Transcript:
Teachers Connect: Hi Polly and South Robeson, glad
to see you all back. Who do you have with you this afternoon Polly?
Mt. Pleasant: I really want to discuss some of the ways that you folks have tried to
implement inclusion.....positive and negative...we were on the verge of a great morning
discussion. I have Shane and Josh from this morning. They wanted to help again this
afternoon, and I am grateful
Teachers Connect: I' m glad Shane and Josh are back. You guys were a great addition to
the Town Meeting this morning.
Mt. Pleasant: We were telling our science class this morning after the conference
about how much fun the conference was and all about the technology... They are ready to
field any questions from anyone....
Teachers Connect: I bet the science class was jealous that you got to take part and
the rest of them didn't. What did they say?
Mt. Pleasant: Grace, hi from Adam...he is here for questions too. South Robeson
and Fries....we want to know how long you have had inclusion and how many classes?
Teachers Connect: Hi Adam, what do you do in the inclusion area?
South Robeson HS: 3 years...5 classes...currently only in English I & II
Mt. Pleasant: Shane and Josh said that the students thought that it was interesting to
be able to take part. I wish that I could have had everyone join in. Are you planning to
implement math? Josh says you should. It has helped him.
South Robeson HS: Not currently...we are looking at ELP.
Teachers Connect: Polly, how do you think you could use CU-SeeMe with your classes?
Mt. Pleasant: I think that it would be a wonderful idea to have students in team
taught classes as freshmen talk to those that will move to another grade level or school
and let them know of how much of a change it really is.
Teachers Connect: Maybe Josh and Shane could be the leaders in showing other students
how to use CU.
Mt. Pleasant: If there is a program that is really great on the other side of the
state that is moving to full inclusion, then we could have students, the ones that are
affected the most, have an open discussion about the positives and yes, negatives. Shane
just said that he wanted it on his own computer
Teachers Connect: I haven't heard anyone mention the negatives yet. What are some of
them?
South Robeson HS: Polly, when you refer to inclusion, do you mean team teaching only,
or does it include mainstreaming?
Mt. Pleasant: I love our program here. However, we still have the issue to deal with
of the 3 to 5 students that are just not supported enough with Curriculum Assistance.
Also, with the new IEP's in Cabarrus County we have some major issues to be dealt with.
Full inclusion is team teaching both Reg. Ed. and EC. Mainstreaming, I feel, is a
different issue that is used more in the TMH, PMH classes. However, we consider work place
readiness in real places of business, full inclusion in the work force. However, they are
mainstreamed for "specials." I want to hear some of the other problems that you
are experiencing. We may have some suggestions are similar problems. I'm very interested,
South Robeson and Fries. Are your teachers receptive to full inclusion on the other side
of the state? (We looked up South Robeson, by the way.) Fries, tell us what classes are
full inclusion at your school. I remember that you have a teacher in every grade level.
How does it work?
South Robeson HS: Currently the English department has more insight into the inclusion
process. The other departments really haven't expressed an interest.
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Teachers Connect: Hi This is Lucy Miller, I am this
year's National Technology teacher of the Year, but my beginnings were in spec ed. I
always had the inclusion class, all levels and abilities.
Mt. Pleasant: Great to meet you. Are you going to try to extend your classes, South
Robeson? I will call you SR from now on, ok?
South Robeson HS: MP...yes we are ready...but the other teachers aren't.
Mt. Pleasant: Lucy, how did you incorporate technology with inclusion? I'm very
interested in some ways that I can better my uses of technology with my students
Teachers Connect: I once had 35 kids, fist class to ever leave the confines of the
spec ed setting in a high risk school, but I had the spec ed teacher with me. The hardest
part was designing lesson plans for all levels, but I did redesign the math curriculum,
with permission from the county, and made it work for my kids.
Mt. Pleasant: Idea....I know that sometimes we have had to wait until a fresh, new
teacher open to ideas joins our faculty. Over MANY years, we have had success. It takes
awhile, SR....what do you plan to do concerning math and competency for EC students? Did
you find that it was worth all of your efforts after all of the planning and leaving a
safe environment to try new things, Lucy?
