need 00:20:23.400 --> 00:20:26.240 to do it too. Or get sprayed with water or put 00:20:26.240 --> 00:20:28.339 on silly hats and do a dance, then you need to 00:20:28.339 --> 00:20:30.440 be doing it too. And I think that's really great. 00:20:30.579 --> 00:20:32.519 If teachers are listening to this, special education 00:20:32.519 --> 00:20:35.880 or not, really good thing to take away from this 00:20:35.880 --> 00:20:38.839 podcast, even if you take anything. don't ask 00:20:38.839 --> 00:20:40.079 them to do anything unless you're willing to 00:20:40.079 --> 00:20:41.619 do it too. So if you're feeling self -conscious 00:20:41.619 --> 00:20:44.240 about doing a silly dance and a song, don't ask 00:20:44.240 --> 00:20:46.359 the children to do it. Or if you're feeling like, 00:20:46.380 --> 00:20:48.980 oh, I don't want to put my hands in that angel 00:20:48.980 --> 00:20:51.900 delight, then why are we asking them to do it? 00:20:52.059 --> 00:20:53.900 You have to model it. And I think that's the 00:20:53.900 --> 00:20:56.119 thing. I think not only do I model it with the 00:20:56.119 --> 00:20:58.160 adults, literally same, modeling with the children 00:20:58.160 --> 00:21:01.559 all the time. I can't expect them to explore 00:21:01.559 --> 00:21:04.359 the foods unless I get my hands in and I do it 00:21:04.359 --> 00:21:06.539 as well. And I race those cars in the bake meetings 00:21:06.539 --> 00:21:09.099 or whatever it might be that we're doing. And 00:21:09.099 --> 00:21:10.920 you have to, like you have to model, model, model, 00:21:10.940 --> 00:21:13.480 model. And I think that if you were to come into 00:21:13.480 --> 00:21:15.299 the classroom when people do, they go, yeah, 00:21:15.380 --> 00:21:17.799 I can tell that you model the expectations. I 00:21:17.799 --> 00:21:19.980 can tell you model the tasks and I can tell that 00:21:19.980 --> 00:21:21.839 you are definitely a teacher that models because 00:21:21.839 --> 00:21:24.460 everybody else around you is also doing that. 00:21:24.579 --> 00:21:27.480 And I think what I've really seen my team, especially 00:21:27.480 --> 00:21:30.259 like this year. in them develop is the fact that 00:21:30.259 --> 00:21:32.920 they are so good at modeling it now as well you 00:21:32.920 --> 00:21:34.920 know they'll get involved they'll stick their 00:21:34.920 --> 00:21:36.940 hands in they'll model whatever needs doing they'll 00:21:36.940 --> 00:21:39.339 get up and do the dances whenever we need to 00:21:39.339 --> 00:21:41.400 do you know like oh my gosh we need a movement 00:21:41.400 --> 00:21:44.019 dance let's get a film or like a movie or whatever 00:21:44.019 --> 00:21:46.599 it is and let's just dance copy the actions we 00:21:46.599 --> 00:21:49.009 all get silly at the front and Because why wouldn't 00:21:49.009 --> 00:21:51.049 you? Because I literally say, I can't expect 00:21:51.049 --> 00:21:53.529 you to join on with me if I'm not going to do 00:21:53.529 --> 00:21:55.809 it as well. Yeah, exactly. It would be a weird 00:21:55.809 --> 00:21:57.970 hierarchy, wouldn't it? It wouldn't work. Same 00:21:57.970 --> 00:21:59.750 with behaviour management as well, right? Yeah. 00:21:59.829 --> 00:22:01.690 It's all great having it on paper, but if you're 00:22:01.690 --> 00:22:03.670 not following your own plan, then how can you 00:22:03.670 --> 00:22:06.130 expect the rest of the team to, right? Yeah, 00:22:06.269 --> 00:22:07.910 and I think that's the same as well with like 00:22:07.910 --> 00:22:11.630 visuals and routine. You know, I think that the 00:22:11.630 --> 00:22:14.650 fundamentals as to why behaviour management always 00:22:14.650 --> 00:22:17.490 comes up as a strength in my field is because... 00:22:17.980 --> 00:22:20.599 I have to have visuals. I have to have a routine. 00:22:20.640 --> 00:22:22.940 I have to have some sort of consistency because 00:22:22.940 --> 00:22:27.289 that's. what my children really need but I also 00:22:27.289 --> 00:22:28.509 need to make sure I'm modelling it so I have 00:22:28.509 --> 00:22:30.009 to always go back to the visual timetable like 00:22:30.009 --> 00:22:31.710 right this is now finished this is what we're 00:22:31.710 --> 00:22:34.329 doing next you know there's so many now and next 00:22:34.329 --> 00:22:36.509 boards that follow my children around with them 00:22:36.509 --> 00:22:38.950 or now next and then boards and it doesn't take 00:22:38.950 --> 00:22:41.109 long as well my team are brilliant they see me 00:22:41.109 --> 00:22:43.769 model it change it over because I mean nobody 00:22:43.769 --> 00:22:45.549 talks about how long it takes to change over 00:22:45.549 --> 00:22:47.829 a now and next port oh my goodness me you're 00:22:47.829 --> 00:22:49.369 like constantly flicking through the folds like 00:22:49.369 --> 00:22:52.440 where is the next subject but You have to have 00:22:52.440 --> 00:22:55.859 it. And actually, you then see so many benefits 00:22:55.859 --> 00:22:59.200 from being consistent, sticking to those visuals, 00:22:59.279 --> 00:23:01.519 those routines, sticking to that modelling, and 00:23:01.519 --> 00:23:03.220 then it just becomes this whole holistic approach 00:23:03.220 --> 00:23:06.680 of, you know, clear communication, clear behaviour, 00:23:06.900 --> 00:23:08.960 you know, management. It's giving the children 00:23:08.960 --> 00:23:12.170 also a safe and... a space that they know, okay, 00:23:12.250 --> 00:23:14.269 I feel like I know what's coming up. I've got 00:23:14.269 --> 00:23:16.769 that consistency. And if there is change, you 00:23:16.769 --> 00:23:18.470 know, if we have to go and move somewhere else, 00:23:18.490 --> 00:23:20.150 if an incident's happened and we all have to 00:23:20.150 --> 00:23:23.329 go, well, we know that there's a basket that's 00:23:23.329 --> 00:23:25.609 taken and the basket's always full of like sensory 00:23:25.609 --> 00:23:27.730 snack. You know, you've got to have that. You're 00:23:27.730 --> 00:23:30.470 ready. And yeah, exactly. Or a fire alarm goes 00:23:30.470 --> 00:23:32.109 off in the middle of your lesson. You're like, 00:23:32.150 --> 00:23:33.829 right, but it doesn't matter because they see 00:23:33.829 --> 00:23:36.829 I've got my basket. My basket's full of all my 00:23:36.829 --> 00:23:38.740 sensory stuff. It's full of snack. And it's just 00:23:38.740 --> 00:23:41.440 keeping that consistency for them. Yeah, it's 00:23:41.440 --> 00:23:43.920 their anxiety, doesn't it? They trust you as 00:23:43.920 --> 00:23:46.960 well. So if you're not panicking, if you know 00:23:46.960 --> 00:23:48.619 what you're doing, if you've got their visuals, 00:23:49.039 --> 00:23:51.480 like they'll trust you that when you say that 00:23:51.480 --> 00:23:53.200 the fire alarm is going to finish and then it's 00:23:53.200 --> 00:23:55.880 not, that it will actually happen because you've 00:23:55.880 --> 00:23:57.400 never let them down before. I think it's really 00:23:57.400 --> 00:23:59.660 important, isn't it? Yeah, it's so true. And 00:23:59.660 --> 00:24:02.500 like, literally, I think so to go back to like 00:24:02.500 --> 00:24:04.500 that consistency of just like, yeah, you know 00:24:04.500 --> 00:24:07.430 what to expect from me because. I give you that. 00:24:07.490 --> 00:24:09.369 I give you that consistency. However it looks, 00:24:09.609 --> 00:24:12.269 you know that you're now next and then I will 00:24:12.269 --> 00:24:14.130 always follow, you know. Yeah, something to keep 00:24:14.130 --> 00:24:15.549 in mind, actually, because some people are saying, 00:24:15.630 --> 00:24:17.529 some people often say to me, oh, but the now 00:24:17.529 --> 00:24:19.849 and next isn't working. And my first thought 00:24:19.849 --> 00:24:22.630 is the next isn't motivating enough. Because 00:24:22.630 --> 00:24:24.690 if someone was to say to me, oh, you're going 00:24:24.690 --> 00:24:27.009 to work and then you've got a staff meeting, 00:24:27.569 --> 00:24:29.789 I'll be like, no, you're all right, actually. 00:24:30.789 --> 00:24:33.450 Whereas if they said, you're going to work, then 00:24:33.450 --> 00:24:35.289 we're going to get some takeaway pizza later. 