Last Updated on 26 May 2021 by Colette
Slowly but surely I think am turning into my Mum . . . for the most part I think this is a good thing! Since becoming a Mum myself my relationship with my own Mum has changed, we’ve become closer and I can see why she made lots of the decisions she did when I was younger.
When I was in Year 9 and preparing to do my first work experience, knowing I hoped to be a teacher, I wanted to work in a primary school. It made sense to me. Mum however thought otherwise. She suggested that working in a primary school wouldn’t really be much of an experience as it wasn’t that long since I’d been there myself. She suggested I should do my work experience in a local SEN school instead. I wasn’t convinced but went along with it anyway.
The week I spent working in an SEN primary school was beyond hard. I remember the first class I was working in had six children, only two of whom were mobile and none could speak. At 14 this was really hard and I just didn’t know what to do with myself. It was definitely a baptism of fire.
It might surprise you to know that despite not particularly enjoying that first experience I went on to work for a local SEN charity for the best part of 10 years after I finished my GCSEs. My Saturdays and school holidays were quickly given over to working on play schemes for children and young adults with special needs. Even working with some of the children from that first class I had worked in two years previously.
My work with SNAPPY was also down to my Mum. She had heard of the charity through a work colleague whose daughter also worked for them. Mum decided that it would be a good use of my Summer holidays and she wasn’t wrong. Aside from the immense satisfaction I got from doing the job and the friends I made – the experience I gained from volunteering was invaluable. In fact I am pretty confident that without SNAPPY on my CV I don’t think I’d have got on my BEd course at Manchester Met – my grades weren’t “up to scratch” compared to my friends but my life experience nailed it for me!
If it weren’t for my Mum setting me off on that SEN path I wouldn’t be where I am today – clearly Mums Know Best!
