Inclusion in Schools

Today I want to talk about inclusion in the classroom. We live in a day and age with many different opportunities given to us, but it seems that one thing that we are having trouble achieving is inclusion in the classroom. I worked in a multi-needs classroom for a couple of years and though many of my students, who were able too, were included in a general education classroom. When there you were able to see interactions between the student and his peers. It was a wonderful sight to see. Even though these students were included in the classroom there were many times that it didn't seem like they were. Take my student I worked with, let's say his name is Mike. Mike loved food and so we as a team decided that a foods course would be great for him, and it was but only on days that we were cooking. It seemed that there wasn't much effort being done to involve him in other aspects of the class. I don't want it to seem that I am putting blame on the classroom teacher or the student's teacher because I do understand how much teachers have to do in order to get a lesson prepared. I just feel like there could and should be some way to make sure these students get the best education and feel like they are included throughout their student careers.

This brings me to the benefits that inclusion can have for students and the school. One thing that I had the opportunity to be apart of is "Coffee Shop". "Coffee Shop" was a student/staff run coffee shop that was available for staff to take part in. Staff would place orders through their email using a google form, that a staff member that was working with the students would send out, and then the students would have to record the orders, get them ready, and deliver them. This allowed students to learn to take responsibility, learn how to interact with peers and adults, and learn how to manage money. This gave our students a sense of inclusion as well as a sense of belonging.

My alma mater Lemont Township High School is doing just that but they have set up an actual store that the students stock, clean, and serve beverages from during specific times during the day.  This video is their marking tool.  This three-minute video shows just want the students are doing and what they love most about being a part of this community.

Lemont High School Coffee Grounds

After watching this video and recalling my previous experience it just further illustrates why projects like these and inclusion classrooms are necessary for all our students.