00:24:35.329 --> 00:24:39.240 I'll be like. Yeah, okay. You've got to tailor 00:24:39.240 --> 00:24:42.259 it as well to them. But no now and next board 00:24:42.259 --> 00:24:44.579 is the same. You know, I've got two students 00:24:44.579 --> 00:24:46.680 in here who consistently use a now, next and 00:24:46.680 --> 00:24:49.259 then board. And their now and next and then board 00:24:49.259 --> 00:24:51.519 looks very different to my visual timetable, 00:24:51.559 --> 00:24:54.240 which the rest of my class can follow. Because 00:24:54.240 --> 00:24:56.640 it's all the little added bits in between. There's 00:24:56.640 --> 00:24:59.589 those high motivators that get them to... support 00:24:59.589 --> 00:25:01.769 and engage in those snippets of moments that 00:25:01.769 --> 00:25:03.630 i need them to be because it's like yeah okay 00:25:03.630 --> 00:25:05.369 we get the sensory sound and we get this so we 00:25:05.369 --> 00:25:07.089 get that and it's like yeah you've got to make 00:25:07.089 --> 00:25:08.710 it high motivating and you've got to make it 00:25:08.710 --> 00:25:11.049 fun as well for them you know yeah and also maybe 00:25:11.049 --> 00:25:14.069 you make the now more fun too like yeah could 00:25:14.069 --> 00:25:16.609 you do the now in the sand and then get the car 00:25:16.609 --> 00:25:18.829 like let's make it all really motivating but 00:25:18.829 --> 00:25:21.930 yeah you're so right that if if the next isn't 00:25:22.190 --> 00:25:25.009 a motivator then they're gonna fall yeah yeah 00:25:25.009 --> 00:25:27.710 absolutely so what does communication look like 00:25:27.710 --> 00:25:29.410 you're in your room we've spoken a bit about 00:25:29.410 --> 00:25:31.710 now and next and visual timetables what else 00:25:31.710 --> 00:25:34.750 are you doing to support that communication for 00:25:34.750 --> 00:25:36.890 these minimally speaking children so we've got 00:25:36.890 --> 00:25:39.829 um just a lot of visuals in general so all the 00:25:39.829 --> 00:25:43.109 children on their desks um regardless of vocal 00:25:43.109 --> 00:25:47.049 speakers or even pre the the boards they all 00:25:47.049 --> 00:25:49.500 have a communication board So are they like symbols? 00:25:49.920 --> 00:25:52.019 Yeah, sorry, symbols, yeah. Symbols and then 00:25:52.019 --> 00:25:56.720 language, so like drink, snack, help. toilets 00:25:56.720 --> 00:25:59.099 the real fundamental of their needs and what 00:25:59.099 --> 00:26:01.420 can they point at those any time of the day to 00:26:01.420 --> 00:26:03.740 like meet their needs yeah so they've all got 00:26:03.740 --> 00:26:05.839 one personalized and then some of them have got 00:26:05.839 --> 00:26:07.319 some other things on them that might be personalized 00:26:07.319 --> 00:26:09.480 to them and so they can point to it and then 00:26:09.480 --> 00:26:12.359 also as adults we model it so if we know we notice 00:26:12.359 --> 00:26:13.980 like you know oh look it looks like you need 00:26:13.980 --> 00:26:16.460 your drink because you're like oh we'll also 00:26:16.460 --> 00:26:20.039 follow so we use a lot of Makaton as well and 00:26:20.039 --> 00:26:22.380 you know made up Makaton for the children that 00:26:22.380 --> 00:26:25.259 can't quite or even I'm like there's a sign for 00:26:25.259 --> 00:26:26.900 that I haven't got time to look at it right now 00:26:26.900 --> 00:26:29.579 like I'm just gonna make up one until I find 00:26:29.579 --> 00:26:31.339 what it actually is because it's on the spot 00:26:31.339 --> 00:26:32.799 moments isn't it where you're like I actually 00:26:32.799 --> 00:26:35.019 don't know what that sign is it's like Makaton 00:26:35.019 --> 00:26:36.700 is brilliant because often it is the obvious 00:26:36.700 --> 00:26:39.460 sign like drink is miming a drink yeah opening 00:26:39.460 --> 00:26:41.420 crisps is opening a bag of crisps and getting 00:26:41.420 --> 00:26:43.579 a crisp out like yeah it's brilliant that's why 00:26:43.579 --> 00:26:46.359 I like Makaton I love it I love it so much and 00:26:46.359 --> 00:26:48.519 we do it as a whole class anyway so we'll do 00:26:48.519 --> 00:26:51.019 singing hands and that kind of thing and the 00:26:51.019 --> 00:26:53.480 children have had a lot a lot of exposure to 00:26:53.480 --> 00:26:55.579 Makaton and there are definitely children who 00:26:55.579 --> 00:26:58.019 that's one of their main use of communication 00:26:58.019 --> 00:27:01.740 and it's just yeah us modeling it as well I think 00:27:02.610 --> 00:27:04.450 Subconsciously, I don't know if you do as well, 00:27:04.490 --> 00:27:06.250 but I constantly feel like I'm always Makaton 00:27:06.250 --> 00:27:08.349 -ing. I don't realize I'm doing it and I'll have 00:27:08.349 --> 00:27:09.750 it in lesson observations where they're like, 00:27:09.809 --> 00:27:11.069 oh, you did really great Makaton. I'm like, did 00:27:11.069 --> 00:27:13.589 I? I just, I didn't realize it's just like my 00:27:13.589 --> 00:27:16.670 second language because I just think I know that 00:27:16.670 --> 00:27:18.569 it's so important. So you just do it naturally. 00:27:18.970 --> 00:27:20.650 Yeah. And it helps understanding, doesn't it? 00:27:20.690 --> 00:27:23.369 Because with other sign languages, they're doing 00:27:23.369 --> 00:27:25.849 it because they might not be able to hear. Yeah. 00:27:26.640 --> 00:27:29.480 what you're speaking whereas with Makaton you 00:27:29.480 --> 00:27:32.200 are speaking too it just reiterates the meaning 00:27:32.200 --> 00:27:35.079 yeah because they're typically autistic children 00:27:35.079 --> 00:27:37.819 especially those that are that find receptive 00:27:37.819 --> 00:27:40.299 language quite difficult it's a lot of information 00:27:40.299 --> 00:27:42.319 to say oh tell me do you want a drink are you 00:27:42.319 --> 00:27:44.539 thirsty like that's a lot whereas if they're 00:27:44.539 --> 00:27:47.440 also seeing you doing this yeah They're visual 00:27:47.440 --> 00:27:49.480 learners and they might think, yeah, I can process 00:27:49.480 --> 00:27:51.740 that. It's drink. Yes, I do want a drink. And 00:27:51.740 --> 00:27:54.839 I also think it makes you slow down. So true. 00:27:55.059 --> 00:27:58.500 Because they think that I am really big on waiting. 00:27:58.759 --> 00:28:01.319 So I'll sit there and I'll have made a request 00:28:01.319 --> 00:28:03.759 or asked an instruction. I might, come on, you 00:28:03.759 --> 00:28:06.140 know you've got to count to 10. Like, okay, it's 00:28:06.140 --> 00:28:07.759 not like, you know, you've got to allow that 00:28:07.759 --> 00:28:09.539 processing time. And I think Makaton also really 00:28:09.539 --> 00:28:11.200 helps with that because I think, like you're 00:28:11.200 --> 00:28:12.819 saying, rather than saying, Ellie, would you 00:28:12.819 --> 00:28:15.829 like a drink? It's like. drink drink and done 00:28:15.829 --> 00:28:18.809 because and it's you know or sit down you know 00:28:18.809 --> 00:28:22.349 you just sit down it's finished yeah and i just 00:28:22.349 --> 00:28:25.289 think it really helps you as educators to just 00:28:25.289 --> 00:28:28.490 slow that language down because it can be so 00:28:28.490 --> 00:28:31.509 quick and easy to go 100 miles an hour and think 00:28:31.509 --> 00:28:34.329 oh my goodness me something's happening or i 00:28:34.329 --> 00:28:36.329 know i need to quickly get this or whatever else 00:28:36.329 --> 00:28:37.910 but it actually makes you go no it's okay just 00:28:37.910 --> 00:28:40.759 slow it down it's fine yeah and processing time 00:28:40.759 --> 00:28:43.960 is so important 10 seconds is perfect 10 seconds 00:28:43.960 --> 00:28:46.279 is so great i've had some students in my class 00:28:46.279 --> 00:28:48.420 that needed 20 seconds i've got a student in 00:28:48.420 --> 00:28:51.500 my class that's two minutes their pmld yeah it's 00:28:51.500 --> 00:28:53.740 really great a really great way of assessing 00:28:53.740 --> 00:28:56.119 process time is exactly that is asking them to 00:28:56.119 --> 00:28:59.339 do something like Can you pass me the ball? Yeah. 00:28:59.420 --> 