Inclusion

I've mentioned inclusion in my Philosophy of Education, but what does that really mean?

    One of the fundamental principles of my philosophy of education is creating a Safe and Inclusive classroom. While safe can be defined as an emotionally supportive environment where the needs of students are taken into consideration and care is given to their physical and mental well being, inclusive is a much harder idea to define. I would like to take some time to explore what Inclusion means to me, how it looks in a classroom and what tools and strategies promote a truly inclusive environment.

What is Inclusion?

    Inclusion quite simply means the involvement, validation and consideration of all students within the school environment, social interactions, learning intentions and activities. This means students are able to engage in the classroom within all aspects of school life, and are never ignored, diminished, pushed aside or excluded. For most people, when we think about inclusion, we have the image of integration and participation. In a very broad sense, yes, having students be part of group activities, discussions and class initiatives is a part of inclusion. However, participation or proximity to something does not guarantee inclusion, in fact, in many instances, it is a scapegoat and distraction from truly including students in academics and social aspects. 

    Once we take a deeper look at the meaning of Inclusion, we see that it necessitates teachers and the class learning environment to consider the needs and requirements of all students, and that all aspects of education not only have students be part of them, but have them actively participate with the intention of being able to succeed. An example of this would be to not have students simply part of a group activity, where they are merely following along or play a supporting role, but rather designing activities, group dynamics and expectations so that they can positively contribute to the group, and where their involvement is integral to the overall success of the activity. Without giving meaningful consideration of how all students can actively engage, we are not meeting the requirements of inclusion.

    Differentiation is often a key component of Inclusion, but it also must be approached with care. True differentiation means paying attention to the needs of all students and allowing them access to the learning goals and intentions, not giving different tasks or work to complete separately from the group. If a student has a language barrier to accessing the work being done in class, giving them an alternate assignment is not inclusive nor differentiated instruction; providing them the tools and support to access the same level of learning would be inclusive. Obviously this approach has to take into consideration all the individual needs of each student in the classroom, and also the group dynamics and interactions that relate as well. This is a daunting task if we are trying to modify one lesson to suit the needs of 10 or 15 different unique students, let alone 20 or 25. It is for this reason that I believe the only real way to promote Inclusion is by approaching all planning and lessons from a Universal Design for Learning philosophy and having the needs of the students clearly identified at the onset of planning.

What does Inclusion mean for today's Educators?

    As I briefly mentioned, I believe that approaching our planning from a UDL perspective is imperative to truly meet the requirements of an inclusive learning environment. However, more broadly, what inclusion requires is a real shift in our thinking away from reacting and modifying to needs, and rather creating an environment where needs are being met naturally and authentically on an ongoing basis. To be sustainable, this should be reflected in the school boards policies, the schools initiatives, and the individual class dynamics set out by teachers. 

    This article by Bryan Harman provides a great summary of the differences between Inclusion and Integration, and how important that distinction is. The language used by a school can set the tone and show how committed they are to inclusion. Are modifications being made to a students learning? Or is the learning intentions, goals and activities modified and designed to allow all students to access it and participate successfully? 

    If we look at the Ontario's Equity and Inclusive Education Strategy, we can see how multifaceted and complete any approach to inclusion must be. The guiding principles on page 11 outline quite clearly the expectations required of all educators, and I have bolded the three which I believe are the most crucial and integral for teachers today:

Guiding Principles of the Equity and Inclusive Education Strategy
Equity and inclusive education:
• is a foundation of excellence;
• meets individual needs;
• identifies and eliminates barriers;
• promotes a sense of belonging;
• involves the broad community;
• builds on and enhances previous and existing initiatives;
• is demonstrated throughout the system.

Eliminating barriers, including physical, emotional, language, cultural and developmental, is a crucial idea and relates directly to Universal Design for Learning principles. More importantly, design initiatives that allow such a multifaceted approach ensure that students without those specific needs actually benefit from the dynamic approach to education. Does assisted technology only help a student who has difficulty writing by hand? Or is that a tool and asset which can enhance the learning for multiple students in the class? Does creating a graphic organizer only help the student who has difficulty focusing or following a lesson? Or does that extra tool allow even greater learning to occur amongst the whole class? Eliminating barriers, not avoiding them, helps to foster true inclusion.

