Sometimes, all it takes is a different face… a different voice… a fresh approach.
And suddenly, something clicks.
I was recently teaching a PE session at a special needs school, and one little girl made me smile and reflect all at once.
We were mid-way through the session and I noticed she’d quietly wandered over to my kit bag and started rifling through the sticker stash. I’d already explained (with the help of a visual timetable) that stickers came at the end. But there she was—lying on the floor, happily examining the stickers while the rest of the group finished the session.
When it came time to hand them out, I gently asked for them back. I tried all the tools: asking if she’d like to help give them out, if she’d chosen one for herself, a little negotiation here and there… but she wasn’t budging.
Another member of staff happened to walk through the hall and, within a few minutes, managed to connect with her in a way I hadn’t. They agreed to each take a sticker and handed the sheet back to me, job done. Perhaps it was her calm energy. Perhaps it was her beautiful Scottish accent. But whatever it was—it worked.
The real irony? Just 20 minutes earlier, this same girl had been the most engaged I’d ever seen her.
We’d been playing our familiar animal movement game—where the children move around the space like different animals. We do it every week, and over time, the children have begun suggesting their own ideas. That day, for the first time, she proudly said “crab” and made perfect pincer shapes with her hands. My heart nearly burst.
So yes, this session felt like two halves.
In one moment, she was fully engaged, imaginative, connected.
In the next, she needed something different that I couldn’t give in that moment.
And that’s okay.
The Takeaway?
Whether you’re a teacher, coach, or parent—sometimes it isn’t about getting it “right”. It’s about recognising that what works one day (or one moment) might not work the next.
That’s especially true for our SEND children. Flexibility, variety, and connection are everything. And sometimes, it takes a fresh face or even a different energy, for it to click.
It’s why I never teach Roarsome Sport sessions like a script.
I come prepared… but I stay open.
Because what they need is not always what I planned.
And that’s where the magic happens.
👉 If you’re looking for simple, supportive ways to help your child move more at home, my free Sensory Movement Toolkit is a great place to start. It’s full of easy ideas, sensory-friendly activities, and tips to build movement into everyday life.