Julia Perez September 17, 2011 SPED 465 Inclusion of Young Children with Disabilities Teaching is more than

just a job; its a sacred trust. This trust is one that is very important during the formative years of young children. Preschool, kindergarten, and elementary school teachers have the responsibility of shaping the lives of young, impressionable children. Every child is different and is extraordinary in his/her own way. I want to strive to be a teacher that will help inspire, lead, and motivate my students as well as help them achieve their goals and succeed to their fullest potential. Inclusion of children with disabilities is one of the biggest ways to help children reach their full potential. Children with disabilities and those without disabilities have the ability to work together and be successful in their learning within the same classroom. There are many aspects within the Joint Position Statement on Inclusion by the DEC/NAEYC that I agree with when it comes to inclusivity in the classroom. There should be access, participation, and a support system within and outside of the classroom. High expectations for every child to reach his or her full potential and the establishment of a system of services and supports are among the most important aspects of the Inclusion statement in regards to my philosophy of Inclusion. The Joint Statement of Inclusion states (2009), Access to a wide range of learning opportunities, activities, settings, and environment is a defining feature of high quality early childhood inclusion, (p.2). As a catalyst for educational change, I want to create a classroom environment that is comfortable, shows security, and is positive to which every child can grow. It is important that each child has the ability to try and participate in every or almost every activity within an early childhood classroom. Accommodations and support towards full participation is what I strive for.

The support of all those included in a childs life is very important concerning every aspect of their lives, especially education. The Joint Statement of Inclusion states (2009), For example, family members, practitioners, specialists, and administrators should have access to ongoing professional development and support to acquire knowledge, skills, and dispositions requires to implement effective inclusive practices, (p. 2). The involvement of those in each childs life is important for the success of their childs academic endeavors. It takes all those involved in order for students with disabilities and those without to truly reach their full potential. The support and services included in the early childhood programs and classrooms requires the participation and input from those in each childs life. The input and participation of those in each students life will make inclusion much smoother and effective. Current practices in serving children with disabilities require help from more than just the parents and teachers. There are occupational therapists, physical therapists, speech pathologists, etc. It is the help of all those involved that allows for each child to participate and succeed in their classrooms. However, there are many challenges of inclusivity regarding students with disabilities in classrooms with students who do not have disabilities. Some parents may feel that a teacher will focus more on the students with disabilities than those who do not. Some students may also feel this way once they are in the classroom. Parents might feel that their children will feel uncomfortable around someone who is not like them.Some students will feel uncomfortable being around students who are, for example, in a wheelchair or has Down syndrome. Other students will be perfectly fine with it. Parents with children who have disabilities might be afraid that other students will make fun of their child. Students with disabilities can also feel this way because they do not look like everyone else in the classroom. These challenges can go on and on but the students and parents are not the only ones who are facing the challenges.

Teachers also have many challenges concerning having an inclusive classroom. Some teachers might lack experience in working with both students without disabilities and those without them, (Ramos, p. 1). This goes along with planning a curriculum that includes all children. Not many teachers have been exposed to how to cater to a child with special needs .Some teachers might not know what the methods and practices are for certain students with disabilities. Not having enough teacher aides can also pose a big challenge within an inclusive classroom. One of the biggest challenges in an inclusive classroom is making sure each student is including and teaching each student in every activity. If there are not enough aides in the classroom, some students might not be tended to. It is in my experience, that teachers try their best to help each and every student as much as possible. Sometimes it is hard to get to every student every day but it can happen throughout the school year. While it may be hard to get to every student, having students with disabilities and students without disabilities together in one classroom have many great benefits. Evaluating Inclusive Education newsletter discusses (Aug 2001), Teachers will be able to create a community that encourages diversity, (p.1). Students will be accepted just as they are by learning about one another. Students with disabilities can teach their fellow classmates that they are just like them. Holding high expectations for all students is also a great benefit. These high expectations will allow them to focus on their goals and have confidence in themselves. Some students might not feel they can do certain activities due to their special needs but teachers can encourage and show students that they can do anything they set their mind to. Another huge benefit is students and teachers building social relationships. They build them not only with each other but everyone within the classroom. Building these relationships is key to building an inclusive community within the classroom. Teachers will be able to build closer relationships with those involved in

each students education. By getting to know the parents, nannies, OTs, PTs, etc, teachers will be more effective in helping each child get better at their strengths and work on their weaknesses. The three most critical skills I feel I have to work on when working with children with and without disabilities are communication, patience, and knowledge. Communication is among the most important because without it, no progress will be made. Communication has to occur between teachers, parents, and students. As a teacher, I also need to communicate with the therapists and other services provided to all my students. I need to make sure that each parent and student feels they are being paid attention to and I have their best interests at heart. Patience is another skill that is very important when dealing with an inclusive classroom. I know everything will not always go the way I want them to. There will be days where I want to pull out all my hair and days where I want to hug all my students; it is all a process. I need to gain the patience to work with every student, parent, administrator, and other to make sure my students education and classroom runs as smooth as possible. If there is no patience, there will be chaos within my classroom. Parents and students need to feel that everything they say and do is important, not a nuisance. And lastly, knowledge is important to the furtherance of my students academic career. Each student has a different way of learning and I need to learn about ALL of them. Each student learns differently and works differently. I need to find out what works and what doesnt work. I also need to learn about the disabilities of those who have them. Learning about them will allow be to plan lessons more effectively. I will be able to teach to both students with and without special needs. Each and every student within my classroom is important to me and I want to show them how much I care. Inclusivity in a classroom is very important in our educational system as well. Students with disabilities and those without are equally important. Students with and without disabilities will have a better chance of succeeding and developing academically and socially

depending on the dedication of the parents and teachers. Even though there are many challenges with having students with and without disabilities in the same classroom, there are benefits to it as well. Having both in a classroom will create a close community of diversity. Each student will be able to learn about one another which will result in better students within our society. Learning from one another will result in not only advancement to higher education but advancement in loving ourselves, the people around us, and the people that will cross our paths in the future. I hope that I am an effective teacher that not only teaches about life but receives life as well.

References
1. DEC/NAEYC. (2009). Early childhood inclusion: A joint position statement of the

Division for Early Childhood (DEC) and the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina, FPG Child Development Institute.

2. Brookes Publishing. (2001, April). Evaluating inclusive education. Retrieved from

http://www.brookespublishing.com/email/archive/august01/august01ED1.htm
3. Ramos, T. (2011). Top challenges teachers face in special needs inclusive classrooms.

Retrieved from http://tonimarieramos.hubpages.com/hub/Top-Challenges-Teacher-Face-inSpecial-Needs-Inclusive-Classrooms