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The love, laughter and the life of raising a child with special needs.

Teachers are not doctors.

5/26/2014

1 Comment

 
I am a teacher. During my PGCE, the qualification that qualifies me to teach in the UK, guess how much training I received in recognising and teaching children with special needs? 

One day. Well, I say a day, but it was my afternoon lecture, so 2 hours or so. I was then given an assignment where I had to get into a group with three other students pick a disability (didn't matter which) and present it back to the class, so that they could learn about it. 

19% of children in the UK (18% in the US) have some kind of disability or learning difficulty. 

So when I hear other parents of children with special needs complain that teachers don't know what they're doing, or grumble that their child's difficulty wasn't recognised sooner, I feel angry for the parent, yet sad for the teacher. Qualified doctors sometimes fail to recognise disabilities and difficulties in children, so teachers stand no chance. 

If your child has a teacher that does understand their needs and is able to accommodate them - be grateful. If you don't, don't feel as though you are passing your place by providing information that can help them to better understand your child's needs and your child. A good teacher wants to be able to reach and teach every child in their classroom. 

You might not have a teaching qualification, but nobody knows your child like you.
1 Comment
Monica Harvey Palmer link
8/12/2014 11:56:36 am

So very true...kudos!

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