I liked your article about ‘SPECIAL’ very much. Perhaps we need to work out and apply fundamental principles and overall approaches across the board .
For example, I really think it is time to regard all learners of all ages as ‘challenged’ in different ways and also ‘special’ in different ways including the ‘academic’ ones.
Teachers might have a general aim of helping all learners towards surviving in life and being as reasonably ‘happy’ as they can be. This should also include those especially talented in certain ways, who are neglected within the system.
The ultimate judge of their own happiness should be the learner, not just by what they say but how they evidently behave.
Teachers can be catalysts for developing potential by recognising and researching learners’ abilities, interests and motivations with them in the light of the curriculum- whatever they may be. They can do this by using professional programmes adjusted appropriately by insights gained through experience and research data.
Parents should also be recognised as having a special role as kinds of teachers, supporters and data collectors.
Everyone’s opinion is important even when and perhaps especially when we don’t immediately agree.
Education is complicated and of its nature is constantly updated by diverse sorts of people for their own purposes.
We need to learn to research and adapt as we teach. Good teachers can already do that, but need to collect data and justify their work to those who do not understand the nature of the task.
inco14 
I liked your article about ‘SPECIAL’ very much. Perhaps we need to work out and apply fundamental principles and overall approaches across the board .
For example, I really think it is time to regard all learners of all ages as ‘challenged’ in different ways and also ‘special’ in different ways including the ‘academic’ ones.
Teachers might have a general aim of helping all learners towards surviving in life and being as reasonably ‘happy’ as they can be. This should also include those especially talented in certain ways, who are neglected within the system.
The ultimate judge of their own happiness should be the learner, not just by what they say but how they evidently behave.
Teachers can be catalysts for developing potential by recognising and researching learners’ abilities, interests and motivations with them in the light of the curriculum- whatever they may be. They can do this by using professional programmes adjusted appropriately by insights gained through experience and research data.
Parents should also be recognised as having a special role as kinds of teachers, supporters and data collectors.
Everyone’s opinion is important even when and perhaps especially when we don’t immediately agree.
Education is complicated and of its nature is constantly updated by diverse sorts of people for their own purposes.
We need to learn to research and adapt as we teach. Good teachers can already do that, but need to collect data and justify their work to those who do not understand the nature of the task.
Jenny Hawkins
website: jahawkins.co.uk