If you are wondering what it is like to be working with children with Special Needs, read this post about five things I have learnt as someone supporting them in school.
You might consider working in a school or with children in a different setting.
You might be a curious parent who wants to know how it feels to work with a child like theirs.
In this post, I will discuss all the essential things to consider when working with children with additional needs and how rewarding it is.
My Story
I’m an educator who has worked with children with special needs in a primary (elementary) school.
The school I worked in was a mainstream school with many children with special needs.
Some got individual, one-to-one support throughout the day, and others were more independent.
I worked with individual children with ASD or ADHD diagnosis and also with children with developmental delays and learning difficulties.
Each of them was amazing and unique.
Although it is hard work, it is rewarding to see them make progress and know you are a part of it.
People often tell me it must be difficult and ask why I chose to work with people with Special Needs.
I don’t find it challenging because I’m well prepared and never stop learning.
I keep an open mind, and I’m curious:
- Curious about the children I work with, their lives, feelings, and worlds
- Curious about the science behind what makes them special
- Curious about the latest ideas on how to support them
It is not only teachers who work in school
You can hold different roles and job posts when working with children with special needs in
school.
Primary schools in the UK have teaching or learning assistants, inclusion assistants, pastoral support staff, and speech and language support staff, among others.
Names of the roles may vary as well as the degrees of their involvement with the children.
Some of them work with individual children and support many throughout the day.
Others work with one child exclusively or with small groups of children.
The child’s support should always be tailored to their needs or difficulties.
You can read more about it here.
Today, let me tell you what I have learned while working with children with Special Needs!
5 things I have learned when working with Special Needs Children
1. Every child is different
As an educator working with Special Needs children, I have learned that every child is different.
Each child has unique strengths and weaknesses and requires a personalised approach to help them succeed.
While some children may have similar diagnoses or share common personality traits, it is important to remember that no two children are exactly alike.
This is especially true for special needs children, who often have complex needs requiring individualised attention.
As a special needs educator, I aim to get to know each of my students individually and meet their specific needs to reach their fullest potential.
Just because you know beforehand that child has Autism, for example, doesn’t mean you will know right away how to best support them.
As a special needs educator, it is my job to get to know each of my students and meet their specific needs.
Some of the children I worked with had Autism. Others had ADHD.
But they all presented particular challenges I needed to get to know well and build a trusting relationship with.
This may include adapting my teaching style to suit their needs or working with other professionals to provide the most comprehensive support possible.
It often starts by building trust and good relationships first.
I would begin by simply playing with a child, trying to create a relaxed and fun atmosphere. Once they feel comfortable, I could start incorporating learning and interventions into the daily routine.
It is always challenging, but it is also enriching to see the children succeed.
One of the most important aspects of working with special needs learners is collaborating closely with their parents and other stakeholders involved in their life.
This may include people involved in their EHCP ( known as IEP in the US), team members, doctors, therapists, or other educators working with the child.
Collaborating as a team ensures that each child receives the best possible care and support.
It is essential to have open communication between all involved to ensure everyone is on the same page and working towards the same goal. I wrote about how exactly the school can support your child here.
Working closely with parents and other stakeholders is essential to ensuring that special needs students receive the best care.
By collaborating as a team, we can ensure that each child receives the individualised attention they need to thrive.
I always make it a point to keep open communication with everyone involved so that we all work towards the same goal.
2. You have to be patient when working with children with Special Needs
Another thing that I have learnt is that when you work with special needs children, you have to be patient.
It is because they often have special needs that require individualised attention.
You also need patience because building a trusting relationship with these children takes time.
By being patient, you can help make a difference in the lives of special needs students.
By getting to know each child and their unique strengths and weaknesses, we can better meet their needs and help them reach their fullest potential.
It takes time to get to know a child and for them to trust you.
It’s important to be patient so that you can help the child in the best way possible.
Some children have special needs because they have complex conditions.
This means they don’t think or do things the same way as others.
Some children have impairments and face challenges, meaning they will learn things more slowly and take longer to achieve goals.
Often, some children will present behaviour problems (those with ADHD, for example).
They might have temper tantrums, lie, be avoidant, aggressive, or unsafe.
By being patient and giving them a chance after chance, they learn to trust you.
It shows them that they are worth attention and cared for and boosts their confidence and self-esteem, sometimes resulting in a change of attitude.
3. Be prepared to do the same thing over and over again when working with children with Special Needs
It can be frustrating when you have to answer the same questions repeatedly.
