They scurry across the classroom, tidying pencils, straightening chair bags and picking up stray hats and drink bottles. They comfort carpet burn, bumps and bruises. All part of a day's work as a teacher.
But it is their special charges that set these teachers apart from their peers. Some have physical disabilities; some have intellectual impairments or learning disorders. All of them require a little extra care at school, and their specially trained teachers are there to provide it.
Dr Penny Round, Pierre Gorman Foundation lecturer in special education at Monash University, says a special education teacher is "a regular teacher but with additional specific skills and the ability to teach in a specialist school setting". They have been trained to meet the needs of gifted students and those with physical and intellectual disabilities, including autism, ADHD and other additional needs, and can teach in mainstream schools.
According to a spokesman from the Victorian Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, about 80,000 students in Victoria are classified as having disabilities that require support. "Most of these ... students are in classrooms in mainstream schools, and others are in the Victorian government's 79 special schools," he says.
Various tertiary courses in institutions across the state offer courses and degrees in special needs teaching, but the fundamental points of how to educate children with additional needs remain the same. Dr Round lectures in Monash University's bachelor of education P-10 (special education) course. "The first crucial point is that teachers need to know their students well, know their strengths and teach to them," she says. "All students can learn and be taught, and if students know their teachers have this belief in them, they will often step up to the demands."
In courses such as the one Dr Round teaches, the future teachers are trained in strategies to enable them to help special students fulfil their learning potential, including behaviour management and communication skills.
Other teaching strategies involve the use of innovative, interactive environments and global best teaching practices.
At Bayside Special Developmental School, the Multi-Sensory Environment Room, known as the "magic room" to students and staff, allows students to explore sight, touch, taste, movement, hearing and smell in a controlled environment, reducing the risk of anxiety or pain from overstimulation. The idea for the room was conceived by the school's former principal, Keith Gallagher, based on research into treatments of sensory deprivation in the northern hemisphere.
"The stimuli [are] adjusted to suit the student's preferences and aims to introduce a breadth of experiences which the student can remember, classify ... and request," says Michael Pepprell, the current Bayside SDS principal. "The program is prioritised for students who have difficulty engaging in the curriculum. It was the first of its type in a school in Victoria."
Another strategy employed at the school is known as an intensive interaction, and is aimed at helping socially isolated students to communicate. "The approach is based on supporting the student to become involved in social encounters by using their idea of what is important and interesting," Mr Pepprell says. "For the teacher or staff member, this might involve joining in with the student's patterns of vocal sounds, movements and sensory interests to create moments of shared attention and understanding."
One of intensive interaction's fundamental tenets is that parents can do it, "and indeed many already intuitively use many of the techniques associated with it", he says.
Being taught how to cater for students with disabilities has benefits for mainstream school teachers too, Dr Round explains. "A pre-service teacher is naive if he or she thinks they will not teach a student with additional needs in the classroom," she says. "The student with additional needs may receive funding, but may well not. The needs of the students may not meet the eligibility requirements for funding but still require that the child receive additional accommodations in the classroom."
It is a legal requirement, stipulated in the Disability Discrimination Act and Education Standards, that teachers adequately attend to the needs of all students under their care. To ensure that these requirements are met, special needs teachers – and indeed all teachers – attend professional development courses to maintain their skills. This ongoing development takes place throughout the school year and takes into account recent research on teaching practices.
"Upgrading skills in communication, social skills and technology are ongoing areas of professional development," says Dr Mary Keeffe, associate professor of inclusive education at La Trobe University.
Many of these skills upgrades are provided by DEECD resources. According to the department spokesman, some of these resources include the Inclusion OnLine program, which trains staff in particular disabilities, such as dyslexia and the autism spectrum. "A key focus of the department's commitment to improving education for students with disabilities is providing professional development and support for staff," the spokesman said.
Part of the attraction of attaining a degree in special education seems to be that the qualification allows graduates to confidently teach any student they may encounter, in all schooling environments, Dr Keeffe says. "Students see that what they learn is relevant to the learning needs of all students."
She believes "the specialisation of doing extra subjects in special education will upgrade the quality of teachers", resulting in a workforce more able to teach across a diverse education landscape.
This career path holds other attractions though, as classroom teacher Llywela Boan describes. Ms Boan is in her third year of teaching at Bayside Special Developmental School and says witnessing her students' growth through their classes is one of the best parts of the job.
"Seeing students engaged and immersed in a learning activity or exploration of a new concept is always rewarding," she says.
Special needs wasn't her first career choice; midway through her tertiary degree, and planning a switch to human resource management, Ms Boan was assigned a work placement at Bayside Special Developmental School. "My experience at Bayside SDS changed my perspectives, outlook, goals and career.
"I spent the next six years working as a teacher assistant and learning more about special education whilst completing my two teaching qualifications," she said.
