The importance of giving clear instructions Have you ever made a really big mistake that you knew was your fault? I think I have made countless errors in my teaching career, but few stick in my memory so clearly as the time Colin, a year 8 student with autism and global delay, wrote the F […]
Colin and the F words – The importance of giving clear instructions Read More »
When is behaviour communication? The topic of behaviour is deeply controversial. Amongst autistic advocates the word is best avoided, and rightly so. Many have had years of others trying to make the behave more like neurotypical people.Amongst some well-known, mainstream educational influencers the idea that behaviour is communication is set aside in favour of the
When is behaviour communication? (always) Read More »
A Letter to my Neurodivergent Colleague I’m so glad to connect with you! When I first started teaching, 23 years ago I thought I was the only one. I certainly didn’t know anyone else in the trade that was dyslexic and bipolar. For the first 17 years of my career, I never met a single “out” neurodivergent teacher.
Dear Fellow Neurodivergent Teacher Read More »
Autism and Sensory Processing This is the story of Nico, a non speaking autistic boy who had just started at primary school. Nico was enjoyed sensory play. His particular favourite game was blowing bubbles to help with his autism and sensory processing. When he had them a sort of steadiness came over him, which I
Autism and Sensory Processing Nico and the Bubbles Read More »
Punishments and Rewards don’t work, so don’t use them. This is the 3rd part of my series of blogs on behaviour. I have promised to talk more about how I became a relational practitioner. And I will get to that, but first let’s deal with punishments and rewards, and why they do not work to
Confessions of a recovering behaviourist Catrina Lowri is a neurodivergent teacher, trainer, and coach. As well as having 22 years’ experience of working in education, she also speaks as a dyslexic and bipolar woman, who had her own unique journey through the education system This is the second blog in the series called ‘ A controversial blog about
A controversial blog about behaviour – Part 2 Read More »
Catrina Lowri is a neurodivergent teacher, trainer, and coach. As well as having 22 years’ experience of working in education, she also speaks as a dyslexic and bipolar woman, who had her own unique journey through the education system. I’m writing this by popular request. I’ve been reluctant. The topic is highly controversial, with many strong and
A controversial blog about behaviour – Part 1 Read More »
Disagreement is a natural part of human interaction. This is particularly the case when dealing with sensitive issues such as the care and education of a child. In this guide we will look 10 top tips which can help prevent conflicts arising or mitigate their effect when they arise. What is open discussion? Be transparent
10 Top Tips for Parents and Educators: managing conflict Read More »
Introduction: In today’s educational landscape, fostering inclusivity for staff with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) is a crucial aspect of creating a supportive work environment for educators. As with pupils, there are 4 main categories of SEND in adults; physical, medical, and sensory needs, cognition and learning needs, communication and interaction needs and social,
School Refusal You can probably tell from the title, that I don’t like the term ‘school refusal’. Firstly, it isn’t accurate. The child or young person is not refusing to go to school. They can’t or won’t go because they have experienced school-based trauma. When I’m talking about this topic, I refer to the learner
School refusal – Who is refusing? And how can we help? Read More »