Promoting a sense of belonging is tied intrinsically to the idea of community, which is being seen more and more, as one of the most effective ways to enhance student learning. Not only do the needs of students require our attention and focus, but the values, backgrounds, experiences and input of each student must also be validated and given voice. Is the learning based on curriculum expectations? Or is it enhanced by student led interests and inquiries? Are the students active participants in developing lessons and projects, or are they simply observers to the process and only asked for input in the form of answers and tests? We often see belonging as an emotional/social issue, but really this idea needs to be advanced into the realm of educational content itself. Can the students see themselves in the learning they are doing? Are the questions, examples and problems relevant to them? That is an integral form of inclusion as well and it is recognized in Growing Success as a key element to student success. I think the following excerpt illustrates this perfectly (with my own emphasis added):

The use of assessment to improve student learning and to help students become independent learners requires teachers and students to acknowledge and enact a fundamental shift in how they perceive their roles in the learning process. In a traditional assessment paradigm, the teacher is perceived as the active agent in the process, determining goals and criteria for successful achievement, delivering instruction, and evaluating student achievement at the end of a period of learning. The use of assessment for the purpose of improving learning and helping students become independent learners requires a culture in which student and teacher learn together in a collaborative relationship, each playing an active role in setting learning goals, developing success criteria, giving and receiving feedback, monitoring progress, and adjusting learning strategies. The teacher acts as a “lead learner”, providing support while gradually releasing more and more responsibility to the student, as the student develops the knowledge and skills needed to become an independent learner. (Growing Success, p 30.)

    In this case Growing Success is dealing specifically with Assessment For and As learning, which is true, however those same principles need to be applied to classroom conduct, learning goals, routines, social interactions, classroom expectations, and every other aspect of school. Once students have an active role in their learning, they can truly be included.

    Finally, involving the broad community means extending this approach from the individual student, to the class, to the school, staff, parents, and to the community at large. The class itself should not function as a bubble inside the school, nor the school be insulated from the wider community. Students need to be included in all the other aspects such as lunchtime, recess, after-school activities and community initiatives. Inclusion should teach students they have an active role as they are citizens and members of a community. If we expect our students to grow into active, contributing citizens, we need to teach that skill from a young age. This is especially important for any student who has special needs or considerations, as those issues won't simply disappear once they leave school. Are they learning to take ownership of themselves? Are they learning self advocacy and how to rely on others? 

Inclusion in my classes

    I have already covered quite a few topics and ideas, and as you can see, this is a huge daunting task for any conscientious teacher. The more we value student well being and success, the more work that is required of us. I am definitely in the beginning of my teaching career, so it is my hope that these principles become easier and more natural to implement as I gain experience. So far, like I've mentioned, approaching my planning with a Universal Design for Learning mindset has proven to be incredibly valuable. I am proactively anticipating the needs of my students, integrating a wide range of learning styles, technologies, opportunities and projects that capitalize on student engagement and input, and also learning what works best based on student feedback and involvement. This also means I take the time to co-create success criteria and expectations with my students as we begin each unit or subject. I no longer have to be the holder of all the answers, rather I am a partner in the classroom, who usually can facilitate things, but who is willing to relinquish total control and direction. Implementing inquiry based learning ensures that the interests and perspective of my students is included in our learning, and allows a flexibility that encourages inclusion of all learning styles, levels and abilities. 

    I have extended this co-created model to not simply curriculum expectations and learning outcomes, but starting from day one, students are given a voice in classroom rules and guidelines, and social interactions. What is appropriate behavior? What are the rules we should all be following? How do we enhance our class community and learn from each other? I pose these questions to the class and develop a framework for discussion and brainstorming. By creating the rules together, the students have ownership and responsibility, instead of being forced to follow rules I value and choose. This means their opinions and thoughts are being valued and respected, and that is another integral component to Inclusion.

