Developing a Personal Philosophy of Inclusion for Young Children Special Education

Belief Statement

Developing A Personal Philosophy Of Inclusion For Young Children, Special Education

Inclusion: Early childhood education

Belief statements

I believe that every child has a right to an education. This education must be adapted to every child's individual needs. These needs encompass a wide range of biological, sociological, and psychological differences. Although every child is entitled to an equal education, giving every child the same education is not the same thing as equality. For a child who is blind, it is necessary that the child have access to a talking book or Braille to enable him or her to comprehend the same material as his or her peers. Similarly, a child who is dyslexic or has a sensory processing disorder requires additional support to keep up with other students.

I believe that teachers must be flexible when dealing with children. Teaching is more than simply writing out a lesson plan: to make the lesson plan works requires teachers to be sensitive to the needs of students, and to rephrase things if students are having difficulty. Teachers must use periodic formative assessment methods, like frequent quizzes and papers, to have feedback about what students do and do not understand, so they can change their approach accordingly. Just like every student is an individual, every class has a different character. Strategies that worked for a class last year may not work for this year's class.

Teachers involve members of the community in the learning process. They keep in contact with parents and involve parents in the classroom. Parents can be an important informational resource for educators. Parents are necessary to keep children excited about learning by reinforcing what is learned in class at home.

Teachers are aware of the fact that learning must be fun. Although teaching has serious goals, they must be approached in a playful fashion. Even the goals of meeting standardized benchmarks can still be achieved in a 'fun' format.

Working as a group member

Teaching can feel like an individualized occupation, but in reality it demands a strong collaborative spirit on the part of the instructor. Teachers can learn valuable lessons from other professionals. Young teachers can benefit from being mentored by more experienced educators. Educators with years of practice in the field can learn from younger teachers about the use of technology and other aspects of pedagogy that may have developed and changed since they were in school. All schools should have venues, such as professional days, in which educators can share their input. Collaborating with other teachers on joint events can improve and enliven students' education as well as the teacher's approaches to lesson-planning.