Australia’s Best Teachers: Special education teacher Diana Backhouse helps kids in need

Queensland special education teacher Diana Backhouse revealed how her personal story has helped her dedicate her career to helping children find their unique voice.

Special education teacher Diana Backhouse has dedicated her career to helping children with communication challenges find their unique voice.

Ms Backhouse trained as an early years teacher but was inspired by her son Tim, who has Angelman syndrome, to pursue further studies in special education, specialising in complex communication needs.

“I knew [Tim] was going to remain non-verbal and I wanted to learn how to teach him literacy and how to communicate without words,” the Nursery Road State Special School teacher said.

“Literacy is the foundation of communication. When you know how to read and write, you have the freedom to communicate anything you want to.”

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She now not only uses a range of low and high tech devices to help students find ways to effectively express themselves, Ms Backhouse also provides training for families as well as other teachers working in the field.

“For staff, I conduct workshops on how to introduce alternative communication into a classroom and how to be a good communication partner to those with complex communication needs,” she said.

“Being a good communication partner is so much more than knowing how to point to a symbol and model a communication device.

“It’s about knowing your learner, knowing that all behaviour is communication, it’s about making the assumption that all students are capable of learning how to communicate.

“The workshop for families is all about how to start their alternative communication journey at home and giving them the desire to want to know more of what their child has to say to them above their basic needs and wants.”

Ms Backhouse has been recognised in this year’s Australia’s Best Teachers campaign for her dedication to perusing her passion of prioristing communication with each child in her school community.

Early Years Special Education teacher Diana Backhouse with Shion 4, and Harrison 5 at Nursery Road State Special School at Holland Park. Picture: Lachie Millard

The Courier-Mail has joined forces with corporate partners Officeworks, Teachers Mutual Bank, and Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools to launch Australia’s Best Teachers campaign Sunday, to celebrate the nation’s best educators. It is part of a concerted push to drive greater respect and recognition for teachers.

For Ms Backhouse, having a son with Angelman syndrome – a genetic disorder causing developmental disabilities and nerve-related symptoms – puts her in a unique position where her roles as parent and teacher intersects.

“It has made me an extremely patient teacher because I see the struggles my son goes through in not being able to communicate everything he wants or when his body lets him down and he can’t participate due to his delay in motor skills,” she said.

“Having Tim and seeing how he behaves, reminds me that when we see behaviours in our students, they’re communicating something.

“I also know what home life can be like for parents and it makes me want to help as much as possible and work on goals and strategies that parents can use at home for their children as well.

“I know the education system but I also know the disability system and it has really allowed me to walk alongside the parents of my students.

“I’ve been in their exact position of anxiety for their child, sleep deprivation, medical problems, behaviour problems, tackling the NDIS, worrying about which school to send their child to, and so on.

“I’ve been able to use my examples of advocacy (especially at school) with my parents to give them confidence to advocate for their own children as well.”

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Originally published as Australia’s Best Teachers: Special education teacher Diana Backhouse helps kids in need