Seven years on: revisiting my ‘special’ pedagogic creed
FORUM - Print ISSN 1474-7685 - Online ISSN 2047-7171
Volume 68 Number 1 (2026)
Seven years on: revisiting my ‘special’ pedagogic creed
Lee Calderbank pages 105‑114
DOI: 10.3898/forum.2026.68.1.09
Abstract
Seven years after first articulating my pedagogic creed for a master’s in education, I revisited this text while drafting my EdD literature review on special educational needs (SEND) pedagogy. This article reflects on how my extensive teaching career in both mainstream and special schools, alongside my life experiences, has reshaped my understanding of effective teaching. I reexamine my original ‘SLEUTH’ framework (scaffolding, listening, ears, understanding, time, hope), integrating newer ideas – particularly holistic education – as a more fitting final element. Through this reflection, I argue that my ‘special’ pedagogic creed, though born from a SEND context, offers universally applicable principles for understanding students deeply and fostering their whole development.
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To cite this article
Lee Calderbank (2026) Seven years on: revisiting my ‘special’ pedagogic creed, FORUM, 68(1), 105-114 . https://doi.org/10.3898/forum.2026.68.1.09