Our primary responsibility as professional educators is to create an environment that ensures inclusion for all children. For the last several decades, the education of children had been stuck on the same concepts and approaches in terms of content, presentation, learning, and evaluation. As a result, the education system has become prone to many challenges and massive gaps that undermine the provision of quality and holistic education for young children. These issues have been created by limited or lack of diversity in the classroom environment. However, the same problems have prompted scholars and academics to develop methods and systematic approaches that can be used to fill the gaps that exist. According to a report by UNICEF, each child thinks in a different and unique way (Unicef.org, 2001). To ensure the prevalence of justice and equity, it is important to identify and apply the diversity of children in education. This would ensure that all children are given equal opportunities to achieve their goals and become a productive members of society. The implementation and success of this practice depend on the equitable distribution of technological, material, and human resources.
Intended Career Path
Upon graduation, I intend to begin working with children at the kindergarten level, between the ages of 5 and 6. I am optimistic and enthusiastic about providing support for children in the said age group and facilitating the achievement of their development and learning goals. One of the matters that are overlooked in this stage is the emotional and physical health of the children. I believe that early intervention and nurturing of healthy practices can improve the wellness of an individual throughout their lives. Therefore, I would like to use my knowledge from the health and wellness program to educate these children on matters pertaining to emotional and physical health. My aspiration in this regard will be to encourage good habits in hygiene, safety, healthy and balanced diets, understanding of the body, and social awareness and sensitivity. I plan to incorporate specific practices in teaching strategies to ensure that children under my care enjoy learning so that they can grasp the knowledge I seek to impart.
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Professional Disposition
The things I value most are art problem-solving and confidentiality. I believe these two values will be useful in my interactions with children. My past experiences as a person and professional have helped to ingrain these qualities in me, which have shaped my character and professional life. Over the years, I have learned how to incorporate these values into my day to day life. As a teacher, I have to adopt practices that ensure order and student-teacher confidentiality. This is necessary for ensuring that children do not lose their way and or cause chaos. As the tutor, I understand my obligation to be the leader and act accordingly. In this regard, my main point of emphasis will be to honor the principle of confidentiality. Here, any information that is shared between the student and I will be on a “need to know” basis. A teacher must instill the importance of following social rules in children (Shaffer, 2006).
The other principle that I mentioned is problem-solving and which shapes my professional philosophy as a teacher. According to (Kindergarten Lessons, n.d.), learning how to solve problems helps children to relish challenges and look forward to problem-solving in their daily life. It also helps children to socialize with others, making and keeping friends in the process. In my professional practice, I plan to incorporate various techniques of problem-solving in the class through the use of day to day cases, puppets, and tales that deal with problem-solving. This will promote a culture of problem-solving among my students both in the classroom, at home, and in other areas of life growing up.
Defining Inclusion
In early childhood education, inclusion is a conceptual model that seeks to ensure that the learning and development goals of young children are met, particularly among groups that are at risk or exposure or have been exposed to marginalization and exclusion. Here, the inclusion model develops and formulates shared goals that bring children together from a humanist perspective. This model advocates for the provision of quality education and participation equally across all children to ensure balanced learning and development. In my professional practice as a tutor, I will aim to provide each child with the necessary resources for the realization of their full potential in learning and progressive social values. I will seek to instill in the children that they ought to not only endeavor to receive but also contribute equally to the improvement of others. I will utilize several educational tools in my classroom, including but not limited to the promotion of effective relationships among students, cooperative learning, and peer support in academics and development. Another important component that I believe can create an environment of freedom, creativity, and trust is the incorporation of play in learning activities.
