Teachers Themselves

Top Tips for SNAs with Magdalena Landziak

• Dublin West Education Centre • Season 1 • Episode 5

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Do you want to be the change that you want to see in the world? Meet Magdalena Landziak, a special needs assistant (SNA) who's doing just that. 

Join our host, Ultan Mac Mathúna, as he chats with Magdalena, an experienced SNA in a Primary school in Co. Limerick. From her beginnings as a teacher in Poland to creating a national magazine for SNAs (AMYGDALA) in Ireland, Magdalena's story is a narrative of determination, innovation, and deep understanding of the distinct challenges that special needs assistants face. She has taken this understanding and created a platform that empowers SNAs with the necessary tools to serve those who depend on them. 

As we unravel her journey, you won't want to miss her insights on the crucial role of SNAs in our society. Magdalena's vision for the future of the profession is as inspiring as it is necessary, as she emphasises the importance of being technologically savvy and the need for additional CPD around autism. 

In this episode, Magdalena provides her top 3 CPD tips for SNAs planning for the academic year ahead. You can listen to her recommendations in a bite-size, separate short bonus episode. 

Magdalena’s CPD recommendations for the year ahead, are for Assistive Technology, Autism and Wellbeing. Luckily for you, we have you covered! You can book CPD this Autumn with dwec.ie and Magdalena:
Challenging Behaviour. Strategies for SNAS
The role of an SNA while supporting students’ well-being
Mood Matters. Wellbeing webinar for SNAs
Dismantling Culinary Culture with Neurodiversity. The role of SEN teachers and SNAs while supporting students acquiring life skills

You can follow Magdalena on Instagram via @sna_zone 

And you can find more information on her magazine for SNAs, AMYGDALA, here: www.snazone.ie 

 

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If you have any thoughts on our episodes, or suggestions for future topics, email Zita at zrobinson@dwec.ie
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Oh – and don’t forget to book that CPD – dwec.ie

Teachers Themselves is a DWEC original, produced and created by Dublin West Education Centre produced by Zita Robinson.

Ultan Mac Mathúna:

I'm your host, Ultan Mac Mathúna. This podcast is brought to you by Dublin West Education Centre. We're located in the grounds of TU Tallaght, serving and supporting the school communities of West Dublin and beyond. In this podcast, I'll be speaking with some of the very talented, dedicated people who bring you your CPD. Facilitators with a background in passion for education in Ireland. Educators whose commitment to students and colleagues shines through in their delivery of courses for Dublin West Ed Centre.

Magdalena Landziak:

This is my approach, and my approach in general towards education is that if you want the change, you have to be the change.

Ultan Mac Mathúna:

My guest today is Magdalena Landziak. Magdalena works as a special needs assistant in a primary school in County Limerick, where she's been for over seven years supporting children with additional needs. She is the editor and publisher of Amygdala, the first national magazine for SNAs, which she created to support and empower SNAs. Magdalena has a deep understanding of the unique challenges that special needs assistants face and through the magazine, she makes sure that the SNAs have the tools they need to serve those who depend on them. The monthly publication is dedicated to providing the latest information, resources and strategies in the field of special ed.

Ultan Mac Mathúna:

Magdalena graduated from UCD, finishing the national training program for SNAs, receiving a certificate in inclusive school support. She also has a teaching background from Poland. Magdalena was a German teacher there before coming to Ireland. You can find Magdalena on Instagram, where she runs an Instagram account called @sna_zone where she provides helpful information for fellow SNAs and parents advocating for autism and other special needs. Magdalena has delivered webinars through Tralee Education Center, Le Cheile Training Online Learning and, of course, for us here at Dublin West Education Support Center. Magdalena recently started her master's in inclusive education and S-E-N. Magdalena, we're going to start off having a wee chat about who is Magdalena Landziak and how you ended up in Limerick. So I'm guessing, because your accent isn't a heavy Limerick accent, you're not originally from Limerick. Where are you from, Magdalena?

Magdalena Landziak:

So first of all, Ultan, thank you very much for inviting me for your podcast. I think it's a great idea and you are the pioneer amongst the directors of educational centers in Ireland, So well done to you. It's a pleasure to be here And thank you very much for such a nice introduction. I don't know what else I can say. I think you mentioned everything, but I came to Ireland in 2007. Sorry, 2008. In 2007 came my husband and a year later I came to Ireland with my daughter And I started learning English. As you can hear, I developed a very specific Irish accent. It's not maybe Limerick, but I think it's not so bad. And from time to time I feel I still do mistakes, but I try to avoid them. And yes, so that's all about me, And you said quite a lot about my journey, about my education journey and what I do. So thank you very much for such a lovely introduction.

