LET'S TALK. Gill Pote's Speech and Language Therapy Room

03/11/2025

Via Edutopia

Love this.

01/11/2025

Highly recommended.

01/11/2025

Thanks for sharing Talking Talk

31/10/2025

29/10/2025

A TIME TO STAND UP

This morning, I attended what should have been a constructive meeting — a space for teachers, parents, and professionals to come together in support of a child with special educational needs (SEN). Instead, it became an unsettling experience marked by hostility and personal attack - A personal attack by a ' professional' team and Deputy Head of a primary school.

What unfolded in that room was more than unprofessional behaviour — it was a reminder of how easily the purpose of such meetings can be lost when defensiveness replaces dialogue. The goal should always be collaboration in the best interest of the child. Yet too often, those advocating for inclusive practice face resistance, discomfort, or even aggression.

The moment that has stayed with me most was witnessing a mother’s courage. She spoke up passionately for her child — as every parent should feel empowered to do — but left the room feeling shaken, unheard and dismissed. It was heartbreaking, and it underscored a critical truth: parents need to be supported, not silenced and humiliated.

Families navigating SEN are already carrying an emotional load that most can’t see. Meetings meant to plan support should be spaces of partnership and trust, not intimidation. As professionals, we must do better. Every child and parent deserves to walk away feeling valued and respected, even when conversations are difficult.

I share this reflection not to dwell on the negative, but to advocate for change — for empathy, communication, and shared responsibility in education. AND FOR PROFESSIONALISM.
True inclusion requires courage from all sides: to listen, to learn, and to prioritise the child above all else.

Advocacy is not about opposition — it’s about insisting on fairness, dignity, and the right kind of support for every learner.

Leave egos at the door.

From My Room🩵

With a heavy but determined heart.

Always,
Gill

26/10/2025

Such a prevalent problem. It's time to change THE system.

There’s a growing narrative that children missing school are simply refusing to attend — and their parents need to “get a grip.” But that story ignores thousands of children whose non-attendance is rooted in trauma, anxiety, sensory overload, or unmet SEND needs.
These children are not skipping school. They are avoiding pain.

When a child’s body says “No more”
For many neurodivergent children — especially autistic students, those with sensory processing differences, PDA profiles, or mental health difficulties — school can be overwhelming:
• Noise that feels like physical pain
• Rigid behaviour systems that punish distress
• Social pressures they can’t navigate
• Environments that feel unsafe or unpredictable
They want to learn. They want to succeed. But their nervous system is in survival mode. Calling this “school refusal” is misleading and wrong. Often, it is school-induced trauma.

The harm of a one-size-fits-all attendance push
Current political messaging treats all non-attendance as the same kind of problem. The result?
✅ Children in crisis are fined, labelled, and pushed harder
✅ Parents who are advocating nonstop for support are blamed
❌ The root issues — lack of appropriate provision — remain untouched
Children become statistics instead of individuals.
What These Children Need Instead
✔ Trauma-informed, flexible education
✔ Sensory-safe environments
✔ Recognition of anxiety and neurodivergence
✔ Collaboration with parents (not punishment)
✔ A placement that fits the child — not the other way around
Attendance improves when school is a place a child can actually cope.

A better narrative
We must stop treating these families as the problem. They are doing everything they can to protect their child. The real issue isn’t that these children won’t go to school. It’s that the school system hasn’t yet found a way to welcome them.

Let’s fix the system — not the children.




*

24/10/2025

Just Hold My Hand

She’s nine.
She’s been in school for three years.
On paper, everything looks fine.
Report cards. Smiles. Progress.
But today I saw the truth —
She’s been missed.
She’s been masking.

When I asked her to read, she looked at me with quiet fear
and whispered,

“Just hold my hand.”

So I did.

And as she tried — slowly, bravely —
I realised again: learning doesn’t start with lessons or sessions.
It starts with safety.
With trust.
With someone who stays beside you.

Every child deserves that.
A hand to hold.
A space to try.
A chance to be seen.

To every teacher, parent, therapist and helper —
pause, look closer, listen gently.

Sometimes the smallest words,
like “Just hold my hand,”
speak the loudest truth. ❤️

From My Heart
From My Room

Today was heavy 🩷

15/10/2025

For my local FH families.
What a lovely initiative 📚📚📚

📚✨ Calling all Tweens! ✨📚

Do you love stories, sharing ideas, and meeting new friends who love books as much as you do? 🤩
Then join the Fish Hoek Library Book Club for Tweens!

We’ll be reading, chatting, laughing, and diving into awesome books together over November, December 2025 and January 2026! 💬📖

🧡 Age Group: 8–12 years
📍 Venue: Fish Hoek Library Hall
🕒 Time: 15:00 – 16:30
📅 Every Wednesday

Spaces are limited — we can only accommodate 10 kids, so make sure to register soon! 🏃‍♀️💨

Sign up at the library desk, email us at 📧 fishhoek.library@capetown.gov.za
, or call Zaakiya on ☎️ 021 400 7101.

Let’s make reading fun, creative, and all about you! 💫

15/10/2025

💔 so beautifully worded.