Supporting the Inclusion Classroom

Reaching Every Student: Supporting the Inclusion Classroom

“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”-Albert Einstein

According to Universal Design for Learning principals– and the general consensus- there are no average students. All classrooms have a variety of learners with mixed abilities, learning styles, interests, backgrounds, etc. Depending on the day, students (like teachers) may respond differently to instructional methods designed to accommodate their learning styles. For this reason, all classrooms can be considered “inclusive.” If there are no average students then how are teachers supposed to design activities that reach all of their students? Reaching mixed-ability students does not have to be time-consuming or complex. Simple changes in content to address different interests or re-arranging the classroom to create a more accommodating environment are only two ideas of many that teachers will discover in this course.

Supporting the Inclusive Classroom, a 6-hour professional development course for teacher license renewal will provide resources for teachers to use with students, activities to implement in the classroom, and time for reflection. Teachers will also discover ways to create an inclusive classroom environment where all students feel welcome and create their own inclusive activity. Understanding how to support an inclusive classroom is a vital part of teaching. Not only does inclusion help all students reach their academic goals, but it also teaches them to accept each other for who they are, long after they’ve left the classroom.

1. Video and Reflection
2. Video Analysis
3. Activity Analysis and Creation
4. Inclusive Activity