But imagine how much harder it must be for special needs students, who often have to explain the same thing multiple times a day.
This is because people with special needs learn differently and may require more time or repetition to understand and remember things.
I always ensure that I provide plenty of practice opportunities so they can master new concepts more quickly.
By being patient and giving special needs learners extra time and practice, we can help them succeed academically.
When working with children with special needs, we often practice the same thing over and over again every day (for example, in the case of fine motor skills, we can practice cutting every day.
There might not be any progress for days or weeks, but you may notice tiny improvements after a while.
And that is the reality of working with children with special needs – it may take you hundreds of times to make them do one thing before seeing any improvements.
But the reward coming from seeing them succeed is very satisfying and keeps me motivated.
One of the most important things we can do for special needs students is to be consistent.
This means being consistent in our expectations, teaching methods, and support.
It also provides ongoing opportunities for children to practice and repeat new skills.
Being consistent can help special needs students feel safe and secure in their learning environments.
We can also help them build confidence as they slowly but surely learn new skills.
Providing plenty of opportunities for practice and repetition is vital to ensure success.
This will give special needs students the time they need to learn things at their own pace.
4. It’s important to keep a positive attitude when working with children with Special Needs
Keeping a positive attitude when working with special needs students is essential, as they often face many challenges.
Maintaining a positive attitude can help make the learning environment more welcoming and supportive.
We can also give special needs students the encouragement they need to succeed.
It is essential to believe in the success of special needs students, even if it’s going to take a long time.
We need to be patient and consistent in our efforts so that these students can reach their full potential.
It’s important to remember that every child is unique and will learn at their own pace.
Keeping a positive attitude:
- It helps create a positive and welcoming environment for special needs students
- It encourages special needs students to succeed
- It provides special needs students with the support they need to reach their full potential
When we have a negative attitude towards children with special needs, it can often lead to a negative mood in the classroom.
This can make the children less willing to cooperate and even be fearful of learning.
A negative attitude can also lead to a lack of support for special needs learners.
This can make it harder for them to reach their full potential.
It’s important to remember that every child is unique and will learn at their own pace.
A positive attitude can create a more welcoming and supportive environment for special needs students.
And as I mentioned earlier, it may take ages for children to learn a new skill or even to make a tiny improvement.
A positive attitude is needed to support them.
5. There’s no such thing as a ‘typical day’ when working with children with Special Needs
No two days are alike when you work with special needs students.
Every day is a new challenge, and you have to be prepared to go with the flow.
This is because special needs students learn differently and may require more time or repetition to understand and remember things.
However, trying to establish routines and stick to them is very important.
It gives the children sense of security.
They are less likely to be upset if they know what to expect.
The anxious one may react negatively to the fear of the unknown.
But schools are hectic and chaotic as much as the teachers and other staff try to stay organised, ready and have everything planned.
Every day is different, and you never know what to expect.
You never know what might happen, so you must be prepared for anything.
You also need to be flexible because sometimes special needs students might act differently than usual because of things that happened at home.
For example, a child might be upset because of an argument at home or because they didn’t get enough sleep.
This can often affect their behaviour and mood in the classroom.
It’s essential to be understanding and patient when special needs students are having a bad day.
We need to remember that these kids are going through a lot, and sometimes their behaviour is just a way of dealing with the stressors in their lives.
It’s important to remain positive and supportive, so special needs students feel comfortable coming to us for help.
Sometimes special needs students have trouble controlling their emotions because of things outside of school.
It might affect them emotionally in the classroom setting.
This can often lead to behavioural issues.
It might be a tiny (to us) issue affecting their day.
For example, a child with Autism is told to wear blue socks instead of their favourite red ones. This on its own may trigger an avalanche of adverse reactions and feelings and cause them to act out.
Read more about sensory issues here.
As you can see, when working with special needs students, I have to be understanding and patient, especially when they’re not feeling well.
I also try to remain positive and supportive so these kids feel comfortable coming to me for help when needed.
As special needs pupils can often be misunderstood, educators need to have a positive attitude towards them to help them succeed.
It is important to be patient and go with the flow to create a more welcoming and supportive environment for special needs students.
Children with special needs learn differently and may require more time or repetition to understand and remember things.
Providing plenty of opportunities for practice and repetition is important to ensure success.
If you’re an educator working with special needs students, please share your tips for supporting these kids in the comments section below. Let’s work together to create a more inclusive learning environment for all!
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