Thinking outside the box

Friend: Ruth

Tell me about yourself

I am Ruth Sanders and I teach pupils with a wide range of additional learning needs at a special school in Bryncoch, Neath, South Wales.

How do we know each other?

We met through the fantastic eTwinning programme* which I have now been working on with my pupils for over ten years.

(*eTwinning enables schools in over 44 European and neighbouring countries to collaborate on online projects on topics of their choice)

What did you write to me in the early days of Coraline’s arrival?

I contacted you to say that I thought you would both be fantastic parents to Coraline and that she was a very lucky little girl to have you in in her life.

Talk to me about 'thinking outside the box'

I feel so privileged to have been given the opportunity to work with pupils with additional learning needs.

Prior to making the move to special educational needs (SEN), I worked in mainstream teaching Business Studies, ICT and Leisure and Tourism to pupils across KS3 and KS4. That was indeed rewarding but it was always the more challenging classes that evoked more passion within my teaching.

I wanted them all to achieve to the best of their individual potential and I found that I was getting far more pleasure out of teaching those classes than the high flyers at GCSE.

Individualising and differentiating work became my aim. Why couldn’t everybody have a chance at success? There was far more to offer than a traditional GCSE route.

I began to focus more and more on individual learning pathways finding individual accreditation routes and pathways. eTwinning played a massive part in this as it was so easy to create the inclusive classroom and networking with such enthusiastic teachers at UK and European conferences meant that I developed innovative methods of teaching and learning. I learnt so many Web 2.0 tools that I could incorporate into my lessons.

As a teacher, you're used to teaching, but what have your pupils taught you?

My pupils have taught me to be passionate about what I teach – to teach outside the box. They have taught me that there is no single route to success. The have taught me that just because I plan a lesson doesn’t mean it will actually succeed – there is far more to consider. My pupils come to school each day with a multitude of problems. For some, the fact that they have got to school at all that day is a miracle and well worth celebrating. Others just need that extra bit of nurturing to have more confidence in their own ability.

Again, eTwinning has played a big role here. The projects enable each pupil to play an important part. Our most recent project “Hands of the World” with Sharon Tonner Saunders at Dundee University has been wonderfully inclusive (over 60 schools around the world in a Makaton project). A song goes out with a line for each school to learn at the start of the month which they sign and video, and then all the videos are knitted together into one video with many hands around the world signing the lines.

We have 3 pupils currently at school with Down’s Syndrome and they were brilliant at learning the Makaton Sign Language. The most brilliant thing about working with these three pupils is the happiness they spread within the school. It is infectious. Through this project, they have proved to themselves and us that they can, and will, achieve. Each step is to be celebrated.

What would you like to say to Coraline?

I would like to say “you are such a lucky little girl to have such fantastically supportive parents who I know will encourage you with whatever you want to do in life. There will be so many opportunities out there for you and I know that you will do well.”

Anything you would like to add?

Liz – you are such an inspiration to us all. Just as Coraline is lucky to have you, you are so lucky to have her in your life. Things happen for a reason and your little family is proof of that. You are all made for each other like a little jigsaw puzzle. I am proud to know you!!!