EDUC 626 Inclusive Classroom Strategies

INSTRUCTOR: Jeannette Armstrong

CREDITS: 3
DATE: Spring 2016

Course Description:
Emphasis will be placed on the diverse literacy needs of children within the regular education
classroom. State and federal legislation concerning children with disabilities and the concept of least
restrictive environment will be studied. An exploration of personal and societal biases will allow
teachers increased self-awareness in teaching a divergent population. Appropriate best practices for
enhancing literacy in all children will be presented.

Artifact Description:
The artifact that I chose to showcase from my time in EDUC 626 Inclusive Classroom Strategies
that demonstrates what I have learned about Standard 2 Learner Differences, is an example of
my Progression of Inclusion Timeline, a study of the Hmong culture.

Doing this research helped me to view special education through a different filter than I previously had.
The course challenged me to look at special education students not as students with needs, but as students
with basic human civil rights. In doing research about a culture, I previously knew very little about I
gained a very profound understanding about how we tend to view and treat other people based on
differences whether they are physical, cultural, mental, etc I feel that I now have a deeper
understanding of right of students, of laws and decisions which mandate that students who were once
excluded must have access to quality public education, and about how to treat EVERY student as the
individual they are and not as a disability they may possess. By doing this research I also feel that I have
a better understanding and appreciation for the laws that help public schools instruct and accommodate a
variety of learners to help them to earn an education to the best of their ability.

Please see my document Progression of Inclusion, a PowerPoint presentation attachment.

Professional Growth:
Before participating in this class, I had not done much research into how education laws effect
education nor how they have developed over time. I knew very little about education laws and
legislation. As a future special education teacher, it is essential to know the current special
education laws so that I know how to implement them. Throughout this course, we were shown
many videos, articles and texts that showed how well an inclusive education benefits both. There
are many obstacles that special education students have had to overcome to have the right to an
education. Knowing these obstacles, helps me to define myself as an advocate for these students
for my future students in special education. I researched and learned more about the Hmong
culture and their journey. I have learned how legislation has played an important role in
impacting the rights and educational experience of the Hmong people. In some instances, people
from other backgrounds, cultures and nationalities were treated as having a disability when it
came to education. Gaps in language differences and lack of knowledge in academic language
has often times made achieving a proper education difficult for people from other cultures
striving to achieve a proper education in the United States. I hope to provide my future students
with an educational experience that is challenging, equitable, and free. This course has helped
me to see how valuable an inclusive education is overall; the readings and videos revealed how
inclusive education is beneficial for both special and regular education students. When teachers
focus more on the end goal/result/skill we want our students to learn, we can more easily break
down the skills we must teach in order to help our students to accomplish this goal. We can then
focus on teaching students the skills they need in whatever way works for them. The importance
of differentiated instruction was also reinforced for me during this class. Finally, several effective
strategies were given to help us teachers support student learning, such as reliance on the idea of
Multiple Intelligences in creating authentic assessment choices, balanced literacy, multi-age
grouping, culturally relevant and responsive pedagogy, use of technology, co-teaching, and
cooperative learning.

Understanding and Application of Standards:

Viterbo Standards- Thinking, Life Values, and Aesthetic Sensitivity are a few of the Viterbo
Values that I feel were really focused upon in EDUC 626. Many individuals, students, parents
and teachers alike, tend to have a predetermined impression or judgement of others based on
appears and perceived skill level. When we see others, whom may be unique or challenged, we
tend to count them out. During this class, we consulted many texts that challenged us to find the
person with inside us and each other. We focused on thinking about whom we are and what we
all can offer. We focused on how to get to know a student for who they are and to cherish the
individual strengths and individual talents that we all possess. We need to value each others
gifts and think about how others feel.

CEC Standard 2, says that beginning special education professionals create safe, inclusive,
culturally responsive learning environments so that individuals with exceptionalities become
active and effective participants. By being aware of whom my students are on a personal level,
and finding out what they are capable of, I will be able to help provide them with opportunities
to explore their passions and possibilities. I hope to encourage and support my students to
achieve. I hope to challenge them, collaborate and encourage them to learn to their fullest
potential. I hope to not only be an advocate for them but with them.

Impact on Student Learning:

Currently I am a student myself. What I have learned from this class and especially from my
Progression of Inclusion Timeline is to value the special skills that we each possess, to look at
the value from within others, and to not judge what I feel someone is or is not capable of. I want
to make sure that I am aware of my students, who they are, who their families are, and where
they are from. I feel that by being more culturally aware of my students, I may be able to
provide them with a more meaningful and impactful education experience. This class has
increased my confidence and skills needed to ensure that my students are fully integrated into
our classroom as well as their classroom. In the schools that I have been in as an observer and as
a substitute, I have noticed that they are in an Inclusive classroom and in pullout instruction
within a resource room. No matter what my future classroom setup may be, I need to make sure
all of the students feel, welcome, safe, confident, and included as integral parts of their shared
educational experience.