Category Archives: inquiry

How will I continue to grow?

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As an educator, I would try and continuously enhance my intellect and grow both professionally and personally. I would self-renew, reflect and consistently look back at my philosophy to remind myself of what I believed in coming into the profession. This reminder will motivate me to pursue my values and what I stand for and allow me to move forward and recreate that spark and passion that I have right now.  I will ask the District that I am working for if there are opportunities for me to enhance my teaching skills and will attend what they offer. I will also consistently sign up for Professional Development workshops and take fullest advantage of all the learning opportunities that are presented to me. My inquiry question is around inclusivity in the classroom especially students with special needs and therefore I would use this question as a key guiding element in my professional growth plan. I would try and find resources that I can utilize that will help me find answers and find pathways through my inquiry. I know that my questions will never fully be answered but that’s the beauty with the field of education. It will constantly be expanding, altering, enhancing and developing and we as professionals should be doing the same and moving in the direction that the future of education will be moving. It is so much easier to use the same lessons every year, the same projects, and the same worksheets, but if we do not reflect and enhance our teaching every year, we will inevitably lose our passion and intellect and feel drained. Furthermore, our well-being is just as important as our students’ well-being. It’s difficult to portray passion, energy and enthusiasm in our teaching if we are not giving our body the rest it deserves. I think it is crucial for educators to have their feelings and emotions in check before attempting to create a positive classroom environment let alone trying to maintain it. As the future educator, I would try and take my emotions and feelings as seriously as I would of my students because how I feel will most definitely affect my teaching, my relationships, and my students and their behaviours. Therefore, fostering self-awareness of my mental health and my self-regulation strategies are important. Learning about emotions specifically how to deal with them and how to respond to others emotions is a great start in self-regulation. Attending emotion focused workshops will be beneficial as part of my professional growth. Furthermore, having an outlet for stress and incorporating different strategies to alleviate stress is essential. For instance, a strong and positive support system, healthy lifestyle, entertainment options, religious involvement, and mindfulness practices are all great way for me to keep my emotions in check and decrease stress.

What have I learned this year?

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This program has been a great learning experience for me especially the two practicums. I am proud of myself for choosing the social and emotional learning cohort because it perfectly resonates with my teaching philosophy and my values as an educator. This program has taught me a great amount about the importance of the social and emotional learning which I was not fully aware of in the past.

The abundance of SEL focused activities, lessons and games that I have gained throughout the year are incredibly overwhelming. I often have to take a minute to think back and remember everything that I learned before trying to implement it in my practicum. Building an SEL environment is an integral part of a positive classroom. Some of the strategies that I implemented were check-ins, brain breaks, Second step and Mind up, and children’s literature which all worked well with my students. My students had a difficult time with regulating their emotions, therefore, mindful breathing and helping students understand what it means to manage emotions had a huge impact in their behaviours and management. Using picture books were my personal favourite and a great hook to every lesson. It instilled curiosity in the students and allowed them to make connections and ask questions. Most importantly, they were an enjoyable and calming tool for starting any new lesson or unit. Moreover, using picture books are a great way to address social and emotional issues in the classroom through questions, discussions etc which is what I often did when needed.

My inquiry journey has played a significant role in my teaching practice especially during my long practicum. My inquiry question is: How can I create an inclusive environment especially of students with special needs?  Our role as an educator is to teach children, and there is no specific category in which the term children falls into therefore, we do not educate any specific type of children except all of them entirely. Children should not be labeled, or categorized or distinguished from one another in any aspect. Children should feel safe, accepted, capable, and powerful.

In my opinion, in taking steps towards inclusion, of most importance is to remember that you as a teacher are a role model to the students. If the teacher shows unacceptance of the student with special needs, the other students won’t accept them either. Consequently, if the classroom teacher feels good about inclusion, the student with special needs will thrive. If the teacher feels resentful about the extra work, the student will likely suffer. Moreover, inclusion works better when the professionals in the school collaborate. However, not all professionals are available or are willing to collaborate. The regular classroom teacher must be prepared to continue teaching their student with special needs with or without collaboration. It is up to us future educators to not let the traditional ways of practice define our strategies for including students with special needs. We must work collaboratively to change the policies and create a more just education system for all learners.

I look forward in exploring this issue further throughout my education profession and I am eager to learn more about it, implement and integrate it into my teaching in the future.

