David Matthew Baker

Ah that doesn't sound good. I ended up in the Library with 3 of the students from my special school today at the local mainstream. One of them was finding the noise level was hurting his ears and the teacher and support assistant were unfortunatally fighting a loosing battle. It was a case of against one of those students who doesn't believe they have to do a thing a member of staff says. It is the main reason I'm not sure why I still want to become a teacher. I'm not keen on mainstream schools. I can cope with certain types of behaviour but am not really one for the I know all my rights agressive teenager who thinks they rule the roost. Unfortunatally they too often do. You then also get to see bewildered teachers who really don't have a clue. It doesn't help when your best option is I'll send for so and so... I don't know how behaviour can be improved in mainstream but something needs to be done to help staff. Hope you manage to get any issues you are having with the school sorted Bagpuss. I'm just pleased I was mainly in top sets. Seeing some of the bottom sets makes me realise how much more students in them have to fight (and be able to ignore distractions) to stand any chance of peforming well. They are not always the ideal learning environment. That said I have seen some nice targeted S.E.N. classes where students can do well. It is the ones who aren't so able but don't have special needs yet still want to peform I feel sorry for.

upon-Tyne I'm afraid. Bagpuss lives near Middlesbrough. I live near Durham and SV near Gateshead. So to get down to Stoke would be a bit of a treck for us. Though you do have some nice potteries down near you. Does look like been a fairly intermate meet. Will be nice to see the two of you again. Shouldn't have any problems spotting each other either.

My sex (male) might (unfortunatally as I don't believe it should be the case but can see why it is [male role models]) might help me get into a primary scheme. However I expect it would be still easier to get onto a secondary science or physics programme. There are some well funded distance learning programmes for science available. I belive one is from Cambridge. There is also an O.U. PGCE. Only problems with them is I often work best with some motivational help from external sources. At times I'm afraid I can be a bit lazy. At others I go rather over the top.

I'll remember to logon tonight and okay you. It has been quite a while since I last logged on. It's no slight to you I promise. Just not been on PC much at all for a while. Felt fit to collapse each night when I get in of late but I'm enjoying myself again. Which is probably why I end up fit to drop. This school does seem to suite me though. Will make sure I get fit again too. Absolutally boiling (feeling very hot) at the moment as played football at lunchtime and was out most of the morning too. Getting way off topic here though. Don't worry will add you soon. (Can't do it here as Facebook is blocked on the school computers.)

Sounds like a few of you could do with creating a different account for your children to use. That way you could lock down the computers so they can't change any of the settings. If they've discovered control panel who knows what they could do. You can also stop them been able to access the graphics cards properties too. Schools and work places tend to have done this. It annoyed me earlier today as someone had somehow lowered the resolution on one of the schools PCs so that it looked awful. Everything was big and easy to read by I'm used to resolutions at least of the order of by 1024 not of by 800. Hope you manage to get sorted.

I've had a few like that in the past. My facebook account you'd recognise though. Not to mention I haven't been on it for quite a while. It does have a picture of me on it though for anyone who wonders what this uns ugly mug looks like.

I've wondered about middle schools. Main reason I haven't properly considered it so far is that a couple of friends seem to think it would cause me problems if I ever decided to go into mainstream as there aren't many around. The age range however covers the ones I would say I most enjoy working with. I always have liked the lower secondary and upper primary ages. I think because I tend to find these age groups still have some entusiasm left for school which sadly too often seems to go missing by the end of secondary. Early years primary I'm never sure how I'd cope with. I've been okay when in the year groups as support (and actually Class 1 at the special school I work at is one of my favourite groups [only class below it is reception]). I think from talking to others that I could only do my shorter placement in a special school and have to do the long placement in mainstream. I like having a specialism but also like having an active role across the whole range of subjects and helping students progress in general. I guess I need to chew (not literally) on some of the other teachers ears at the special school and ask them what they'd suggest too. Also have one of SVs collegues to phone at somepoint as I also appreciate the advice she has give me in the past. I think the main problem is I thought I'd got this all sorted and now keep been given more and more options. Some of which look like they'd probably work better for me. Do you think the SEN department of my local LEA would be able to offer any useful advice?

