Inclusive Education

How important is it that students receive the same education and opportunities in the classroom? Most or all people will say that it is entirely important but how well do you understand what that means. Inclusive education is education designed and offered to all people regardless of their physical, social, emotional, or intellectual characteristics, most often used to refer to education provided in mainstream or general education classrooms to students with disabilities. In my opinion, this is the way it should be. Students with a wide range of disabilities already have parents, friends, and teachers focusing on their disability so the student should be able to take part in a general education classroom with students who do not have disabilities. I found a quote that is truly relevant to this point, "Fairness isn't about treating everyone the same; it's giving everyone what they need”(Deb Watkings). In an article I was reading called Students with Exceptionalities, many tips are given to teacher or assistants for working with students who have exceptionalities or disabilities. Many students do not like having their disability known to others but other students who do not have a disability present will feel like they are being neglected and not receiving as much attention as they need. So I felt that this quote previously stated was very necessary. I think that it is only fair that ALL students receive the same education as any other student out there. In life, people are taught that equality is an important trait in life, so why not start teaching them that in school and show them how it can be done with students who have exceptionalities.

Making a Mult-Cultural Education Work

A major topic of this week has been giving students a multi-cultural education. How do we do that? Are there topics that are off limits? What is the most effective way to go about this? Well, in my opinion, I don't think that any culture, religion, language, etc is off limits. Our students and community deserve to know everything that happens in this world whether we like it or not. How do we expect students to grow up and make the right decisions in life without knowing all the facts? We shouldn't. Students and everyone around the world should have an education that is open ended. The more information people have, the more they will open their minds to other aspects in the world. A quote that I found this week says that multi-cultural education, "values cultural differences and affirms the pluralism that students, their communities, and teachers reflect." Multi-cultural education can lead to so many different things. Let's just say a student learns about a culture different from his own and finds it fascinating. From that moment on, that student may change the rest of their life decisions because of a new outlook on life. Multi-cultural education is so important in so many different ways. How do our students learn about it? Teachers and representatives from associations involved in giving people education on different ways of life and culture should know their facts so they are giving the appropriate education to others. As said in one of my class discussions, I mentioned that students in the beginning of the school year should create an introductory project. This involves telling the class the type of culture they come from. During this project, students may learn new ways of life or be able to relate to similar cultures. After these students finish this project, the teachers should take part in it as well. I think that after this is complete, students will develop a relationship with their teachers and peers and be able to relate or differentiate on many levels. All of these things can work as long as the people involved have an open mind. The teachers and students must be willing an eager to learn about different walks of life. I am a strong believer that school curriculum should involve multi-cultural education throughout the school years.

Columbus Day and a Different Way to Approach It

In most schools growing up, we have all learned about Columbus Day. After many years of schooling and growing up, we end up being enlightened on the truth. So the question remains, why are teachers continually educating the wrong facts about Columbus Day and why are they not telling their students the whole truth? Well, some teachers just don't want to take the road most traveled. In my opinion shame on them. I do not plan on becoming a teacher but as I am hoping to be a parent one day, I will do nothing but teach my children the truth about situations and tell them the whole truth. I am a firm believer that if you tell a person a lie, even of omission, then they will look back at you later on and not completely trust what one says from there on out. Teachers, parents, and many other people are seeing how we are trying to better our education system for the children and future students, so why not start there? Start by telling your students the truth about a situation. It's like telling someone oh don't smoke marijuana because it will effect your lungs. That's not all the side effects entirely. It decreases memory and is known as a gateway drug meaning that it can lead to more harmful drugs. People need to know the truth and the whole truth. In the article "We Have No Reason to Celebrate and Invasion" Harjo says, "Teachers need to respect the truth. What happens if I'm sitting in a classroom and teachers are telling me that Thomas Jefferson was one of the greatest men in the world, and I also know that he owned slaves, but they don't tell me that? What am I going to do when I'm told "don't use or abuse drugs or alcohol?" Will I think there may be another side to that too? (13)." This is a perfect example of how I feel and how I think that certain kids will feel when they find out they have not learned the whole truth. It doesn't matter if that lesson pertains to their life or if it does not affect their life directly, not telling the truth completely is a lie of omission. In another article that I read called "What Not to Teach About Native Americans" enlightened me about how this teaching of Columbus Day can show students how to discriminate. When I am a parent I will make it my duty and promise in life to show my kids that a human is a human. It does not matter their eye color, skin color, goals in life, their background, who their family is. A human being is a human being. Columbus Day was not a victory of the establishment for the Europeans but it was also a time where a large group of people, lost property, loved ones, their freedom, and etc. Our past, current, and future students will benefit from the truth of this lesson in history.