State of Inclusion in the Current Education System
Currently, the state of special education is a far cry from what it was a few decades ago. In the past, segregation and exclusion were highly prevalent in learning environments, where students with special needs were separated from their peers. This denied these students the advantage and benefits of being in an inclusive class environment. According to Powell & Driver (2013), many schools began introducing special learning programs in the late 1960s and early 70s. However, the federal government did not provide any guidelines on the same during this period. Over time, policies have been amended to provide for the integration of special needs students into normal learning environments. In the current education system, educators have learned to work collaboratively to ensure the needs of all students are met. Compared to half a century ago, the current standards mark a great improvement, with the public becoming more involved in the discourse about children with exceptionalities. Special needs programs have also received significant financial support to ensure all children get equal opportunities. In the 2015 – 2016 financial year, for instance, the government allocated states at least $12 billion in Part B, Part C, and IDEA funds (Griffith, 2018).
Importance and Significance of Collaboration
Learning is a daily activity for children. The activities of children in schools have both an educational and developmental impact on their lives. According to Powell & Driver (2013), parents and guardians play a significant role in the learning of their children. As a result, a collaboration between teachers and parents is important and vital to the processes of learning and development in children. Therefore, parents must, therefore, be involved in school operations to build beneficial relationships that promote trust and collaboration. Teachers must also collaborate with other teachers to form useful personal and professional relationships. These relationships would create environments where students are assisted from all fronts to maximize their potential and instill appropriate social and educational values. Powell and Driver (2013) also note that the lack of training among teachers who work with students that have special needs can undermine their understanding and practice of the collaborative push-in model. Collaboration between and among colleagues in the teaching environment can be a great source of support and acquiring useful experience.
Incorporation of My Philosophy into the Education Curriculum
Student diversity should be one of the areas where an educator focuses their philosophy. According to Villa and Thousand (2003), the educator must be capable of appreciating the positive and natural aspects of students’ differences. In my professional teaching practice, I will focus on distinguishing and utilizing the interests of children. Diversity will be incorporated in my teaching through designing coursework that has unique and distinct learning activities, instructional methods, and course material that accommodate the needs of every student. The incorporation of diversity in my professional philosophy will be vital in the creation of practices and activities that include all children, regardless of their culture, modality, or experiences. In this regard, my teaching activities and approaches will adopt methods and techniques that help the students to understand the requirements of learning exercises. Besides, the character, background, and personality of each child will be considered when choosing materials, toys, and other instruments to ensure each child relates to the learning activity and enjoys classwork as well.
Use of Evidence-Based Strategies
Evidence-based learning ensures that education is aligned with the teaching profession and the methods used in educating children. Evidence, in this case, refers to the test that is obvious and which demonstrates the significance of scientific approaches in gathering evidence upon which professional practice is founded upon. A good example of an evidence-based approach in education is the Universal Design of Learning (UDL). This strategy is applied in teaching based on diversity and aims to improve and maximize opportunities for learning for children. The UDL is an approach that provided teachers with a framework of incorporating strategies, techniques, and materials that deliver instructions to students while demonstrating their knowledge in a variety of ways (The Iris Center, 2016). It is commonly accepted in academia that students learn and acquire knowledge in different ways. Therefore, educators should be able to present information and impart knowledge in a manner that ensures all types of learners to benefit.
In my teaching practice, I will focus on coming up with techniques of teaching students while taking into account their differences and abilities in various faculties. My teaching strategies will include but not limited to encouraging students to work collaboratively, offering learning activities that are flexible, providing individual students with case-specific feedback, formulating questions to test for learning progress, and adapting to clear and specific objectives and goals. These strategies will enable me to facilitate and support the development of students who have different abilities in learning. These strategies will also ensure the creation of a class environment that is based on fairness and justice. Continuous assessment of my students is another important area that I will focus on to identify areas of weakness and take corrective measures. Besides, a continuous assessment will enable me to notice the successes and strengths of students and build on them accordingly.
Supporting Children
The development and learning of a child can be undermined by conditions, disabilities, and disorders such as behavior disorder, ADHD. These disorders can also make it difficult for students to make the right levels of progress in class and development. As an educator, I understand that I am obligated to provide support to students with such limitations. Therefore, I will work towards ensuring that every student is given the right amount of attention and support, depending on their specific needs. The benefit of this is that children will be given the appropriate tools and environment to grow and develop holistically. Also, I will work with students who have challenges to ensure that they remain motivated even when they fail to perform well. Accordingly, I will be keen to notice and recognize positive and appropriate behavior to encourage and nurture it among all students. According to Driver & Powell (2013), encouraging positive behavior can improve the overall outcomes of children and even their peers within the same environment. Some of the methods I would use to administer rewards include brag tags, high fives, and price buttons.
