5 ways to be an inclusive educator

 "Inclusive education" is often a term used to describe the policies and practices in place to support and embrace all students regardless of special education needs (SEN), abilities, and disabilities across all schooling life (MOE, 2014; Lindsay, 2003).

"Ko te ahurei o te tamaiti arahia ō tātou māhi—Let the
uniqueness of the child guide our work"

    I believe being an inclusive educator is a vital role of the teacher and means giving every student an equitable opportunity to succeed in their academic and social lives. Inclusive education's primary aim is to give every student the opportunity to succeed and to dismantle barriers that make it harder for SEN students’ to succeed in society (Lindsay, 2003).

So what are some ways that you can actually be an inclusive educator?

I outline 5 below:

1. Be collaborative

  

    An inclusive classroom gives all students the ability to be involved in a collaborative learning environment. Collaboration has been proven to increase student creativity amongst SEN students and students with disabilities and can be used to promote student engagement and interest in learning (Duchesne & McMaugh, 2019). I believe that supporting students to be collaborative encourages them to learn from each other's experiences and explore the class’ collective knowledge. Collaboration allows all students to feel included and valued in their classroom (MOE, 2014).

2. Foster critical thinking 

  

     Fostering critical thinking for all learners in the classroom promotes inclusivity. By encouraging students to learn through a critical lens, you are allowing them to develop skills of curiosity, diversity, questioning, and inquiry (Duchesne & McMaugh, 2019). SEN students must have high expectations held against them just as any other student would to give them the same opportunities to succeed (MOE, 2014). 

3. Know your learners

  

     Meaningful learning experiences are shaped around student interests, strengths, and needs. Therefore, knowing your learners as individuals is essential in adapting learning to include every single learner in the classroom, regardless of their needs (MOE, 2014). I believe that being able to understand how each of your learners learns is a key aspect of being an inclusive educator. Duchesne & McMaugh (2019) state that providing a range of various opportunities to succeed in the classroom means all diverse learners are accommodated for. For example, the way a student is able to communicate their ideas and show their learning may be detrimental to the way they learn. Understanding and working with these differences ensures an inclusive environment where all learners feel like they can succeed.

4. Focus on relationships

    Positive reciprocal relationships are a key element of any inclusive classroom (Hill & Thrupp, 2019). By engaging in respectful relationships with your learners, you are setting up a learning environment that values inclusivity and belonging. In my experience, this communicates to all learners that their classroom is an inclusive and safe place to learn, take risks, and make mistakes (MOE, 2014). 

 

5. Celebrate diversity 

    Celebrating diversity in the classroom is an essential aspect of fostering an inclusive learning environment. New Zealand is a diverse country with a multitude of different ethnicities, cultures, and religions. It is vital that teachers seek understanding of their individual learners' identity and incorporate their knowledge and interests into learning experiences. The celebration and inclusion of diversity demonstrates to all learners that each student is an irreplaceable individual that holds unique ways of knowing, languages, values, and experiences (MOE, 2014). 

Educators must realise that there is no "tidy" solution to supporting SEN students and students with disabilities. What works for one child may not work for another. Inclusivity is subjective to each individual and it is vital that teachers are able to accommodate these needs (Lindsey, 2003; Duchesne & McMaugh, 2019).

References

Duchesne, S., & McMaugh, A. (2019). Learning support needs and inclusive education. In Educational psychology: for learning and teaching (6th ed.). Cengage Australia.

Lindsay, G. (2003). Inclusive education: a critical perspective. British Journal of Special Education, 30(1), 3–12. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8527.00275

Ministry of Education New Zealand. (2014). About inclusive education. Inclusive Education. https://www.inclusive.tki.org.nz/about-inclusive-education-2/