Running to stand still

As you can probably see it's been more than a week since my last post which probably gives some indication of what life has been like.  The IPM went well even though I hadn't prepared a code of practice (the list of all children on the SEN register) and we made good progress on detailing who, what & when things will happen.

I have now found out the truth about being a SENCO.  You begin a day with a list of things to do and by the end you realise that really all that's happened is that things on the list have not been done and more things have been added to the list!  The amount of meetings is enormous (but I realise necessary to get people and strategies in place) and then the workload from that meeting needs to be done. 

I am still in the process of writing up two annual reviews after being given some more pointers on my draft copies (and finding the corresponding documentation), beginning a proposed statement, finalising all the TA support and their corresponding work for afternoons to begin supporting children next week, chasing up parent paperwork before professionals can come in to observe and informing teachers of the things I have now put in place in the draft IEPs I have written in my head!! 

I would also like to say at this point I am also loving this role too.  Alleviating parents' concerns, worries, helping turn it around for children, be a campaigner for their concerns and needs does have its rewards and I do feel I am getting somewhere.  I'm also pleased that the many professionals I am meeting are also saying they're impressed with what I've done in such a short time.  So I'll just keep on running and report back when I have time to catch my breath!

Speech and Language

Today was my first meeting of the new year to talk through children on the books of speech and language.  I discovered that my new filing system is working as I could locate all the speech and language programs and letters regarding Sp & L.  A bit of a wobble when talking about a child whose surname I didn't recognise but realised is brother to another child in school just different surname and once that was sorted I realised I was pretty knowledgable and up to speed on all of the children on the books.  Have asked for some SMART targets on a couple ("to use learning strategies for classroom listening" was far too vague and woolly!!) and should be signing three children off by the end of the term.

My new enrolment details have been e-mailed to me to join the university for my SENCO course so I will be joining tomorrow I hope as well as getting on with the annual review forms for a couple of children.  I still have to find out a bit more about what information I am expected to produce and talk through at the IPM next Monday and have to get on with pulling together a statement for one and possibly two children over the next couple of weeks.  I think I'm going to be a busy bee!!

Dyslexia Multi-tasking

The suspension files arrived yesterday so I began the task of relocating from the SENCO filing cabinet in the admin office to the new SEN room.  I had also discovered other files in other drawers so these moved too.  Now all files are together but are yet to be meaningfully looked at and sorted into categories.

So far I have a drawer dedicated to children who have a "Cause for Concern" , SA, SA+, Statement, Medical and a drawer for LAC files, both of these I have sorted through so they contain the relevant material and children (some still contained files on children who had left more than three years ago!)but the other two drawers are filed with a miscellany of files.  If anyone has suggestions about the important categories then I'd love to know.

I also managed to sort out more of the room by putting things away into the desk and the filing cabinet of social and emotional support which was initially in the room.  The two tables and chairs are now in place and only a few more things to be put away (hopefully less than 1/2 an hour) and the room will be operational for teaching and meetings - hurray!

My role in school also extends this year to school librarian and the state of the library is something to behold!  Choosing three willing volunteers from my class for lunchtime library duty we set about trying to put some of the books back onto the shelves from the piles that have just been dumped around the library.  It soon became evident that one child who I have suspected of dyslexic tendancies (bright, interesting & out of the box ideas, bizarre spellings) could not use the alphabet without trying to recite from A each time (for filing books in the M-R sections) totally confused after F (H G K J!) and unable to say what came after M (even after two reminders).  This library exercise gave further evidence so I am really pleased with the multi-tasking involved and may use it with another two children who I also believe have dyslexic tendencies.  The atmosphere of laughing at the unbelievable mess of books and the bonding process of how much work we all had to do to sort just a few shelves meant no-one knew I was gathering information and certainly the child in question enjoyed the task because of the support given and the help they were giving me.

Filing Cabinets Arrive for Duty!

Yesterday, much to everyone's amazement the filing cabinets arrived (less than 24 hours signed, sealed, delivered!)  Our wonderful caretaker had put them into position in the room I am trying to turn into the S.E.N. Centre, so all that is left is for me to now transfer the S.E.N. files into them (I had hoped to do this yesterday during my SENCO morning but my time was taken up with other, more pressing issues) and await the delivery of a batch of suspension files to create my new filing system which hopefully will allow information on each child or targeted teaching group to be easily accessible.

