Has anyone else done a 'what it's like to be me' type project?

[inappropriatelyemployed]

Suggested this to SENCO to replace some inderminate targets she was about to set.

DS gave feedback on the last targets which basically said - people don't understand, they don't listen etc. Response was to file that form without talking to him!

I suggested they need to talk to him and they need to show they are listening - to him. I suggested doing something so he could explain things from his perspective - a story, power point etc. DS is very keen. He wants to do a power point.

Has anyone done anything like this? Are there any resources you can use?

I was going to set out a list of prompt type questions just so he thinks about everything but I absolutely do not want to shape this or direct him.

I want it to be from him.

Well your ds is probably too old for this but you could base it on a 'passport' idea perhaps? Or a guidebook if he were a newly discovered country/planet?

Get him to think about a new school, where they don't know him, either close by or on another planet, and give them a passport to him. Likes, dislikes, motivations, family, how people should communicate with him, what people must never ever do etc etc.

If it is a passport for an alien it frees him up to be as honest as he wants to be without directing it any anyone in particular perhaps?

Great idea - you are a star Star!

I did a "All About Me" book for my ds, and from readings Stars description sounds similar to her suggestion.

Although my ds is only 4.10, this is set out as though he has written it, so an older child could contribute in his/her own words.

Everyone who is involved with ds has one and have all commented on informative it is and that they felt they "knew" ds even before they met him, I did put a photo of him on the front cover too which I think helped with this.

A communication passport is quite a common resource in our field-usually used for children with more complex disabilities but absolutely no reason why they can't be used by anyone.

The charity Scope have some nice guidelines and templates here

Even though ostensibly for kids with CP, they could be used by anyone.

To get people to read it in a non coercive fashion you can include a 'visitors' page-sort of like the autpgraph books we had as kids.

Ds is younger, but he did a passport like the one Star mentions with his inclusion teacher and with our help.

He was shown a couple of examples (there are lots online if you google) and then allowed to decide what he wanted to include in it, based on what he wanted people to know.

He include what makes him happy, what makes him sad, what he likes about school, what he loathes dislikes, things he would like help with and things he feels he's good at and doesn't need help with. It also included some information on his obsessions interests and family, so that anyone who reads it instantly has something to chat to him about.

Ds also loves powerpoint and has since created a smaller, more concise version to give to supply teachers etc.

Next on the list is to design an even smaller, credit-card sized one that he can give to teachers etc, without it being so obvious to the rest of the class.

Great idea. It might cut down on the amount of time I spend 'interpreting' DS to school.

DS is going to do a power point. Very keen to do it and it is needed!

We had a meeting today with SENCO and TA and he piped up our of the blue (after sitting squirming in silence) that there was something else he wanted to say.

He said that he doesn't feel he is believed or listened to. That if something goes wrong, people don't ask him what happened but start telling him how he should behave or how he should have done something different.

He said yesterday a boy had called him fattie when they were being weighed for a school project. DS said back 'you'll be the fattest'. Boy shouts 'shut up' at DS. TA comes over reprimands boy for shouting 'shut up', reprimands DS for provoking him.

She didn't ask DS what happened so he didn't say anything.

DS was annoyed because later TA corners him privately and says again how he shouldn't act that way and how he shouldn't provoke people. DS points out to the TA that she didn't say anything to the other boy.

TA says she did ask him to explain but he refused . DS says she didn't. TA changes story several times. Mum gets cross

This comes straight after an incident Monday where senco tells me he said the 'f word' to a boy and maybe he was stressed. I speak to DS who tells me one part of it which incriminates himself but flatly refuses to accept he swore. I take him back in to senco and he explains himself in an uncategorically honest fashion.

Today, TA says how boys came over to her 'very distressed' at what he had done. She didn't even bother to speak to DS or ask if he had done this but reported it on to Senco.

I had to say it cannot be the default position that if someone says something bad, he must have done it.

I say to DS 'you can explain all this in your power point DS for the annual review DS'