I know teaching is bloody tough. Like most SEN teachers I have done lots of different jobs - primary, secondary, leadership team etc and now I am classteacher special school. There is a great Joy in working with my children but it is starting to feel like an impossible task. We have the same sort of data progress tracker stresses as mainstream but it feels a bit like the emperor's clothes. "Freddie (not real name obv) needs to make 60% in writing this year" well Freddie has SLD, cerable palsy, he has made awesome progress at not spitting at others, he can move around the space in his electric chair and is gaining some real independence, he will tolerate being toileted without screaming now and he can still just about write his name, he knows which letters make it up and can put them in the right order about 60% of the time. He only has one functional arm and I want to shout "no, no data king spreadsheet man he will not make a levels progress this year in writing. He will do a million other things, work hard and enjoy himself. My team and I will work ridiculous hard to teach, inspire and nuture this young man but I know that will not ping your spreadsheet so you just don't care."
Does this happen in other special schools? I had a v sad conversation with a new member of staff this week who said she had worked out the major difference between mainstream and special school - "at special school its not the kids telling you you are shit, it is the management"
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Any special school teachers loosing the will?
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RegencyRomanceReader · 20/10/2016 19:32
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