Horace Mann’s Post

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The Converstion in Schools Week from Robert Gasson explores issues relating to special educational needs and exclusion. Read the article here https://lnkd.in/eGQ92rir There are huge complexities and challenges with the the term “SEMH” as a catch all for those children that might struggle in school and exhibit this externally through their behaviour. How can we make sure early intervention is embedded in our systems - schools, NHS and community?

I am glad that it’s not just me with a visceral reaction to Matt Hancock’s appearance with Alex Partridge, although as an ex teacher I also share some of Matt Gupwell’s views. The rhetoric around teachers is most often negative, accusatory and ensconced deeply in the belief that teachers moan too much and don’t know what it’s like to ‘live in the real world’. Although Matt plays a good game here, referring to ‘some’ teachers and ‘some’ schools, the overall conversation revolves around the ‘choices’ that individual teachers make and whether a school chooses to focus their energy and resources around supporting neurodiversity. Firstly, for those of you unaware, there is not much in the way of ‘choice’ in the education system. The direction a school chooses to take rests heavily on the following: Ofsted We are at a point in the education system where there are more teachers working out of mainstream education than in it. Last year well over 40,000 teachers quit, 39,930 of which left for reasons other than retirement. My personal belief is that it centres on a broken system that is working overtime to please Ofsted rather than meet the needs of individuals. The ‘choices’ Matt Hancock talks about are for the privileged few who can afford to pour time and resources into training for something other than what is written down on the clipboard of the latest Ofsted inspector. Just last week, a SENDco I know presented their ND initiative to Ofsted inspectors who dismissed it immediately. Schools and colleges have to and know that they need to jump through Ofsted hoops to continue to grow its numbers. Autonomy does not play a part, especially in academy chains, therefore, this ‘choice’ is not a factor. Meanwhile, the teachers he talks about who do have the most valuable experience are leaving, unable to maintain any kind of balance in a broken system. I am all for training, otherwise I wouldn’t offer it as part of my services. However, if Matt Hancock believes that there are no pressures involved with the decision to support or not support ND students, he is mistaken. In fact, it ties nicely into the ‘social injustices’ he talks about as academy chains continue to shoehorn their students, teachers and parents through the Ofsted mincing machine in order to meet the demands of external exams. Screening is merely the tip of the iceberg and I fear that without deep insight and understanding into the pressures put on teachers and schools, the real victims will continue to be the students who need support the most.

Starting them young... We regularly discuss the importance of teaching children about saving, encouraging wise spending habits, and the benefits of delayed gratification. Our article here highlights the value of starting early and harnessing the power of compound interest to grow savings. So whether it’s your own children or you’re looking after your grandchildren, then this may prove a good starting point in the discussion to set them on their way. https://bit.ly/3PvIYK2

First of all this I take my hat off to Alex Partridge People need to hear from the horses mouth how clueless Matt Hancock really is. In the trailer alone he shows how little knowledge and understanding he has of what it's like to: * Raise neurodivergent children * Why saying "it's the teacher's responsibility" will lead to more teachers leaving the profession, not more support. * Why claiming it's the teachers responsibility places zero accountability on parents to feel they have any part in the education of their ND children. And despite what you may all see on LinkedIn, there are parents who think like this. That's both deeply wrong and damaging to children. Matt listen - You made a mockery of yourself in government. You showed how little you value anyone or anything other than yourself consistently and in public. Your career is over - please for the sakes of all of us who've been striving to do really good work in education and advocacy, doing our best make a real difference "go away". Find a new something to cling to that you feel rebuilds your credibility. Didn't the jungle work for you? This man is also a stark reminder for everyone: Being Neurodivergent doesn't make you a good person. It doesn't mean you can't make bad decisions, be selfish, lie, be duplicitous. Matt - you are not my/our poster boy. Your pie in the sky claims about screening are nonsensical, can never be actioned and will never be actioned because your government systematically broke the education system. There's: * No money * No time * No ability To ever come close to enacting your bill. Sure you'll conviently blame the new government for not doing anything, but that is just your style. Make mistakes - blame everyone else. Have a lovely day all. I'm off to do real work that can make a difference, that actually supports people and that requires no input from Mr Out of touch.

