"Inclusive education benefits the majority of students." Because a paraprofessional joins the classroom during reading time because of "Johnny's" needs, it may create smaller groups in the classroom for everyone, which in the end, gives more personalized instruction. In my school, each classroom has one (and sometimes two!) district paraprofessionals in the classroom at reading time. When I schedule an HPEC paraprofessional into the classroom, she may work with our student with an IEP plus two to three more low but unidentified students. This creates social opportunities for my student, plus the teacher is able to provide differentiated groups or sometimes hetergenous or homogenous groups for everyone depending on the content matter whether it is listening skills, thinking skills, wordwork, direct small-group instruction from the teacher or guided reading.
In summary, more personlized smaller groups for everyone in the class almost everytime you raise the number of adults in the room.
I agree. I know that our paras do get asked to work with the lower students. I also think the more we can work to get classroom teachers to do the lower achieving kiddos and let our paras work with more general populations in the room, the more success we will have. The teacher is the expert of teaching, our paras are not teachers and therefore have fewer tricks in their bags to help students. Allowing them to work with those who need less will make change for those who need most by those with more training.
Effective collaboration is in my opinion the most beneficial for students with disabilities. As the book states "questions are answered more quickly" and "one person does not have to be an expert in all areas". It is important for all students to feel like they contribute. By collaborating, everyone is able to contribute, therefore self-esteem is raised.
Amber, I agree that collaboration is very beneficial for students with disabilities. I am very comfortable with the education my students are getting when I am collaborating strongly with their teachers. The less I collaborate with a teacher, the more uncomfortable I am with the education of the student we share.
I agree! I am much more comfortable about what goes on in the classrooms that I collaborate with the teacher. One of my teachers used to be the reading specialist at our school, so most of the time I don't feel like I can help her much for reading issues. When she comes to me with a problem, I know she has already exhausted her ideas and resources and I know my students in her class are getting what they need. Another teacher used to teach special education and she and I have great collaboration.
Inclusive education benefits the majority of students. I think this is the biggest benefit, especially when there is another adult in the room. Some of my teachers use the para in ways other than just sitting beside the special ed student. They can both help all of the students in the room, the para can help a general ed student, which frees the teacher to give some extra help to our student. Or if the para is used in a small group, that allows the teacher to use small groups. Without the para, small groups might not be workable. Many students benefit by having inclusive support in the classroom because it allows an extra adult to be there. Even when inclusion means modifications rather than a para, there are usually other non-special education students who can also benefit from the modified assignments.
It sounds like we are all in agreement that inclusive education benefits the majority of students and creates an environment of positive collaboration. By assisting more students we provide a win-win for all. I have always been told, and believe it to be so, that teachers are the experts of their classrooms, we can learn from them. When we are really 'kickin it' I will have teachers ask if we could try something with our shared kiddos or if I would do a small group work for reinforcement for certain skills. This means we are doing the happy dance and making a positive impact on children. What else is there.
I like the statement, "Students accept one another as contributing members of the school community." I think that the more students with disabilities, regardless of the disability, are around other students the more accepting people are of them and the better social skills they develop. It always cracks me up when the teachers want Little Billy to come to my room to work on social skills. Seriously?? Spending one-on-one time with a middle-aged woman is going to help him get along better with peers?? In the past, I have had students in wheelchairs. One student in particular was included in the regular education classroom for the majority of his day with adaptations -- mostly physical, some academic. It was always so exciting to see him interacting with his peers and seeing the peers get so excited when he knew something they didn't. They were like, "Wow! He's good!". I think it was beneficial to both him to be accepted and for the other students to realize that he was just as capable in some ways as they were.
I see your point. However, I feel both pull-out time and peer settings are important in learning new social skills. I think the resource room can be a safe, confidential environment for some of introduction phase of a new concept, some of the coaching, and some of the debriefing. For instance, if a student has escalated into frenzy will he or can he learn at that moment? The resource room might be a non-threatening environment for the scaffolding of a skill to begin, to be privately evaluated after a peer interaction, to be repeated (replayed through dramatization), and so on. Generally, our students need multiple opportunities to practice a skill. The peer environment is a source of multiple opportunities. However, is the environment always controlled to be in the best interest of the student? I like the cycle of learn, try, evaluate, repeat, if necessary. Part of this cycle may need to occur in a less populated environment.:)
Good post - I think it's important for other students in our school to be around students with special needs. It teaches about diversity and they learn about acceptance. I like that we get to take students on CBI for community based learning. Not only are students learning life skills, but it also helps other people in the community be more accepting of students that may have special needs.
