What is an Inclusion Classroom?
Looking in, an inclusion classroom may look exactly like a regular education classroom. But there are some significant differences. Typically the inclusion classroom has two teachers, a regular education teacher and a special education teacher who co teach. Some inclusion classrooms will have a regular education teacher and a special education assistant. The students consist of regular education students and special education students who are taught together. At times, the classroom will break into groups for small group instruction and other times they are taught together. Students do not know which ones have an IEP and which ones do not. The teachers in the classroom help any student who needs help. The special education case manager ensures that the IEP is being followed and the special education students are meeting their goals.
When is an Inclusion Classroom a good idea?
The inclusion classroom helps students with an IEP to be educated alongside non disabled peers. This helps with socialization and ensuring higher standards. Students in the classroom have differentiated instruction. This means that students will learn at their level. Some students will have more academic responsibilities than others depending on unique needs.
An inclusion classroom is not only good for students in Special Education. When implemented correctly it is positive for everyone. Those students who struggle, but do not qualify for Special Education services often do very well with the extra supports in place in this classroom. Students who are advanced, learn to be more accepting and often offer assistance to others. A good teacher can offer material that is challenging for all students, while meeting the needs of those who learn differently. This is not accomplished by teaching all students the same, but by teaching at each child's level. I have nothing but respect for the teachers who can do this well!
While inclusion is a great place for many students, not all students learn best in this environment. There are students who need more individualized instruction at a much slower pace. There are students who do not do well with the stimuli in a regular classroom environment. It is important to consider all factors when determining the best environment for your child. Another option is inclusion for part of the day and a special education classroom for certain classes. The IEP is to be individual for each student and his or her needs must be considered. Some schools embrace inclusion classrooms, while others have limited classrooms. Check to see what is available at your school.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
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15 comments:
"Students who are advanced, learn to be more accepting and often offer assistance to others."
How about having the students who are more advanced learn more material at an appropriate rate? Why should the advanced students be held to a slower pace? The administration at my daughter's school has said that she should learn to be happy when other kids learn. Why shouldn't she have the opportunity to learn everyday in school?
It is not her job to teach other kids. That is the teacher's job
" A good teacher can offer material that is challenging for all students, while meeting the needs of those who learn differently."
This happens next to never, or maybe just never. In six years, I have seen it happen for maybe six months.
Check out Unwrapping the Gifted at
http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/unwrapping_the_gifted/
An inclusion class might be ok for some students but it can be/is most likely a nightmare for gifted kids.
Jane
I'm sorry that you have not seen good differentiation the inclusion classes. This morning I observed a student in a 2nd grade inclusion class during reading time. It was great. The students are already broken into four groups and the groups rotate into different stations. The 2 teachers are located at different stations providing small group instruction (at the particular group's level) and then they rotate. At another station is a reading computer program, and the 4th station was a small group cooperative activity. Students of every ability level was benefiting from that class. I've also seen whole group instruction in that class and I saw everyone interested and learning.
I think it very much depends on the teachers in the classroom, as to how well it will work!
I have been watching my children in full inclusion classrooms for six years now.
Maybe it works given the right teachers. I have never seen it work.
I have seen my daughter become more and more stressed as she has to sit in a classroom and wait for the other kids to catch up. She no longer pays attention in class anymore.
I have seen her cry into her cereal in the morning at the prospect of facing another day in school.
I have never seen her have a chance to learn at her potential.
Right now, my daughter is in a classroom where there is a spread of over 1000 points in lexile levels. Guess who doesn't get to learn reading this year? That would be my daughter.
As I have said before, in many places, there are people in the school who are their to teach student. My children are not those people.
By the way, my kids learn differently, why shouldn't their needs be met?
Jane
With 3 children, I have observed 16 elementary teachers, and only one of them managed to successfully differentiate instruction so that gifted students were fully challenged in a full inclusion classroom.
The idea that students who are advanced need to "learn to be accepting and to offer assistance" (as opposed to those other students, who presumably don't need that lesson) is insulting to the advanced student. Students who are advanced have the same right to a challenging, targeted curriculum as any other student, and it is educational malpractice to ignore their educational needs in favor of some sense of social equity.
Their needs SHOULD be met, Jane. In any classroom that is not taught well, students' needs will not be met. In any classroom where some students get more attention than others, the students who are neglected will not progress as much as they otherwise could.