I also had a meeting with a member of the behavioural team (privately we're renaming it "The Support Team") who brought and explained details of the various things they do.  As a class teacher I have had contact with certain people regarding children displaying really bad behaviour in class, as the SENCO I realised how much support is actually out there so why can't class teachers tap into it more?

Chasing up an urgent case via phone calls regarding panel occupied some of the morning as well as trying to contact people for the IPM - school e-mail system went down, so not much doing!  Reading the proposed statements for a couple of children that arrived in the post also took up more of my time.

I have begun to realise just how much work is involved and possibly why the filing is in the way it is! 

As class teachers have not yet had their review meetings about children who are falling behind, T.A. managed groups have not yet been set up nor one-to-one sessions & targeted teaching for me either, so I hope to make the SEN Centre ready this morning as I hope some groups will be able to start next week and I want somewhere for them. 

First Annual Review

First annual review done today as Senco, and I have to admit a steep learning curve - luckily our LA representative volunteered to chair as I said it would be my first - also I could not find the relevant blank forms so took copious notes to fill forms in for later.  Have also been told to schedule at least an hour per child for the review - as it was we speeded through to deal with two children who should have had reviews last school year but due to two cancellations by various important parties had failed to happen.  Therefore these have been done as late reviews and I should schedule this year's review for late in the school year 2012-2013.  At least I felt it had gone well with additional hours sought and two staff members not one to do the hours all agreed in principle by everyone.  Tomorrow I will write most of it up and get outreach support added when they come next week to assess ICT arrangements.

New filing cabinets arrived and are now installed in the room that I am to turn into the special needs and SENCO room.  No actual suspension files in them though so will have to order some of those before can actually sort and file vast quantitites of paperwork!!

Things are progressing, but slowly.

Tardebigge Flight & Elephant Hawk Moths

As it was sunny - hubby and I decided to go out - we were heading for the Kington Show but traffic conditions made us change our minds on route and we ended up parking at the Queen's Head pub at Stoke Pound, having lunch there and then walking up the Tardebbige Flight of locks to Tardebigge (where the Tardebigge Village Fete was going on - a complete surprise) and then after an ice-cream and drink there, heading back down the flight and back to the car at the pub to drive home.  It was funny to think that the flight had taken us about 6 hours to do in a canal boat one way!!

Unfortunately, I had forgotten to take my camera, but there were not many narrow boats cruising today (maybe a sign of the recession?).  I would have liked to have shown a photo of the elephant hawk moth caterpillar I came across but instead have found a photo http://www.wallwork.me.uk/garden.html that shows the approximate size (big aren't they?)

EUREKA!!

Finally, my diary turned up when looking tonight in my old laptop case - hurray I am saved.  Unfortunately, it does look like I booked an important meeting for this coming Monday - so tomorrow will be spent ringing round trying to see if people can come to it and I'll probably have to cancel those that have said yes because others can't at such short notice.  Not good.

 

Over the past two nights, as well as looking for my diary, I have also managed to get a small hook rug finished and two scarves completed.  I think I might post the blue scarf as my monthly make as it was mostly knitted during September, the red one had been started some time ago and just needed a few more rows to finish.  What do you think?

I am also posting the two photos I took on Tuesday night when the red sky was spectacular. Somehow it just didn't come out the same on the photos.

Where can an A4 diary hide?

I have now run out of ideas on where my large A4 diary might be.  I have been having a good look for the past three days and after thinking that it must have got put in my cupboard at school spent half an hour getting things out of said cupboard before the children arrived.  But to no avail.  I have now searched all the available places at home including cat cabin and still no diary - and I am desperate because I put in meetings that I think are supposed to be taking place next week.  My first week on the job as SENCO is not looking good!

Back to School

No. 1 daughter back to school as a sixth former today.  We walked up the road together, brilliant sunshine and with me reminiscing about my first day of sixth form going off to catch the bus.  We parted company at the traffic lights with her going for the bus and me walking off to school.  However, I will have to leave much earlier tomorrow as it took me longer to walk than I thought - luckily no kids in today but they will be there tomorrow!

A day spent meeting up with other teachers, clearing and cleaning classrooms ready for the new year and going through new policies and procedures, including fire safety training.

Tonight I have to fill in my questionnaire for the start of my SENCO training and get my Head tomorrow to a) be my mentor & b) fill in her bit.  Tomorrow, I should also be finding out more about what will be happening this year in my new role.

Butterflies

A comma

 

Red Admiral

 



 

 Peacock

 

Amazingly, no cats came to greet me whilst in the garden so they're obviously too hot or miles away.  However, there were plenty of butterflies and as I had my camera I tried to take a few pictures.

