When I first embarked on the social entrepreneur path with my organisation Dyslexia Pathways it was often pointed out by friends and advisors that I was not selling my skills and specialisms effectively. For example I never put my list of specialist qualifications after my signature. Even when I was a teacher I never felt comfortable the labels attributed to my work as an inclusion and dyslexia specialist.
When I first started teaching way back in 1995 I felt like an expert well qualified, knows everything there is to know etc. But then I actually started teaching and the more I taught the less I felt I knew lol. The more I worked with the students I worked with the more I learned about teaching, about the individual struggles and barriers people have to overcome etc.
The challenge is exploring of, and finding ways, that will enable an individual to communicate and learn as effectively as they can and achieve according to their potential. Whatever works for them as an individual.
When I first started working as an inclusion teacher I was given the opportunity and privilege to work with four 14 year olds. I hate to use the medical terminology but they struggled with tetraplegia. They all used an array of different methods to communicate but we are talking 1996 here when the tech was not so great.
The biggest problem I had was interfacing their technology to the computer systems within the college. I learned a lot from those students about communication and disability. The next issues was how to teach science, English, maths etc in ways that were accessible to each of the individual students. Here again I learned a lot from the students about how to do this effectively. I think what I am trying to say, in a not very clear way is this.
My qualifications may say I am an inclusion and dyslexia specialist. But I have never considered myself to be one because it is the individuals I work with who are the specialists I learn from them all the time.
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