While it is challenging to meet individual needs of 20 children in a classroom, it's an important part of a teacher's job. I'm out there, I know that some teachers do a great job and some do not. However, that is the case in any type of classroom. I certainly do not feel that gifted students should not be challenged. I feel very strongly that all students should be challenged at whatever level they are on. That is why differentiated instruction has to be implemented effectively. Teachers have to share in that vision.
"differentiated instruction has to be implemented effectively"
The reality is that only a small percentage of teachers are able to differentiate effectively. Most children don't get the most talented teachers; if they are lucky, they get an adequate teacher. An adequate teacher can do an adequate job of meeting the needs of her students in a homogeneous classroom. Put that same teacher into a heterogeneous class room with special needs, and she no longer can perform adequately. In the ideal world, all our teachers would be extremely talented and dedicated and inclusion and heterogeneous classrooms would benefit all students. In the real world, high achievers suffer because of this model.
"This morning I observed a student in a 2nd grade inclusion class during reading time. It was great. The students are already broken into four groups and the groups rotate into different stations. The 2 teachers are located at different stations providing small group instruction (at the particular group's level) and then they rotate. At another station is a reading computer program, and the 4th station was a small group cooperative activity. Students of every ability level was benefiting from that class. I've also seen whole group instruction in that class and I saw everyone interested and learning."
How did you determine that everyone was interested and learning? How was it determined that four groups were enough to adequately address the variety in class? How wide of a variety of skill levels can be addressed in one classroom?
Why do you feel that the advanced students need to "learn to be more accpeting and offer assistance to others"?
Do you think other students need this lesson to? If so, how are those other students going to learn that lesson?
When my daughter was in second grade there was a spread of reading levels from pre K (and completely non English speaking) to sixth grade. Four groups would not have been sufficient to address the wide range of skill levels.
If teachers don't share the vision of differentiated instruction, what can be done to remediate the harm done to the students?
Jane
"Inclusion" at our high school, and I have 150 ninth and tenth graders every day for English, is me in the room with NO HELP, inadequate, boiler-plate IEPs, and students who resist going to the resource room for extra help or extended time, as they don't want to be seen going into the spec. ed. room.
Reading abilities can range from 3rd grade to college level in the same room.
I believe inclusion works, but only when the regular classroom teacher has some help. Right now, I do ALL modifications of materials and tests. The spec. ed. teachers say they just can't fit in coming to our classrooms. They have 3-5 students per period coming in for help to the resource room. How is it equitable to anyone involved when I have 35 or more per class?
What I am describing is the way it really is in many of our schools across the nation.
If there is only one teacher in a classroom, it isn't an inclusion class by definition. If you system is trying to sell that as an inclusion class that's a huge problem and they are asking for a lawsuit.
I recognize that inclusion is not always implemented correctly. But I will never say Inclusion is not a good thing just because so many do it wrong. I know I'm idealistic, but I have seen it done correctly and I strongly believe that it is often very effective. My intent of this article is to express how effective it can be for all students. If some schools have it all wrong, then those systems need to step it up. Inclusion can be done effectively and for the sake of the children, it should be done.
For those parents who disagree or are in systems that are not using inclusion correctly, advocate that your child not be in that class. Inclusion is not the only way and as a parent, you have a right to say if you do not agree.
Quality education is extremely important to me and it saddens me to hear stories where children are having such negative experiences. Despite that, I will not loose my idealistic approach and view of how things should be and can be. Realistically inclusion can be implemented effectively. I've seen it. I'm sorry you have not had similar experiences.
It is interesting that you have seen inclusion classrooms that. It might be helpful if you could describe the conditions that are necessary for all kids in an inclusion classroom to be able to learn. That is what I would call an inclusion classroom working.
Also, you mentioned that if there is only one teacher it is not an inclusion classroom. Is that the difference between an inclusion classroom and a regular heterogenous classroom?
Are there any other differences?
Thanks
Jane
I'm a first-year teacher, and I teach two students who cannot read and one student who can barely read. (This is high school.) In that same class I have two other students who are not as bad-off, but still are resource students and need modifications. Most of these students display behavior problems as well as having learning problems. I have no help. What can I do? I know all the students are not getting everything they need, but it is impossible for me to do everything.
I have written a follow up article due to the # of responses. Thanks! http://schoolpsychologistfiles.blogspot.com/2008/12/what-makes-good-inclusion-classroom.html
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