Resource Teacher of the Deaf - Helen King

Her background

Helen King is a full-time Resource Teacher of the Deaf who works in early childhood services and schools from her Christchurch base, the Van Asch Deaf Education Centre.

Helen has a Bachelor of Science in Zoology and post-graduate diplomas in teaching and special education (hearing impairment).

After almost ten years’ teaching at home and overseas, Helen decided to switch careers and do a year’s full time study with the University of Auckland paid for by a Ministry of Education study award.

That was four years ago now and Helen’s pleased to have made the career change.

“I enjoy the opportunity to develop a different sort of relationship with a child. It’s more of a one on one relationship. It’s great to get to know and work with them over a couple of years, watching them progress and change.”

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Her story

It’s the scope of her job that keeps Helen King, Resource Teacher of the Deaf, stimulated and challenged.

First up, there’s the wide range of children and young people whose hearing needs vary widely.

Some children, for example, are profoundly deaf with cochlear implants and communicate orally. Others have hearing impairments and use hearing aids and some may use sign language to communicate.

There’s variety, too, in the range of people who support a child, says Helen.

In the early childhood education context, Helen works with early childhood educators, early intervention specialists and health specialists such as audiologists and habilitationalists.

At school, she works with classroom teachers, deaf advisors and special education needs coordinators (SENCOs).

Much of Helen’s role involves helping a child learn within the classroom. She works closely with teachers to adapt the way they teach and identify and set up the tools and resources to make the classroom work well for a student.

At other times, it involves planning and liaising with a range of specialists such as occupational therapists to provide a child with the equipment they need.

Helen also works with children and young people one-on-one to ensure their language and literacy is progressing well.

“I still really enjoy working within schools and interacting with classroom teachers. Having been a teacher gives me that added ability to see the world from their perspective and makes it easier to develop a rapport with them,” says Helen.

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The rewards and challenges

A big reward, says Helen, is the opportunity to specialise in an area of interest and to be supported to do that.

Her employer, Van Asch, has specialist resource staff to give Helen and her colleagues extra help in visual communication, speech and language and literacy if they need it.

Her future aspirations

Right now Helen’s happy where she is. But she’d encourage others to think about a career as a resource teacher.

“For people interested in special education, it’s a very rewarding career. It’s a great way to build on the knowledge of language and literacy development gained as a classroom teacher. I enjoy being able to work closely with students, teachers and families to ensure children have full access to the curriculum”.

Want to speak to someone like Helen about a career as a Resource Teacher of the Deaf? Give us a call on 0800 622 222 or send us an email special.education@minedu.govt.nz [no spam]