EDUC 605 will have long lasting implications on my current and future students. Prior to taking this course, I believed in inclusion for all students in the least restrictive environment. It is a goal of mine to make all students feel like they are an equal part of our classroom community. I have always strived to create a safe and inviting classroom for all students. My goal is for every child to feel like they belong in our class, regardless of their needs or if they are not always in our room. Prior to taking this course, I always developed my lessons and differentiated for the students who needed the differentiation, but through this course I now know there is a better way to do this through Universal Design for Learning (UDL). Students in my classroom have always been involved in small groups since I know that is one way that I can meet the needs of my students and provide further instruction at their level. I also know the best way for inclusion to occur is to follow a co-teaching model, which is best for all students. In an inclusive environment, the students are able to learn from not only the teacher but each other as well, and often students can learn much more from each other than they can in a pull out room.
Through my coursework, each and every student will be better supported in my classroom. I have learned a vast amount of information about inclusion and the various ways this can look within the general education classroom. Both students with exceptionalities and difficulties will be considered during my lesson planning process through Universal Design for Learning (UDL). The strategies I learned through the work we did with Universal Design for Learning will allow the "edge" learners to get what they need, along with the rest of the class. The students in my class will make more gains in their learning due to the support I can offer each student in each lesson. There are several ways that the work in this course have already impacted student learning. Our textbook, The Complete Learning Disabilities Handbook: Ready-to-Use Strategies and Activities for Teaching Students with Learning Disabilities, provided an abundance of strategies and inventions to use with all students in the classroom.
This course has also impacted my students by giving me ideas and examples for increasing student choice within my classroom. Allowing students to use technology more often when handwriting may be a weakness or not preferred. Students produce more work of higher quality when they have choice over how the learning outcome is presented. I have included several ways my students have choice over assignments and projects, such as allowing them to complete assignments on paper or on their iPads, submitting assignments electronically or in paper format, choosing what to work on each day when giving a list of tasks to complete in a week. The students have been learning a lot more and taking more responsibility and care for their work and completing it since these changes have been made.
The textbook also provided me with strategies and ideas to use with my students to allow them to see themselves as advocates for their learning and how to advocate for themselves. Students in my classroom will become advocates for their own learning and take responsibility for it. The students will work on identifying their own strengths and goals they have for their education. Previously, many students in my class would have preferred to sit at their seats until a teacher noticed or would hide their work rather than asking for help. I will lead by example to show students how to advocate for themselves. I will continue to give each of my student's individual attention so I can get to know them and form relationships with them, along with show them when there is a concern to allow them to see that I am an advocate for them as well. By showing my students that I am an advocate for them, they will know that I am a safe person to confide in if/when they need help or someone to talk to. Teaching children to be their own advocate is important so that they can succeed in life.
My students' individual needs will be met by utilizing modifications and adaptations that have been learned from this course. My classroom will advocate for inclusion because it is the best way for my students to learn and emphasize their strengths, also allowing for all of the students to receive the same education and learn from each other. My students and I will continually reflect on how things are going and the progress towards our goals. With my students' best interests in mind, I will continually reflect on the impact of inclusion and the UDL principals and make changes as needed. I will continue to incorporate differentiation strategies for my students with multiple means of engagement, representation, and expression.