Diversity And Inclusion In Ontario Schools

Equality, diversity and inclusion – in what ways can you integrate these principles into your teaching.

Within a school, equality, diversity and inclusion is very important. It is their duty to make sure all children have equal access to the curriculum. Whether they are a different race, culture, gender or have a special need or disability, it is important that they are supported and have a right to participate and be treated equal; this is known as inclusion. As part of this it is important that schools and other professionals support and promote cultural diversity in schools and the wider society, breaking down any discriminatory barriers to learning.

The notion of inclusion is progressively being accepted as a vital method of learning in our growing school systems. I believe that every student, those with and without exceptionalities, have the right to be included in a general education classroom. Students with learning, social and behavioral exceptionalities or varied abilities deserve the right to be provided with the same opportunities as any other students in the regular general education classroom. The information that I have acquired through my own experiences (in my observations and my classes) have molded my goals as a future teacher. I believe that teaching and education are fundamental in getting students to grow, learn, and flourish;

The follow assessment will have a brief description of the importance of inclusion and inclusive practices in work with children and young people. And it also contains an exploration of how our own attitudes, values and behaviour may lead to that inclusive practice, how to challenge discrimination and how to promote some important anti-discriminatory and inclusive practices.

Creating an inclusive learning environment is an extremely important aspect of modern education, which, according to Gravells (2008: p18), ensures that “[…] all learners are entitled to be treated with respect and dignity. Everyone is an individual, with different experiences, abilities and needs.” She also offers a brief explanation of inclusivity (2008: p18), which is “[…] involving all learners in relevant activities rather than excluding them for any reason directly or indirectly.” Inclusion has also been defined by John Tomlinson (1996: p26) as “the greatest degree of match or fit between individual learning requirements and provision”. In the other words, inclusive learning environment nurtures individual potential of all learners,

The Ministry of Education in Ontario recognizes and encourages diversity of schools in the province through Ontario’s Equity and Inclusive Education Strategy. School boards across the province have been enforcing equity related policies to “establish conditions that promote inclusive education and support equity” (Ministry of Education 2009). This strategy calls for all school boards to “develop and implement equity and inclusive education policy and guidelines for the board and its schools” (Ministry of Education 2009). The Toronto District School Board, in particular, has developed a positive space initiative that is part of Ontario’s

Aside from providing children with academic benefits, it provides them with a better understanding and respect for diversity. Being in a setting with many different types of students with different needs and abilities provides students with a way to learn about differences and how they can help others. In the Success For All study, results showed that the children involved in the study had “a reduced fear of human differences accompanied by increased comfort and awareness.” (Stout, 2001) If children are separated in the school because of their developmental differences then they will never truly learn that it is okay to be a unique individual. The idea that it is acceptable to be different should become a common knowledge to our students. With that knowledge, our students can make the future a better place for everyone. It has been said that the goal of inclusion is to “create a world in which all people are knowledgeable about and supportive of all other people.” (Whitworth, 1999)

As a member of several clubs and organizations, I have always valued the wide range of people you can find within the walls of my high school. If you walk into my Physics lab, you will find me collaborating with a dancer strongly involved in his cultural heritage and a volleyball player in the engineering academy. If you come to my Calculus class, you will see me calculating derivatives with a football player, a snowboarder, a National Honor Society officer, and a painter. The word “diversity” is often used to describe a cross-cultural population, but it is so much more than that. At Bartlett High School, students originate from hundreds of different cultures, with an abundance interests, and participate together in an assortment of activities.

Diversity encompasses numerous characteristics including socio-economic background, ethnicity, special needs, gender, and giftedness (Cazden, 2001). Today, classrooms are getting more varied and diverse with students from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds, and students with a disability. It appears that teachers must meet the needs of all students successfully and individually to effectively teach a classroom of diverse students. This paper will first identify three challenges involved with ensuring that teaching strategies are

The analysis of policy in regards to impacts on students, families and community, leads to a discussion of problems within our society and their influence on the very policies created to respond to these circumstances. Within the educational sphere, all polices contribute to the lives and educational experiences of every student and as a result, their families and the community. This case study looks at the Department of Education and Training [DET] Diversity and Equity policy and outlines a school-based scenario that analyses diversity and equity within the classroom. The case study analyses the policy and scenario to formulate discussion about how students, families and communities can be impacted by diversity and equity and

I find that the concepts of diversity, inclusion and social justice to be important because they build on each other and have the power to change the world. When all of these aspects work together and are acknowledged then we are able to work toward changing social norms and creating aspects in society that are focused on equity, rather than equality. Of course, social justice should be the goal that we as individuals want to achieve in liberating areas of our that have limited and restrained others. I connect diversity and appreciating diversity with being the foundation to this equation of equality because individuals need to understand that there will be differences between people. I enjoy the statement on, “… Who is in the room?” because it starts to explain the variations in personal characteristics within a group of people. This is going to be part of my position as an RA within Resident Life because a floor’s residence are going to have wide range in their own diversities through their age, sexual orientation, journeys to get to college, race and ethnicity, etc. I am proud to have experienced the things I have and lived and go to high school in such a place like Aurora, CO to where I was able to live and embrace a diverse community. I came to define this diversity to be normal, but coming up to CSU and Fort Collins has shown me how much of Colorado does not have the same kind of standards. The next support beam to building this idea that works toward social would be

numerous understudies, paying little respect to their own particular race, will move on from secondary school

As we have learned this week, the meaning of the term diversity has evolved throughout the years and has a plethora of different definitions. Diversity can include students that are exceptional learners; multiple intelligences and learning styles; different ethnicity, race, and culture; different gender and religion; and even different socioeconomic status (“Notes On Diversity,” n.d.). According to Florian (2012), “the increasing cultural, linguistic, and developmental diversity of today’s classrooms demands more inclusive approaches to schooling, but classroom teachers often report feeling unprepared for inclusive education”. The articles’ findings that I read, Preparing Teachers to Work in Inclusive Classrooms: Key Lesson for the Professional

For diversity and inclusion training to be successful, it must have a powerful Impact in which it reaches employees in a profound and meaningful way. It must provide ongoing conversation inviting new viewpoints, actions, and proposals. It must engage the audience on varied levels of learning allowing the members to participate and provide opportunities for questions, participate in activities and will allow for respectful debate. Lastly, it will allow members to walk away with a different attitude and understanding toward diversity (Ward, 2008).

Diversity and Inclusion: I will approach diversity by embracing and being open to learning about other people and their families. I would make sure everyone is included and make sure students are respectful and open to diversity. I will adapt instructions if needed to meet the needs of a class or an individual student. I would adapt a lesson for an individual student if that student is struggling or needs extra help to make sure everyone is learning effectively.