Ms Boan says she was one of only a few tertiary students in her class who were interested in pursuing special education. "There would have only been two or three others who expressed an interest in following [this] career."
The few graduate teachers who are educated in this field has also been noticed by potential employers, including Mr Pepprell, who has found that "having a recognised special education qualification is becoming rarer among our applicants".
Similarly, Dr Round says "specialist schools need teachers with special education qualifications, and it is difficult to find enough teachers with these qualifications. Regular schools, both in the state and the independent sector, are finding it difficult to fill special education positions with suitably qualified and experienced candidates."
A possible reason for the lack of interest in special education could be the apparent challenges of teaching children who require additional care and guidance, and who may not understand or respond to traditional teaching methods. However, Mr Pepprell is optimistic about how this can be managed.
"Challenges occur when there are miscommunications or a variance in perspectives. Providing an avenue where a student can communicate and have some control in the interaction is the key to working through this."
There are other difficulties too, born of the intricate relationships that form between teachers and students. Sometimes the disabilities these students face also come with health problems, which in the worst cases may not be able to be overcome.
"It is incredibly sad when a student passes away – the grief that is felt by the families is shared ... by members of staff," Mr Pepprell says. "While a range of supports are available, I think the loss of connection with those families to the school ongoing is something I personally have found difficult.
"As professionals, we are nearly always in the role of support and tend to always be putting the family's needs and supports as a priority, and when this comes to an end there is often an empty space that is hard to fill.
"It never gets any easier – it gets more difficult every time actually," he admits. International studies have concluded that the burnout rate among special education teachers is high compared with general education teachers.
But with support networks, Ms Boan says, teachers can work through the stress by communicating with peers. "Talking with and having professional discussions with colleagues and peers along with debriefing can be helpful."
She focuses on maintaining a healthy work-life balance, she says, and "spending and enjoying time with the students to ... stimulate my motivation and momentum".
Ms Boan says she thrives on the challenging nature of the role. "As I think there is in any job, there are times that are more stressful and challenging than others. But without these moments the day wouldn't be as interesting. It is this enjoyment and interest, along with the challenges, which get you up each morning."
Although a teacher's job is never easy, innovations in technology can help classes run more smoothly. Ms Boan says new technologies have a noticeable effect in the classroom.
"Interactive whiteboards and iPads have allowed many students who were reluctant learners to engage more easily in the classroom. [They] have also provided students with physical disabilities increased access through touch screens and portability."
Mr Pepprell agrees, adding that a strength of the interactive whiteboard is the way it "provides an accessible mode of social learning".
"The content is able to be shared among classrooms with students with similar interests and needs ... The sheer size and intrusive nature ensures that students are readily engaged [and] the large and colourful fonts assist students who may have visual difficulties."
But much of what helps a class proceed smoothly comes from the teachers themselves, rather than any piece of technological wizardry.
"Being ultra-prepared with plan A, plan B, and plan C always helps," Mr Pepprell says. "Sometimes I think our teachers are bullet proof as they magically turn a potential disaster into a learning opportunity."
"Flexibility is probably the most valuable skill to have as a teacher, as it is impossible to plan for every situation," Ms Boan adds. "Being empathetic is essential, and having a good sense of fun and humour.
Most people don't realise how fun [this job] is ... it can at times be challenging and tiring but mostly it's a lot of fun."
And after 25 years in the industry, Mr Pepprell still finds fulfilment in his job. "There is nothing more satisfying than when I see a student fully engaged in their learning with obvious enjoyment; I see this enthusiasm flow on to the teachers, who are so proud when they share achievements the students have made."
TEACHERS' TIPS FOR FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN WITH ADDITIONAL NEEDS
Use available services and funding.
Seek out other families with children with special needs for information and support.
Work with teachers and other carers to manage challenging behaviour and ensure a consistent approach at home and school.
Look at teaching strategies employed by your child's teachers, and research whether these can also be used at home.
Reward appropriate behaviour and administer consequences for inappropriate behaviour.
Ensure the child understands the concerns about their behaviour and how it can affect others, and what is classified as appropriate behaviour.
TIPS FOR THOSE INTERESTED IN TEACHING SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENTS
Volunteer or find casual work in a special education setting.
If you are currently studying in a teaching course, request a placement in a special developmental school.
Make contact with special education schools to let them know of your interest and learn more about the role.
SNAPSHOT OF VICTORIA'S SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENTS
More than 80,000 students across the state classed as having "special needs".
Students can attend mainstream schools or one of the government's 79 special education schools.
Disabilities can include autism, Down Syndrome, ADHD and other physical and intellectual impairments, as well as being "gifted".
Taught a variation of the general curriculum.
More than 22,000 of these students are eligible for funding from the Department of Education through the Program for Students with Disabilities, which can be put towards resources such as therapies and aid time in school.