Ultan Mac Mathúna:

Not at all, Magdalena. Not at all. So you're in your eighth year as an SNA in a Athea National School in County Limerick. So you've come here, you've learned the English and I think what spurred you on was your enthusiasm and energy towards getting involved. And because you had worked as a teacher and you taught German in Poland, I suppose you brought a certain set of skills with you that you couldn't use until you learned English. How did you find learning English in Ireland? And I believe you had an issue around St Maximilian.

Magdalena Landziak:

Yes, so it wasn't easy. It was challenging because when I came I knew only a few words and I brought lots of books with me and I started attending different courses in Limerick And here Irish people are having a specific way of saying specific words. So it was challenging, but at the same time I enjoy that And I think the best way to learn a foreign language is to be in the country where people speak that language. So yeah, that's me.

Ultan Mac Mathúna:

Very good. So the Maximilian thing was thanks a million.

Magdalena Landziak:

Yes, the Maximilian was the thanks a million. That was a story that I was in a chemist one day and the lady at the counter said something that that time sounds to me like Maximilian, but I figured out later on that it was actually thanks a million.

Ultan Mac Mathúna:

So there's certain things we take for granted that may not be getting across. So not only did you learn English, but you've been picking up a cupla focal in Irish as well.

Magdalena Landziak:

Yes, gaeilge is my favorite And I know a few , cailiní , buachaili , go into Lina and that kind of stuff. So I can say I have basic Irish as well only because I'm in the school, in primary school And I learned I suppose together with the kids

Ultan Mac Mathúna:

So We go back into the school context now. You went into, although you're a post primary teacher, bit of a difficulty getting permanent work there. So you took a position as an SNA in Athea National School. Can you tell me a little bit about what motivated you to get involved there?

Magdalena Landziak:

Yes, so I have to go a little bit back, because when I managed to speak fluent English, I started my journey through a preschool. So I was working in a preschool first for four years and there was lots of children maybe not loads, but there are a few children who wasn't assessed yet but we all saw that the needs are there. So I started helping those children, I was assisting them and I was teaching them different skills, and this is how actually I started developing the law for special needs and a special love for autism. So I love working with children that are on the spectrum. And then I was when my daughter actually went to secondary school. I had more time and I said so now it's time to do something for myself.

Magdalena Landziak:

So I was trying to apply for the SNA jobs and in between I did child care level five and level six and that time there was like a full module. So there was like a full course with eight modules each. So I finished this. One of the module was understanding special needs and I was applying to schools for the position And I got it. So I was super happy when I got the position and I started working first in early intervention class And then I was working in the special class for a couple of years, and actually this is my second year that I am in a mainstream but I am supporting children on the spectrum that are in the classroom, integrated in the classroom, and last year, as we approaching nearly a new year, so the year that we just finished I was supporting a child with medical conditions.

Magdalena Landziak:

So yeah, so that's my story, I suppose, and the background in teaching in Poland helped me and I always wanted to work in a school environment.

Magdalena Landziak:

So, yeah, so I started working as an SNA and then I was upskilling a lot because I saw that there's lots of different needs And it was actually, My first courses that I did myself were through education centers in Ireland And I found them very good and very helpful. Just to I suppose you have your degree but at the same time you need to learn about specific I don't know, I don't want to say autism as a condition or disability, but about specific learning difficulties And sometimes when you have degree, you don't have that specific. The degree doesn't cover the specific challenges for students. So that's why I started doing the course, different courses, and upskilling myself And at the end I am the trainer now and I can share my knowledge and my experience, because sometimes I feel like experience is more maybe not more valuable than knowledge, but it's, I feel like if you have the real experience, you can share the real knowledge with people.

Ultan Mac Mathúna:

You strike me, Magdalena, as somebody who doesn't spend too much time sitting around admiring the colors on the walls. You're on the go all the time. You're constantly upskilling. What's your motivation?

Magdalena Landziak:

My motivation? I don't know. I always had the thing that I love learning. I love getting to know new people, new places. You know generally the knowledge And you know I'm my purpose. This is my personality.

Magdalena Landziak:

Like many people likes to rest while watching TV or you know that kind of stuff, but I love resting when I'm on the go and I love resting being active, and so I suppose that this is my motivation. And the other thing is that when you work with children and when you see when they are struggling in certain areas and you know that you are the adult there. So I was always curious how can I help, how I can make the daily life in school easier for the child and, at the same time, for the parents, because if the child is happy in school, the parents are happy too. And when it comes, for example, to autism, we all know that life at home with child on a spectrum can be a little bit challenging, and the schools are the places where the children can learn more skills And that you know. If you compare what the children know from parents and from school, the children's lives will become better. So I think that's my motivation. Children were always a good motivation for me.