00:29:02.119 And then just count in your head how long it 00:29:02.119 --> 00:29:04.960 takes for them to do that action. Or if they're 00:29:04.960 --> 00:29:06.960 PMLD, putting something in their hand, counting 00:29:06.960 --> 00:29:09.319 how long it takes for them to close their hand 00:29:09.319 --> 00:29:12.599 and receive that. That's a really great indicator 00:29:12.599 --> 00:29:16.960 as to I've taken in your instruction. I'm making 00:29:16.960 --> 00:29:19.140 my body work. I'm thinking about what I need 00:29:19.140 --> 00:29:21.400 my body to work. And I've done the action. And 00:29:21.400 --> 00:29:23.720 sometimes it's eight seconds to like 20 seconds 00:29:23.720 --> 00:29:25.599 is kind of average. But it's really great to 00:29:25.599 --> 00:29:27.240 know that for every people and for your adults 00:29:27.240 --> 00:29:29.480 to know that. Yeah. Because then you can, yeah, 00:29:29.519 --> 00:29:30.980 when you're given instruction, you can wait that 00:29:30.980 --> 00:29:32.619 time. When you're giving them a sensory item, 00:29:32.759 --> 00:29:34.240 you can wait that time. For example, there's 00:29:34.240 --> 00:29:36.079 people that I have in my class who's two minutes 00:29:36.079 --> 00:29:38.359 processing time. There is no point me wafting 00:29:38.359 --> 00:29:41.009 a scarf at them. five seconds and then moving 00:29:41.009 --> 00:29:43.470 on into the sensory story. You'll have to have 00:29:43.470 --> 00:29:45.970 it for at least two minutes to even be able to 00:29:45.970 --> 00:29:48.170 engage with it, let alone process, you know, 00:29:48.190 --> 00:29:50.190 what it's doing and what it's linking with the 00:29:50.190 --> 00:29:53.470 story. And we've noticed such great things from 00:29:53.470 --> 00:29:55.710 him and progress from him since giving him that 00:29:55.710 --> 00:29:58.990 time because he's able to show us. You've got 00:29:58.990 --> 00:30:01.309 to give that time because, you know, I think 00:30:01.309 --> 00:30:04.910 when I've done it and I've been like, right. 00:30:05.230 --> 00:30:07.309 And I think sometimes as well, as a teacher, 00:30:07.329 --> 00:30:09.430 there's so many things going on and there's so 00:30:09.430 --> 00:30:11.170 many things in our brain of like, I've got to 00:30:11.170 --> 00:30:12.569 remember this, I've got to remember that, that 00:30:12.569 --> 00:30:14.269 actually when we're given instruction, it's really 00:30:14.269 --> 00:30:15.809 important for us to go, right, take a step back 00:30:15.809 --> 00:30:18.349 actually, just remember that it doesn't have 00:30:18.349 --> 00:30:21.109 to be done right there and now. And actually 00:30:21.109 --> 00:30:24.309 I can justify, this is wise. If you're, if someone's 00:30:24.309 --> 00:30:26.529 observing or someone's just like, even my team. 00:30:27.480 --> 00:30:28.839 what are you doing Ellie? You've got, I'm like, 00:30:28.880 --> 00:30:30.700 wait, yes, but this is what we need to do. We 00:30:30.700 --> 00:30:32.079 need to give processing time. We need to allow 00:30:32.079 --> 00:30:35.359 because X, Y, and Z. So yeah, like I think this 00:30:35.359 --> 00:30:37.460 Makaton really helps with that. I really do. 00:30:37.660 --> 00:30:39.359 And then also in my class, I've actually got 00:30:39.359 --> 00:30:41.740 vocal users, which is the first time this year 00:30:41.740 --> 00:30:44.539 that I've had vocal users. And that's been so 00:30:44.539 --> 00:30:46.839 interesting and amazing. I've absolutely loved 00:30:46.839 --> 00:30:50.119 that journey of having vocal users. Are they 00:30:50.119 --> 00:30:53.180 quite eloquent or is it single word use? Is it 00:30:53.180 --> 00:30:57.200 sentences? I've got two, one mainly more so like 00:30:57.200 --> 00:30:58.880 single word and then another one who will put 00:30:58.880 --> 00:31:01.099 together sentences. And then I've got a couple 00:31:01.099 --> 00:31:03.180 who are having an assessment for them. And it's 00:31:03.180 --> 00:31:06.180 just lovely to see like that language. I'm like, 00:31:06.240 --> 00:31:08.630 yeah, like, you know. talk about whatever you 00:31:08.630 --> 00:31:10.589 want to talk about and we can do that and i just 00:31:10.589 --> 00:31:13.650 think it's just amazing and we've got a few more 00:31:13.650 --> 00:31:15.509 around the school as well who are voca users 00:31:15.509 --> 00:31:17.950 and so one big thing like this year i've been 00:31:17.950 --> 00:31:20.029 just trying to really get on top of like when 00:31:20.029 --> 00:31:22.109 we make requests we make requests using the voca 00:31:22.109 --> 00:31:24.890 because you know we i want them to be able to 00:31:24.890 --> 00:31:26.789 have this this is part of like the journey to 00:31:26.789 --> 00:31:28.869 them to be able to get it is making sure we're 00:31:28.869 --> 00:31:31.160 using it all the time in school as well it comes 00:31:31.160 --> 00:31:33.720 around with us everywhere we go you know to the 00:31:33.720 --> 00:31:35.880 point that literally it comes swimming just not 00:31:35.880 --> 00:31:37.859 obviously in the pool it literally you go i'm 00:31:37.859 --> 00:31:39.539 like right let's you know now we're a lot better 00:31:39.539 --> 00:31:41.059 now as a team i think when we first is it on 00:31:41.059 --> 00:31:44.720 its own device or is it yeah so yeah they've 00:31:44.720 --> 00:31:46.519 got an ipad app they've all got they've got like 00:31:46.519 --> 00:31:48.599 a little strap as such they can carry it around 00:31:48.599 --> 00:31:50.599 with them so it's lovely because it is independent 00:31:50.599 --> 00:31:52.359 then i'm like this is your voice take it with 00:31:52.359 --> 00:31:54.599 you it's your voice and it's just really good 00:31:54.599 --> 00:31:56.420 to remember as well that's their voice so you 00:31:56.420 --> 00:31:59.319 know there'll be the occasions where madagascar 00:31:59.319 --> 00:32:00.900 it gets written in i'm like it's really great 00:32:00.900 --> 00:32:03.119 you want to talk about madagascar not now but 00:32:03.119 --> 00:32:05.759 i'll talk about later so look now is this maths 00:32:05.759 --> 00:32:07.920 whatever it might be shapes and then we'll talk 00:32:07.920 --> 00:32:09.819 about madagascar we'll draw madagascar but i'm 00:32:09.819 --> 00:32:12.059 like gosh like before the vocal like you didn't 00:32:12.059 --> 00:32:14.519 have that opportunity you know to share that 00:32:14.519 --> 00:32:17.400 and it's just such amazingness to have like this 00:32:17.400 --> 00:32:20.299 technology now that allows it and i think with 00:32:20.299 --> 00:32:23.160 parents it's obviously really tricky isn't it 00:32:23.160 --> 00:32:25.880 like waiting the waiting game for everything 00:32:25.880 --> 00:32:29.059 when it comes to SEN like it's just hard parents 00:32:29.059 --> 00:32:30.900 are like oh my gosh this is amazing he might 00:32:30.900 --> 00:32:32.539 have asked me like 10 times for biscuits and 00:32:32.539 --> 00:32:34.599 he won't stop but like he's never said that before 00:32:34.599 --> 00:32:36.839 it's like a communication I'm like brilliant 00:32:36.839 --> 00:32:39.160 like we just want a communication everywhere 00:32:39.160 --> 00:32:41.539 like just and sometimes like you don't have the 00:32:41.539 --> 00:32:42.660 symbol like you were saying like it takes me 00:32:42.660 --> 00:32:45.259 a while to find the symbol that we need um or 00:32:45.259 --> 00:32:47.579 it gets broken or lost and they can't ask for 00:32:47.579 --> 00:32:49.640 black orange juice for a whole few days until 00:32:49.640 --> 00:32:51.559 we make another symbol whereas when you've got 00:32:51.559 --> 00:32:54.640 an app and there are so many out there all sorts 00:32:54.640 --> 00:32:56.980 of different prices from free to about 500 pounds 00:32:56.980 --> 00:33:00.980 yeah you can just type it in and then you've 00:33:00.980 --> 00:33:02.819 got the black guarantees and it will never just 00:33:02.819 --> 00:33:05.119 it will never perish it will it's always there 00:33:05.119 --> 00:33:08.119 so it's so exciting and lots of students that 00:33:08.119 --> 00:33:10.140 I didn't think would be able to have the fine 00:33:10.140 --> 00:33:12.240 motor skills in order to access something like 00:33:12.240 --> 00:33:15.619 this with a few setting changes actually they're 00:33:15.619 --> 00:33:18.259 incredibly capable of accessing this so It's 00:33:18.259 --> 00:33:20.099 really exciting in the SEN world. I feel like 00:33:20.099 --> 00:33:22.160 it's going to be a big change over the next few 00:33:22.160 --> 00:33:25.779 years is seeing this huge impact that IT is bringing 00:33:25.779 --> 00:33:29.799 into the classroom. It's awesome. It's amazing. 