Well I'm now confused as what to do. Was trying to get references, etc... sorted to reapply to teacher training this year but now at a bit of a loss what to do. Partially from talking to this specials schools head teacher. He suggest that I could do a part time course and stay on supply at this school. He also seemed to suggest that they would happily let me do one of my placements here (his words were that they have had people do this in the past). I also have been told by other staff that there are permanent positions coming up in the summer. On top of that I'm yet to decide which scheme would be best for me. I'm even back to my old position of trying to decide whether I'm right to go in at secondary. He said due to what my long term plans are in wouldn't make much difference if I train at secondary level or at primary. (Long term plans are to get into special needs as quickly as possible.) The various things to decide seem to be between: Full time and Part time Secondary and Primary All the different courses I've also been wondering whether I might be better waiting a year and going for one of the permanent positions and then changing in a years time to working part time. Will try and fill in some more details later. As you can probably tell I rather feel like I'm right back at the begining of the whole decision process again. Argh!! What is the best route into special needs teaching. What do you have to do on each route to get there?

Still enjoying been back at the special school. Now trying to decide what to do next. Will post a seperate thread later as would appreciate advice. Various things have been suggested and not sure what is my best route now. I can see many advantages for each.

I don't think I have any plans for the 22nd will need to double check but should be able to make it. Would be nice to see you all again. (Students now on free time so don't need any help.)

You should have got a recovery disc with the computer which is what your friend is refering to. Can you give us a bit more information as when you are getting the error message. Might be able to help. Does sound like it is something that is coming up once the system has loaded though. That or the bios. I have seen that sort of error on start up. That is more complex and wouldn't be fixed by a disc. I have had PCs occasionally loose BIOS settings and not know the CPUs setup. This stops them working. It isn't too hard to fix (assuming nothing has gone wrong with the inner workings) but I won't post any instructions unless you confirm it is happening almost as soon as the PC is powered on. If it is the BIOS it can be a bit risky to the workings of the PC if done wrong. I expect if me or BD walked you through it you'd be okay though.

I saw 'Bank Job' at the weekend at the cinema which was fairly good. Not my all time fave heist film but was still entertaining. There are a couple of tempting films out too. Will update you if I see any of them. (Have forgot the names or I'd mention them.)

Presently reading a book called the 'Stone of Farewell' part two in the 'Memory, Sorrow and Thorn' trilogy. (First book is the 'Dragon Bone Chair'). I enjoyed the first one of the series and the second seems to be continuing in the same way. It does seem to be slowly increasing in complexity a bit with the number of parallel events gradually increasing. It is a level I can keep track of at the moment.

