03_EL5053_Discussion

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American College of Education *

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5053

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Philosophy

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Dec 6, 2023

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docx

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How Can Learning Environments Become More Inclusive? Research suggests that many schools may have to undergo a transformation to build family and community partnerships. This transformation may require that a school take steps to create a more welcoming, inclusive environment. Use the questions to guide an original response and comments on the posts of at least two classmates. Which word – inclusive or exclusive – best describes your school? Why is this descriptor appropriate? How do you, or can you, strengthen your school’s inclusiveness of parents and community? Provide at least one example. When I think of the word “inclusive,” I think about students in special courses. However, I am encouraged to read so many of my peers considering other forms of inclusion as well; I see classmates referring topics such as racial inclusion and gender inclusion. I really appreciate this sentiment, because I believe schools that are truly inclusive make intentional efforts to ensure all students know they are worth including. The definition of inclusion as given by Battaglia and Brooks (2019) really resonates with me because it aligns with my belief that schools need to make it explicitly clear that all students should be included. Battaglia and Brooks (2019) define inclusion as “a philosophy that allows students, families, education and community members to create schools and other social institutions based on acceptance, belonging and community”(p. 80). This is a philosophy that my school is constantly trying to achieve. In fact, it is specifically stated in our vision statement. In order to ensure “Success for Every Student,” we will recognize every student as a valued individual. Students will learn in a safe, inclusive space, where they are taught to understand the value of their own experiences in relation to other, diverse perspectives. We will be relentless in removing barriers to full equity , access , and inclusivity in our curricular and co-curricular programming. We are certainly not all the way there yet, but we are making intentional efforts to grow towards a fully inclusive school as outlined in our vision. Four years ago my school hired a director to oversee student learning programs. This person led an effort to establish a new tutoring program for students that are identified by their teachers to be struggling. In addition to helping teachers support struggling learners, this director also led a committee of teachers that we refer to as the Equity, Race and Diversity (ERD) Cadre. This cadre has been instrumental in our collective growth towards inclusion specifically for our students of color. Our students are also began taking part in the work of ERD by creating their own version called Fostering Inter-Cultural Respect and Empowerment (FIRE). This group of students helped us realize that our efforts were not as effective as originally thought; members of FIRE shared horrific stories with the staff and administration. This, along with the social injustices that are being brought to light currently, prompted our administration to seek an additional person to support the ERD Cadre. This summer, my school hired a Director of Equity, Access, and Inclusivity. The purpose of this position includes ensuring that students of color have an adult in our building to share their experiences with as well as supporting our staff as we continue to learn. Additionally, this person is intended to be a resource for the community. The Director will host events, large and small, to educate members of the community and advocate for students of color. On a personal level, something I have tried in order to strengthen my school’s inclusiveness of parents is a video introduction activity. I requested that students create a video using an application called Flipgrid. In this video, they were supposed to introduce their guardians and then record a guardian sharing a story regarding their greatest struggle and/or greatest success in life if they were comfortable to do so. The student then had to explain what they could learn from their parents’ stories. I learned a lot about my student’s culture and background through these videos. I was nervous that the activity would be too intrusive, but I received very positive feedback.
Reference Battaglia, E. & Brooks, K. (2019). Strategies for co-teaching and teacher collaborations. Science Scope, 43 (2), 80-83.
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