Upholding Ethical and Professional Standards
The success of every educator is highly dependent on their commitment to upholding ethical and professional standards at all times. As an educator, I understand that I am required to adhere to certain professional policies and ethical principles. In this regard. My actions and practices must exhibit a commitment to honoring and respecting the diversity of my students and their specific needs. According to the Council for Exceptional Children (2015), educators must set a good example for their colleagues and students. This means respecting the different backgrounds and families of students. The involvement of all students equally is also important in teaching practices because it creates a positive and inclusive environment (Engaging all learners, 2016). Therefore. I will work with my professional colleagues and parents to ensure that all students are treated fairly and equally. Corrective measures will also apply to all students uniformly and without any form of bias.
My Role in Exceptional Learning and Inclusion
As an educator, my role in exceptional learning and inclusion is to provide guidance and instruction to children with challenges in learning to ensure their success ( Hall (n.d.) . I strongly believe that everyone deserves an equal chance at education and support, and no person should have to face exclusion and marginalization. To facilitate and promote exceptional learning and inclusion, I will work closely with other teachers to develop and come up with assessments and teaching strategies that will ensure all students under my care are supported equally and accordingly. Also, I have to be a leader in the classroom and school, where I will be proactive in proposing and interacting with other stakeholders to come up with strategies and measures that promote the best outcomes for students with exceptionalities.
Conclusion
Inclusive classrooms provide students with exceptionalities with the appropriate support in an environment that is least restrictive and conducive. As an educator, I am obligated to prepare children for the subsequent stages in education and life outside the learning environment. I will utilize professional and ethical principles to guide my teaching practice. Besides, I will employ various evidence-based approaches and strategies such as UDL in my teaching practice. Lastly, I will collaborate with my professional peers, superiors, and parents/guardians to create an environment that promotes the holistic growth of the children under my tutelage. I understand the principles, strategies, and approaches I have to prioritize to ensure that learning environments are best suited for the social and academic improvement of all children.
References
Council for Exceptional Children. (2015). Code of ethics. Retrieved from https://www.cec.sped.org/~/media/Files/Standards/Professional%20Ethics%20and%20Practice%20Standards/Code%20of%20Ethics.pdf
Engaging All Learners. (2016). Parents are powerful partners. Retrieved from http://www.engagingalllearners.ca/ls/collaborating-with-parents/index.php#6
Griffith, M. (2018). Is the Federal Government Shortchanging Special Education Students?. Retrieved from https://ednote.ecs.org/is-the-federal-government-short-changing-special-education-students/
Hall, B. (n.d.). Differentiated instruction: Reaching all students. Retrieved from http://assets.pearsonglobalschools.com/asset_mgr/current/20109/Differentiated_Instruction.pdf
Kindergarten Lessons. Retrieved from https://www.kindergarten-essons.com/kindergarten_problem_solving/
Powell, S. R., & Driver, M. K. (2013). Working with exceptional students: An introduction to special education. Retrieved from https://content.ashford.edu/
Shaeffer, S. (2006). Positive discipline in the inclusive, learning-friendly classroom: A guide for teachers and teacher educators. Retrieved from http://unesco.org.pk/education/icfe/resources/res10.pdf
The Iris Center. (2016). Universal design for learning: Creating a learning environment that challenges and engages all students . Retrieved from http://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/module/udl/
Unicef.org. (2001). Teachers Talking about Learning. Retrieved from https://www.unicef.org/teachers/learner/paths.htm
Villa, R., & Thousand, J. (2003). Making inclusive education work. Kaleidoscope: Contemporary and classic readings in education. Belmont: Wadsworth , 61(2), 19-23 Retrieved from http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/oct03/vol61/num02/Making-Inclusive-Education-Work.aspx