Schools can be a bit of a battleground at times. Talking to a friend and from my own experience I gradually have came to the conclusion that all schools face a certain amount of these sort of problems. The thing is how the school deals with them. You tend to find they fit in one of two categories. The schools with a good reputation who often try to brush it under the carpet so it doesn't tarnish their name and the ones who have accepted their is an issue and have put measures in place to try and deal with them. The other problem is just how hard it is to do anything about difficult pupils. Luckily the schools I have worked at have all been very supportive. However you tend to find if you need to report a particular student the responce is we know about that student. However we don't have enough information to do anything more than use the standard internal behavioural policies. Which normally this type of student does exactly what you said Bagpuss. They laugh it off. They don't see it as a punishment. I also know at one of the schools I worked at one of my students (she admitted this to me) deliberatally played upto get sent to the inclusion unit because it was easier than struggling on in class where she felt she was making no progress. This normally happened in one of the lessons where she had no support as the school didn't have (and couldn't afford) enough support staff to place them in all the lessons with the students who needed it. Hence they had to target key subjects (English, Maths and Science) and then select the ones where they thought support would make the biggest difference (Geography was the other subject I spent most of my time in). It also depended on different teachers how you could support the students. I had one who didn't happily let another member of staff into their lessons so instead had me work else where with one student at a time. This means you end up with a number of causes for the worseing behaviour in schools (I'm only 25 and noticed the standards of behaviour decreasing whilst I was at school - talking to ex-teachers they agree with my observations). The problem is there aren't many options for schools to use to deal with problem pupils. The most extreme measures take a long time to be worked through and often mean students get passed around which just means the problems moved else where. The measures imployed by special schools such as rewards for students who behave well are too expensive for mainstream schools to introduce across the entire range. Hence you can only target certain groups which can lead to the other groups feeling undervalued. Then you have issues with students who really need extra support but the school can't afford to put it in place as the students are not statemented. Each of the mainstream schools I have worked at made comments that the number of statements been issues had been seriously slashed which meant they weren't getting the financial support they used to but really the students needed the same level of support. It was just the goal posts that had be moved. Going back further to when I was myself at school (so now speaking as a student) I remember that most of my lessons were fine. Where there were problems tended to be associated with where I was in the lower sets. Hence I think it also depends upon which set you are in at the school. The most disruptive students tend to be ones who end up in lower ability classes. This means that they end up in the bottom sets at school. Which in turn means they are often placed with SEN students. This is an unfortunate situation as I am sure it must have a bearing on the performance of the SEN students and in some cases teaches them bad habits and behaviours. Also some of the 'lower ability' students can actually be quite clever and manipulative. I find special schools in general to be a much more careing and supportive environment. They also have a bit more control over the structure of the classes and don't just have to do it on year group. Hence can setup groups to encourage students to learn. Any way should probably be getting back to work. Keep collapsing when I get in so not got on here of late. Still enjoying it a lot though. Also helps that staff are better trained in special schools to deal with the types of behaviour they are confronted with. The behaviour isn't necessarily easier to deal with but it is usually easier to get support when needed. I had to help seperate two students yesterday but as all knew what to do it was managed fairly quickly without too many problems. Also parents generally tend to be more supportive. EDIT: Had to change computers we were on as a class came in to the main computer room. Managed to claim the mini suite which is where we were meant to be first time.

Been organised is something I need to work on too. I seem to like living at a low entropy. (I.E. a high level of disorder.) I can organise myself fairly well at school (though that is quite a structured environment which helps - as far as I know I'm not ASD) but at home my filing system is a bit haphazard. Only made worse by the fact my mum often trys to help me by tidying it up. Then I really have no idea where anything is. Hopefully you'll get this sorted though. I expect doing a little each day will get you through. Just remember to work at your best you normally need to take breaks (this is certainly true in my case anyway). You also need to make sure you sleep properly. (Dig at self as that was what I was meant to be doing.)

School is still good (those words shouldn't go in the same sentance should they. ). Had quite a varied time so far. Today made a mother's day card (yes all the staff made ones as well as the students - have to remember to pick it up tomorrow or I'll need to go out and buy one somewhere) during one of the sessions and discovered that the PC in the science lab doesn't work properly unless your the normal science teacher. Lots of error messages and won't play DVDs. Dogh!! Also looks like the science teacher will be off longer than initially thought. (He was planning to be back on Monday - Docs told him 2 weeks.) Still it is all good experience for me and one of the permanent support staff acts up as teacher (though I tend to be the point of reference - got asked my opinion various times today but me and that particular support assistant do work well together.) Not so sure of one of the activities I did yesterday but can see how it could benefit the students. I spent the whole afternoon washing up. As I said it is all very varied. Anyways I should be going to bed rather than sitting on here. Tonight was better than the last 2 nights though. At least I didn't feel ready to collapse when I got in so I'm slowly adjusting back to life in the fast lane. First impressions are that things are carrying on from last time and I'm spending most of my time in secondary.

Well at least one forum member could end up very happy then. An unexpected suprise for her if we do. I'm afraid London isn't mapped on my phone so it won't be much help down south. I can bring a GPS if required though. We can then adjust the observatories telescope settings to it's apparent location.

Still looking forward to this. One of my friends might be moving London way to work in 3-4 months. Hoping for an invite if he does. You forgot BDs webcasting role so that everyone world wide can join in the action. Other roles that need assigning: Search Party Meeting Point Creaters (for when someone decideds to hyjack this years meeting point) Telephone Navigatorary Service Talking Clock Astronomer Royal (for our taking over the world plan) Chief Jester Tree Climbing Assistant Squirrel Tamer Tunnel Exploration Party Um what else could we add.

cryptic (urgh. Head hurts thinking about them.)

