Inclusion

So there was a very important faculty meeting last week.  The new superintendent introduced a new school-wide initiative:  Inclusion.  The scuttlebutt about the building was that the topic of the meeting was something horrible.  Me?  I pay no mind to that kind of rumour.  been there, done that, seen it all....

So when colleague and I hear what the topic is...  Well, we snickered.  Inclusion?  That's all we do in the art room.  Especially the two of us, since we are the go-to gals for the more challenging students.  Looking to include Special Education students into a none sped class?  Emotionally Disturbed, Developmentally Disabled, Learning Disabled, ADD, ADHD, Physically Disabled, Autistic, Asperger's....  You name it, the two of us have taken one and all.  And for the majority of the time we have no aid.  The students' IEPs are addressed by having them in our classes.  We read the IEPs thoroughly and modify how we teach based on those documents.  We talk to other teachers who have those kids to figure out how best to address issues that pop up.  We voluntarily read journals and literature on those kids' disabilities on our own time.

So, needless to say, when the Super was speaking, we kept nodding, smirking at each other, giving the thumbs up.  What she was proposing - team teaching, addressing the IEPs for real, having a mix of kids in one room - is what we have been doing every day, every year.  And we pride ourselves on our ability to get those kids to learn and feel a sense of accomplishment.  In many ways, they come up to the level of the so-called "regular ed" class.  And we do it all with no aides.

But, oh, the reception from my colleagues.  The worst lukewarm applause after the Super was done speaking.  So disrespectful.  And the sullen looks on peoples' faces walking out.  The grumbling from regular ed teachers was not kept quiet at all.  What are they worried about?  They will have disruptive students.  There will be kids at varied learning levels in one room.  They will have to adhere to IEPs (yes, that means you really have to read them).  If the Super has things run they way she hopes, the sped teachers will not merely be sitting in the room as an aide but will be an active participant in the teaching of the class.  That means the regular ed teacher is not in this alone - as we specials teachers always are.  Oh, so your test scores might go down?  Well, take a look at my students' QBA scores.  That is what happens when you get students of all learning levels.

I happened to see a Phys Ed teacher on the way out of the building.  He laughed at the regular ed reactions for the same reasons.  Afraid of having kids of varied abilities in one room together?  With no aides?  Welcome to our world.

Then I mention it to a non-education friend.  He disagrees with inclusion completely.  His reasons included the sped classmates being disruptive, beating up on kids, etc..  Two thoughts - which he seemed to not want to understand - are that the teacher and administration should have dealt with the disruptive behaviour.  I make a concerted effort to make sure those who are keeping up, paying attention, doing the work, are not penalized or slowed down due to classroom disruption.  When kids disrupt, I turn to those listening and teach to them.  The disruptions realize I will not cater to them and they eventually pay attention and work to keep up.  Pedagogically speaking, there are ways to deal with classroom disruptions without depriving any of your students of the education they deserve.  Teachers that allow disruptions to take over are not trying or do not know how to take care of it.

I cannot yet say that inclusion is absolutely wrong.  My classroom has been "inclusion" for years.  My gut instinct and my observations tell me that the teachers who grumble about this either do not have the experience to do it right or refuse to change their teaching style and drop their snobbery about having only the best kids.  I have read the arguments against it.  I am not yet convinced.