Visual Timetable

Visual Timetables can be very useful for many children (think about it as typically developing adults we use them every day, calendars, diary's, tv schedules etc.) and even more useful for children with additional needs, particularly those relating to language, behaviour, and processing. Here is a basic guide.

Poems that shaped me

So I found some poems whilst sorting papers, I must have printed them over ten years ago. They had a profound impact on me and I remember how special each was. Each shaping a little part of my work with children, some with complex difficulties and the adults and families that work with them. I don't know where they all come from other than if I spoke to the person who wrote them I would be eternally thankful.  

The Gift of the Memorable Child

The child that is my challenge is a gift.

Only he can give me 


the gifts of patience, tolerance, and acceptance –


If I let him.


He will be the one to make me into a true teacher.

And challenge my very soul.


I can learn more from this child

Than from much of my college coursework –


If I choose to.


A child is not something that is “broken”

For me to “fix”.


This child comes to me a unique individual


Worthy of love – just as he is.


Or be yet another to throw my hands up?


Do I have it in me to maybe be the one


that can make a difference?


Is he maybe the one
 that will make a difference in me?

Will I choose to let him?

Cathy Abraham

(No child needs fixing but working with to mould to them to   allow them to each their potential and find a safe place in the world)

Unity

I dreamed I stood
in a studio


And watched two
sculptors there.


The clay they used
was a young child’s mind


And they fashioned it with care.

One was a teacher
the tools she used
were books and
music and art;


One was a parent
with a guiding hand
and a gentle loving heart.

And when at last
their work was done


They were proud of
what they had wrought,


For the things they
had worked into the child


could never be
sold or bought.

And each agreed she
would have failed


if she had worked alone,


For behind the parent
stood the school,


and behind the teacher
stood the home

by Ray A. Lingenfelter

(Sometimes we think we are working alone, and have arrogance to think we are right as educators yet only the best outcomes occur when there is a partnership)

Searching for Gold

Look beneath the freckles


Look beneath the grin


Look for that which sparkles


Buried deep within.

Look beyond the whining


Look beyond the tears


Look beyond the runny nose


The frowns, the mess, the fears.

Search for that which glitters


Treasures to unfold


Search beneath the surface


Search and find the gold!

by Jean Warren

(Sometimes, just sometimes a child is difficult to love yet we must search beyond the difficulties to find what is precious and in doing so we find treasures in them and ourselves)

Drop a Pebble in the Water

Drop a pebble in the water: just a splash, and it is gone;

But there's half-a-hundred ripples circling on and on and on,

Spreading, spreading from the center, flowing on out to the sea.

And there is no way of telling where the end is going to be.


Drop a pebble in the water: in a minute you forget,

But there's little waves a-flowing, and there's ripples circling yet,

And those little waves a-flowing to a great big wave have grown;

You've disturbed a mighty river just by dropping in a stone.

Drop an unkind word, or careless: in a minute it is gone;

But there's half-a-hundred ripples circling on and on and on.

They keep spreading, spreading, spreading from the center as they go,

And there is no way to stop them, once you've started them to flow.

Drop an unkind word, or careless: in a minute you forget;

But there's little waves a-flowing, and there's ripples circling yet,

And perhaps in some sad heart a mighty wave of tears you've stirred,

And disturbed a life was happy ere you dropped that unkind word.


Drop a word of cheer and kindness: just a flash and it is gone;

But there's half-a-hundred ripples circling on and on and on,

Bearing hope and joy and comfort on each splashing, dashing wave

Till you wouldn't believe the volume of the one kind word you gave. 

Drop a word of cheer and kindness: in a minute you forget;

But there's gladness still a-swelling, and there's joy a circling yet,

And you've rolled a wave of comfort whose sweet music can be heard

Over miles and miles of water just by dropping one kind word.

James W. Foley

(In everything we do everyday we have a major impact on those around us especially children, this is a huge responsibility and sometimes we forget the little things we do have far reaching consequences in their lives others around them and in to eternity.)

Molder of Dreams

Teachers …

You are the molders of their dreams,

the gods who build or crush

their young beliefs of right or wrong.

You are the spark that sets aflame the

poet's hand, or lights the flame

of some great singer's song.

You are the gods of the young, the very young.

You are the guardian of a million dreams.

Your every smile or frown can heal or pierce a heart.

Yours are a hundred lives, a thousand lives,

yours the pride of loving them, and the sorrow, too.

Your patient work, your touch, make you the gods of hope

who fill their souls with dreams

to make those dreams come true.

(I do not believe I am a god, totally against my own beliefs by whether we like it or not in the eyes of children we can create this, think of the impact for good, bad and ugly we can mould. Never forget our position)

Anyway

People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered;


Forgive them anyway.


If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;


Be kind anyway.


If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true friends;

succeed anyway.


If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;


Be honest and frank anyway.


What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;


Build anyway.


If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;


Be happy anyway.


The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;


Do good anyway.


Give the world your best anyway.


You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God;


It was never between you and them anyway.

Mother Teresa

(In all things remember this, you may not see the results of this even in your lifetime and you may become complacent please do not!!)

Stammering Poem

I generally don't share much of myself on this blog, and I originally set it up to share ideas etc. relating to SEN and inclusion, it has evolved along the way.