I can't remember the last time I saw an advert for the particular brand of deodrant mentioned above (it happens to be the one I use but I can assure you not due to its advertising I like the smell of one of the particular ones and it is the only one I have yet found that I do like - happens to be named after somewhere I like to visit too but that isn't why I decided to use it) that I liked. They really get on my wick. The banks adverts with the slogon 'there is another way' also I am getting sick of. Other banks aren't as silly as they make out. Most car adverts are also a bit rubbish. What is it with showing us a load of CG stuff. Surely the idea is we admire the car. Instead you think they have to use CGI to try and make it look good. Boy must it be rubbish. The ones for a phone company that is only one colour of the spectrum (boring) that they put on the start of films at the cinema I go to also get old really quickly. Now to counter it with some ones I do like. The old cylinderical chocolate toffee filled sweets advert with the elephant was a classic. The older one of the Christmas 'Holidays are Coming' adverts with the trucks lighting up everywhere they go through. I also think that the adverts for a bank name after a place beginning with a H are fun. I like the songs and think they are fun. A certain brew knows how to make good adverts too. Would never drink it but love one for potential use in science lessons (edited to remove branding). You know the rythm of life is a terrible thing. Another I used to like but can't remember what it was for was the young girl infront of a truck along with the song search for the hero inside yourself. The new Think! advert with the motocyclist and all the warnings (in all sorts of places) about the hazards coming up I thought was cleaver and more thought provoking than their usual shock and awe tactics. The old adverts could mostly go on the dislike list. Finally the various food adverts from both JS and M+S are rather good. They even manage to make things that I couldn't stand to eat look tempting. That change quickly if I tasted any of it though. Fish, yuck! (I'm a bit fussy when it comes to food though not as bad as my bro and no where near as bad as some children I know.)

Last time I was at the school (where I've just returned to) I played occasionally with the students (all autistic) and had a great time doing so. I'm no good a shooting though so didn't make a difference to me that they made the rule that staff aren't allowed to shoot. That said I'm sure one of my reports made comments about me and ball games and generally not been great. Could normally make contact but not very good at controlling power or directing the ball. Still remember in golf having my own driver and getting made fun of (by everyone including myself and the teacher) for managing to hit it all of 1cm. Opps. That's not to say I don't enjoy playing but my skill levels could be better. Worryingly the game I've played most recently was volleyball and that was a couple of years ago in Kenya. Some how I ended up having 3 out of the 4 P.E. classes. I never did figure that one out. The students did enjoy teaching me though (not really how it is meant to work ). I participated in most of their sport out there but polietly declined the opportunity (when given it by the other members of staff) to participate in the cross country. Running down and at the end up a cliff face for some reason didn't appeal. The rest of the route wasn't much better. I know why African nations are good at such events now though.

Just read your latest update. Glad to hear it sounds like thing worked out in the end. (Must remember not to get addicted to 360 ever again. It's going to take forever to catch up on everything. )

One of my friends keeps telling me I have to watch it. She has also told me not to watch it on TV though as she has recorded them all so far and says I need to catch up first. She is also a scientist and finds all the in jokes very funny. Only comment to me was she wasn't sure it will be to my taste as it has similar humour to Supernova. If you've not seen that you might like to try and locate it. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0452569/ I'll let you know what I think of it (TBBT) when I get around to seeing it.

The new National Treasure is great (agree with you there Bid - not to say I don't agree with you in other cases - sorry in one of those weird moods tonight - now been facetious with myself - don't worry about me too much). Enjoying what I've seen of 'Tales from Earthsea' so far though it is a little slow (on DVD). Enchanted was also very good but that was a little while ago now. Even more likely to make a North East cinema trip now as I'm working in Middlesbrough again.

Lots of people worry when people are late. I got an earful of my mum tonight as I stayed to the after school club which meant I didn't get in till around 6:15pm. Most times I don't think about it so don't think to let others know. That said one of my friends didn't reply to a text yesterday and because I am used to very quick replies off them I decided I had to call to check they were okay because it seemed different to what is normally the case. One way to look at it is it shows you care. At least that is what my mum always tells me.