Philosophy: What are my educational commitments:

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As future educators, it’s important to have an understanding of what we value and what we will strive to build in our students. Having these goals builds a platform for what we will be working towards as we begin our journey as teachers. For me, there are five important statements that resonate with my beliefs and ultimately define my passion and goals for myself and for my students. Having an inclusive and safe environment that builds community and promotes uniqueness and voice within children is utmost important. If students cannot feel safe and belonged, they cannot flourish and grow intellectually, socially or emotionally. Moreover, teachers should be role models who influence and encourage behavior that students can mirror. They should create a positive relationship with all their students. Students spend more time with teachers than their own mothers sometimes so it’s crucial to be good examples and build strong relationships with those young ones who often look up to you. Teachers should allow students to explore their passion and find their inner love for learning. Once this is accomplished, students become more motivated and work harder towards their goals. As educators, we should make every effort to create critical thinkers who will participate as great citizens. At the end of the day, we are striving to build hearts not just minds in our students so that they can function and work collectively to create a better society. I believe students should experience outdoor and out of classroom education that will enrich and enhance their learning. All of these beliefs will not do justice if it does not support the mental and physical health of all students which is significant in their overall learning.

My understanding is that every student is unique and special in their own way. Every child learns differently, communicates differently and portrays their understanding differently therefore it’s important to adapt your lessons to fit the needs of all your students. This may seem impossible at first, but it gets easier once relationships are built and we know more about each student. I have high expectations from my students but that’s only because I have high expectations for myself. I would like to be treated the way that I will treat them but regardless I will try my best to show them how much I care about them.

To help build positive, respectful relationships with my students I will always try my best to get to know them, show them that I care about each one of them, and be respectful towards them. Giving students the time to connect with you by staying longer after school, being open to conversation, and initiating interesting topics to talk about are crucial. Moreover, getting to know them on a deeper level through connecting with their lives, building relationships with their parents and guardians and showing interest are useful strategies towards a positive classroom environment.

Teaching Philosophy:

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As future educators, it’s important to have an understanding of what we value and what we will strive to build in our students. Having these goals builds a platform for what we will be working towards as we begin our journey as teachers. For me, there are five important statements that resonate with my beliefs and ultimately define my passion and goals for myself and for my students. Having an inclusive and safe environment that builds community and promotes uniqueness and voice within children is utmost important. If students cannot feel safe and belonged, they cannot flourish and grow intellectually, socially or emotionally. Moreover, teachers should be role models who influence and encourage behavior that students can mirror. They should create a positive relationship with all their students. Students spend more time with teachers than their own mothers sometimes so it’s crucial to be good examples and build strong relationships with those young ones who often look up to you. Teachers should allow students to explore their passion and find their inner love for learning. Once this is accomplished, students become more motivated and work harder towards their goals. As educators, we should make every effort to create critical thinkers who will participate as great citizens. At the end of the day, we are striving to build hearts not just minds in our students so that they can function and work collectively to create a better society. I believe students should experience outdoor and out of classroom education that will enrich and enhance their learning. All of these beliefs will not do justice if it does not support the mental and physical health of all students which is significant in their overall learning.

I would want to create a classroom environment that focuses on more than just classroom management because I believe there are many other aspects of teaching that are just important  if not more. As my teaching philosophy states, creating safe learning environments, providing growth opportunities for students emotionally, socially and academically, creating strong relationships with students and implementing outside education are crucial for an enhanced learning experience.

Highlights of the Week:

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For me, good teaching involves creating a safe and positive environment, building positive and strong relationships and implementing social and emotional learning.

Good teaching can be measured through successful outcomes portrayed in student engagement, interactive lessons, and innovative learning. It goes far beyond grades and assessments although those are authentic strategies as well.

After listening to the presentation by TRB, I became more aware of the importance of being a professional and setting important boundaries. I know many of the incidents that have occurred are rare but always being conscious and alert of your surroundings and your role as not just a teacher but as a citizen is critical for the well-being of children. Hearing the story of the new teacher who had left on long term disability really had an impact on me.  As a person suffering from anxiety, I sometimes become fearful of being overcome by my anxiety and I continue to find different strategies that help reduce the effects. I am hopeful that my passion for teaching will exceed any levels of fear and anxiety.

