Clark the Teacher
Equity Newsletter April 2003
This is the story about Clark the teacher.
Sometimes Clark teaches at Kelloholm Primary, sometimes Sanquhar Primary.
He also teaches at Kirkconnel ARC and in community education. From time
to time he just does private tuition to the people around him. He may have
done a spot of teaching in health and social work too. His friend Clawdy,
also a teacher, was highly skilled in this area.
What does he teach? He teaches that some people sometimes need different kinds of support. People are taught that being in a wheelchair doesn’t stop you doing the Circassian Circle Dance. Nor does it stop you making friends and enjoy playing with them so much, you don’t want to come in at playtime. It doesn’t stop your friends missing you when you are off school and asking when you are coming back. It doesn’t stop a boy saying, “Playing with Clark is better than football”.
Clark also teaches people that you can be very good at communicating without talking. Clark can say “hello” and “goodbye” without uttering a word. People can tell if he is happy or sad. His friends know this when they help Clark write his news.
Clark teaches people that he doesn’t need to spend time only with people in wheelchairs, or only with people that can’t talk.
Clark has been lucky to have his school, teacher, classroom assistants, other staff and friends to help him be a teacher. If it wasn't for them he would never have had the opportunity to be a teacher, he’d probably be a visitor to the classroom: in it sometimes but not part of it.
Most of all Clark teaches people that he is a nine-year-old boy, a son, a brother, and a friend. He is part of his local community. Inspiring Action has taught me this. Before the course I had a son with severe and complex needs. Now I have a son who is a teacher.
Alison Shankly