00:33:29.940 --> 00:33:32.440 It is amazing. Like, it's just like, you know, 00:33:32.460 --> 00:33:34.660 like, I think. The fact that we're moving now 00:33:34.660 --> 00:33:36.680 with the times of how much technology is just 00:33:36.680 --> 00:33:39.299 advancing and it's no longer like flicking through 00:33:39.299 --> 00:33:41.759 books to find, you know, where is that snack 00:33:41.759 --> 00:33:43.940 symbol? It's just there, snack, what do you want? 00:33:44.059 --> 00:33:45.420 And you click on it and then there's all these 00:33:45.420 --> 00:33:46.619 other different types of snacks. You're like, 00:33:46.700 --> 00:33:48.500 oh my gosh, it's amazing. Like it is so good. 00:33:49.220 --> 00:33:51.240 We've spoken a lot about like around lesson time. 00:33:51.299 --> 00:33:54.500 What do your lessons look like? Is it practical? 00:33:55.759 --> 00:33:58.319 bit of both we have a very spiral curriculum 00:33:58.319 --> 00:34:01.700 here at the school and we have maths and english 00:34:01.700 --> 00:34:04.500 so like literacy for example will be like the 00:34:04.500 --> 00:34:06.019 literature box up there is full of my sensory 00:34:06.019 --> 00:34:08.559 story objects so we'll always have a book that 00:34:08.559 --> 00:34:10.420 we focus on there'll be something we might focus 00:34:10.420 --> 00:34:12.320 on in the book like the who so who character 00:34:12.320 --> 00:34:14.719 so much colorful semantics to build sentences 00:34:14.719 --> 00:34:17.780 um and we always have a sensory story which i 00:34:17.780 --> 00:34:19.980 just love like i love doing sensory stories the 00:34:19.980 --> 00:34:23.230 messier the better um And it is practical. There 00:34:23.230 --> 00:34:25.889 is sort of like that worksheet, very teach -task 00:34:25.889 --> 00:34:28.750 element of it as well. So it's just a mismatch, 00:34:28.750 --> 00:34:31.289 to be honest with you, of whatever the curriculum 00:34:31.289 --> 00:34:34.869 is. I suppose like what it needs to be. So, you 00:34:34.869 --> 00:34:38.010 know, like for example, shape was maths like 00:34:38.010 --> 00:34:40.510 last term and it's measurement this term. There's 00:34:40.510 --> 00:34:43.349 so many practical things that allows it to be 00:34:43.349 --> 00:34:46.239 like that. So would you change your story every 00:34:46.239 --> 00:34:48.559 term or would you change your story weekly? Yeah, 00:34:48.559 --> 00:34:51.300 we change every term. Yeah, so we have our focus 00:34:51.300 --> 00:34:55.019 every term of the story. And then... We'll have 00:34:55.019 --> 00:34:57.440 that as our fundamentals. Every single literacy 00:34:57.440 --> 00:35:00.300 lesson starts with me telling my story. And sometimes 00:35:00.300 --> 00:35:02.719 that is it. That is my literacy lesson. We've 00:35:02.719 --> 00:35:05.519 explored the story, especially for the first 00:35:05.519 --> 00:35:08.119 couple of lessons of it, just exploring the story 00:35:08.119 --> 00:35:10.539 and really immersing them in that whole experience 00:35:10.539 --> 00:35:13.800 of the sensory story. We use Choose It Maker 00:35:13.800 --> 00:35:17.179 here as well. So then we'll maybe retell the 00:35:17.179 --> 00:35:19.380 story using Choose It Maker, which is a real 00:35:19.380 --> 00:35:22.320 great... my class just love choose it maker and 00:35:22.320 --> 00:35:24.800 it's so good for things like turn taking answering 00:35:24.800 --> 00:35:27.579 questions and obviously you can adapt it to different 00:35:27.579 --> 00:35:30.519 symbols different like visuals however it might 00:35:30.519 --> 00:35:33.739 be and then a tabletop task and again that tabletop 00:35:33.739 --> 00:35:36.980 task will be completely adapted to whatever needs 00:35:36.980 --> 00:35:40.480 it could be colorful semantic sentence making 00:35:40.480 --> 00:35:42.780 it could be matching symbol to symbol it could 00:35:42.780 --> 00:35:45.639 be exploring even more of the whatever it is 00:35:45.639 --> 00:35:49.179 yeah like it'll be just so whatever their needs 00:35:49.179 --> 00:35:51.780 are so yeah it could be a sensory bin full of 00:35:51.780 --> 00:35:54.340 like at the moment our story is all about animals 00:35:54.340 --> 00:35:57.179 sensory bin full of animals with some visuals 00:35:57.179 --> 00:35:59.980 of the animals and us just exploring that or 00:35:59.980 --> 00:36:02.719 building sentences regarding describing the animals 00:36:02.719 --> 00:36:05.400 or them writing you know i've got some children 00:36:05.400 --> 00:36:07.559 who've got really good writing so again some 00:36:07.559 --> 00:36:09.980 of them writing um so it just depends kind of 00:36:09.980 --> 00:36:12.300 on their needs so very much the fundamentals 00:36:12.300 --> 00:36:14.619 and then i'll adapt it to whatever it needs to 00:36:14.619 --> 00:36:18.099 be what do you battle or configure the whole 00:36:18.099 --> 00:36:21.340 age appropriateness conversation I know some 00:36:21.340 --> 00:36:24.400 people have quite strong opinions on it being 00:36:24.400 --> 00:36:27.360 age appropriate or stage appropriate like how 00:36:27.360 --> 00:36:29.619 do you as with secondary school pupils I can 00:36:29.619 --> 00:36:31.380 imagine it comes up a lot and it's in your mind 00:36:31.380 --> 00:36:34.719 quite a lot how how do you navigate that it's 00:36:34.719 --> 00:36:36.760 so good like it's so true especially when it 00:36:36.760 --> 00:36:39.599 comes to stories because I think that actually 00:36:39.599 --> 00:36:43.420 stories in English you know the children where 00:36:43.420 --> 00:36:45.380 they are in terms of their levels you'd be like 00:36:45.630 --> 00:36:47.030 but then that's the book. And I'm like, well, 00:36:47.070 --> 00:36:48.429 that's not really age appropriate. It's kind 00:36:48.429 --> 00:36:50.389 of like early years. Early years, yeah. Or preschool 00:36:50.389 --> 00:36:53.650 kind of stuff. Yeah, definitely. And then the 00:36:53.650 --> 00:36:55.610 books are sometimes just, they're not appropriate 00:36:55.610 --> 00:36:59.250 at all because they are so young in age. And 00:36:59.250 --> 00:37:01.889 also I'm like, you've now in secondary, you've 00:37:01.889 --> 00:37:03.869 probably potentially seen this book as well a 00:37:03.869 --> 00:37:05.989 significant amount of times. Why are you going 00:37:05.989 --> 00:37:07.670 to bother listening to me read it to you again? 00:37:07.670 --> 00:37:09.590 Like, We're Going on a Bear Hunt is like... Yeah, 00:37:09.590 --> 00:37:16.010 exactly. Overused in it. Yeah. So, um... I think 00:37:16.010 --> 00:37:19.030 me and my co -teacher next door, we work really 00:37:19.030 --> 00:37:22.110 hard on trying to find books that are not only 00:37:22.110 --> 00:37:24.289 giving that sensory, well, we can allow it to 00:37:24.289 --> 00:37:27.170 give them that sensory experience. But we just 00:37:27.170 --> 00:37:29.289 adapt it. So like the book now, for example, 00:37:29.389 --> 00:37:31.909 is such a good example of a book that has a lot 00:37:31.909 --> 00:37:33.510 of language in. If you were to look through the 00:37:33.510 --> 00:37:35.550 book, it's got quite a lot of language in. But 00:37:35.550 --> 00:37:37.530 the first look, I think to be fair, the first 00:37:37.530 --> 00:37:39.289 look I always give any book is like, oh my gosh, 00:37:39.289 --> 00:37:41.349 right, okay, challenge accepted. Because it's 00:37:41.349 --> 00:37:44.230 like, oh, not again. But it's just taking it 00:37:44.230 --> 00:37:46.510 and stripping it back. So it's still a book about 00:37:46.510 --> 00:37:48.789 deadly animals. And it's still a book about animals. 