“I realised before my career even began that one of my missions in life was to work with SEND students. During my first ever teaching opportunity at the age of 15, I was warned about some ‘naughty students’ in my class. I quickly realised that these students were not as described, but rather it was the case that they simply learnt in a specific way that teachers had not been honouring. Taking a little time to understand how they learnt best, and then giving them the tools they needed to learn with, allowed for not only behaviour to be perfect but better still nobody in the room even knew that any special measures were being taken.
Since then, I’ve tackled each class and student-case with the mentality that absolutely everyone can dance. From those with physical ailments, to those who just learn differently. From those who have self-proclaimed ‘two left feet’, to those who are unable to access their feet. It’s my job to find the ‘How’.”
Brian has taught movement sessions in person and online to those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) for 17 years.
He has developed a practice that is truly inclusive, and a dance class template that reaches every need that he has come across. These sessions are about hitting developmental targets, providing opportunity to make choices, improving in confidence and ultimately having fun.
Choice is key in these sessions as many SEND students lack the ability and/or accessibility to make everyday choices in their lives eg choice of clothing, choice of food, choice in where they go etc. Small opportunities to choose the next song, activity, routine etc are scattered throughout.
Brian teaches as a freelancer and also for the Royal Academy of Dance. He also delivers CPD training sessions to fellow educators on how to make their dance/movement/PE sessions more inclusive.
I'm in the process of developing SEND video content to form a social media presence for that strand of my work (Move to Include).