Ultan Mac Mathúna:

Do you think the SNA can act as a useful bridge between the home and the school for that child they're helping.

Magdalena Landziak:

Yeah, i think this is crucial because it depends if we talk about being an SNA in special class where there are six children and one teacher and two SNAs, so for example, the teacher have more time, kind of, to reach the parents because there's less children. But if you have, like I was working now in a classroom where there were 28 children and there is three children with needs, so sometimes for a teacher it is hard to fill out all the gaps and to reach the parents. But SNAs have very close contact with parents and you know the exchange of like basic information about the child just before the child is coming to school how was the child sleeping, what was happening the day before, and you know that kind of simple things that can influence the whole day of a child are very important. So I think the SNAs are a very important bridge between school and the home environment.

Ultan Mac Mathúna:

So I think what you've done since you know you start working this area, you've built up a bank of skills, you've built up a bank of knowledge and, in a lot of ways more importantly, you've built up a bank of experience, and that then, I suppose, was a motivation to look beyond your setting to see how you could help other SNAs. So you got involved in CPD. Could you tell me a bit about that? First of all, how did you get involved? and then, you know, how was that panned out for you?

Magdalena Landziak:

So I was very active on Instagram, as you said in my introduction, and I was sharing actually, that time I was sharing the information for other SNAs, but also for parents, about a program called the Sunrise Program. The program is from states and I did five-day training with them. The training is run by the Kaufman family. It's an incredible training and that time I was sharing all the information that we can use in school from that program and actually Tralee Education Centre reached me on Instagram asking if I would like to deliver a webinar and because I had all the skills and knowledge and my degree and the course in train the trainer, I said yes, of course I would love to share the knowledge with other SNAs and even teachers, so we all create a community with knowledge, and that we'd be able to help the children in the school.

Magdalena Landziak:

So I started first with them, so I did the training with them, and then I was doing other trainings about dyslexia and dyscalculia, about challenging behavior. I did even a webinar about supporting children from Ukraine, because I speak a little bit Russian as well. And then Le Cheile online learning reached me as well and they asked me to take part in a discussion panel and then I was running a webinar for them, and then I had the pleasure to run the webinar for Dublin West Education Centre. So that's my story of delivering the webinar.

Ultan Mac Mathúna:

Okay, so you've designed your own course to leverage your own course. How do you think that will impact on the people who attended the course or courses?

Magdalena Landziak:

Yeah, I suppose the design of my courses is that 80% of the course is designated to strategies and kind of physical things that SNA can do with children.

Magdalena Landziak:

So for me the strategies are the key and then I'm giving also lots of examples. So, for example, if a child has a melt down on the floor, what are you supposed to do? and then only 10% of my I will say design of the webinar is sharing definitions, theory and that kind of stuff. So I think from what I'm getting, from the feedback that I got from the education centres because the participants are always asked to leave the feedback people were happy because they got what they came from. So they got the strategies, they they knew what to do if certain situations kind of apply in school. So they, they knew I was leaving them with knowledge what to do. And they were also very happy that working SNA is delivering the webinars, because sometimes what they were saying this is only what what I read from the feedback that they were saying that it's a little bit different between theory and practice. So they liked that somebody who is physically working in a school environment is sharing the knowledge and skills.

Ultan Mac Mathúna:

So you weren't only talking to talk, you were walking the walk as we say and it's rooted in practicality and hands-on advice for people who are going into classrooms to work as an SNA the following day and I think I know from our experience here in Dublin West that's what came back from the attendees at your webinars was, you know, this is stuff I can use tomorrow in the classroom. So you know, I thank you for that. So just to move away from that a small bit into the more general, a bit lighter if you could change one thing, Magdalena, about the job of the SNA, what would you change? so you got a magic wand. You can do whatever you want. You are in charge of the education system in Ireland.