Teachers Connect: Regarding technology integration. I tend to do a lot with
cooperative grouping, really matching those bright patient kids with my spec ed kids. Then
I put the spec ed kids in charge of the technology which ranged from simple tape
recorders, that the kids would have to record their responses, to word processing
responses. The brighter kids were mentors so to speak
Mt. Pleasant: Comfort zones were the hardest things for all of our teachers to
"mess" around with while implementing inclusion.
South Robeson HS: These children are resources for "strategies for success"
- 1 period a day. Competency skills are addressed by the EC teachers. It offers more of a
one on one environment. Last year, every one of our seniors on the standard course of
study left with a high school diploma.
Mt. Pleasant: I firmly believe that cooperative learning is necessary for success with
inclusion. I absolutely agree.
Teachers Connect: I also had some good training and I believe that you have to provide
the regular ed teacher with methods and strategies for breaking down tasks. We did some
role playing and thematic planning together way in advance to us working together
Mt. Pleasant: It allows for easier transitions into new environments, units,
materials, and subjects that are trouble spots for these students
Teachers Connect: I think you have to "sell" a lot to parents and
administrators too, showing off the cool things the kids do together which in turn
empowers everyone else to do what is best.
Mt. Pleasant: I have some students here that have lived the experience of going from
resource, middle school, to full inclusion.
Teachers Connect: Wow! And their impressions?
Mt. Pleasant: I believe that along with training the reg. teachers that visiting
positive programs and seeing first hand successful situations is the best way to add more
classes and gain support.
Mt. Pleasant: Shane and Josh say that now they have all of the help that they need. It
was hard going from school to school and into bigger classes, but Curriculum Assistance
and having teachers that are willing to help you and both teach help.
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Teachers Connect: I have worked with inclusion with
even the most multiply handicapped students in the Maryland area as a part of doctoral
research that I conducted years ago. It is the law, why restrict kids from the natural
learning environment with their friends?
Mt. Pleasant: Shane and Josh say that now they are in all classes with their
friends instead of 1
South Robeson HS: We have experienced the same transitions here at SRHS (resource @
ms, to inclusion at the hs). I think the students feel like they are out of special ed and
are excited about school and being considered a normal student. They are not labeled EC in
most students' eyes.
Mt. Pleasant: Also, their grades have gone up...
Teachers Connect: Shane and Josh, that is great that you get the help that you
need. You are fortunate to have such terrific support. Of course everyone wants to be with
their friends. Just keep building that strong self-esteem and don't listen to anyone who
wants to put a label on you!
Mt. Pleasant: We do not differentiate between the two team teachers. I teach the
first week of school, and the students have 2 science teachers not 1 reg and 1 sped. I
actually spend more time, it seems, with the reg. students.
South Robeson HS: The regular students wanted a fresh view from the EC teacher and
the EC students wanted to work with the reg ed teacher.
Mt. Pleasant: South Robeson, it sounds like that you only have support in the
English area for inclusion. How long have you been inclusion English? It sounds like you
are right on track. Any ideas for SR?
Teachers Connect: Everyone has special weaknesses, but everyone has more talents
than weaknesses so take that step ahead to share your talents and strengths! The success
of my project the SWAT Team, Students Working to Advance Technology, is for and about
students, all students regardless of their knowledge base in technology. It thrives on the
idea that we are in education together and that when we work together we share our
talents, our skills and make a better future for us all.
Mt. Pleasant: How do we get more information on your SWAT team? What are some
examples of projects that we could do?....Shane says
Mt. Pleasant: Fries, are you still here? I'm interested in knowing how you utilize
your four EC teachers. I have a friend that is starting full inclusion in Winston-Salem
and she has many questions.
Teachers Connect: I have brochures and a web site, just check out the site and you
can download replication materials to start your own SWAT
Team http://www.ncat.edu/~schofed/swat
Mt. Pleasant: Our technology specialist
is very interested. We will definitely utilize your address.
South Robeson HS: With English I, all students were administered a learning style
inventory and were placed in groups that contained at least one learner from each of the
following styles: auditory, visual, tactile. These groups became learning centers -
reading, listening, writing, & vocabulary. We experience tremendous success with this
approach.
Mt. Pleasant: How were the EOC's?
South Robeson HS: The EC students scored mainly level II's. They were consistent
with the class scores.
Mt. Pleasant: That is yet another positive of inclusion. I think that SR has a
great idea. Did you have to place them during the summer, or were they given the
inventories at the beginning of the school year?
