Learner Profile: Karen Slater

Special Educational Needs

Karen has been attending Macbeth for more than 10 years but the last year meant she wasn’t able to continue with her normal classes and really missed the community, so was very keen to join our @Home courses.

She does so many classes she never gets bored and enjoys all the zoom classes she attends. She likes seeing other learners, making things in Crafts with Holli and moving and dancing in AMICI dance class with Wolfgang and Lynne, the only issue is that they don’t play her favourite Rap music, which is full of bad language!

It was hard at first because we didn't know how to use the computer. I thought we would be back in college after a few weeks, so I am surprised that we are still learning online a year later.

Then we changed to a tablet which is easier because I can tap the screen instead of using a keyboard. I like seeing Lynne, Wolfgang, Julia, Antonia and Holli. My favourite subjects are drama, dance, yoga and art.

Karen Slater

 

Karen taking part in the online activities

Karen is supported by her father Gordon and her support workers Millie, Josephine and Rose. At the start of lockdown she struggled with her computer at home but was soon supported to have and use an iPad, which made everything a lot easier. The support she receives at home, to take such an active part of our @Home courses, is excellent. 

When classes were suspended in February 2020, like everyone else we expected it to last a few weeks. Karen really missed the opportunity to travel independently to college, enjoy meeting her friends and use the canteen. In the summer term, using Zoom was difficult because the computer we lent Karen was inadequate and the broadband too slow. For the autumn term she had an up to date tablet, her own email account and a bigger data allowance, and her support workers found the tablet easier to navigate and encouraged Karen to join the online classes. Now the classes are an important part of her routine, but she still cannot wait until she is able to get back to college in person!

Gordon Slater

 

Karen receiving her certificate of completion