00:37:48.849 --> 00:37:51.010 But rather than all the other language in between, 00:37:51.190 --> 00:37:53.489 it's just, you know, what does a shark... Where's 00:37:53.489 --> 00:37:55.489 the shark live? What's his deadly feature? Sharp 00:37:55.489 --> 00:37:58.929 teeth, done. And then in that, on our PowerPoints, 00:37:58.929 --> 00:38:01.230 we'll make a PowerPoint for it. We'll sort of 00:38:01.230 --> 00:38:04.329 just scan the book in and it just has really 00:38:04.329 --> 00:38:07.170 simple using widgets, using symbols, has very 00:38:07.170 --> 00:38:09.469 much as a sentence, done. Because then the book 00:38:09.469 --> 00:38:12.190 is still appropriate. It's then not sort of a 00:38:12.190 --> 00:38:14.929 early years style book that just isn't appropriate. 00:38:15.250 --> 00:38:17.610 It's got real pictures in, you know, it's got 00:38:17.610 --> 00:38:19.230 all of those things. Yeah, I love that it's non 00:38:19.230 --> 00:38:22.210 -fiction. That's so great. History stories can 00:38:22.210 --> 00:38:25.210 be non -fiction. Yeah, exactly. And I just think 00:38:25.210 --> 00:38:28.170 like we then just do a lot of adapting just to 00:38:28.170 --> 00:38:30.329 make it meet the needs. And, you know, we have 00:38:30.329 --> 00:38:31.889 had battles before. We're like, no, this book, 00:38:31.929 --> 00:38:34.630 we can't do that book. It's not appropriate because 00:38:34.630 --> 00:38:37.769 it's far too advanced. The language in it is 00:38:37.769 --> 00:38:40.329 so complex. Actually, our journey to try and 00:38:40.329 --> 00:38:42.710 make that, it just wouldn't work. So let's try 00:38:42.710 --> 00:38:44.690 and think about a different book. So I suppose 00:38:44.690 --> 00:38:46.449 if you're focusing, what are we actually getting 00:38:46.449 --> 00:38:48.010 out of this? What are the kids getting out of 00:38:48.010 --> 00:38:50.469 this? What is our main aim here? Okay, it's for 00:38:50.469 --> 00:38:52.650 sentence building, right? Does this motivate 00:38:52.650 --> 00:38:54.429 the children in order to do that? And if the 00:38:54.429 --> 00:38:56.010 answer is yes, like about Deadly Annals, I find 00:38:56.010 --> 00:38:58.269 that it's incredibly motivating and interesting, 00:38:58.590 --> 00:39:02.280 great. If it's a classic book that isn't really 00:39:02.280 --> 00:39:04.280 interesting them, isn't keeping their engagement, 00:39:04.380 --> 00:39:07.840 you're not even really enjoying, like it's going 00:39:07.840 --> 00:39:10.539 to be pointless, isn't it? And equally so, a 00:39:10.539 --> 00:39:12.599 preschool book that might be stage appropriate 00:39:12.599 --> 00:39:15.059 for them as far as their understanding goes. 00:39:15.239 --> 00:39:17.219 Yeah, like they've heard it before. It's not 00:39:17.219 --> 00:39:19.840 going to engage them because it's not exciting 00:39:19.840 --> 00:39:21.780 to them. It doesn't engage them in that way. 00:39:22.190 --> 00:39:23.329 Yeah, and I think it was really interesting, 00:39:23.429 --> 00:39:24.929 actually, like, later on Friday, we had some 00:39:24.929 --> 00:39:27.809 talk for writing training, and we were talking 00:39:27.809 --> 00:39:29.409 about that, about, like, the propriety of some 00:39:29.409 --> 00:39:32.690 of the books, and that age, because it is really 00:39:32.690 --> 00:39:34.969 tricky, because, you know, you have to look at, 00:39:34.989 --> 00:39:37.849 like... right they are secondary we've got to 00:39:37.849 --> 00:39:39.710 make sure that we are fitting it right for them 00:39:39.710 --> 00:39:41.429 but also it meets their needs but it's also engaging 00:39:41.429 --> 00:39:43.630 enough and it's not something that's just on 00:39:43.630 --> 00:39:45.349 repeat all the time it's not just let's just 00:39:45.349 --> 00:39:47.309 give them this book and the one that they use 00:39:47.309 --> 00:39:48.750 is a little red riding herd and i just thought 00:39:48.750 --> 00:39:50.530 it's a really nice example of the fact that actually 00:39:50.530 --> 00:39:53.309 there's so many adaptations of that book and 00:39:53.309 --> 00:39:55.690 it oh you know this the classic story that doesn't 00:39:55.690 --> 00:39:57.510 have to just be the classic story like we can 00:39:57.510 --> 00:40:00.090 adapt it just like we do everything else you 00:40:00.090 --> 00:40:02.940 know we adapt everything so why should we just 00:40:02.940 --> 00:40:04.400 adapt it to make sure we're meeting the needs 00:40:04.400 --> 00:40:07.820 and their age range rather than just yeah yeah 00:40:07.820 --> 00:40:09.500 we're going on a bear hunt or the gruffalo you 00:40:09.500 --> 00:40:11.300 know that's almost the lazy way out isn't it 00:40:11.300 --> 00:40:14.679 gruffalo bear hunt yeah exactly that it's the 00:40:14.679 --> 00:40:16.199 lazy belt because it's just kind of surprise 00:40:16.199 --> 00:40:18.739 there's another one yeah because it lends itself 00:40:18.739 --> 00:40:21.179 so well to sensory of course and it does make 00:40:21.179 --> 00:40:23.219 a great sensory story but i think what you said 00:40:23.219 --> 00:40:25.710 is a really great point yes they might be into 00:40:25.710 --> 00:40:27.250 in the night garden yes they might be into telly 00:40:27.250 --> 00:40:29.489 tubbies too that's cool like that's awesome i'll 00:40:29.489 --> 00:40:31.550 celebrate all them all their interests that's 00:40:31.550 --> 00:40:34.730 awesome but it's the idea of that actually they've 00:40:34.730 --> 00:40:37.610 repeated this so many times is this engaging 00:40:37.610 --> 00:40:39.869 or interesting to them what else can they get 00:40:39.869 --> 00:40:42.909 out of it and actually that's quite lazy i think 00:40:42.909 --> 00:40:45.460 quite lazy teaching but how exciting to get a 00:40:45.460 --> 00:40:49.019 new book in a new way but actually taking all 00:40:49.019 --> 00:40:51.519 the fundamentals that Gruffalo and Bearhander 00:40:51.519 --> 00:40:54.179 are so great for is repetitive language a simple 00:40:54.179 --> 00:40:58.260 sentence structure is predictable all of those 00:40:58.260 --> 00:41:01.360 things you could put into any book if you're 00:41:01.360 --> 00:41:03.579 if you put the time in yeah and I think that's 00:41:03.579 --> 00:41:06.059 the thing you know it's not it's not easy and 00:41:06.059 --> 00:41:09.480 you know I do think that's where in SCN you know 00:41:09.840 --> 00:41:11.519 There isn't just, well, you're lucky if it's 00:41:11.519 --> 00:41:13.679 not just you and there is a team of you. And 00:41:13.679 --> 00:41:15.139 I think that's the thing, you know, me and my 00:41:15.139 --> 00:41:17.420 co -teacher, it is just great because I'm like, 00:41:17.460 --> 00:41:19.949 right. This term wasn't my term, it was her term. 00:41:20.070 --> 00:41:22.469 So obviously we work together, but she's the 00:41:22.469 --> 00:41:23.750 one that goes through the books, sorts it all 00:41:23.750 --> 00:41:25.190 out. And I just think it really helps them because 00:41:25.190 --> 00:41:27.070 it's like, yeah, we can make this work. It's 00:41:27.070 --> 00:41:29.190 just, we just got to put that teacher hat on 00:41:29.190 --> 00:41:31.610 that we do have to, and we know our students 00:41:31.610 --> 00:41:33.889 so well as to what bits about this book are they 00:41:33.889 --> 00:41:36.050 going to really, really love and what parts can 00:41:36.050 --> 00:41:38.150 we, you know, they've loved it. And the sensory 00:41:38.150 --> 00:41:40.809 elements as well, you know, we've got tongues 00:41:40.809 --> 00:41:42.750 to stick out for the frogs. We've got like a 00:41:42.750 --> 00:41:45.250 lion tongue that we have this all like spiky 00:41:45.250 --> 00:41:47.429 and they just loved it. And also, so. many of 00:41:47.429 --> 00:41:49.969 them just love animals anyway it's such a you 00:41:49.969 --> 00:41:52.909 know like little they just love it like and there's 00:41:52.909 --> 00:41:54.769 so many different things you can link it to yeah 00:41:54.769 --> 00:41:57.130 um and i think like you say like you know lots 00:41:57.130 --> 00:41:59.130 of the children here as well we do have those 00:41:59.130 --> 00:42:02.110 obsessions in other areas and it's about celebrating 00:42:02.110 --> 00:42:04.679 that in a different way you know Or bringing 00:42:04.679 --> 00:42:06.579 that into the curriculum in another way. You 00:42:06.579 --> 00:42:09.320 know, for example, doing big and small, bringing 00:42:09.320 --> 00:42:12.079 up big and small symbols of things like the Teletubbies. 