As my first year at Manual starts to wrap up, I wanted to highlight 1 initiative that what we did over on the Eastside. With the help of the team of teachers & my admin team, I was able to write, plan and teach my first professional development unit (PDU) with 12 of our high school and middle school teachers here at the Manual campus. The PDU revolved around 3 learning objectives: 1. DPS school discipline policies around student behaviors and the effects of these policies. 2. Systems of restorative practices and how to have productive conversations with our students around conflict, engagement and growth in all forms. 3. Internalization of community restorative circles/conversations all aimed at increasing student attendance, reducing student conflict, and fostering healthy relationships based on mutual dignity and respect. Teachers interviewed students, teachers and other community members. They also learned from student panels, Dean / SRO / CSO panels, and conducted research around what effects school discipline has taken place towards students. Teachers also did a book study on "Beyond the Surface of Restorative Practices" - https://lnkd.in/dQp6-tix Lastly, our teachers had the opportunity to discuss their own experiences working in education, reflect on their own experiences with school discipline, and engage in a conversation about what it means to support all students in schools. We will be taking a look at the data and feedback from our community members and making changes for version 2.0 for the following school year.

Special Education cases take time. Sometimes, a lot of time. Knowing the steps and what to expect can alleviate the stress and anxiety that are likely to develop, wondering why you're still waiting. https://ow.ly/CvUw50Qg1ye #FlashbackFriday #SpecialEducationLaw #SeeTheAbleNotTheLabel #SpecialNeedsFamilies

Colegas belles, As the new school year begins and you prepare to welcome your students into the classroom, I urge you to reflect on the activities and icebreakers traditionally used to start the year. Many of us have assigned the familiar “What I did this summer” activity in the past, before we knew better. What’s more, TpT is plagued with similar activities to be quickly printed and used after every single break. It’s crucial though, to recognize that these seemingly harmless prompts may unintentionally cause distress to some students. Consider the child who couldn’t afford a vacation, the one who spent the summer caring for younger siblings because their caregiver was absent or unable to provide. Think of the student who hid under the covers at night to escape the chaos at home, or the one who eagerly awaits the start of school because they relied on school lunches for their only regular meal. Imagine the child who wears last year’s clothes because new ones were out of reach, and the child who dreads being asked about their summer because all they did was pull through. We can’t possibly be aware of every reality! For these students, being asked to share about their summer can be a painful reminder of hardships they’d rather forget. Instead, I encourage you to pose a different question, such as “What are you looking forward to this school year?” For children in fight or flight mode, projecting their minds to a better future can help them feel hopeful and step out of survival mode. This simple shift can make a world of difference, creating a supportive environment and a sense of belonging from the very start. Incorporating trauma-informed pedagogy is essential in fostering a classroom where all students feel safe, valued, and respected. Let’s ensure that our teaching practices reflect a deep understanding of the diverse experiences our students bring with them. By doing so, we can better support all our students—especially those for whom summer was not a time of joy, but of survival. Thank you for your dedication and care as we work together to create compassionate learning environments for all students. In community, Françoise PS: mark your calendars for the IG live we’ll be hosting with Omar Rachid on August 20th at 7:00!

It’s back to school for many, and I reflect on an aspect of my school experience in my latest column. https://lnkd.in/eyC2Y3dp

We have wrapped up topical learning collections to share with you on 12 days leading to Christmas Day 🎉 Register now to get themed teaching collections straight to your inbox: https://lnkd.in/e3ThHp3t Topics to look forward to include: ⚪ Behaviour ⚪ Special educational needs (SEND) ⚪ Teacher wellbeing #Teaching #UnwrapLearning #Behaviour #SEND #Wellbeing