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SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS
The Mystery, the Myths, and the Magic of the Special School
GERALDINE CONNOLLY PRINCIPAL OF ST MICHAEL’S SPECIAL SCHOOL FOR PUPILS WITH A MODERATE OR SEVERE/PROFOUND INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY, ROSCOMMON For many, special education appears to be so different from mainstream provision that it becomes shrouded in mystery. A teacher in this special school was asked, (in hushed, perplexed tones) ‘Tell me… what do you do all day?’ Visitors to the school comment in surprise, it’s just like a school’. Also, colleagues sometimes express a lack of confidence in their ability to teach in a special school. Declan’s story both epitomises and solves this mystery. Twenty years ago, as a newly-appointed principal, I took a moment to admire Declan performing a sequence of wellpracticed tasks. With limited mobility, a profound intellectual disability, Autism and Down’s syndrome, this non-verbal teenager experienced complex challenges. However, he independently went to the school kitchen and painstakingly unloaded the dishwasher. This task demanded intense concentration and Declan’s reward was to carry his snack tray back to class to enjoy his break. On the way, however, someone hurriedly scooted across in front of him. The interruption was disastrous. He could not continue his routine and could have reacted very negatively. However, Declan turned back and methodically removed the items from his tray. He then proceeded to replace them and resume his journey back to class. Declan’s competence demonstrated effort, application and achievement that far exceeded the task being performed. It is this unique quality of
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learning that encapsulates the mystery of special education. The elusive, but invaluable, distinction between knowing and generalising is vividly illuminated for teachers in a special school. It establishes aspirations that both inspire and challenge. The expectations of teachers and principals cultivate student success. Teachers in special education witness the delicate tension between vital life and social skills with the less imperative, but arguably more important, values of holistic education. Special schools refute the myth that limited ability will automatically limit options. The temptation to make excuses is a slippery slope. It is easy to assert that the national science competition is irrelevant, or the student is not able to attend hurling lessons. Instead, the commitment that no child should lose out by coming to this special school is sustained by exceptional levels of teacher ingenuity and creativity. In many schools, progress is expected rather than celebrated. There is a myth that development is somehow lesser in a special school. For children with an intellectual disability, the teacher becomes a sleuth, constantly watching for evidence of interest or understanding or spontaneity. These opportunities are fleeting, and the teacher is challenged to be relentlessly alert to grasp the moment. However, in a special school everyone has the same focus. This creates a uniquely fertile environment for interaction
and collaboration to flourish. A young boy with complex needs is helped with technology to use his eyes to communicate. A teenager with Autism and an exceptional singing voice can achieve her leaving certificate music exam. Teachers are supported, individually and collectively, to maximise opportunities for the realisation of student potential. Responsiveness to individual needs is very high in special schools. This includes critical placement review that is not so common in a mainstream setting. Students who are doing particularly well may be supported to attend part-time in local mainstream primary or post-primary schools. The co-operation of mainstream schools for dual placement is evidence of the professionalism and inclusivity of their teachers. Pupils struggling in mainstream may have their placements extended by availing of shared enrolment. This is a testament to the magic and the mystery of our special schools. It is the intricate weaving together of a concoction of responses, approaches and strategies that conjures up a powerful and exclusive learning environment for students, a spellbinding endeavour for teachers and an enthralling experience for this school principal. If you would like to get in touch with Geraldine in relation to this article, you can email her at MaryGeraldineConnolly@gmail.com.