00:42:12.199 --> 00:42:14.000 You know, why don't we just do a sorting activity 00:42:14.000 --> 00:42:15.659 of big and small with Teletubbies? Like, that's 00:42:15.659 --> 00:42:18.659 fine. We can introduce whatever your likes are 00:42:18.659 --> 00:42:21.219 into the curriculum, but we can also inject other 00:42:21.219 --> 00:42:23.820 things. It doesn't mean it just has to be that. 00:42:24.000 --> 00:42:27.699 Let's expand your interest. Let's expand your 00:42:27.699 --> 00:42:31.380 knowledge. Yeah. rather than getting stuck like 00:42:31.380 --> 00:42:33.760 that's cool we can celebrate that but also have 00:42:33.760 --> 00:42:36.920 you seen this like this is also so fun I think 00:42:36.920 --> 00:42:38.980 you'll love this absolutely I think that's just 00:42:38.980 --> 00:42:41.239 what's really like yeah it's really powerful 00:42:41.239 --> 00:42:43.420 and really good and it's also it's also important 00:42:43.420 --> 00:42:45.800 and and you know what if it's like well okay 00:42:45.800 --> 00:42:48.159 it's clear that you do not like this that's fine 00:42:48.159 --> 00:42:51.079 because that's that's also you know good life 00:42:51.079 --> 00:42:53.940 skills to go right I don't like this book or 00:42:53.940 --> 00:42:56.059 I don't like this part I've made it very clear 00:42:56.059 --> 00:42:57.880 I don't like this, and that's okay. We hear you. 00:42:57.920 --> 00:42:59.940 We listen to you. Yeah, protest and rejection 00:42:59.940 --> 00:43:02.760 is great communication, right? Yeah, absolutely. 00:43:03.019 --> 00:43:04.900 A lot of times I'm like, right, I hear you. You 00:43:04.900 --> 00:43:07.300 don't like this. That's absolutely fine. I'm 00:43:07.300 --> 00:43:09.340 going to stop. we don't have to carry on we'll 00:43:09.340 --> 00:43:11.420 do something different you know but it's also 00:43:11.420 --> 00:43:13.599 about just getting that fine balance I think 00:43:13.599 --> 00:43:16.900 of injecting new things so it is exciting for 00:43:16.900 --> 00:43:19.780 them and we can give them some new experiences 00:43:19.780 --> 00:43:21.820 whether that be through storytelling whether 00:43:21.820 --> 00:43:24.980 that be through our curriculum but also celebrating 00:43:24.980 --> 00:43:28.320 themselves and what their likes are and you know 00:43:28.320 --> 00:43:30.519 how we can bring that into it as well if you 00:43:30.519 --> 00:43:32.800 were changing your story weekly there is absolutely 00:43:32.800 --> 00:43:37.300 no way you could build a story so rich and engaged 00:43:37.449 --> 00:43:40.230 and spend all that time creating that getting 00:43:40.230 --> 00:43:42.630 the resources buying the resources making it 00:43:42.630 --> 00:43:45.329 so suitable to them and also getting them to 00:43:45.329 --> 00:43:47.650 know it enough and hear it enough that they know 00:43:47.650 --> 00:43:50.329 what to do and find it predictable every week 00:43:50.329 --> 00:43:51.849 like you just couldn't do that it's only because 00:43:51.849 --> 00:43:53.829 you're doing a story a term that you're able 00:43:53.829 --> 00:43:56.630 to invest your time and energy and finances in 00:43:56.630 --> 00:43:59.570 to make the story like the best thing ever using 00:43:59.570 --> 00:44:01.969 all these incredible resources so if you're a 00:44:01.969 --> 00:44:03.989 teacher hearing this thinking i'd love to be 00:44:03.989 --> 00:44:07.539 able to do this maybe just look at your timetable 00:44:07.539 --> 00:44:09.539 maybe look at your planning your long -term planning 00:44:09.539 --> 00:44:12.099 and stretch it out a little bit give yourself 00:44:12.099 --> 00:44:17.110 that time to really focus and open up what this 00:44:17.110 --> 00:44:19.409 topic could really offer. Yeah and I think also 00:44:19.409 --> 00:44:20.929 when it comes to things like sensory stories 00:44:20.929 --> 00:44:23.389 you've got to just go with it you know you've 00:44:23.389 --> 00:44:25.150 got to just allow that time you know however 00:44:25.150 --> 00:44:27.369 long that might take because there'll be parts 00:44:27.369 --> 00:44:29.690 of the story where it's very clear my students 00:44:29.690 --> 00:44:32.010 aren't a big fan of that page they don't quite 00:44:32.010 --> 00:44:33.750 like the part of the end okay that's fine we 00:44:33.750 --> 00:44:35.690 can move on or there's another part of the book 00:44:35.690 --> 00:44:38.489 that they absolutely love that sensory immersed 00:44:38.489 --> 00:44:40.190 experience like we're going to sit in this for 00:44:40.190 --> 00:44:42.210 a little bit because you're enjoying it and it's 00:44:42.210 --> 00:44:44.030 nice to see and we're getting some feedback we're 00:44:44.030 --> 00:44:46.320 getting a to and from here. And I think literally 00:44:46.320 --> 00:44:49.280 like you say, it is good. And it does take time 00:44:49.280 --> 00:44:52.739 and it does take resourcing. It won't be probably 00:44:52.739 --> 00:44:54.960 next week that I'm like, right, what's next term's 00:44:54.960 --> 00:44:56.380 book? Let's start putting it all together because 00:44:56.380 --> 00:44:58.880 that is just part of teaching. We just constantly 00:44:58.880 --> 00:45:01.159 are looking at me next. But having that time, 00:45:01.219 --> 00:45:03.099 and I just think that's also really important 00:45:03.099 --> 00:45:06.719 just to sit sometimes in that time. I do Sensory 00:45:06.719 --> 00:45:08.119 Day of the Week, which you might have seen on 00:45:08.119 --> 00:45:11.219 my Instagrams before. My children just love that. 00:45:11.239 --> 00:45:12.940 And we just sit. We just sit in that sensory 00:45:12.940 --> 00:45:16.150 experience. put on the relaxation music we have 00:45:16.150 --> 00:45:19.030 the bubbles we have all the the toys and the 00:45:19.030 --> 00:45:21.949 smells associated with that day and we just sit 00:45:21.949 --> 00:45:23.929 and just enjoy that whole sensory experience 00:45:23.929 --> 00:45:26.010 and i just think i get i get that asked a lot 00:45:26.010 --> 00:45:28.190 to be fair on social like how do you find the 00:45:28.190 --> 00:45:30.449 time for this and we're just it just a 10 minute 00:45:30.449 --> 00:45:32.269 pocket like if that's all you can find is a 10 00:45:32.269 --> 00:45:35.130 minute pocket in your timetable i guarantee you'll 00:45:35.130 --> 00:45:37.469 see some incredible things because i just those 00:45:37.469 --> 00:45:40.239 amazing things are set up Yeah. Repeat it, right? 00:45:40.260 --> 00:45:42.659 So do you do that every morning since we do it 00:45:42.659 --> 00:45:44.780 the week? Yeah, we'll either do it in the morning 00:45:44.780 --> 00:45:47.900 before, sort of like in before lunch, or we'll 00:45:47.900 --> 00:45:49.860 do it when we come back after lunch. It's very 00:45:49.860 --> 00:45:51.880 much, but it's all there. So like, you know, 00:45:51.900 --> 00:45:54.519 there's a pocket. And again, it did take time 00:45:54.519 --> 00:45:57.260 to set up. It does take time to print the visuals, 00:45:57.440 --> 00:46:00.820 get that together, find as many red themed fidget 00:46:00.820 --> 00:46:03.300 toys as you can, and then go back to it and go, 00:46:03.360 --> 00:46:04.960 right, yeah, they've been chewed. We need to 00:46:04.960 --> 00:46:06.400 make sure we're changing those up and all that 00:46:06.400 --> 00:46:09.719 kind of stuff. And the scents. but it's now it's 00:46:09.719 --> 00:46:12.300 there it's done you know we just add to it that's 00:46:12.300 --> 00:46:14.159 all I'm doing now is just adding to it and yeah 00:46:14.159 --> 00:46:16.179 we do it every day and it's just a really lovely 00:46:16.179 --> 00:46:18.199 experience for them and it was something I started 00:46:18.199 --> 00:46:19.599 last year and