At one point there were eight peacock butterflies all in the same lilac bush.

I also managed to venture into my little copse and take a picture down the stream.  Great growing weather but not gardening weather.  Rather alot for me to do this autumn I feel!

Successful Morning. Last day of hols.

Worked out how I could link the blogs I like to my sidebar and have spent some time adding them this morning.  The sun is shining and it is the last day of the summer holidays, so I am off into the garden to surround myself with cats before having to turn up the hems on two school skirts (as just above the knee is SO unfashionable according to my daughter and fashionistas everywhere!!)

A Follower!

I was so excited to see someone has chosen to follow me.  GiddyStuff was the blogger who introduced me to the Monthly Make and her site is great!!  I now need to see how I can create something in my sidebar to show the blogs I like too.

Dr. Who was up to its normal high standard last night - I am told (by my children who seem to know much more than I do) that the girl in last night's episode is going to be the new assistant.  Can't quite understand how this will transpire so will be watching next week's episode to hopefully find out?

As didn't get out much this weekend thought I'd post some photos taken a few weekends ago when we travelled down to the Blisworth Canal Festival (by car not boat).  It was wonderfully organised and we spent a whole day looking around the many festivities taking place on the canal and in the village.

 

We decided to join the new Canal and River Trust as we get so much enjoyment when we are on the canal, either on a boat or walking along the towpaths and we know how much effort and money it takes to keep the canals open to all.

 

If you want to see some better photos and see what was taking place at Blisworth you can follow the link http://www.blisworth.org.uk/images/Festival/2012/account.htm

New Thoughts on Assessment, Dr. Who & New Knitting Project

I am currently reading a book (Helping 5 to 8 year olds with special educational needs by Chazan, M Laing A.F. & Davies, D 1991) that devotes its first 7 chapters to the assessment of children with possible special needs.  Already it has hi-lighted to me that often in school we only use assessment for what the child can or cannot do.  The words "assessment should aim to discover how a child learns" are making me realise that this is probably the most important reason for the observations I will do in classes as SENCO and how that could help focus everyone on how we get these children to proceed in their learning.  It's at this point I would really like some contact with others in education or parents with children with S.E.N. that are helping their child learn and could give me more ideas.

This will be a short post as Dr. Who begins tonight and it's a ritual in our house that we all watch it together.  Harks back to my own childhood, spent watching from behind the sofa!

Lastly, have decided to begin knitting jumper for daughter with wool donated by my mother (Wendy Naturelle in brown/white 1980's?).  Of course, daughter has idea of what she wants it to look like, slash top, simple cables, but can I find a pattern for it in chunky - no.  So it looks like I will be creating my own and fingers crossed it will turn out alright!

Trying Again

I am going to try again to post the photos I wanted to show in my last blog.

The knitted hat completed and ready to wear when I next go on a boat, as well as being my August make.  Now, I have to get busy with September's.  I think it will have to be something I finish rather than start from scratch!

The calendar and book from The Works.  Two pressies from one shop - excellent

There is still something going on with downloading as had to put these on to picasa to load from there.

However, I have also managed to make my "stamp?" for the monthly make now be linked to the actual website.  I am learning!!

Committing Myself, Montessori and Canal Boats

I decided last night to commit myself (when you're in education you often feel you're heading this way!) to a craft monthly make.  Being new to all this blogging I had never even left a comment on anyone's site before let alone tried to gain a stamp/label/thingamajig/whatsit before, which is what I've kind of done although it doesn't link to the actual site so to do that please go to http://thefeltfairyuk.blogspot.co.uk/2011/12/make-month-2012-sign-up-here.html.  Anyway, I'm feeling proud of myself but if anyone can help out with how to actually link or even what that picture is really called in the margin then I'd be pleased to know.

The first monthly make for August will be the hat I sewed up and finished first thing this morning.  I'm posting the pic here and then I will try to post to the August group on Flickr - which will be another first if I succeed.

Update: the photos don't appear to be wanting to upload here but I have succeeded in posting to the August Flickr site - Hurray!!http://www.flickr.com/groups/1882864@N22/

Today is also the 142nd birthday of Maria Montessori.  I would love to visit a Montessori school to see how it works in real life.  I try hard in my own teaching to engage the children through tasks, being multi-sensory and creating a happy and playful atmosphere whenever and wherever possible and guess what it works.  Unfortunately, in the present climate, I feel I am being constantly told this is not how teaching should be.  Ofsted's ticklists do not account for happiness and a child's sense of learning and I seem to be fighting a losing battle.  Therefore, the more promotion of such teaching as Montessori the better.