Implementing Inquiry Research into the Classroom:

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During my long practicum I hope that I can implement what I have learned about my inquiry question thus far. To start off, I would try and use children’s books as often as I can as a tool to help students become aware of students with special needs and also maybe learn some appropriate vocabulary. Children’s books are a great and useful strategy in creating an open conversation and giving opportunity for students to ask questions and concerns, and deeply think about the issue. Sometimes students are more alert during story time and books always have a way of engaging students and speaking about issues on their level of understanding.

Moreover, I would try and create a stronger relationship with each and every students. Although I have not been with these students from the beginning, I hope that I can still reach out to them and show them that I respect and care for them. I will try and absolute best to build a positive relationship especially with those students who are in most need of attention. Creating a positive relationship is a platform for an inclusive classroom. If students have a strong relationship with the educator, it is easier for them to get along with their peers therefore, improving the classroom community relationship.

I am still finding it difficult adapting my lessons to cater to all students learning abilities, and I hope with the help of my SA I could try and practice doing this. It is truly saddening when you are teaching the same lesson to all students but some students are just not grasping the material no matter what you do but it is not their fault. And we have to change this way of teaching for them so that they too can grow to their potential and learn. I really hope that I can somehow adapt my lessons to fit the needs of all students. During activities, I always make sure to include all students and allow them to be part of partner activities, brain breaks and hands on activities even if they are not able to fully complete it. For example, during the math lesson when the students were making cubes, all students participated and they really enjoyed it. Sometimes, unfortunately, some students are pulled out half way through the lessons and they have to leave and are not able to participate once they come back because they are completely lost and feel too frustrated to even try. It’s difficult to witness but I also know that they have to be pulled out because I do not have the full resources and knowledge to support them fully in the classroom. So for now, I will only do what I am capable of and try my best, but still be hopeful that they are learning a lot during their one-on-one time with the specialized teacher.

 

Annotated Bibliography:

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  1. Ostrosky, M. M., Mouzourou, C., Dorsey, E. A., Favazza, P. C., & Leboeuf, L. M. (2015). Pick a book, any book: Using children’s books to support positive attitudes toward peers with disabilities.Young Exceptional Children, 18(1), 30.

This article discusses the impact of reading on child development, the use of books featuring characters with special needs, children’s understandings about and interactions with peers with special needs, including books about special needs in early childhood classrooms, and using guided discussions to support young children’s positive attitudes about individuals with special needs. It concludes that the careful selection of children’s books and thoughtfully structured discussions provide a direct path for supporting acceptance of children with special needs, which is consistent with the attitude construct. At the very time when young children are forming early perceptions about peers and adults in the community, children are provided “indirect experiences” to special needs through the use of high-quality books and guided discussions, with an emphasis on similarities. It also provides a page length list of books that could be used in the classroom as a teacher resource.

  1. Yanoff, J. C., & Ebrary Academic Complete (Canada) Subscription Collection. (2006). The classroom teacher’s inclusion handbook: Practical methods for integrating students with special needs(2nd;2; ed.). Chicago: Arthur Coyle Press.

This handbook discusses fourteen types of special-needs students on meeting the needs of a diverse student population within a mainstream classroom. Ranging from students with behavior disorders, ADHD, and intellectual disabilities, to the blind, terminally ill, and gifted and talented. Each profile includes a clear definition, characteristic behaviors, and suggestions for working with that student’s specific strengths and weaknesses. A section devoted to inclusion strategies helps educators set goals for special needs students, define the roles of other students in the classroom, and work with the administration if mainstream placement is unsuccessful. This is very handy for teachers who are looking for strategies to support all types of students with special needs.

  1. Ferguson, D. L., Desjarlais, A., Meyer, G., & Education Development Center, Newton, MA. National Inst. for Urban School Improvement. (2000). Improving education: The promise of inclusive schooling.

The mission of the National Institute for Urban School Improvement is to partner with RRCS to develop powerful networks of urban LEAS and schools that embrace and implement a data-based, continuous improvement approach for inclusive practices. Embedded within this approach is a commitment to evidence-based practice in early intervention, universal design, literacy and positive behavior supports. This paper is an excellent resource for educators looking to improve and expand inclusive educational practices in their schools.  It was developed by the National Institute for Urban School Improvement and it includes examples of inclusive educational environments, assessment and observation tools, and guidelines for supporting inclusive practices.

