Why I do this - and why I've stayed, with Robyn, SEN teacher

Episode 1 of Series 4: Learning from long-term resilience in the sector

In this series, we interview hand-picked professionals from the SEN sector who have been in their job for many years.

This is in response to the ongoing concerns around burnout and staff attrition in the sector. We wanted to record some conversations with long-standing professionals to help us hear and share what helps great people stay.

As we listen to Robyn talking about her work, we noticed a number of attributes that she very naturally models, including:

• professional humility, being ready to name what you don't know and ask for help
• honouring the team - and understanding that good work comes from team, not mavericks or heroes
• leading a team with less hierarchy - leadership as primarily responsibility, not power or authority
• humour - it's such an important resilience factor!
• having a person centred ethos running through the work
• celebrating the uniqueness of the students, and promoting curiosity when a student is hard to understand
• promoting and practicing reflection

Key topics

Emotional regulation in special education

Personalized learning pathways for students with profound needs

The importance of adaptability and flexibility in teaching

Building strong relationships with students over multiple years

Team management and collaboration in special education

Takeaways

Flexibility is crucial; plans often need to change last minute.

Building long-term relationships helps understand students deeply.

Curiosity about students' inner worlds enhances teaching effectiveness.

Using 'I wonder' fosters curiosity and non-blameful inquiry.

Emotional regulation is central to student success and staff well-being.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Robyn Becker and her role in special education

313:51:44 Managing individual student profiles and team collaboration

6694:25:16 The importance of adaptability and responding to change

10055:32:14 The chaotic yet reflective nature of special education roles

13333:18:56 The rewarding moments: student achievements and team growth

20055:32:24 Building relationships over multiple years for deeper understanding

24999:59:09 The significance of emotional regulation in teaching and learning

29972:12:35 Using curiosity and 'I wonder' to improve safeguarding and support

35361:06:00 Communication strategies with students with limited verbal skills

39944:26:09 Managing emotions and de-escalation techniques in challenging moments

46694:26:22 Tailoring curriculum to student interests and future pathways

49916:39:53 The long-term impact of personalized, flexible education approaches