I was like gosh and I was just 00:46:19.599 --> 00:46:22.349 seeing like a complete almost like zen like relaxation 00:46:22.349 --> 00:46:24.489 like everyone's shoulders sort of just drop like 00:46:24.489 --> 00:46:27.409 yeah nice so they find it relaxing and also it 00:46:27.409 --> 00:46:29.469 is helping them to feel grounded in the week 00:46:29.469 --> 00:46:31.590 right they know what day of the week it is which 00:46:31.590 --> 00:46:33.710 gives them some comfort and some they can predict 00:46:33.710 --> 00:46:36.969 what might happen that day yeah absolutely because 00:46:36.969 --> 00:46:38.630 it's something i've only just started actually 00:46:38.630 --> 00:46:40.809 there's the scent and this and the sensory with 00:46:40.809 --> 00:46:42.849 my pmld learners my class kind of split into 00:46:42.849 --> 00:46:45.889 two yeah and I'm doing it with one of them and 00:46:45.889 --> 00:46:48.690 I mentioned on Friday and yeah it's a blue Friday 00:46:48.690 --> 00:46:51.889 and it's coconut and it's a swimming day and 00:46:51.889 --> 00:46:54.449 they were like yeah I know that blue and coconut 00:46:54.449 --> 00:46:56.389 now means swimming and they're kind of slowly 00:46:56.389 --> 00:46:58.690 piecing those things together I could be excited 00:46:58.690 --> 00:47:01.139 that it's a swimming day now whereas maybe I 00:47:01.139 --> 00:47:02.360 don't know, maybe if we come in on a Monday, 00:47:02.460 --> 00:47:04.280 they might be predicting it. And then we might 00:47:04.280 --> 00:47:05.900 think, oh, where is this all this behavior come 00:47:05.900 --> 00:47:07.639 from? Where's all this anxiety come from? Or 00:47:07.639 --> 00:47:09.460 they thought it was a swimming day. Whereas we're 00:47:09.460 --> 00:47:11.239 telling them, aren't we? This isn't a swimming 00:47:11.239 --> 00:47:13.780 day. This is a PE day or this is a whatever day. 00:47:13.900 --> 00:47:16.840 And hopefully it will ease their anxiety and 00:47:16.840 --> 00:47:20.119 help their understanding. Absolutely. And then 00:47:20.119 --> 00:47:23.880 maybe reduce unsafe behaviors, maybe. Yeah, exactly. 00:47:24.099 --> 00:47:26.400 Like absolutely. And I think, you know, like 00:47:26.400 --> 00:47:28.320 I say, just that certainty, you know, and going 00:47:28.320 --> 00:47:31.280 through, like every morning I'll go through our 00:47:31.280 --> 00:47:34.539 timetable and just say the main key things really, 00:47:34.619 --> 00:47:36.840 like I won't go through, I'll be there all day, 00:47:36.900 --> 00:47:39.079 let's go for every little inject. But the main 00:47:39.079 --> 00:47:41.300 key things of like today is swimming, today is 00:47:41.300 --> 00:47:44.500 forest school, today is shops. So that it's like, 00:47:44.599 --> 00:47:47.519 yes, Thursday, shops. You know, she hasn't said 00:47:47.519 --> 00:47:49.780 it today, so it can't be today. And it's just 00:47:49.780 --> 00:47:52.380 helping to give them that rather than it just 00:47:52.380 --> 00:47:54.989 being. you know trip or whatever else like today 00:47:54.989 --> 00:47:57.489 is Wednesday if they asked for forest school 00:47:57.489 --> 00:47:58.989 and it wasn't a forest school day how would you 00:47:58.989 --> 00:48:01.550 manage that how do you how do you manage that 00:48:01.550 --> 00:48:04.510 in your room so I would probably just very much 00:48:04.510 --> 00:48:06.849 just be like you know not today it's happening 00:48:06.849 --> 00:48:09.920 then depending on where they were in terms of 00:48:09.920 --> 00:48:12.920 their level of understanding it could be that 00:48:12.920 --> 00:48:17.340 we do a calendar to cross down to whatever day 00:48:17.340 --> 00:48:19.519 it's coming maybe giving them something you know 00:48:19.519 --> 00:48:21.400 like for example if it was forest school and 00:48:21.400 --> 00:48:23.360 we were really struggling i'd be like what is 00:48:23.360 --> 00:48:24.860 it that they really like at forest school is 00:48:24.860 --> 00:48:26.559 it the fact that's the leaves is it the twigs 00:48:26.559 --> 00:48:28.860 is it the walk can we go and go and get that 00:48:28.860 --> 00:48:31.159 yeah and then literally go and grab some leaves 00:48:31.159 --> 00:48:33.519 from you know some twigs and create a little 00:48:33.519 --> 00:48:35.360 sensory bin and just say you know it's not happening 00:48:35.360 --> 00:48:37.300 now but here's something you can have that's 00:48:37.300 --> 00:48:39.559 related similar you know if they were like swimming 00:48:39.559 --> 00:48:41.699 i might be like right well it's i definitely 00:48:41.699 --> 00:48:43.039 can't bring a swimming pool but i can bring you 00:48:43.039 --> 00:48:45.099 a sensory tray with water in and we can do that 00:48:45.099 --> 00:48:46.860 instead and we can explore that instead and i 00:48:46.860 --> 00:48:49.320 would also like I just think empathize with them. 00:48:49.320 --> 00:48:51.019 I'm really sorry it's not a swimming day. Like 00:48:51.019 --> 00:48:53.159 that must be really sad because I love swimming 00:48:53.159 --> 00:48:54.960 too. And it's one of my favorite days as well, 00:48:54.980 --> 00:48:57.059 but I'm really sorry it's not today, but it is 00:48:57.059 --> 00:48:59.340 tomorrow or is on whatever day it might be. And 00:48:59.340 --> 00:49:01.659 then just show them like, again, visual, show 00:49:01.659 --> 00:49:03.860 them the visual because there's no point telling 00:49:03.860 --> 00:49:05.760 the students or just go over their head if you're 00:49:05.760 --> 00:49:08.300 not supporting it with visuals or whatever it 00:49:08.300 --> 00:49:10.019 might be that there's their communication aid. 00:49:10.139 --> 00:49:12.000 You've got to support it all around. It's got 00:49:12.000 --> 00:49:14.199 to be that whole holistic approach of, right. 00:49:14.539 --> 00:49:16.219 you're not just telling me and then just it's 00:49:16.219 --> 00:49:18.320 gone it's like no let's validate it let's like 00:49:18.320 --> 00:49:20.320 look that might make you feel sad you know sad 00:49:20.320 --> 00:49:22.019 is blue it's okay like what can we do when we 00:49:22.019 --> 00:49:24.699 feel sad we can maybe explore that in a trail 00:49:24.699 --> 00:49:26.440 we can maybe have a look at our sensory box so 00:49:26.440 --> 00:49:28.300 they they've got a sensory box where they go 00:49:28.300 --> 00:49:30.280 in and they pick up some things that they they 00:49:30.280 --> 00:49:31.780 know can help them when they're feeling these 00:49:31.780 --> 00:49:34.780 ways um and also model it i think again i'd probably 00:49:34.780 --> 00:49:36.340 go back to that i'd model it i'd sit with them 00:49:36.340 --> 00:49:38.320 and just if it was a fidget toy that they picked 00:49:38.320 --> 00:49:39.559 that was a pop i'd probably just sit there and 00:49:39.559 --> 00:49:40.900 pop with them for a little bit and distraction 00:49:41.639 --> 00:49:44.199 Yeah. And then we go into something else. And 00:49:44.199 --> 00:49:45.960 then when it is the swimming day, you can say, 00:49:46.019 --> 00:49:49.840 it's a swimming day. Literally, they're so excited 00:49:49.840 --> 00:49:52.579 for them. Yeah. I love that because it's being 00:49:52.579 --> 00:49:54.079 curious. It's showing that you're understanding 00:49:54.079 --> 00:49:56.460 and validating their needs. It's going visual 00:49:56.460 --> 00:50:00.280 first. I mean, they're still going to feel sad 00:50:00.280 --> 00:50:02.500 about it. You're not stopping. You're not. stopping 00:50:02.500 --> 00:50:05.280 saying don't be sad we can just be sad together 00:50:05.280 --> 00:50:07.360 that it's not a swimming day it's validating 00:50:07.360 --> 00:50:10.260 isn't it yeah i think validating is so important 00:50:10.260 --> 00:50:12.900 like i think that you know we do a daily check 00:50:12.900 --> 00:50:15.340 -in or do we do it twice a day so go around and 00:50:15.340 --> 00:50:17.039 i sing to them good morning or good afternoon 00:50:17.039 --> 00:50:19.179 and then we say how we're feeling and adults 00:50:19.179 --> 00:50:22.719 again modeling i do it Did my team do it? Were 00:50:22.719 --> 00:50:25.079 you a model? And