  1. Dictionary of Disruption:A practical guide to behaviour management (2007).

This is a very useful informational text that provides suggestions on how to deal with specific behaviours that are commonly found in the classroom. It talks about physical aggression, self-esteem, group behaviour and much more, all laid out in alphabetical order. I find that this book will be very useful because I can look up almost any behavioural issue and find ways to deal with it.

  1. Cassady, M. J. (2011). Teachers’ attitudes toward the inclusion of students with Autism and Emotional Behavioral Disorder. Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education, 2(7), 1-23.

General education teachers have differing views about the inclusion of students with special needs in mainstream classrooms. However, the type and severity of the children’s disorder affect teachers’ willingness to accommodate certain students and their confidence that they will effectively manage their classroom. It has been reported that teachers have expressed concerns about having students with autism and emotional behavioral disorder in the general education setting because of the children’s lack of social skills, behavioral outbursts, modifications made to the curriculum, and lack of training and supports. Many instructors do not believe they are able to teach these populations effectively while simultaneously teaching a large group of typically developing students. Using a snowball sampling method, 25 general education teachers were surveyed regarding their willingness to include a child with autism and a student with EBD in their classroom to determine if there was a significant difference in their attitudes toward the disorder. Results suggest that the presence of typical characteristics of the two disorders influence teachers’ willingness to have the populations in their classrooms. Results also show that the participants were more accepting of having a student with autism in their general education classrooms than a student who has EBD.

  1. Idol, L. (2006). Toward inclusion of special education students in general education: A program evaluation of eight schools.Remedial and Special Education, 27(2), 77-94. doi:10.1177/07419325060270020601

The primary intent of this program evaluation was to determine the degree of inclusion of students with special needs in general education classes in four elementary and four secondary schools; the similarities and differences in how special education services were offered; and the ways in which students with special needs were supported in the least restrictive environment. Staff perceptions of special education services were examined by conducting personal interviews with a large majority of the classroom teachers, special education teachers, instructional assistants, and principals in each school. The findings include descriptions of how far along each school was with inclusion, the amount of time students spent in general education, the roles of the special education teachers, the rates of student referrals for special

Looking at the Other Perspective..

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As important as it is to try and be inclusive towards all students especially those with special needs, sometimes its crucial to take a step back and look into the perspective of teachers who may find it difficult to accomplish this for legitimate reasons. For example, there are many students with special needs who may be physically aggressive towards other students threatening their safety, who may completely lack social skills, who may have severe intellectual disabilities and be fully aware of their differences. These are some of the important questions teachers may have or may worry about when discussing inclusion. I think having a positive attitude towards inclusion is essential for all educators and schools, but also being consciously aware of the obstacles and difficulties that can arise with this attitude. Although its ideal to have all students fully included in the classroom regardless of needs, it is very realistic or doable. This is where the use of resource rooms comes into the conversation. Are they aimed for the child’s best interest? Are they beneficial in helping students succeed or feel accomplished? Are they meeting children’s social and emotional needs? In my perspective, resource rooms are a great add on to students who require more assistance outside of the classroom. Therefore, students should be encouraged to stay in the classrooms and have resource rooms for extra support. According to Lorna Idol (2006) in her study  looking at schools that implemented inclusion, is it possible for a school to fully implement an inclusion environment without any pull-out programs or resource rooms. However, its also important to take into consideration the type of special needs that are dealt with because some are more severe and require more assistance than others (Idol, 2006). Most teachers and Principals have positive attitudes towards inclusion but also have many concerns and questions (Idol, 2006; Jennifer M. Cassady, 2011). Teachers are concerned with students with severe needs and not having enough training to handle tough situations with those students (Cassady, 2011). Consequently, they are more positive towards inclusion of some cases of special needs over others. For example, teachers in a study stated that they are more favourable of including students with autism in the classroom than with EBD (Emotional and Behavioural Disorder) (Cassady, 2011). This is perhaps because of the aggressive behaviours of EBD students. Moreover, teachers are also more comfortable with the idea of inclusion if they have classroom support for those students with extra needs and together they can meet the students need in the classroom (Cassady, 2011).  I hope this helps in understanding why we have resource rooms and why pull out programs exist in the first place. Ideally we hope to move towards a more inclusive community where there is the least amount of pull out programs, but realistically 100% inclusion may not be the most suitable for all students with special needs.