Ditto!!! Where are kids suppose to learn how to act? With other behavior kids? And who's to say that the 'regular' kid wouldn't learn something invaluable for a smh kiddo?
They are all beneficial but communication and collaboration are very important for student success. At the junior high level these wonderful students go to excessive lengths to "get away" with things. Communication can definitely control behavior issues. When teachers collaborate with each other ideas are tossed around and approaches brainstormed. Our school has core subject PLC's and one day a week each PLC meets. They discuss issues that are important to their core subject. All the non-core teachers are in the school environment PLC and also meet regularly. These PLC meetings are important for grade level subjects but also vertical alignment. 8th grade math teachers can talk to 6th grade math teachers about what skills are needed for students to be successful 2 years down the road. We do this very well at Kepley, each PLC meets one afternoon a week. These conversations have helped Kepley make great growth progress over the past 5 years!
That is awesome, Carol. I was at another school that would take off one afternoon a month to do the very same thing. However, after the principal retired, the meetings quit. Now that they have changed hands again, I don't know if the practice has picked up again, especially since I'm no longer there. I wish our school would be conducive to doing more teaming in general. Maybe with a new principal it will happen.
I think self-esteem is one of the most crucial benefits gained from the practice of inclusion. Within the Wikipedia definition of self-esteem Sarah Mercer shares that “It is not the “facts” about one-self but rather what one believes to be true about one-self.” The “facts” special needs students begin to accumulate when they are welcomed into and successful in inclusive settings. Inclusion participation affords the student the opportunity for more than the special education staff to interact with the students and more than the special education staff to share in the students’ accomplishments. The classroom is a larger population base comprised of adults and peers available to validate the individual with exceptionalities. Affirmations from the same people every day (i.e. the resource room staff members), generates a certain level of validity. The mere number ratio in the classroom setting “stacks” the “facts” exponentially.
As special educators, we are all about resources to improve the lives of special needs individuals. !!!Blue light special on self-esteem building resources in the inclusive classroom!!! I am dating myself, for those of you who remember the blue light specials at K-Mart!
I agree that they can gain selfesteem from accepting peers. We are lucky at Holcomb that, for some reason, the kids love to help. An extra benefit of this is that peer tutors help free up paras.
I think that communication and collaboration are very beneficial. At Kepley, the general ed teachers share their weekly lesson plans with all of the special ed teachers as well as the ESL teacher. This allows us to communicate and collaborate with each other about modifications and accommodations for each student. It is also important to communicate with the teachers about students' progress and behaviors. Collaboration is important when writing IEPs. We all have to work together as a team to ensure that the students are getting the best education possible.
Looking back, I couldn't find some posts, so I am reposting. I know I do not have all the answers, my students proove that all the time. My paras are an invaluable resource. They come from a different perspective and sometimes know the kids family situations better than I do because they have been here longer. It is very benificial for the kids when you can plan knowing more variables because the paras know things about them you don't.
No price can be placed on communication and collaboration, it's priceless! I know I'm a late comer, but my 8th graders are going to promote. Every year I have very little idea of what's going on with promotion activities. This year with significant kiddos it was imperative that I know what's going on. I practically had to force my way into the sacred ritual to get anywhere. They would not want to deal with them on their own. That's how it seems with every other aspect. Promotion may seem like a little thing, but in the scheme of things, it is not. And neither is teaming with other teachers. Administration either has to provide the time or we teachers will have to make enough noise to get it done.
"Inclusive education benefits the majority of students." Because a paraprofessional joins the classroom during reading time because of "Johnny's" needs, it may create smaller groups in the classroom for everyone, which in the end, gives more personalized instruction. In my school, each classroom has one (and sometimes two!) district paraprofessionals in the classroom at reading time. When I schedule an HPEC paraprofessional into the classroom, she may work with our student with an IEP plus two to three more low but unidentified students. This creates social opportunities for my student, plus the teacher is able to provide differentiated groups or sometimes hetergenous or homogenous groups for everyone depending on the content matter whether it is listening skills, thinking skills, wordwork, direct small-group instruction from the teacher or guided reading.
