Hello I’m a spec. ed. student teacher seeking info., ideas, opinions on inclusion; I thought a good way would be through filling a questionare…but if anyone would like comment/respond further, please do so…thank you for your help.
1). What does inclusion mean personally to you?
2). Do you feel that inclusion works academically?, why/why not?
3). Do you feel inclusion benefits/hinders students socially/behaviorly?
4). What are some suggestions/key ideas that help make inclusive classrooms successful, both academically and behaviorly, for students?
5). How could teachers (general and special) work together, realistically, to provide the best education for their students?
….Thank you again for taking time to help me!…please feel free to expand on your answers if you so desire! —R
Re: QUESTIONARE for teachers and parents
I think inclusion is ver helpful to the students if carried out properally. As long as there is support for the regular education teacher to help reach these students it has a good chance of working. My first experience with inclusion was a very postive one. My youngest son who has mild autism was in a reversed mainstream pre-school class. This class was composed of a 1:1 ratio of “normally” developing kids to kids with disabilities. The class size was small approx 12 students with a student to teacher ratio of 3:1. My son went from being a totally withdrawn child with no interest in the enviroment and others to one who would at least interact passively. Now that probably dont seem like much to most people but it was a very big milestone for him.
Re: QUESTIONARE for teachers and parents
1. the grouping of student with many learning styles and different levels of learning ability
2.no It creates unteachable classrooms. It asks teachers to be in many different places all at the same time.
3. Inclusion means that some students’ needs will have to be overlooked.
4.REDUCE CLASS SIZE! ENCOURAGE ALTERNATIVE TEACHING STYLES!
5.realistically??? I’m not sure anymore what’s realistic. In a room of teachers, someone needs to put their ego aside and that’s awfully hard for some teachers to do. Someone needs to be in charge and when you’re talking about teachers, you’re talking about people who all want to be in charge.
Re: QUESTIONARE for teachers and parents
I believe that students with disabilities have the right to attend the same class as their peers, if appropriate. My school has full inclusion with the exception of Math. I teach the math classes. During the other hours I go from reg. ed. class to another to help the reg. ed. teachers accommodate. This doesn’t work for all students. I really think, inclusion should be evaluated case by case; individual by individual. My students like being with their friends, and the reg. ed. students love having me around because I help everyone. My job is to educate everyone as to what having a disability means. Most people (at least where I teach) do not have the understanding that these kids are just as smart as everyone else, we just need to help them, or as Sara said, teach in alternative ways. Teachers need to realize that not all kids are going to be reached by lecture, assign homework, etc. The teachers at my school are really realizing this!!! Many kids (not spec. ed.) are failing… Finally, the most important thing is that the student is getting what he or she needs. I am not sure if I answered your question, but if you have more questions, I would be happy to give you my thoughts!!!!
Rebecca
Re: QUESTIONARE for teachers and parents
With my experience I would perfer Full Inclusion for all children. The social exposure helps children with disablities be a part of the whole school. I’m for Co-teaching in the classroom. What a Special Education Teacher brings to the classroom will benifit all the students. Sometimes a mainstream teacher doesn’t reach the lower level of his/her students.
In the school I currently employed the teachers are having difficulty accommadating for the RSP students. They feel it is ok to not accommadate and fail the student. Our Special Education Department refuses to place these students in SDC settings due to their needs have not been met in the mainstream setting.
This is an issue that will never be solved! The key is to be an avocate for all children with special needs and make sure their needs are being met no matter where they are placed in the system.
Re: QUESTIONARE for teachers and parents
I think inclusion is ver helpful to the students if carried out properally. As long as there is support for the regular education teacher to help reach these students it has a good chance of working. My first experience with inclusion was a very postive one. My youngest son who has mild autism was in a reversed mainstream pre-school class. This class was composed of a 1:1 ratio of “normally” developing kids to kids with disabilities. The class size was small approx 12 students with a student to teacher ratio of 3:1. My son went from being a totally withdrawn child with no interest in the enviroment and others to one who would at least interact passively. Now that probably dont seem like much to most people but it was a very big milestone for him.
Re: QUESTIONARE for teachers and parents
1. the grouping of student with many learning styles and different levels of learning ability
2.no It creates unteachable classrooms. It asks teachers to be in many different places all at the same time.
3. Inclusion means that some students’ needs will have to be overlooked.
4.REDUCE CLASS SIZE! ENCOURAGE ALTERNATIVE TEACHING STYLES!
5.realistically??? I’m not sure anymore what’s realistic. In a room of teachers, someone needs to put their ego aside and that’s awfully hard for some teachers to do. Someone needs to be in charge and when you’re talking about teachers, you’re talking about people who all want to be in charge.
Re: QUESTIONARE for teachers and parents
I believe that students with disabilities have the right to attend the same class as their peers, if appropriate. My school has full inclusion with the exception of Math. I teach the math classes. During the other hours I go from reg. ed. class to another to help the reg. ed. teachers accommodate. This doesn’t work for all students. I really think, inclusion should be evaluated case by case; individual by individual. My students like being with their friends, and the reg. ed. students love having me around because I help everyone. My job is to educate everyone as to what having a disability means. Most people (at least where I teach) do not have the understanding that these kids are just as smart as everyone else, we just need to help them, or as Sara said, teach in alternative ways. Teachers need to realize that not all kids are going to be reached by lecture, assign homework, etc. The teachers at my school are really realizing this!!! Many kids (not spec. ed.) are failing… Finally, the most important thing is that the student is getting what he or she needs. I am not sure if I answered your question, but if you have more questions, I would be happy to give you my thoughts!!!!
Rebecca
With my experience I would perfer Full Inclusion for all children. The social exposure helps children with disablities be a part of the whole school. I’m for Co-teaching in the classroom. What a Special Education Teacher brings to the classroom will benifit all the students. Sometimes a mainstream teacher doesn’t reach the lower level of his/her students.
In the school I currently employed the teachers are having difficulty accommadating for the RSP students. They feel it is ok to not accommadate and fail the student. Our Special Education Department refuses to place these students in SDC settings due to their needs have not been met in the mainstream setting.
This is an issue that will never be solved! The key is to be an avocate for all children with special needs and make sure their needs are being met no matter where they are placed in the system.