Through our Thursday visits I have come to know of a couple of students whose home environment has changed drastically, hence, their change in behaviour in the class and with their peers. I have one student who has been an only child for ten years and now her mom has just had twin boys. The attention she was getting at home it now divided between her and the twins. There is one student who has just met her dad and dad’s family for the very first time. I have one student who is constantly moving back and forth between his dad’s home and his mom’s home, especially, when the mom has a new born. These students have different home environments, yet, their behaviour in class is very similar. At times they are challenging and at times they are lovely. Every day is a different day.

Looking at these students I am aware I need to create a classroom in which learning is optimal. I feel I need to create a classroom climate in which their personal and home environments have a minimal toll.

I am going to implement strategies suggested by Kasurkari, Croiset and Olle Ten Cate in order to support these students learning because they are very bright. They just need the correct support and guidance.

• Tip 2: Have students’ internal states guide their behaviour: I will be encourage these students to provide an input in either class or group discussions as they have a new and different perspective due to home environment. There home environment will not be discussed in front of the class. That will be a discussion between the student and myself. I want to portray to the student that these new changes can be a good thing for them. They just need to new outlook on the matter.
• Tip 5: Provide structured guidance:  I want the students to understand that they have huge role and responsibility when it comes to learning. I want the students to understand by dwelling on changes in their lives only hinders their learning, thus, I will allow an open means of communication between the student and myself or someone else in the school so they can express their emotions and then try to self-regulate in order to move on through the day. Self-Regulation is a tool to help these students cope with their emotions.
• Tip 9: Acknowledge students’ expressions of negative effect: If I feel my students are not starting their day on a good note. I would like a few minutes or give them a few minutes to get to their happy place before beginning the day. This may involve having the student do an errand for me or a classroom task rather than pushing them to do the routine classwork. 

I do not want to over whelm myself with goals I may not be able to attain, thus, I would like to work on these and then move forward. Is this my attempt to having an inclusive classroom? I am not sure.