    This idea of student voice and advocacy is continued with daily sharing circles and check-ins. This forms the basis of a community of trust, sharing and respect that acts as the foundation for learning. I stress that this is not 'my' classroom, as many teachers suggest, but rather, this is OUR class, and our success is interdependent and tied to each individual person. Each student is invited to share their own personal emotional or mental states from day to day, how they are feeling, if they are happy or unhappy. They also have the right to pass, and no one is forced to participate when they feel shy or hesitant. However these small interactions, of respecting each person who is speaking, practicing active listening, and hearing different perspectives, quickly changes the class mentality from individual accomplishments, to shared accomplishments. The class quite quickly sees that when they work together, and everyone is feeling good and participating, they learn much better and enjoy learning a lot more. And conversely, they see that when a class goes bad, when we have arguments or disagreements, it affects the class as a whole. These times of difficulty and strife are the most rewarding, as they encourage real sharing and conflict resolution, and the needs and perspectives of all students are valued. Empathy emerges as a real skill and trait among students, rather than an ideal we  teach about. Obviously conflicts and problems will always arise, but I believe setting up the framework of a sharing circle to work through those issues presents a very unique opportunity for inclusion.

    It is also in this framework that we can discuss how everyone's learning is progressing; are they enjoying the topics, do they feel neglected, are they bored, do they have other interesting ideas? All of these issues are foreign to most classes, but when tapped into, approached as an equal and given real validity, students quickly learn that they are important and they have a voice that can enact change. Students who normally don't answer as often gain confidence that their opinions will be respected and listened to, instead of laughed at or dismissed. Students who often talk over others or feel superior learn the value of taking the time to listen to a unique perspective. Students who normally disagree, fight or hate one another find commonalities, reasons to work together and see potential in others.

    I hope this idea is not coming off as idealistic or overly simple. It is an incredibly difficult thing to establish as sharing circles are foreign to most students experiences. They are used to being told what to do, to providing answers and responses, not opinions and questions, and they are rarely consulted as to what they might want. However, with time and patience, and also the willingness to be open and vulnerable, students will learn to see the value of these types of activities. The reason I place so much stress on sharing circles is that in my brief time teaching, I found it the most inclusive, effective tool in my teaching arsenal. It helped students understand and respect those with special needs, whether they be emotional, physical, academic or other. It helped resolve conflicts, physical altercations, bullying and a lot of other behavioral issues, in a way which strengthened relationships. It also allowed the class to explore their own learning journey, to develop metacognitive skills that applied across all subjects and units and deepened their understanding of our learning goals. Finally, it made them advocates for themselves, and for each other, and that is another incredibly important part of inclusion, that students work together and depend on each other. I truly feel that this approach helped me create a genuine, authentic learning community with active participants in my classroom. I was not simply checking IEP's and noting what needs or modifications students had, I was having them speak out for themselves and each other, and take ownership of their learning. I most certainly learned more from them through this experience, than they did from me, and it made me into a very passionate advocate for these types of progressive, open classrooms.

Best Practices which promote Inclusion

Here are some of the practices which I have mentioned and which I believe help to promote real Inclusion in the classroom:

Sharing Circles: Obviously a core component to how I teach and approach inclusion. In the simplest of terms, this means creating an opportunity for students to share, be heard, listen, and respect one another. If you are new to them, start off very small and easy. Develop guidelines and expectations as a group. Should only one person talk at a time? How do we monitor that? Do we move around in a circle? Does everyone have to speak? Allow the class work through how they want the circle to develop and help guide them to create a respectful environment. From there, begin with simple check-ins, how they are doing, what they enjoyed from last week, what things they would like to do as a class? As the circle becomes more natural and students develop comfort within it, then as topics naturally arise, like bullying or respect or any other issue, then allow them the ability to explore that topic, all the while stressing the respectful, safe nature of the circle. This builds a whole new level of inclusion in the classroom as everyone learns to truly value everyone else, while also becoming cognizant of their needs. Do not be afraid to tackle difficult issues, trust in your students to be mature and respectful. (I've had grade 4 students share about experiencing a Blanket Exercise which detailed a lot of difficult elements of Indigenous history in Canada. They talked about their reactions to learning about residential schools, about genocide and racism, and they truly amazed me with their level of insight, respect and introspection. But I know this was made possible by the fact that they all felt safe sharing their feelings and responses, and everyone was included.)