Magdalena Landziak:

So, first of all, i think that I will not need the magic wand because I am the magic wand. So this is my approach, and my approach general towards education is that if you want the change, you have to be the change. So that's why I don't need a magic wand, because I feel like I'm doing the change every single day while working with the children, and I'm getting lots of proofs as well on a daily basis from children. I'm getting lots of lovely cards from the children and that kind of stuff. There is a lot of things that I would like to change in the job And at the same time, you need to keep a good balance. But I will change the name of our profession And I will go more towards teaching assistants, and I know that there is many people maybe who are not against, but there is certain issues around that And even when I was on a workshop organised by the government recently, it wasn't a workshop, it was a different name Workforce, or it was workforce group for SNAs, and they were asking us different questions and I said this as well. So then people said that we will have to have higher education and that kind of stuff to be called teaching assistants. But at the same time I don't mind upskilling And I know there's lots of people who are looking for progression in our profession and there's no progression. And at the same time we are fighting over getting more qualification because now the requirement of being an SNA is to have the 3 D's on junior cert, which is actually ridiculous. There's nothing wrong with having those 3 D's, but I cannot imagine somebody who is finishing now a junior cert and have his or her degree And that person is getting a job and it's starting working with a child on the spectrum And I cannot imagine that happening. So, and while I was doing also the UCD national training programme, the tutors did a survey And from the survey it came out that I think 20 or 30. I don't remember exactly because it was two years ago, but there's like a significant number of SNAs who had higher education like level seven and eight, and there is nearly 50% of them who already have level six or five. So if the government designed the programme for I think 4,000 SNAs And if you take a percentage of that, it seems like lots of SNAs are educated people and they have some level of degree.

Magdalena Landziak:

And why not moving our profession into teaching assistant? And I'm thinking about this only because many, many times we do things. We do a little bit more than it is in our job description, and I think that if we will have that freedom of delivering different things, we will be able to help more children. And I can give you an example, and even you know what I remember when I came to Ireland, actually, and when I was looking into the education system here in Ireland and I found the job description special needs assistant. I have to say I have to admit it took me a long time to understand who is that person and what is that person doing in the classroom, because there's no such thing in Poland. And then when I figure out, I say, oh great, so that's like a teaching assistant. And I was most of the time when I was telling people in Poland what I'm doing, I was saying that I am a teaching assistant because it was hard to describe the job.

Magdalena Landziak:

So I will change the role of an SNA. I will add a little bit more, because, from what I'm hearing from other SNAs, we do much more than we have in the job description and SNAs are eager. It's not about creating a problem and giving us more job, but instead of photocopying things during summertime, we can use our knowledge and we can physically help the children during the school year. So there's lots of you know little things And I don't want to say that we I don't know actually how to put things in words, but I suppose the listeners who are kind of involved in the education sector they will know what I'm talking about. So this is the only thing I would like to change. I will just advise to everybody to be the magic one. So if you wanted the change to see, just be the change and try changing things around you.

Ultan Mac Mathúna:

Magdalena, thanks a million. Be the change you want to see in the world. So tell me this and tell me no more. If I was starting out as an SNA in the morning, what advice would you give me? So I have to go into school Monday morning, starting my first day as an SNA. What's your advice to me?

Magdalena Landziak:

So first of all, I will ask you to have a chat with the parent of the child, Or sometimes, if the children are coming with the boss, we are having something that is called a communication book where parents can write things about the child. So I will advise to have a little chat with the parents at the gate or at the school entrance if possible, and to get a little bit more about the child. And it depends if that will be the beginning of the school year or if that will be during the school year. If you will know the child, a little chat will be okay.

Magdalena Landziak:

If not, I will advise to have a proper chat with parents before the school year will start And then just welcome the child in the school. Make the child comfortable, ask if the child will need something. The children most of the time they will be able to tell you what they need or what they don't need, And you know where to step in and when to step out. So yes, that will be my advice. Just try the child to feel comfortable in school, because this is all about it. If the child is comfortable, the child will definitely learn something.

Ultan Mac Mathúna:

Absolutely. I think we're all the same. The happier, more comfortable we are in our environment, the easier it is for us to learn. If somebody was starting again as an SNA, or even working for a while as an SNA, and they were thinking of some CPD, what three top tips would you give them for CPD? What three things would you say? right, these are three things you should really try to get your hands on. a bit of training or a bit of CPD, a bit of a course on these three things, What would you pinpoint for them?

Magdalena Landziak:

So for me, very important is technology, assistive technology. So that will be the one, I suppose. one thing, just to get familiar with the current technology and how the technology can help children with additional needs. The other thing is we have, like the government open, the special classes, the classes which are attached to the mainstream classrooms. So I will advise anybody who is going to work in a special class to get as much training around autism just to make sure you know exactly what to do with the children on spectrum.

Magdalena Landziak:

And the other thing I will say just maybe to find a course about well-being, because I feel that when the well-being of an SNA teacher or principal or director is good, the whole environment will feel also good. And I think if we will start practice lots of talks about well-being for children and teenagers and there's lots of things around well-being, wellness, and I think it's very important to keep a good life-work balance and just to learn a few techniques, because our job, our profession, is very fulfillment but sometimes it's also challenging and you have to know how to cope with stress, with stressful situation in school environment. So those will be the three topics for me assistive technology, autism and well-being.