South Robeson HS: At the beginning of school. They were given the 1st and 2nd day
of school in the inclusion classes. We would recommend the Dunn & Dunn test.
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Mt. Pleasant: I want to hear about negatives. Do you
have any to share? I will start with the issue of some students not being able to handle
the transition from a self-contained environment to full inclusion.
South Robeson HS: We have only had one student that was taken off the standard
course of study. He was sent back to the resource class for all academics.
Mt. Pleasant: That is a problem that hasn't been fixed. Since we have no
self-contained or resource, we have no place for the one or two students that need a place
to cool down at times. Is this student certificate track?
South Robeson HS: Yes...he is now.
Mt. Pleasant: Was behavior the problem, or was frustration the problem? Or was it
behavior problems as a result of frustration?
South Robeson HS: He was in the wrong place. And yes, he did misbehave as a result.
He continues to be difficult in any situation.
Mt. Pleasant: Lucy, are you still with us?
Teachers Connect: I have tons of negatives, my favorite one was the first week of
inclusion (former self-contained high risk, very street wise kids) lost it. They were
literally jumping on, over and under the desks. They hated the large class size and just
could not concentrate. They were very intimidated with their age peers that were so
focused.
Mt. Pleasant: What did you do to transition them into the full inclusion program
after hell week one?
Teachers Connect: The main frustration was fear, fear of the unknown, I think we
should have eased them in over time, but our boss was determined to start with inclusion
day one, because it was the politically correct thing to do, without thinking about the
needs of the teachers, but mostly the needs of the kids. That is my biggest warning out
there, ease them in!
Mt. Pleasant: That is why I think that this could actually be students teaching
students tool for introducing those around the state to inclusion. Now that we know the
pitfalls associated with inclusion
Teachers Connect: I used to be intimidated of my administrators but then realized I
knew more than they did about the needs of special children. It takes a strong will to
stand up for your kids. Granted this was a while ago when inclusion was making its break.
No one used their common sense.
Mt. Pleasant: Administrator's HAVE to be supportive for positive, successful
inclusion.
Teachers Connect: Inclusion means a lot these days, from special needs to ESL to
gifted. I've done it all, and the schedules can be a nightmare. I think the ideal is
keeping the kids IN the room with support form the specialist in curriculum planning and
direct guidance and modeling of instruction adaptations. However it is sad that
specialists have to be spread so thin.
Mt. Pleasant: We spend HOURS scheduling.
Teachers Connect: I say we go back to the one room school house, with no
administrative tasks and just teach children!
Mt. Pleasant: Amen, Teacher's Connect!
Teachers Connect: I have to add that one room school house should have lots of
technology. :) Distance Learning, teleconferencing, multimedia, the stuff kids love!
Mt. Pleasant: As a science teacher, hands on final projects and presentations for
grading of mastery. Shane says some homework but no long boring tests in this school. If
you get some students on that want to learn about high school and about two teachers in a
class, I will ask Mrs. H if she'll let me come and talk but I can't type as fast.....Shane
Teachers Connect: I was never a strong test taker and my scores proved that all my
years, but you know Shane in spite of my learning weaknesses, I worked my tail off and
look where it got me...a great education and national recognition for a fun project for
kids. I'm proud of my efforts but if I had to worry about my test scores I would not be
where I am, thank God others looked beyond those low scores too!
Mt. Pleasant: I have a very hard time taking tests...but tests don't count much
because I get nervous...we have other projects and labs that count more than tests
Teachers Connect: Yes and your projects should count more, but I think test taking
is a fact of life, so take every opportunity your teachers give you to lessen your fears
and feel comfortable with the process.
Mt. Pleasant: I still hate tests. I like taking labs. Mrs. H says that tests will
be a part of class because we have to be ready for competency and practice taking those
kinds of tests
Teachers Connect: Polly, thanks again for agreeing to do this conference. I think
we have covered some great information for those who attended as well as those who will
read the transcripts. Thanks also to your students - we appreciate their willingness to
participate! Shane and Josh, continue to listen to your teachers and follow their lead.
They are there to help you. We have all been in your place and we chose the teaching
profession so that we could help others.
Mt. Pleasant: Thank you for allowing us to discuss some issues that are pretty
important to us. We have enjoyed both sessions very much.
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