The most important qualification I have is many years of experience working with children, as many teaching assistants do. We are childcare apprentices. The only thing is our apprenticeship is ever lasting. Teachers are there to teach, and we are there to support them, by observing what’s going on around them in class. We are the eyes in the back of their heads.
I was not born to be brave, compassionate, caring, tolerant and patient, I was given the opportunity to learn these qualities through life, and by looking after children. Over the years through a need to support children with special needs, I have endeavoured to support children to reach their full potential.
Within School I have held workshops to enable staff in schools to start their own screening and exercise programmes. One of the most important times at these meetings was when staff talked and shared experiences and knowledge.
This website will give you the opportunity to ask questions. If I don’t know the answer someone else may help, or I will find out for you. Many parents feel isolated as they feel they are the only ones experiencing difficulties.
Many books and websites give you information and definitions about Dyspraxia. You can attend centers at a price, and if you have the finance to be able to do this, that is fine. But many Parents are vulnerable and emotional because of a child’s special needs. They should never be put in a position of financial burden and guilt that they couldn’t afford this option.
I read recently that in Europe they have just 1% dyspraxia in children. They start school at 6-7 years old when motor skills are developed. Our children,start at 3 years old and are expected to follow the national curriculam. Childrens motor skills have not had a chance to develop yet they are expecting to learn when their brain isn’t ready.I have letters from all over the world asking how much speech therapy their child needs when they are 2 years old. UGGHHHH! let children grow at their own speed.
Hi
my name is Helen Jones. I have 3 sons aged 22, 20 and 18. All boys are lovely, kind, and gentle with a great desire to be liked. Unfortunately they did not get along well at school, all 3 having band 5 statements. they all have atrocious handwriting and have never shown a great interest in playing sports. They all found maths the most difficult concept to grasp. School was extremely difficult as despite coming from a fairly educated background they were all consigned to the lower streams and were often isolated and bullied. Despite a great deal of support from both myself and my husband and being fortunate enough to attend an excellent small comprehensive school where they were to some extent ‘protected’ from the more agressive elements of society both older boys hold driving licences (even though it took them a large number of occasions to get after many many more lessons than their peers) and the younger one is hoping to take his driving test before the end of the year.
Our older son works in a factory, doing a mundane job. our middle son has been out of work for almost a year after leaving college where he had limited success in hospitality and despite attending countless interviews has so far been unsuccessful in getting a job. Youngest son is hoping to be taken onto a government training course soon.
All boys still live at home, have very few friends.
We did initiate some basic genetic counselling to find out if there was a problem but nothing ever came to light. I recall our eldest son being screened for dyslexia at approx 7 years old but was found negative.
Having read your article in the Yorkshire Post (27 August 2008) I really think that they might all have an element of dyspraxia. is there anyway that tests can be done? I have printed off the exercises you suggest for younger children and recognise some as those my 2 younger sons did at school with their learning support teachers.
If you have any thoughts on the above I would be most interested to hear from you.
Kind regards
Helen Jones
Helen Thank you so much for your response so quickly and especially reading the article. I am delighted at how Daniel Radcliffe has high lighted Dyspraxia and I am desperately trying to contact him as he has such a high profile it would be great. The reason I started all this (if you look at my web site) is because my son was statemented for Dyslexia and I now know he had Dyspraxia. He is 27 years old now and he is still at home. And we have had all the same problems. Fortunately he went to college and trained as a chef but did verbal exams as his writing was so bad. He never pursued this and is in building, but it gave him 3 years of making friends and achieving as a chef. As for interviews as dyspraxics stuggle with processing quickly interviews are atrocious as new information is thrown at them quickly and the cant answer quickly enough and like most the ignorant interviewer will imediately think they are slow. If you were to write to them explaining that they were Dyslexic(it is more acceptable and known) they would have to by law let you give written answers and hopefully see what an assett your son would be.Please read my book as I wrote it to try and help parents like myself who had no one to help them. You may find yourself seeing your children in the cases I write about and this will give you the screening you need. E-mail me any time as it helps to share problems.
I have taught English in the classroom and have come across
quite a number of pupils with reading and handwriting problems.
If you know of some text or tape that explains Dyspraxia I
would like to purchase it.
I am sure it would enlighten my teacher friends and myself
and thus benefit the pupils ultimately.
Frank
Frank! are you the gentleman I wrote to following a letter you sent me. How are you? I have written a book that explains all this, if you send me your address again I will send you one or you can buy it directly from the publishers which is on the “My book and workshops” blog. I have just given a talk to staff at Dewsbury and I have been able to pass on my knowledge to a few more. The more people that understand Dyspraxia the better it is for children.