Whole Schooling
The Journey Towards Schools
Where Diverse Students Learn Together Well
CHAPTER 1
Towards the Celebration of Difference
Learning tools. Tools for analysis, discussion, and planning you may use in class, professional development, and in your own practice as a teacher.
- Dealing with difference: What have you seen and experienced? Use Activity Tool 1-4 and ask participants to consider their experience with the various forms of responding to people considered different - extermination, segregation, benevolence, and community.
- Segregated and inclusive services in your community. Activity Tool 1-5 asks respondents to make notes reflecting their knowledge of segregated and inclusive services in their own community.
- Segregated (and inclusive) education for students with special needs: An analysis. Use Activity Tool 1-6 to ask respondents to consider positive and negative aspects of both inclusive and segregated education for students with mild disabilities, moderate to severe disabilities, and students without disabilities.
- Where do students with disabilities go to school in your state? Activity Tool 1-7 is a blank chart that provides space which participants can complete indicating school placements by degree of inclusion in their state.
- Making it in general education. Activity Tool 1-8 provides a case study with recording form to have respondents work in groups to develop a plan for successful inclusive teaching with a specific student.
- Change for inclusive teaching. Use Activity Tool 1-9. Participants will discuss in pairs or small groups: (1) key problems/barriers related to effective inclusive education in that school; (2) changes they would like to see made to make the school an effective inclusive school (e.g., shifting the role of special education teachers to co-teaching and consultation); and (3) strategies for change (e.g., a school study team, visiting inclusive schools, etc.).
- Why inclusive teaching will not work. This is a great activity that can be used early on in class or at any time during the semester. Download Activity Tool 1-10 Students in small groups are asked to review a common statement that posits why inclusive education will not work. They are asked to identify the theory or assumptions underlying the statement and then develop a counter-argument. This involves students in utilizing language and concepts promoting inclusive education.