Restorative Practices: When dealing with issues of behavior or conflict, focusing on 'justice' or punitive responses often do not help the situation, and very rarely actually deal with the underlying causes or motivations that need to be addressed. In many ways reactive disciplines are antithetical to inclusion as they do not provide the framework for students or parties involved to move beyond the issue and develop a real relationship. In short they fail to meet the needs of those involved. By employing restorative practices, asking what needs to happen for a working relationship to be restored, and giving all parties involved a chance to voice their opinions, feelings and experiences, we are inherently asking students "What do you need?". This shift in perspective from trying to integrate students into our model behavior parameters, and instead focusing on what needs to be done so they can be included in the learning environment safely again, is an important step to creating reciprocal relationships in a learning community. Real inclusion allows a place for all students to succeed, and this includes social interactions and behavior. This approach does require a lot more effort, time and understanding from teachers, staff and students, so it needs to be adopted whole heartedly, or else meaningful relationships and ownership are incredibly hard to develop.

Co-created Rubrics and Success Criteria: This ties back into the Growing Success document and enhancing student achievement. By allowing all students to be active participants in their learning, we are inherently increasing their own metacognition, encouraging the development of learning skills, and also giving them autonomy and ownership. Those students with special needs can contribute just as much as any other student, and it is important that their voice is also present. If you are starting a unit on multiplication, students should all understand what success will look like for them, and where they want to end up. They may not have the exact same success criteria, but they should all be collectively learning together and working towards the same goal. This also has the added benefit of generating student engagement and intrinsic motivation. Students are able to shape the learning to follow their interests and can see their own perspectives and experiences in school. 

Feedback Loops and Communication: I did not mention this specifically earlier, but it is definitely a practice which I believe has a place in every classroom and is a valuable tool for inclusion. Often we design lessons and projects with a lot of care to meet the requirements of our diverse learners, however feedback and constant communication is necessarily throughout the entire learning process to ensure that students are succeeding and that they are meeting the learning goals. More importantly, if they are not able to succeed, why not? Is the work too difficult, are their gaps within their prior knowledge, are the expectations too high, do they require more assistance, a new way to look at the information, the questions can go on and on, but if we do not ask the students themselves, we will always be left with assumptions. This is perhaps most important with the students we normally do not identify as high needs or who don't cause problems. It is too easy as concerned teachers to spend a large amount of our energy on students who demand the most attention. However, those who are potentially quiet, good workings and usually good academically, can be neglected and their needs might not be met. Inclusion applies to all students, not simply those who stand out or get noticed. By creating feedback loops and actively communicating with students at each step of the learning process, we can be aware of the needs in the classroom, many of which go unnoticed.

Genius Hour (Open initiatives): This is a tool which I have not tried myself, but I have seen it's potential in several classes. Having a time of the week, perhaps one period a week, where students are encouraged to pursue their own interests is an incredibly beneficial tool for inclusion. This creates the opportunity for discovery and surprises. Often students do not have the chances to excel or shine in a lot of our mandated subjects. Math or science might not show the potential of a student passionate about fishing, or robotics, or comic books. Having a time set aside where passion and creativity can be pursued and shared allows for a wide range of ideas, personalities, backgrounds and values to come together and bloom. It opens the door to wonder and lets students feed off of each others excitement. Again, this needs a community and environment which fosters it and cannot be forced, however if the teacher creates an atmosphere where students are comfortable sharing their passions, students are more likely to find their own place and voice. Everyone in the community has someone to offer which is unique and interesting, so why not provide a way to share and explore those strengths?

A final note

   I realize that I have strayed quite a bit in this entry on Inclusion. Initially I thought I would tackle issues like IEP's, developing technological resources to support students, overcoming language barriers, and all those other practical elements which are integral to inclusion. I do feel those are inherently important, but I often see them as necessities we all face as teachers. What I talked about here, about an approach to inclusion which begins with allowing all students to succeed, of creating a safe environment where student voice is valued and respected, these initiatives REQUIRE that teachers already carefully consult, modify and follow IEP's, use technology and make modifications and accomodations to suit the students needs. However if those steps are all you are doing, then really you are simply reacting while operating in the same old information processing dynamic. Inclusion really means that learning is fluid, dynamic and co-created. If it has the input and voice of every student, then it will find a way to meet their needs. As teachers, we can never tick off every box for every expectation in a class of 25 students, however we can create the foundation for a learning community that is self aware and adjusts to meet its needs. It is a scary idea to relinquish total control in a classroom, but I think the benefits and potential far outweigh the risks. Creating an inclusive classroom starts with the teacher recognizing their role as co-learners and being willing to listen to, respect and work with their students.