EPSE 565i Martina Cawker

OBSERVATION RUBRIC FOR INCLUSION – SCHOOL WIDE LEVEL

As adapted from EPSE 509

Criteria Not Yet Meeting Developing Meeting Expectations Exceeding Expectations

Expectations

Instruction Instructional strategy
expects all students to learn
the same way and excludes
students with special needs.
Students receiving
remediation programming
are pulled out from regular
classes. Special Education
Teachers teach students
with special needs in a
separate room (‘‘pull-out’)
while classroom teacher
teaches the other students
in the classroom.
Instructional strategies include
classroom discussions, working
with a partner and social
emotional strategies.
Special education teachers are
placed as a full partner in a
classroom with a general
education teacher. Adaptations
and modification are made by
teachers according to the IEP.
Instructional strategies are
based on the strengths of
each student, various
resources and technologies
are used for different learning
styles. All teachers involved
utilize their strengths, share
roles, and are seen as leaders
in the classroom.
Students can demonstrate
learning through different
ways (verbally, hands on,
technology, etc.)
Effective instructional strategies
meet the needs of all learners.
Instructional strategies are based
on three block Model of Universal
Design for Learning including all
students’ academic and social
learning. Subject specific teachers
move fluidly throughout classroom
making cross curricular
connections.
Instruction models such as UDL
and co-teaching models used in
every classroom all the time.

School Climate Meetings between
and Community administrators and teachers
occur for important school
announcements. Parents
are invited to meetings
when required but only
when particular groups of
students are involved not
the school community as a
whole. Paraprofessionals
work independently without
support from the classroom
teacher.
IEP meetings include
parents/families vision for their
children. Teacher and other
professionals share strategies
and resources to work with all
students. Whole school
community involvement across a
variety of different district
agendas.
Collaborative team meetings
occur at intervals of about two
weeks. IEP meetings include
parents/families/community
and other professional
agencies.
Relationship building is at the core
of the school environment. There
are strong, interdependent
relationships among teachers,
EA’s, students & parents and
administrators.

Vision and Segregated classrooms Some observable measures of Focus is on child’s abilities / A school-wide team is in place with
Values across different school inclusion: push in supports/co- strengths and not disabilities. a shared vision, trust and
environments, and limited teaching in some classroom All programs and opportunities commitment for inclusion. The
 EPSE 565i
programming options
available to students with
different abilities.
Professional No mandatory professional
Development development for
school/district staff.
Admin/District The principal of the school
believes in inclusion but
groups students with
disabilities together.
Family Interaction with parents is
Involvement only during IEP meetings.
PAC is not involved in
developing inclusive
opportunities or funding for
special needs students.
Ecology/ Students with special needs
Physical layout sit at the back of the
classroom or are
segregated into separate
classrooms/buildings
depending on ability.
Accommodations not made
to enable all students to
access all environments.
environments etc.
Professional development
opportunities made available by
union Pro-D committee with
supplemented funds from district
and union.
The principal of the school
provides support and services at
Tier 1 level of the classroom.
Understanding that parent
relationships are more than
home-responsibilities. Parents
welcomed at the school but not
necessarily invited to decision
making/value based discussions.
Some accommodations are made
such as ramps, elevators, stair
climbers, and sidewalk cutouts.
There is some accessible
furniture and equipment.
are supported and available to
all students.
Teachers receive ongoing
training/support for inclusive
practices, whole school
community (teachers, support
staff, administration) is
involved in the development
and implementation of a vision
of inclusion.
The principal of the school is
solely responsible for
preparing the staff, providing
resources and commitment to
help inclusion succeed.
Relating to parents with
respect, positive home phone
calls, educating parents about
the school’s expectations of
them.
All physical accommodations
are made, including some
open classrooms and
alternate class and seating
options. At least one flexible
and open large space for
mixed and multi age groups.
Martina Cawker
district has a mandate for inclusion
that is transparent.
Teachers are highly trained at
delivering differentiated curriculum
to meet individual needs. District
creates assessment and
accountability measures that
support inclusion.
Administrators collaborate with
staff to provide support by
committing time for teacher
collaboration and regular
professional development.
Creating partnerships by
encouraging parents to be part of
the school parent organization,
having ‘Family Nights’, making use
of community role models and
mentors.
Follows a co-teaching model in the
classroom, every student has
access to material in order to
learn. There are moveable walls,
alternate seating options,
indoor/outdoor/ multi-age
grouping, all rooms fully
accessible, as well as classroom
furniture and equipment.
EPSE 565i Martina Cawker

How to implement the rubric in a half day pro-d at school

In an effort to evaluate and inform the teachers at my school of inclusion and what it looks like, I would use the rubric in which I used in
assignment #3 and the rubric above. As Jennifer and I discussed, I am to plan what a half day professional development day would look like for
the use of my rubric.
Shape of the Day:
- Brainstorm and define in your table groups what inclusion means to you as an educator
- Take up ideas, establish definition as a staff (Every child is a part of the social and academic life of the classroom and school)
- Go over slides from the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, School Act, and Ministry Policy, discuss thoughts or surprises on these and why
inclusion is so important
- Assign each table group one of the following categories from the rubric:
- Instruction
- School climate and community
- Vision and values (this one would be good for administration)
- Professional development
- Admin/district
- Family Involvement
- Ecology/Physical layout
- Once each group has their topic, each group needs to brainstorm strengths and weaknesses of inclusion at our school and put their
opinions on chart paper.
- Once complete, class will complete a gallery walk to see staff perspectives on inclusion at our school.
- Collectively, we will fill in the school rubric to highlight where our school needs to improve on inclusion practices.
- Once the rubric is filled in and I am certain there would be lots of categories which are not meeting expectations, I will ask the staff who
would like to join an inclusion committee with the goal of working on our areas of weakness and furthering our professional development
in the future.
- If time or optional as staff leave, distribute self-assessment rubric of inclusion in the classroom (assignment #3) and have staff assess
their own practice. Inform staff if they feel like they want to know more after completing the self-assessment rubric, they can join the
inclusion committee as well.
EPSE 565i Martina Cawker

Rationale: Inclusion is a very important topic in education. Rather than standing at the front of a professional development day and lecturing my
colleagues on what I think they must be doing, I wanted to make the day more interactive. Not only that, people take offense to being told what to
do, especially if it comes from a newer teacher such as myself. I felt that if we could collectively agree on what the school needs to improve,
people would be more likely to join the inclusion committee. Furthermore, rather than have teachers fill in the self-assessment on inclusion first, I
had the staff work together to ensure that no one felt like they were being personally attacked on their practice. Finally, I remember from EPSE
509 that to make change, you must start with the people who are innovators. If you tried to get everyone to join the committee, it would be a
nearly impossible task. Change takes small steps over time and you must start with those who want to make change, not those who are going
along because everyone else is doing it.