Post #1 – Classroom Management in Inclusive Settings January 24, 2010

The very first thing in this article that caught my attentions was when after giving the example of the inclusive class, it said that the number of students in a classroom like this has more than tripled.  To think of the progress made is tremendous.  It is sad to think of all of the children that were not able to have the same experience in the past.  I loved when it was describing the purpose of the article that it posed three questions that one must ask when talking about inclusive classroom management practices.  I feel like these are the questions we should be asking ourselves about our classrooms.

1.  How do teachers create a sense of community in classes comprised of students who differ in their abilities and behaviors?

This is one of those questions that consistently challenges teachers.  I find that now that I am in the classroom full time that it is one of the most difficult things to find a solution for.

2.  How can teachers form a safe and responsive learning environment for all members of the classroom community using knowledge from two traditionally discrete fields (special and general education)?

3.  What considerations and accommodations need to be made at the building and district level to ensure there are explicit and fair expectations for all students?

Again, all of these questions really got my mind ready to read the article, but they also gave me things to think about for my own classroom.

When statement in the article that really summed up what inclusive education is for me was when it said, “inclusive education is primarily about belonging, membership, and acceptance.”   I really feel that if a teacher is doing there best to make the students feel like they are a part of the classroom community and in that community students are learning, then I think he or she is doing their job.

Something I learned from this article was the importance of parental involvement when you are working with children with disabilities.  I knew that in general it was good to have parents supporting you and your work, but I did not realize to the extent how much more important it was for inclusive classroom parents to be involved.  I think it is important to stress from the beginning of the year how much you as a teacher are willing to work with the parents so they feel comfortable.

As far as positive behavior systems go, I think they can work.  Most of the time I really feel it depends on the teacher and how they implement their system.  But, I though I do not see a problem with positive behavior systems I do think a balance between positive reinforcement and other types of systems are important.  For me, I do not want my children behaving correctly just because they think they will get a treat.  I want them to understand they are behaving correctly because it is the right thing to do.  Again, I think it is the responsibility of the teacher to make sure the students understand this concept.

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