SEN/Learning Support Coordinator Position

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Teacher2016
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Joined: Thu Jun 02, 2016 7:54 am

SEN/Learning Support Coordinator Position

Post by Teacher2016 »

I am interested in pursuing SEN/Learning Support coordinator positions. I know that typically only larger schools have such positions. I currently work internationally as a learning support teacher for grades k-12 and have about 10 years experience between schools in my home country/international. I was wondering if there is anyone on the forum who holds this position that could talk a little about what their duties entail, how it effects their teaching load, required/beneficial experience etc. Thank you!!
wrldtrvlr123
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Joined: Sat Feb 06, 2010 10:59 am
Location: Japan

Re: SEN/Learning Support Coordinator Position

Post by wrldtrvlr123 »

Lots of threads on the subject if you do a search. This had addressed most of your questions:

http://internationalschoolsreview.com/v ... +education

It's not true that only larger schools have LS programs. Many/most smaller/lower tier schools will also have some type of program even if it is only one teacher (which would impact your work load/expectations.
Teacher2016
Posts: 6
Joined: Thu Jun 02, 2016 7:54 am

Re: SEN/Learning Support Coordinator Position

Post by Teacher2016 »

Thanks for you reply and the information. I am aware that LS programs are at schools of all sizes (I am at a small school) I just think an actual coordinator position is more common at larger schools. I technically "coordinate" our program but I am just coordinating myself and my TA's. I was just curious about this role in larger schools where there are multiple LS teachers working and more coordination needed across the school
PsyGuy
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Location: Northern Europe

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Post by PsyGuy »

@Teacher2016

I think @WT123 may have responded too reflexively to your inquiry without critical reading of your post.

The job had a wide range of tasking, in moderate sized ISs its more a HOD position with a partial teaching load, and you get some measure of release time for administrative tasking. In ISs there isnt a mandate to do any particular type of production tasking, the duties can be as simple or complex as an IS and leadership want them to be. Your duties might amount to some light file management, serving as a resource/contact point, managing some aspects of TAs, evaluation and progress meetings and student intervention. Of course teaching load for an LS/SEN/SPED/LD IT is more flexible than a fixed general classroom IT, you might be in the resource room a lot working with students, but can step aside to handle something if required.

In large ISs its often a junior or senior leadership position and your administrative duties are the entire job. At the senior leadership level you have tasking authority over staff and at the junior leadership level you have evaluative authority over staff. Often you work with the counselor and out of those suite of offices as opposed to the resource room. You also generally attend the leadership meetings which will take up most of your time. The only frustrations are really parents (including class parents, grade parents, and parent parents), especially when one of them is part of ownership. You will work more with the counselor than you will your ITs, as most of the job is just a specialized aspect of being a counselor. If you have good ITs with IS experience you can leave them on autopilot. You dont have a lot of production to oversee, or adaptations/modifications or curriculum you need to deal with. You essentially say yes a lot and nod when youre asked something.
Teacher2016
Posts: 6
Joined: Thu Jun 02, 2016 7:54 am

Re: SEN/Learning Support Coordinator Position

Post by Teacher2016 »

Thank you! This was just the information I was interested in!
Walter
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Location: UK
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Re: SEN/Learning Support Coordinator Position

Post by Walter »

I think @WT123 may have responded too reflexively to your inquiry without critical reading of your post.”

I like this, Dave. Was one of your many degrees in “Condescension” with a Minor in “Patronising”?
Teacher 2016, you need to take this advice from @psyguy with a huge sackful of salt. Dave always likes to write in certainties, as though he has experience of every facet of international education. Learning Support is one of many areas where he speaks with absolute surety and precious little knowledge.
You will find a vast range of LS models in international schools. At the bottom of the pile is the band aid approach where you help kids stay in school (by doing their homework with them, organizing their books and mopping up their tears when things go wrong) so that parents continue to pay tuition fees).
At the other end of the scale, you will find schools with large, specialist departments, complete with ed psychs, speech and language pathologists and occupational therapists, and where the school has “inclusion” as part of its mission. In situations like this, you will find a level of sophistication, resourcing and care – and expectations – ahead of provision in state schools anywhere.
And you will find all kinds of other scenarios in the schools in between.
Much of the stuff below may be categorized as the crudest of generalizations or, more often, plain misinformation:

“In large ISs its often a junior or senior leadership position and your administrative duties are the entire job. At the senior leadership level you have tasking authority over staff and at the junior leadership level you have evaluative authority over staff. Often you work with the counselor and out of those suite of offices as opposed to the resource room. You also generally attend the leadership meetings which will take up most of your time. The only frustrations are really parents (including class parents, grade parents, and parent parents), especially when one of them is part of ownership. You will work more with the counselor than you will your ITs, as most of the job is just a specialized aspect of being a counselor. If you have good ITs with IS experience you can leave them on autopilot. You dont have a lot of production to oversee, or adaptations/modifications or curriculum you need to deal with. You essentially say yes a lot and nod when youre asked something.”

As for you, I would say that if you are good at this stuff then you should target your application to a school and a region that suit your skills and desires best. Learning Support is one of the growth sectors in our schools and many heads are out there actively recruiting quality teachers.
mamava
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Joined: Sat May 11, 2013 7:56 am

Re: SEN/Learning Support Coordinator Position

Post by mamava »

I've worked at 3 international schools at 2 different levels (including elite) and on 3 continents. I've never had a coordinator. At one school our school psychologist was the head of the learning support department, but most of my work was coordinated through my principal--the testing, accepting/exiting in the program, and processes were overseen by the psych. My current school we are technically under the direction of our curriculum director--we have a person who is a part-time counselor that also does "coordinates" as well as a school psychologist, but again, most of my work is managed through my division principal. In the States the coordinators had much more influence as administrators--overseas, I haven't seen it as much.
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