Late Start 2011

I have thought many times that I must add some posts but time seems to have got away on me.
This year I have a very different and major component to my job: - being the specialist teacher for 3 very high level special needs 5 year old children. It is very challenging as I have had no experience at all with children with such a high level of needs. So far the support I have received has been great, and it's been very much a 'learn as you go' start to the year. The major aims for these children at the beginning of the year are for them to be present at school and become familiar with routines. So far all 3 children appear to thoroughly enjoy school and are beginning to join in with many of their class routines. What would seem to be very minor achievements for most children are major advances in learning for these children. Encouraging and praising other members of the team (particularly the class teachers and teacher aides) is really important as the day to day routines and care aspects are very demanding and sometimes unpleasant (e.g.toileting changes).
Tomorrow is the first of the IEP's for 2 of the children.