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Now I know the reason for highlighting this article at that time was about the racial issue debate, but I thought it was PERFECT for also addressing general inclusivity. ‘Inclusive Education’ is the new popular buzz word. But I have learned through my travels and experiences with Mateo that saying a school is inclusive does not necessarily make it so.
My Thoughts on Inclusivity…
An inclusive school is one that is welcoming of those who are different- yes, different in race and economic status, but also those with special needs. For me, to be truly inclusive, a school needs to be welcoming AND willing to learn. They need to not just accept a student who is different and expect him to adjust to the teaching techniques and school programs and rules. No. A truly inclusive school is willing to learn about that student and work with him in different ways to encourage the child to succeed. Learning must be ongoing and it has to work both ways. I expect the school to teach my child, yes, but I also expect the school to be ready to learn FROM my child. I honestly love when a teacher at Mateo school approaches me to tell me about what Mateo taught him or her or when a parent tells me how they’ve seen improvements in his or her child that she attributes to Teo.
Another SUPER important point that many miss with ‘inclusive education’ is that it does not just benefit the special needs child. It is also a huge benefit to the school and to the student population. Keeping our children in a bubble and not exposing them to the world, a world of differences, stunts our children’s growth. They cannot get a well-rounded education if they don’t get to experience differences- students of different cultures and races; students who learn differently and have different interests than they do; students with handicaps and disabilities. We can’t expect our society to keep growing to be kind and open and understanding if we don’t show and teach our children to be accepting.
A Quick, but Worthwhile Read…
This is why I loved this article from the Big Life Journal, 7 Key Steps to Raising Inclusive Kids. It is a great guide to help all of us parents. Whether we are raising Special Needs kiddos or neurotypical kiddos of whatever race and economic background; I strongly recommend you take 5 minutes to go read this. It’s worth your time.
From all the anger I see on social media, and the rage from the protests, the continuous back and forth debates all this sparked, it’s clear to me that we do have such a HUGE acceptance issue. By WE, I mean the World – not just the US, but even here in Belize. One HUGE step to fix this problem is to focus on our children. Let’s teach them to be accepting of differences, proud of similarities, and open to diverse experiences and people.