With schools facing a massive influx of children with complex special needs, Eteach.com has launched a new career portal for Special Education Needs teachers and anyone considering working in this challenging but rewarding sector.
The portal from the UK’s leading teacher online teacher recruitment service includes details of current vacancies in SEN schools, what working as a SEN teacher involves, and the range of special education needs pupils may have.
Getting a job as a disabled teacher: Georgina’s story
Getting a job can be especially challenging for disabled teachers, as Georgina Moore’s story shows. She contacted Eteach when she was looking for advice for teachers with disabilities.
Georgina is a wheelchair user with her own personal assistant to help with physical aspects of teaching. She qualified as a Primary teacher last year, but is struggling to get any work, although she’s been with three supply agencies since last September:
‘They say they are trying to find suitable schools, but I fail to believe they still haven't found anywhere with access. One agency openly told me that some schools question how I will manage. I respond to this by explaining I am fully qualified and I wouldn't be doing this if I didn't think I could be a success!
However, I did have a couple of schools throughout my training that openly said they didn't know how I would manage. It wasn't until the end of my placements when they admitted they were wrong and I'd make a brilliant teacher. I do respect it might be a new situation for schools, but until they give me a chance I can't prove myself.’
An insight into special needs: Troy’s story
Recent research from the Special Schools and Academies Trust points to rapid increases in the numbers of children with the most complex special needs, while figures from the DfE show that from 2004 to 2009 the number of children with profound multiple learning difficulties increased by nearly 30 per cent.
Part of the new portal is devoted to giving an insight into the challenges facing pupils with special needs, and includes the story of Troy Hutt, a twelve year-old with severe dyslexia.
Troy was asked to write about his perfect world and what he wished it could be like; his essay, The World is just a Dream, gives an insight into his hopes and fears.
‘There would be no writing, just pictures, no complicated words. Often I can’t remember the words I want….I know the words in my head but I can’t say them.
Dyslexia is difficult to live with, especially when I wasn’t diagnosed, because the teachers didn’t know about it and they thought I was just being lazy…one teacher said I needed to try harder and I already was working my best. It made me cry because I knew I was trying my hardest.’
Eteach’s Paul Howells said: “We’re committed to helping teachers with their career development and I hope that the SEN portal will be useful for anyone interested in SEN teaching, whether it’s finding a great job or providing up-to-date information about the sector. And of course the SEN Talent Pool also gives schools cost-effective access to a pool of enthusiastic teachers who are proactively job hunting.”
The SEN portal is at http://www.eteach.com/special-needs