ReplyDeleteIn summary, more personlized smaller groups for everyone in the class almost everytime you raise the number of adults in the room.
I agree. I know that our paras do get asked to work with the lower students. I also think the more we can work to get classroom teachers to do the lower achieving kiddos and let our paras work with more general populations in the room, the more success we will have. The teacher is the expert of teaching, our paras are not teachers and therefore have fewer tricks in their bags to help students. Allowing them to work with those who need less will make change for those who need most by those with more training.
DeleteEffective collaboration is in my opinion the most beneficial for students with disabilities. As the book states "questions are answered more quickly" and "one person does not have to be an expert in all areas". It is important for all students to feel like they contribute. By collaborating, everyone is able to contribute, therefore self-esteem is raised.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely. Couldn't agree with you more. Also the less we single out our guys in the class, the more they will be able to be part of that class.
DeleteAmber,
ReplyDeleteI agree that collaboration is very beneficial for students with disabilities. I am very comfortable with the education my students are getting when I am collaborating strongly with their teachers. The less I collaborate with a teacher, the more uncomfortable I am with the education of the student we share.
I agree! I am much more comfortable about what goes on in the classrooms that I collaborate with the teacher. One of my teachers used to be the reading specialist at our school, so most of the time I don't feel like I can help her much for reading issues. When she comes to me with a problem, I know she has already exhausted her ideas and resources and I know my students in her class are getting what they need. Another teacher used to teach special education and she and I have great collaboration.
DeleteInclusive education benefits the majority of students. I think this is the biggest benefit, especially when there is another adult in the room. Some of my teachers use the para in ways other than just sitting beside the special ed student. They can both help all of the students in the room, the para can help a general ed student, which frees the teacher to give some extra help to our student. Or if the para is used in a small group, that allows the teacher to use small groups. Without the para, small groups might not be workable. Many students benefit by having inclusive support in the classroom because it allows an extra adult to be there. Even when inclusion means modifications rather than a para, there are usually other non-special education students who can also benefit from the modified assignments.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like we are all in agreement that inclusive education benefits the majority of students and creates an environment of positive collaboration. By assisting more students we provide a win-win for all. I have always been told, and believe it to be so, that teachers are the experts of their classrooms, we can learn from them. When we are really 'kickin it' I will have teachers ask if we could try something with our shared kiddos or if I would do a small group work for reinforcement for certain skills. This means we are doing the happy dance and making a positive impact on children. What else is there.
ReplyDeleteI like the statement, "Students accept one another as contributing members of the school community." I think that the more students with disabilities, regardless of the disability, are around other students the more accepting people are of them and the better social skills they develop. It always cracks me up when the teachers want Little Billy to come to my room to work on social skills. Seriously?? Spending one-on-one time with a middle-aged woman is going to help him get along better with peers??
ReplyDeleteIn the past, I have had students in wheelchairs. One student in particular was included in the regular education classroom for the majority of his day with adaptations -- mostly physical, some academic. It was always so exciting to see him interacting with his peers and seeing the peers get so excited when he knew something they didn't. They were like, "Wow! He's good!". I think it was beneficial to both him to be accepted and for the other students to realize that he was just as capable in some ways as they were.
Lol! Social skills in a pull out setting is ludicrous. Students that are a contributing part of their classroom really is what it is all about.
DeleteI see your point. However, I feel both pull-out time and peer settings are important in learning new social skills. I think the resource room can be a safe, confidential environment for some of introduction phase of a new concept, some of the coaching, and some of the debriefing. For instance, if a student has escalated into frenzy will he or can he learn at that moment? The resource room might be a non-threatening environment for the scaffolding of a skill to begin, to be privately evaluated after a peer interaction, to be repeated (replayed through dramatization), and so on. Generally, our students need multiple opportunities to practice a skill. The peer environment is a source of multiple opportunities. However, is the environment always controlled to be in the best interest of the student? I like the cycle of learn, try, evaluate, repeat, if necessary. Part of this cycle may need to occur in a less populated environment.:)
DeleteGood post - I think it's important for other students in our school to be around students with special needs. It teaches about diversity and they learn about acceptance. I like that we get to take students on CBI for community based learning. Not only are students learning life skills, but it also helps other people in the community be more accepting of students that may have special needs.
