Have I hit the jackpot?

[messmonster]

I honestly won't know until my DD starts school in Sept but I had to share this because it gives me so much hope that there are some really good MS CTs out there who are willing to go the extra mile...

DD has already had a few settling visits to what will be her classroom from September (unusual set of circs make this possible). My DD is non-verbal and uses a communication book. Spoke to her future CT today who commented that on the last visit DD had not wanted to use her communication book so they have decided that they will make simple communication books for the whole class joining in Sept so that (a) DD doesn't feel different and is encouraged to use her book if the others have them too and (b) it would be helpful for all the children to have a visual timetable too

Yay I wonder if this is Dd's amazing, inclusive school

It sounds brilliantmess

Where are you, and can I move there?!

That's lovely and positive - long may it continue!

At the risk of starting a stampede can I also tell you that ......

he looks like he could have been in a boy band not that long ago too

And now I've really outed myself

We really will have to see how it goes in September and beyond but having struggled so long and hard with my decision on what type of school would be right for DD who is significantly delayed in all areas, my gut told me to give this school a go and today's conversation made me feel that for the first year anyway, it might be the right decision.

[Grin]

Male KS1 teachers are a bit like male midwives . Presume the prejudice they have to overcome must weed out the rubbish ones. And make the good ones that bit more passionate and determined.

Any snotty Tarquin type parents can be reminded that for secondary ALL children have a visual timetable/homeschool book as standard, so it's great preparation for "gifted" children. (Yes I have heard my ASD outreach team say this with a straight face to someone who resents the presence of SN kids in mainstream).

It's so,so inspiring to hear of good practice like this. I'm convinced there are excellent, natural born teachers and "administrators" who prefer to "process" children. Hopefully this is an indication of a whole school approach, given that HT's tend to recruit in their own image.

That's bloody brilliant news.
What is good for a child with communication issue is good for every child if its main aim is to allow a child to organise themselves, their time and be more independent. It also means that ultimately teaching staff need to do less for them. People forget how passive children are in a pedagogical situation-he last thing most people think of is giving them strategies for knowing with will happen, is happening and has happened.

My viw is that these sorts of strategies are preparation for the weekly planner that a lot of kids have in secondary.

And a resounding yes to chaps in the class! Diffuses all those hormones and the inevitable tensions that come about when a lot of women work in a confined space together

Thanks for the comments this morning .

Moondog just need to convince CT about the home/school communication book now.... but am feeling very optimistic that he will be fine with it. It's my job tonight to create a template (tweaked from the simple one you gave me on the training day) for nursery to start using so that in a couple of months I can present it to school as "here's the home/school communication book we've been using so successfully with nursery...!"

Yes-that is the key I think-presenting resources such as this as a fait accompl which have

1. already been used successfully
2. are a doddle to fill out
3. improve communication and common goal sharing between all parties
4. make the lives of teaching staff easier