I work very closely with teachers all day long and hear
the many arguments they have both for and against inclusion in the classroom. Inclusion can help foster friendships with same
age peers which can also extend to the community. These same age peers can act as mentors and
serve as role models for both behavioral and academic skills. The previous school I was at had a cross age
peer mentoring program. This was
beneficial to both the mentor and mentee, and the program had a lot of very positive
feedback from parents, teachers, and students involved in the program. Inclusion can also help eliminate labeling.
According to Will, (1986), the act of labeling can frequently lower
expectations and self-esteem. Once the
label of “special needs” is placed on a student it is hard to remove. Inclusion can also “normalize” a student’s
disability by eliminating the divide between general education and special
education classes. This can change how
we as a culture view and interpret those having disabilities (Jimenez and Graf,
2008). On the flip side, one
kindergarten teacher at my school argues that sometimes inclusion can make a
student with a disability feel more different depending on the disability. The previous year she had a disabled student
who refused to interact with the other students in the classroom, no matter how
much the students tried to include him in classroom activities. Her lessons were constantly interrupted by
this student’s behavioral outbursts.
Some may argue that inclusion is a cost saving measure for school
districts. However, if done correctly,
with the appropriate supports in the classroom, the cost should be the
same. Parents of special education
students also argue for and against inclusion.
Some may feel that their child may be ridiculed if placed in a general
education classroom. Others push for
their children to be among same age typical students where they feel they can
be accepted as valuable members of the classroom. The video of Samuel illustrates the many
positives that inclusion can provide with the proper support systems in place
in the classrooms for both disabled and nondisabled students.
I attended grade school in a suburb of Cleveland in the
late 1960’s and early 1970’s. There was
one multi-age segregated special education room on the first floor of my
school. I remember my initial emotion upon
seeing these students was fear. I think
we are afraid of things we don’t understand or are not exposed to. We have come a long way in how we view and
interpret those with varying abilities in schools today. It is my opinion that in most cases, students
with disabilities should be educated in the general education classroom
alongside their same age peers. All of
us deserve a life where we have friends and feel that we are a valuable part of the community. With the right supportive resources available
for the general education teacher, I believe students with disabilities can thrive
in a regular classroom. It can also be
beneficial to the nondisabled student because they can learn patience,
acceptance of diversity and individual difference. It also helps both the disabled and
nondisabled prepare for adulthood where the communities are inclusive. There are cases when a general education
class does not benefit, or is not in the best interest of the student. In these cases, a separate setting may be
warranted. Our school district uses co-teaching
in the elementary, junior high and high school buildings. The intervention specialist is in the
classroom alongside the general education teacher to help with any
accommodations needed to facilitate the learning of any students needing
assistance. They plan and teach their lessons together and
collaborate daily on any changes needed for successful learning.
Its very essential that services are prompted for students with disabilities and the structure of inclusion before being excluded. Certain programs work for certain individuals and aren't designed for everyone, so its possible that inclusion may not be beneficial for every student.
ReplyDeleteI think you hit the nail on the head when you said, “I think we are afraid of things we don’t understand or are not exposed to.” Our perspectives of whether inclusion should be supported or not follows closely with how we would initially promote social integration as educators and caretakers. I agree that we have come a long way but it is no surprise to hear one say that we also have a long way to go. I feel like everyone in our class, to some degree, shared in their post about how there needs to be supportive resources and collaboration among staff. I appreciated your post because of the details you shared from teachers who are living it each and every day. Looking at inclusion from afar, it seems almost too perfect because we just want the best for our students. Being in the classroom and seeing it happen day after day, I’m almost certain we’d have to reevaluate the situation in order to make the learning environment a positive, healthy, and safe one for ALL students.
ReplyDeleteYour post resonated with me on a couple different points. Like you, I did not go to a school that had inclusive education. It is not that I thought that they should be segregated, I just was not aware of any special needs students. Because I did not grow up around special education students, I am learning a lot from this class. I appreciate your specific examples from teachers in your school. This helps me to learn about real life situations that I will encounter once I get into the education setting. Your example is a great one of how some students may not excel in an inclusive classroom. However, some students can thrive as long as they have the right resources.
ReplyDeleteYour post resonated with me on a couple different points. Like you, I did not go to a school that had inclusive education. It is not that I thought that they should be segregated, I just was not aware of any special needs students. Because I did not grow up around special education students, I am learning a lot from this class. I appreciate your specific examples from teachers in your school. This helps me to learn about real life situations that I will encounter once I get into the education setting. Your example is a great one of how some students may not excel in an inclusive classroom. However, some students can thrive as long as they have the right resources.
ReplyDelete