But this post whilst relates to inclusion/ SEN is actually a poem written by myself to describe the experience I have with stammering. This was a big issue when I was a child, but I kind of grew out if it with some occasions when I would but limited impact. At present however whilst not major (by many's terms) it is a feature of my daily life and somewhat frustrating! I hope that you will find it interesting:

I stammer, I stutter

But nothing at all

I stand there in limbo

As I try to recall

The clock it is ticking

My words stuck inside

Not supposed to be hard

But the word it just hides

A repetition of sound

Or a curious stop

Brain in a frenzy

Find a word to just swap!

The options are thus

Words remain hidden

Or lexical battle

Till fault overridden!

The British Stammering Association has so good advice sheets (particularly for children)

Budget Sensory Ideas

Here are two sheets I have devised to support you in creating sensory spaces on a budget/ movable. Sensory environment can be really rewarding/ relaxing/ engaging for all children.

Parachute Play

I love playing with the parachute with young children, and have found it a great way to focus children's singing. I have compiled a collection of song based activities I have used, mostly with very young children with Special needs but will be useful for most preschool groups (Or homes with a child's blanket). I have uploaded to Scribd and it can be purchased for a very reasonable price

http://www.scribd.com/doc/115979565/Parachute-Play

Signing Videos

Inclusive Communication Essex, by Essex County Council have produced an excellent resource for those working with people of all ages who need to alternative or additional communication strategies put in place. Including these wonderful signing videos

They are a range of topics, with a good list of signs

Each sign has a clear video of the sign.

http://www.essexice.com/learn/signing-videos.aspx

Fun Stuff

The "stuff" in the background seems to have been an interest to some. The toys are marketed for children with special needs, and have "special" prices to match!!! But they are great resources despite the price, and are suitable for all children but have the durability to stand up to some major use. I don't know where they are available from in other countries, but in England they are available from Nes Arnold.

The Tubbie is available here and seems to be a hit with children of all ages (and adults) the only problem with this is if the wrong size balls or toys get posted accidentally it is a major job to remove them.

The mirror Chimeabout is also a rather fun resource and is particularly suitable for babies and individuals with SEN, but I admit to enjoying watching this spin, and then stop especially with a torch beam aimed on the mirrors an instant light show around the room! I would defiantly buy again despite the price, available here!

Discovery Colour Bottles

I've been going through old photos and found these, made some time ago but still in use! Originally made for a very little person as a rattle/ sensory toy helped to create by a little bit (but not much) bigger person with the aim of developing their fine motor skills and colour sorting concepts. I simply added a little hot glue to the inside of the lid before screwing on very tightly, but plastic glue also works. Making the bottles was especially enjoyable and probably looking back the most fun sorting activity to date, maybe should do that again (we can cut bottles afterwards to get tiny bits out I guess).

Little person much enjoyed shaking, rolling and placing in and out of box, bigger person enjoyed tidying into correct colour spaces in box. They have since had use as; skittles, good for instructions too knock red then blue down, and colour language e.g. what colours have you knocked down?; driving round in trailers (coloured milk delivery); and as fizzy drinks in roll play...

The bottles make wonderful sensory toys for children with a range of special educational needs, and the best thing is you can personalise to individual needs e.g use bottles with handles to assist grasp, make sound bottles for those with visual impairments, themed bottles for those with particular interests.

There are a host of ideas for discovery bottles online such as Kinder friends, Dr Jean and Mrs. Pohlymeyers class.

Peg Colour Match

What to do with a left over spring roll container? I can't be the only one who sees a piece of "rubbish" and thinks that may be useful, then has nothing to do with it? I had to think of something quick otherwise this "useful" piece of trash was going in the recycle bin for melting. So...

Place coloured card (you could also use patterned scrap book paper, I regretted not doing this) into each of the compartments.
Collect a peg for each of the interior walls. Stick a piece of card to each side of the pegs corresponding to the two adjacent coloured compartments of the wall that the peg is attached to e.g. the peg on the bottom right of this picture would have a purple and a green side.

This is a complex twist on basic colour matching, of course you could use the compartments for basic sorting also. I have made the card removable so that the can be taken out a put back into the correct places to ensure all pegs can be matched to colours, of course this is for extreme complex problem solving.

"There are no big problems, there are just a lot of little problems." Henry Ford

Child Friendly Recipes

I always attempt to allow children to be as independent as possible and when going shopping or making cakes I think independence and learning is optimised if children are fully involved through the use of pictorial lists and recipes. I usually draw these but occasionally collect photos or draw on computer for printing (usually for times I need to impress!!).

The above recipe is just perfect for a single child to make with very little adult input, making four cup cakes. I used a chocolate cake mix in this recipe but as long as it is this ratio of dry versus liquid it should work. When you use the microwave for cooking cakes is works best if you put paper cases into silicone cases to help the cakes hold their shape. Also microwaves vary and this is an average time (don't have on highest setting in a 700watt oven).

This is particularly good for pre/ emerging readers especially those with special needs, as it is clear, gives sense of achievement and is motivating. Have pictorial recipes in role play area too.

Some other pictorial recipes I have created are availible from TES resources section (you will need to register=free)

• Mincepies
• Stir Fry
• Pancakes
• Crispy cakes

"Omit and substitute! That's how recipes should be written. Please don't ever get so hung up on published recipes that you forget that you can omit and substitute." Jeff Smith