Ultan Mac Mathúna:

Well, very succinctly put, that's excellent. And this autumn you're providing some CPD for us here in Dublin West. Could you tell me a little bit about that, Magdalena?

Magdalena Landziak:

Yes, so I will be running, I think, three webinars, but two of them will be supporting the well-being of SNA and supporting the well-being of students. So when it comes to well-being of SNAs, I have lots of interesting strategies This is my favorite word, a strategy And lots of practical things for us how to cope in stressful situations and also how to keep a good life-work balance. So half of the webinar will be about keeping the good personal life balance and the second half will be about the professional aspect, the well-being of professional aspect, And I'm a huge believer of manifest and I love reading books and there is lots of great people who are sharing the knowledge, and I attended lots of events organized by them and I'm sharing lots of really good strategies and helpful tips for SNAs, But not only. I suppose this course will be good for teachers, for anybody who's working in a school environment, And the other one is about helping students well-being And again, I am coming from that conclusion that if we are practicing something, we will be able to encourage others, like children or teenagers, to practice well-being as well, Because when it comes to well-being, you have to do it yourself, to know how to mind yourself first before you will start encouraging others to practice mindfulness and wellness.

Magdalena Landziak:

So, yeah, so those are the two courses. The other one is about autism and acquiring life skills, And I will be running this webinar with the author of a book called the Autism-Friendly Cookbook, Lydia Wilkins, and we will be sharing, again strategies, how to help children be better while it comes to life skills. So those are the three webinars that I will be delivering through Dublin West Education Centre.

Ultan Mac Mathúna:

You're a very busy woman. Am I right in saying You're five years an Irish citizen now. Magdalena, is that right?

Magdalena Landziak:

Yes, I am. Five years ago I got the Irish citizenship and I'm very proud of being half Irish, half Polish. I found Irish society very how I would say like Irish people are very friendly And it's an honour to be part of Irish community, Irish society, so I'm super proud to be Irish.

Ultan Mac Mathúna:

Very good and what's your favourite thing about living in Ireland? people? Oh, great answer. Next step for you is politics.

Magdalena Landziak:

Really, you know what, When I was doing the course about how we can support children from Ukraine in schools and there was a question, and I said to the attendees that you know what, If you're Irish, you don't have to do nothing because Irish people have that thing inside them that they are very friendly, very approachable. You are very approachable as a nation And I can say in thousands other positive adjectives about Irish people. But yes the huge part of being Irish is just people, just wonderful people.

Ultan Mac Mathúna:

Excellent. Can I ask just a few quickfire questions? Do you prefer the Christmas holidays or the Easter holidays? Easter holidays Okay. Do you have coffee or tea at the break time?

Magdalena Landziak:

Tea, and I tell you a little bit more about the tea, because Irish people are drinking tea with milk, but Polish people, we are drinking instead of milk, we are squeezing lemon.

Ultan Mac Mathúna:

Oh, I thought you were going to say you put in a bit of vodka.

Magdalena Landziak:

No, but lemon and honey. This is the tea that I love to drink.

Ultan Mac Mathúna:

And would you put that in with Barry's or Lyon's Tea now, or anything special?

Magdalena Landziak:

tea, yeah. any black tea, any black tea, yeah.

Ultan Mac Mathúna:

I'm going to try that out here in the centre. Okay, look, Magdalena. I think we've had a great conversation. I've really enjoyed it. I've enjoyed meeting you and I'm very proud that we have you working as part of the Dublin West Education Centre, and I look forward to working with you further in the future. On behalf of all the participants who attend your courses, I thank you And I look forward to working with you on different projects in the future. Go raibh mile maith agat, Magdalena.

Magdalena Landziak:

Thank you very much, Ultan, and thank you for all people who will be listening to your podcast. I'm sending greetings from Gleen in county Limerick and Go raibh mile maith agat for everything as well. Thank you.

Ultan Mac Mathúna:

Tune in next week for another episode of Teachers Themselves. Don't forget to like and subscribe, leave us a review and share it with colleagues and friends. Your feedback informs the show. You can follow us across our social media channels Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook. Links are in the show notes. If you have any thoughts on today's episode or suggestions for future topics, email Zita here at zrobinson@ dwec. ie. Oh, and don't forget to book that CPD dwec. ie. Thanks again and have a great week. Slan Tamail.

Ultan Mac Mathúna:

Teachers Themselves is a DWEC original, produced and created by Dublin West Education Centre.

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