Matt B

I joined the teaching profession after working for three years as a social work assistant, supporting children and carers in the care setting both individually and in groups. Using this experience, I chose to follow a career in Teaching specifically choosing a PGCE provider that had a SEN focus, developing my understanding of additional needs having worked in a setting for Autism previously. Within these roles I have developed a passion for developing my knowledge of children placed at a disadvantage, learning through examples such as ‘Trigger Trauma Behaviour’ (Helen Oakwater) or through my open degree that focused on advocacy for children who have experienced multiple ACE’s (Adverse Childhood experiences). To achieve this, I strongly believe throughout my practice that all children have unique talents and strengths that when made explicit to the child, can be the turning point in their selves realising their full potential.

How I teach students with autism

I have worked with and supported children of varying Autistic needs for the last 8 years, from young people who are non-verbal requiring signs alongside total communication to high-functioning children in the care system. In both individual and group settings there are many teaching strategies, but I believe when supporting young people in this context communication is fundamental to any Teaching staff member’s practice, this is often the cause of anxiety and lack of understanding. Furthermore, my teaching practice has informed my skill set in co-constructing the processes and success criteria required that inform each child in the skill being learned. These can and should be applied across the curriculum, enabling a child to independently work out the answers and develop outcomes that are being worked towards.

How I teach Maths

I have experience in teaching Maths throughout KS2, this is a particular part of the curriculum that I enjoy the most Teaching. To achieve this, I have a core focus on ensuring the three strands of physical, pictorial, and abstract representations are evident and available to support the child’s depth of understanding of the concept being taught. I see excellent value within the skills in Maths that are ‘cross-curricula,’ encouraging each student to ‘grapple’ with tasks set that push them out of their comfort zone. Before each area is learned, it is crucial for a child to understand why this aspect of Maths is beneficial later in life, I often questioned the why when I was younger when a teacher did not make this explicit. Bringing Maths to life is key and has had immense success, for example once when teaching area and perimeter the class used this to draw out to-scale plans for a new house build!

How I teach English

Through a passion for reading using high-quality texts, I believe it is crucial for a child to read a text that both excites and is of genuine interest. This can often be the fundamental ‘hook’ that sparks an interest in their comprehension of English, often than willing to explore the varied writing strategies that they can learn that can build rich and varied vocabulary. To support my pedagogy of English within the schools I have taught I enjoy and see the best outcomes when the learning is ‘brought to life,’ children visually and verbally moving and displaying the English task taking place. Recently, to understand prepositions and adverbials for cohesion, children had to ‘act out’ these for others to guess! This supported their understanding and gave opportunities for questioning how we can portray these when we are only able to describe the event taking place in words.

How do I teach children with focus and concentration difficulties including ADHD and PDA?

Understanding the individual’s needs my Teaching in this area has a kinaesthetic approach, maximising a hands-on approach to learning so the task is tangible and visual. Allowing for brain breaks that are specifically tailored to their needs, for example, the use of fine motor activity, each session will allow for an environment that takes the learning at the child’s pace whilst still providing a challenge. For children with a diagnosis or traits of PDA and ODD, it is crucial I am a co-learner alongside the student, an environment created that promotes child-led learning and exploration. To develop this further, the use of questioning is important in creating a relationship that is of equals that can utilise open dialogue to develop understanding. This itself is a fantastic tool for assessment for learning, opening many opportunities where children can create their own outcomes that can integrate many learning opportunities.

How I teach children and young people to develop their independence skills

Through the effective use of hands-on and tangible lessons, I believe an environment that allows for ‘pre-teaching’ supports ongoing assessment and early understanding of an upcoming learning task. When creating ‘Success criteria’, these created together mean children can inform their own learning and strategies, progressing through a task often with independence.

Assessment for learning

Throughout my practice, both within lessons and before, assessment for learning (AFL) takes place. For children with learning impairments, high levels of anxiety, or additional needs, this is important so the learning can be pitched appropriately, which is achievable but also challenging. This also provides opportunities for assessment of where learning has or hasn’t taken place previously in each aspect of the curriculum, providing opportunities for adapted tasks that can be tailored to each child’s individual needs.