we're all honest. Like if someone 00:50:25.079 --> 00:50:26.599 in my team or I'm feeling tired, we're like, 00:50:26.760 --> 00:50:28.599 today I'm feeling tired or today I'm feeling 00:50:28.599 --> 00:50:30.780 sad or today I'm feeling worried. And we sit 00:50:30.780 --> 00:50:33.119 and we validate it. It's important as us. We 00:50:33.119 --> 00:50:35.059 can't just be happy and sad. That's not the only 00:50:35.059 --> 00:50:37.079 emotions. We're trying to help our children to 00:50:37.079 --> 00:50:38.960 understand those other emotions. We can't also 00:50:38.960 --> 00:50:41.400 just be like, yep, happy, sad. So I think that's 00:50:41.400 --> 00:50:43.119 really important. I think like when my children 00:50:43.119 --> 00:50:45.960 pick like other emotions, you know. pain worried 00:50:45.960 --> 00:50:47.900 it's like i can't really feel that way like let's 00:50:47.900 --> 00:50:50.320 get out our other visuals like is there something 00:50:50.320 --> 00:50:52.079 that you can tell me that is hurting is there 00:50:52.079 --> 00:50:54.079 something you can point to you know it makes 00:50:54.079 --> 00:50:55.920 it meaningful doesn't it meaningful conversation 00:50:55.920 --> 00:50:59.039 then yeah absolutely rather than just okay move 00:50:59.039 --> 00:51:01.960 on so now if you have you noticed this that when 00:51:01.960 --> 00:51:03.860 we're doing our check -ins our staff check -ins 00:51:03.860 --> 00:51:06.139 i haven't realized i'm feeling a certain way 00:51:06.139 --> 00:51:09.719 until i check in i'm just modeling but then i'm 00:51:09.719 --> 00:51:12.699 thinking actually, no, I am feeling really anxious 00:51:12.699 --> 00:51:15.820 today or I'm feeling really fidgety today. And 00:51:15.820 --> 00:51:18.460 I wouldn't have, I'd have just pushed it down 00:51:18.460 --> 00:51:21.719 and got on. And then just sitting with that in 00:51:21.719 --> 00:51:25.579 myself is being really helpful. It's really vulnerable 00:51:25.579 --> 00:51:27.440 as well. Like, you know, we get our children 00:51:27.440 --> 00:51:29.639 to say how they're feeling. That is a massive 00:51:29.639 --> 00:51:31.800 vulnerability, isn't it? To go, oh, I actually 00:51:31.800 --> 00:51:33.690 like today, I don't. I think I do feel a bit 00:51:33.690 --> 00:51:35.789 worried today. Like, you know, I do actually 00:51:35.789 --> 00:51:39.090 feel really kind of tired and sad and that's, 00:51:39.090 --> 00:51:41.070 you know, it's not making me feel my best or 00:51:41.070 --> 00:51:42.789 whatever it might be. And it's just really important 00:51:42.789 --> 00:51:44.929 that you just go, yeah, I can see that emotion. 00:51:45.110 --> 00:51:49.010 And also, again, it just helps to set you up 00:51:49.010 --> 00:51:50.989 for the day. You know, if my students check in 00:51:50.989 --> 00:51:53.650 and the majority of them or even some of them 00:51:53.650 --> 00:51:55.110 are feeling a different emotion, just go, right, 00:51:55.230 --> 00:51:56.610 we're going to just do something a little bit, 00:51:56.630 --> 00:51:58.449 like slightly different. We're going to go for 00:51:58.449 --> 00:52:00.090 a little movement break outside first or we're 00:52:00.090 --> 00:52:02.159 going to... mix things up on the timetable a 00:52:02.159 --> 00:52:05.539 little bit because I hear you and if you're feeling 00:52:05.539 --> 00:52:08.320 sad and tired going and doing x y and z isn't 00:52:08.320 --> 00:52:09.699 going to make you feel any better because I know 00:52:09.699 --> 00:52:11.280 that you don't really particularly like those 00:52:11.280 --> 00:52:13.000 things I think that's a really good point because 00:52:13.000 --> 00:52:15.360 I think so many teachers are including feelings 00:52:15.360 --> 00:52:18.380 into their classroom but what is it actually 00:52:18.380 --> 00:52:21.239 communicating what is it at what then happens 00:52:21.239 --> 00:52:22.659 needs to change and I don't think we've done 00:52:22.659 --> 00:52:25.360 that actually I often use these podcasts to improve 00:52:25.360 --> 00:52:28.289 my own practice it's all good to experts And 00:52:28.289 --> 00:52:29.630 I think that's going to be my homework for this 00:52:29.630 --> 00:52:32.210 week as we come to a close, actually, is communication 00:52:32.210 --> 00:52:35.710 for purpose. So like you said, with the sensory 00:52:35.710 --> 00:52:38.170 stories, we adapt everything else. Of course, 00:52:38.170 --> 00:52:39.630 we've got to adapt the sensory story. And I think 00:52:39.630 --> 00:52:40.949 that's really lovely what you said about the 00:52:40.949 --> 00:52:43.610 feelings as well, that yes, okay, we all mention 00:52:43.610 --> 00:52:45.449 the feelings and we put our feelings on the box. 00:52:45.469 --> 00:52:47.739 We might choose something. from that particular 00:52:47.739 --> 00:52:50.719 color and use it but yeah of course it has to 00:52:50.719 --> 00:52:52.440 inform the rest of the day of course it has to 00:52:52.440 --> 00:52:53.960 inform at least the next half an hour of what 00:52:53.960 --> 00:52:56.760 you're going to do yeah and adaptation i think 00:52:56.760 --> 00:53:00.699 is the word that's come from this podcast actually 00:53:00.699 --> 00:53:04.420 is is just to be a man yeah but be adaptable 00:53:04.420 --> 00:53:07.519 yeah it's really great be okay to to mix it up 00:53:07.519 --> 00:53:09.599 and change that plan you know it's not not failure 00:53:09.599 --> 00:53:12.460 on you as an educator to go whoa we didn't do 00:53:12.460 --> 00:53:14.099 this because we've done this instead because 00:53:14.099 --> 00:53:15.719 actually i'm putting the needs of my children 00:53:15.719 --> 00:53:19.139 first and i hear them and even if it's just some 00:53:19.139 --> 00:53:20.579 of them are saying to me that they're not feeling 00:53:20.579 --> 00:53:22.719 happy or they've not or they're feeling worried 00:53:22.719 --> 00:53:24.320 or they're feeling anxious whatever it might 00:53:24.320 --> 00:53:26.920 be we're rolling with it because primarily we 00:53:26.920 --> 00:53:29.059 are here for the children and it's really important 00:53:29.059 --> 00:53:30.940 that the children's needs are met first before 00:53:30.940 --> 00:53:32.900 anything else absolutely and if you're starting 00:53:32.900 --> 00:53:36.199 your day with that knowledge then if something 00:53:36.199 --> 00:53:38.639 happens later down the line your first thought 00:53:38.639 --> 00:53:41.219 isn't why are they doing that it's oh they're 00:53:41.219 --> 00:53:43.659 feeling wobbly today or oh they're feeling they're 00:53:43.659 --> 00:53:45.840 feeling tired today it's really going to help 00:53:45.840 --> 00:53:48.199 isn't it your understanding as to the why of 00:53:48.199 --> 00:53:50.980 why they're doing these certain things yeah yeah 00:53:50.980 --> 00:53:53.960 yeah no definitely i love that what an amazing 00:53:53.960 --> 00:53:56.320 place to finish thank you so much ellie yeah 00:53:56.320 --> 00:53:58.820 that was amazing thank you where can people find 00:53:58.820 --> 00:54:02.320 you on socials find me on instagram or tiktok 00:54:02.320 --> 00:54:06.119 my name is the sen teacher 94 so yeah have a 00:54:06.119 --> 00:54:07.719 have a little follow of me over there and then 00:54:07.719 --> 00:54:09.900 i'll share like different practices i do but 00:54:09.900 --> 00:54:12.320 also some fun videos as well really good it's 00:54:12.320 --> 00:54:14.960 really great and yeah she's a really great person 00:54:14.960 --> 00:54:17.320 to follow and even if you haven't got a class 00:54:17.320 --> 00:54:19.760 like ellie's i still feel like you'll get lots 00:54:19.760 --> 00:54:22.000 of ideas from there this is all adaptable and 00:54:22.000 --> 00:54:24.320 good autism practice is just good practice so 00:54:24.320 --> 00:54:26.239 if you are a mainstream primary school teacher 00:54:26.239 --> 00:54:27.739 i'm sure you'll be able to take something from 00:54:27.739 --> 00:54:30.280 it too thank you so much for joining me ellie 00:54:30.280 --> 00:54:31.619 thank you so much for having me it was amazing 00:54:31.619 --> 00:54:32.719 thank you thanks