Dumping Kids with IEPs into General Education Classrooms is not Inclusion
I came across the above article earlier today as I was procrastinating on the grading I brought home with me over break (oops!).
My wheels began turning. As a double major in Special Education and General Education (elementary), to see the difference between the two educators hurt. There's not many educators out there who can play both fields per se.
I don't know much about either educator in the article. I just know what I read. The main thing I took away from this article though was how the importance to have knowledge in both fields is ever more pressing to have in order to teach the whole child in today's classroom.
I know in college it was shoved repeatedly in front of us how we need to build an inclusive classroom for each and every student no matter their background, no matter their ability, no matter their economic level, no matter what.
Teaching and interacting children who have special characteristics, unique struggles, and who are just plain different from us can be intimidating. We think to ourselves how am I supposed to relate to them? How am I supposed to teach them with x, y, and z in the way? Why didn't college prepare me for this??
You learn. You become the student again.
There is one thing that I always promise myself that I will do no matter how many years I teach. That promise is to never stop learning. I may hold the title of teacher now, but that does not mean I stop learning.
Does learning take time? It sure does! Does the lightbulb or the method that works happen over night? Most likely not. However, is the success moment after many trial and errors, methods, articles read worth it? Yes, because you had a break through that impacted that child.
By taking the time to research and be willing to step out of your comfort zone into uncomfortable territory where the learning happens, that is how you can begin relating and connecting to that student.
Old habits take time to break. Trust me, I have several habits that I wish I could break. Getting into the habits of trying new ways, materials, methods, strategies can be a breakthrough for your student.
Every child is a different learner. Some may have similarities but most of the time not all of your tools in the toolboxes will work successfully for each child.
Learning takes that fear away and lets the growing begin.
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