Together We Learn Better:

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In order for a classroom to create an inclusive environment for all students especially those with special needs, it is important to have a school that supports and encourages inclusive practices.  The journey to becoming an Inclusive School may be long and challenging, but ultimately this journey can strengthen a school community and benefit ALL children. It would support and encourage inclusion for all classrooms as well. 
Here are some ways in which inclusive educational practices build a school’s capacity to educate all learners effectively.

One of the most important principles of inclusive education is that no two learners are alike, and so inclusive schools place great importance on creating opportunities for students to learn and be assessed in a variety of ways. Certainly this enhances the way in which educators provide supports and accommodations for students with disabilities, but it also diversifies the educational experience of all students (Ferguson,  Desjarlais, Meyer, & Education Development Center., 2000).

Another important factor in effective inclusive education is the implementation of consistent behavioral supports throughout the learning environment.  This consistency is essential for the success of students with emotional or behavioral needs in the general education environment, but school-wide behavioral supports also help to establish high expectations throughout the school community as a whole (Ferguson et al., 2000).

In the past, special education often involved the segregation of students with special needs for the purpose of specialized instruction (Ferguson et al., 2000).  Not only does that model of special education in a separate setting deprive students with special needs of interaction with their peers and full access to the curriculum, it can also involve duplicate systems and resources that are costly for schools to maintain.  Inclusive education can make more efficient use of a school’s resources by maximizing the availability of staff and materials for all students (Ferguson et al., 2000).

To read more about benefits of inclusive education for all students, check out ‘Improving Education: The Promise of Inclusive Schooling.’  This paper is an excellent resource for educators looking to improve and expand inclusive educational practices in their schools.  It was developed by the National Institute for Urban School Improvement and it includes examples of inclusive educational environments, assessment and observation tools, and guidelines for supporting inclusive practices.

Ferguson, D. L., Desjarlais, A., Meyer, G., & Education Development Center, Newton, MA. National Inst. for Urban School Improvement. (2000). Improving education: The promise of inclusive schooling

Be a Creative Teacher..

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I have come across a fascinating book titled “Creative learning for inclusion: Creative approaches to meet special needs in the classroom” by Edward Sellman that really captures the essence of inclusion in the classroom of students with special needs. Everything about this book (by the titles and sub headings) looks intriguing and noteworthy. Unfortunately I have not managed to read the entire book but I found a particular chapter that I will discuss for this post. The chapter on ‘Creative Approaches to Inclusion’ really caught my attention. This chapter was also very long and therefore I have focused on one aspect to give an overview on. Although there are many factors that are required for adopting creativity in the classroom, one factor that was important and that stood out to me was being a creative teacher. This resonates with me as an aspiring teacher therefore I chose to briefly discuss it. I have not read all the case studies in order to obtain practical creative solutions or activities that can be implemented in the classroom but the idea of being creative is so powerful on its own. Just like the new curriculum promotes, it’s really up to each unique and inventive teacher to come up with their own ideas of what creativity means. It varies for all.

Given the challenges faced by those working with special needs individuals and groups, creative approaches and solutions often have to be found in order to meet students’ every day needs and/or to translate conventional curriculum and teaching methods into formats and approaches that will “work” with them ( Sellman, 2013).  As a result, the special needs teacher can create or adapt a multitude of artefacts: the visual timetable to support the needs of children with autism or ADHD, the multitude of communicational aids, the sand tray to reinforce multi-sensory approaches to spelling and so on (Sellman, 2013). Many of these “creations” have often found their way into mainstream context as what turns out to be effective for individuals with special needs is also often more generally effective (Sellman, 2013).

A creative teacher is also a critical teacher. They are critical of what they teach and always look for ways to expand their way of teaching. Such a teacher understands that the field of special needs is often controversial and often asks critical and perhaps difficult questions to broaden their understanding. Example questions include ‘Is a student being educated in the most suitable place/group?’, ‘Is their current provision adequately meeting their needs?’ If it isn’t, ‘How can this practice be improved in their best interests?’ (Sellman, 2013).

I will continue reading this book and take away useful techniques and ideas that will be helpful for all teachers. Below is the citation of the book if anyone is interested in reading.

Sellman, E., & Ebooks Corporation. (2012;2013;2011;).Creative learning for inclusion: Creative approaches to meet special needs in the classroom. New York; Abingdon [U.K.];: Routledge. Doi:10.4324/9780203818145