Deborah Mackinnon

Mitchelton Special School

​

There are magical moments in the lives of special education students that change everything.

For high school student William Reading, it was learning to nod his head in answer to a question, which opened up a new world of communication.

It was taking his family by the hand to the fridge instead of screaming or crying to show he was hungry.

For Patrick Hambling, it was learning how to “keep his cool” and “roll with” changes. It was getting his self-esteem back.
​
William’s and Patrick’s parents are among those who have written letters to the Queensland College of Teachers (QCT) about the extraordinary difference Mitchelton Special School’s Deborah Mackinnon has made in the lives of their sons, who are in Junior Secondary.

They talk of her endless patience, compassion, determination and skill. Those qualities are just some of the reasons she has been nominated for a QCT Excellence in Teaching Award.

While Deborah’s clear talent in the special needs area has seen her singled out for leadership possibilities, she doesn’t want to leave the classroom.  She talks about those important gains, like William—who is unable to communicate verbally—nodding his head earlier this year in answer to a question.

“It was massive,” Deborah says. “Even just to be able to say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ … it’s a long journey but you have to persist and be patient and that’s what’s happening with William, which is so exciting.”

“He is becoming someone who can actually engage and make eye contact with people and now connects with people because he has learnt that he can have his needs met and be heard, and it is not just functional needs, it is actually social connection and engagement.

“There are very slow and steady gains, but when you step back and you look at the overall picture, they are huge gains and we celebrate the really small things because for a lot of these guys, they are huge successes.”

“There are very slow and steady gains, but when you step back and you look at the overall picture, they are huge gains and we celebrate the really small things because for a lot of these guys, they are huge successes.”

Deborah, who also volunteers teaching overseas, said she had always wanted to work with special needs students.

She has been praised by colleagues for her wide and versatile teaching repertoire, which includes high-technology and low-technology tools.

“For every lesson with the curriculum, you need to create a lot of extra resources and materials to help engage and make it as meaningful as possible for all the different learning needs, so visuals are a huge part of what we do every day; quite individualised resourcing is what it is all about,” Deborah says.

She says while her work is challenging, it is also “hugely rewarding and exciting to step back and just to acknowledge the gains that they have made, not only with curriculum and communication, but with behaviour as well”.

Congratulations Deborah on being a finalist.