DeleteYou crack me up. It's true though, even my most severe kids learn socail skills from interaction with their peers better than a lesson in pull out.
DeleteDitto!!! Where are kids suppose to learn how to act? With other behavior kids? And who's to say that the 'regular' kid wouldn't learn something invaluable for a smh kiddo?
DeleteThey are all beneficial but communication and collaboration are very important for student success. At the junior high level these wonderful students go to excessive lengths to "get away" with things. Communication can definitely control behavior issues. When teachers collaborate with each other ideas are tossed around and approaches brainstormed. Our school has core subject PLC's and one day a week each PLC meets. They discuss issues that are important to their core subject. All the non-core teachers are in the school environment PLC and also meet regularly. These PLC meetings are important for grade level subjects but also vertical alignment. 8th grade math teachers can talk to 6th grade math teachers about what skills are needed for students to be successful 2 years down the road. We do this very well at Kepley, each PLC meets one afternoon a week. These conversations have helped Kepley make great growth progress over the past 5 years!
ReplyDeleteCarol, I like that you said communication can help control behavior issues - I know this is definitly true! It's unfortunate, but true!
DeleteThat is awesome, Carol. I was at another school that would take off one afternoon a month to do the very same thing. However, after the principal retired, the meetings quit. Now that they have changed hands again, I don't know if the practice has picked up again, especially since I'm no longer there. I wish our school would be conducive to doing more teaming in general. Maybe with a new principal it will happen.
DeleteI think self-esteem is one of the most crucial benefits gained from the practice of inclusion. Within the Wikipedia definition of self-esteem Sarah Mercer shares that “It is not the “facts” about one-self but rather what one believes to be true about one-self.” The “facts” special needs students begin to accumulate when they are welcomed into and successful in inclusive settings. Inclusion participation affords the student the opportunity for more than the special education staff to interact with the students and more than the special education staff to share in the students’ accomplishments. The classroom is a larger population base comprised of adults and peers available to validate the individual with exceptionalities. Affirmations from the same people every day (i.e. the resource room staff members), generates a certain level of validity. The mere number ratio in the classroom setting “stacks” the “facts” exponentially.
ReplyDeleteAs special educators, we are all about resources to improve the lives of special needs individuals. !!!Blue light special on self-esteem building resources in the inclusive classroom!!! I am dating myself, for those of you who remember the blue light specials at K-Mart!
I agree that they can gain selfesteem from accepting peers. We are lucky at Holcomb that, for some reason, the kids love to help. An extra benefit of this is that peer tutors help free up paras.
DeleteI think that communication and collaboration are very beneficial. At Kepley, the general ed teachers share their weekly lesson plans with all of the special ed teachers as well as the ESL teacher. This allows us to communicate and collaborate with each other about modifications and accommodations for each student. It is also important to communicate with the teachers about students' progress and behaviors. Collaboration is important when writing IEPs. We all have to work together as a team to ensure that the students are getting the best education possible.
ReplyDeleteLooking back, I couldn't find some posts, so I am reposting. I know I do not have all the answers, my students proove that all the time. My paras are an invaluable resource. They come from a different perspective and sometimes know the kids family situations better than I do because they have been here longer. It is very benificial for the kids when you can plan knowing more variables because the paras know things about them you don't.
ReplyDeleteNo price can be placed on communication and collaboration, it's priceless! I know I'm a late comer, but my 8th graders are going to promote. Every year I have very little idea of what's going on with promotion activities. This year with significant kiddos it was imperative that I know what's going on. I practically had to force my way into the sacred ritual to get anywhere. They would not want to deal with them on their own. That's how it seems with every other aspect. Promotion may seem like a little thing, but in the scheme of things, it is not. And neither is teaming with other teachers. Administration either has to provide the time or we teachers will have to make enough noise to get it done.
ReplyDelete