We are often told the stories of teachers.
Of the gruelling days, the endless marking and sometimes insufficient pay. We hear of the hurdles and tiny triumphs that come with educating our children – but what we don’t hear quite so often, or really ever, are the stories of those who educate young Australians with disabilities.
Katherine Lingard, who has worked at Ashwood Special School in Melbourne’s south-east for five years, is one of those people.
“There isn’t really a typical day in a special school,” the 31-year-old special education teacher tells Mamamia.
“Despite the fact that we live and breathe routine… we need to let go of our control in order to sometimes work with our students and their needs that day.”
Listen: What happens when your daughter, who has Down’s syndrome, grows up? (Post continues…)
While a classroom in a mainstream school will include an eclectic student group, a special school classroom is even more varied. As teachers like Katherine grapple with numeracy and literacy curriculum goals, they also manage a number of complex and sometimes conflicting impairments between students.
While one student might struggle with loud noises, another might struggle with deafness. While some might be easily distracted, others may be intently focused. While some may seek sensory stimulation, others may actively avoid it. Finding a balance – an often elusive equilibrium – that works for all members of the classroom is what Katherine tries to achieve every day.
“In our classroom, we cater for sensory issues, visual impairments, hearing impairments, auditory processing issues, gross and fine motor needs, comprehension issues, as well as a range of other challenges,” she explains.
Top Comments
Thank you for this. As a fellow special school teacher I love seeing our stories celebrated. I love my job and adore my kids, challenging moments and the occaisional hit or bite included. I honestly laugh all day and celebrate my wonderful, funny, amazing kids as I teach them the social and academic skills they need (whether that is counting to 3 or multiplication, reading their name or writing an essay-within the same classroom!)
Positive stories about teaching kids with disability are hard to come by. It's not for everyone, and the skill that goes into it is huge, but if it's for you, you'll never want to do anything else!