I have also managed to buy two presents to be squirrelled away for Husband's birthday.  This is quite an achievement as normally he only receives the latest Terry Pratchett book.  However, I popped into The Works yesterday and found a waterways calendar for 99p (yes I checked it was for 2013!) as well as another book in the series about canal boats he is currently reading (also a bargain at £1.99).  I have yet to read them myself but they seem to make him explode with laughter.  Now I just have to hope he doesn't buy it for himself during the next two months!

Photo doesn't want to load - what's going wrong?

Dyslexia, Knitting and Feral Cats

Last night, I watched the BBC programme, Growing Children that focused on children with dyslexia.  Having trained as a specialist dyslexia teacher last year I know something about it, but the programme really brought it home to me about how lost these children can be in our mainstream school system and how little maybe my specialist teaching can really help.  The young girl that had received three and a half years of the same specialist teaching instruction I deliver was still struggling so much that her parents decided to pay for her to attend a special private school for dyslexic children, where classes are very small, noise levels for concentration are minimised and all teaching is specialised; conditions that I don't think can be replicated in mainstream school.  

The two hours I have timetabled for specialised dyslexia teaching within my school now looks miniscule and will it really, actually help?  Of course, I know it will help them in terms of self-confidence, being given the chance to talk about what's happening in their head without fear someone is going to think of them as odd and allow them to have an hour where they are truly happy in their learning environment, this I have discovered from the child I have been giving specialist instruction to after school for the past year (in my own time), but I also know her grades did not improve in class with her class teacher or for the end of year tests and this is what my headteacher is going to be expecting for funding for lessons like this to continue.  Slightly depressing, I think!

So to cheer myself up I will post some photos of my latest knitting project, that I hope to be sewing up today, to create a hat for canal boating during the autumn and winter months.

This pattern I found in a charity shop for 20p.  It's the pinky, stripy one I've knitted.

I also found the Jaeger wool at the same charity shop, 5 balls for £2.50!!  100% pure wool.  Bluey-grey with multi-coloured flecks in.  The hat took just two and a half balls, so I'm passing the left overs and the pattern to my mum who wants to knit something for the soldiers' xmas boxes.

Last of all a plea to anyone out there who could possibly help a friend out who is being over-run with feral cats.  Over the years a cat colony has formed based around the abandoned out-buildings of the old house she owns.  She is now becoming too ill to look after them properly and needs to find loving homes for them to be rehoused to, preferably in pairs or more and to people who understand that they are not lap-cats.  As you can imagine the cat shelters are all full to bursting and cannot take on anymore.  The cats have been neutered but not vaccinated and the ones to be re-homed range in ages between 9 months to 5 years (of which there are about 15!!).

New Beginnings

It's the first time I've ever blogged so I hope anyone reading this forgives my errors and newbie ways.

My hope is to document my steep learning curve as a new SENCO and to communicate my findings, trials and tribulations and possible breakthroughs in the ways of teaching those children in mainstream primary school who find it so hard to learn like the majority.

I also want to share the wonderful creativity there is in the world in all its forms that's helps make life bearable as well as some of my own efforts in creativity and craft!

During the bank holiday weekend I attended the International Festival of Glass held at Stourbridge and was blown away by the beauty and incredible techniques and mastery of the glass workers.  I learnt so much and witnessed pure magic as people created amazing pieces of art in front of my eyes.  The event encompassed a number of venues of which I only managed to get round the Ruskin Mill, Broadfield House and the Bonded Warehouse in the one day, however as the exhibitions are running until 15th September I'm hoping to be back to see more soon.http://www.ifg.org.uk/

The photo shows the glass vase I bought from the student stall.  The young man who sold it to me (as well as being the craftsman who had made it!) has just completed his three year course and talked so animatedly about the things he had learnt during his time there; he was a brilliant ambassador for the college.

 

The photo was taken on a very dull and rainy day so you just have to imagine how beautiful it truly looks when the sun is shining through it!

 

The next three photos unfortunately show what is happening to the glass industry as more people choose to buy cheaper imports from abroad.  I can remember visiting this Stuart Crystal site during the 1990s to buy various glass decanters as wedding gifts (I wonder how many jobs were lost when it closed to move to the much smaller premises across the road?)