- 1. Inclusion in Early Childhood Education Northern Auckland
Kindergarten AssociationMinistry of Education - GSE Albany,
Auckland 2 September, 2011 Bernadette Macartney , Victoria
University Jude MacArthur, Massey University The Inclusive
Education Action Group i e a g
2. The goal of inclusive education is an inclusive society
- Developing early childhood services and schools thatrespond to
diversity so thatall children and young peopleare valued, belong,
learn well and have friends.
- Inclusive education is aboutlistening to unfamiliar voices ,
being open,empoweringall members, and aboutcelebrating diversityin
dignified ways. (Barton, 1997)
- Children welcomed, valued and included in theirlocalEC service
and school
3. Inclusion is about childrens
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- a processof continuous improvement
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- EC services, schoolsandcommunities
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- valuesandputting values into practice
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- overcoming barriersto childrens learning and participation
- (Ainscow, Booth & Dyson, 2006)
4. Inclusion is about values
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- - are fundamental guides and prompts to action
-
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- - give us a sense of direction
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- - underpin our actions towards others
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- - state how we want to live together and educate each other,
now and in the future
5. Values
- Equality, participation, community, compassion, respect for
diversity, honesty, rights,joy , non-violence,
sustainability,trust,courage ,love , hope/optimism,beauty
- What would our early childhood/school community look like if we
hadjoyful engagementin teaching, learning and relationships?
- What does education become withoutcourage, joy, loveandbeauty
?
6. Guidance and Policy supporting Inclusion
- The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities
- The New Zealand Disability Strategy -Whakanui Oranga
Ensure that effective supports are provided in environments that
maximize academic and social development, consistent withthe goal
of full inclusion Promote appropriate and effectiveinclusive
educational settingsthat will meet individual educational needs 7.
Presence Is this place fair for us? Do you encourage and facilitate
my endeavours to be part of the wider group? 8. Present? Not even
in the door
- EC teacher: (Our association has a policy that says) if a child
comes in, and you haven t got a wheelchair ramp and special toilet
facilities, or whatever, you have got a right to say No because
there is a kindergarten down the road that can take a child that
has got those facilities.
- Parent:You still have to fight for these kids, havent you?
Ohhh, it gets you down after a while by the time you work with them
at home as well, you haven t got the time to fight for them.
9. Not even in the door (school)
- Marama (mother of kpo Mori child):We had a meeting (with the
school). They have a bilingual unitand the teachers said, We will
fit her in here. Thats fine . And then we had a meeting with the
principal and he said straight out,I dont want to put the burden on
one of my teachers of having to have this girl in the classroom
...He made it really hard. He said if she went to the school, he
wouldnt put her in the bilingual unit. He would make her wear a
reflective vest in the playground because there are so many big
boys around and it would be dangerous for her and others to just be
in the playground.
- (Higgins, Phillips, Cowan & Tikao, 2009)
10. Am I present? Is this place fair for us?
- The researcher observed specialist professionals:
- v e lcroing themselves to children
- removing the children from the program
- workingone-to-one with a child
- implementing a separate program from that in the EC
setting
- Early Intervention teacher as the expert:
- Senior teacher/parent: I think the EI teacher intimidates the
teachers some teachers will say, well, shes the expert, with maybe
a sense of relief, Im glad I dont have to deal with Annie.
11. Am I present?
- Ian (age 11) at Intermediate school
- 9.00 -interval: In class.
- Interval went to special unit.
- After interval physiotherapy out of class.
- 10.45-11.30 Rest of class swimming. Iangoes to unit as the pool
is not accessible.
- 11.30-12.00 : Reading with class.
- Lunchtime : Went to library on his own.
- 1.00 : Wheelchair group safety and awareness; problem-solving;
social skills.
- 2.15Back to class. Rest of class are in assembly.He reads until
they return.
- 2.25Works in a small group with classmates on a project.
- 2.40Leave school early to catch taxi home.
- Ian:Its better to sit in a wheelchair and know yourmaths than
to walk.
-
-
-
-
- (Clark, MacArthur et al., 2007, p. 145).
12. I feel isolated in the special unit - I want to be part of
the group
- Rachel (age 16):There is still a little bit of stigma there (in
the Special Unit) . It would be better kind of not being shoved in
a room and being outcast. Some teachers dont go near our Learning
Support Centre at all.
- You just want to be treated like everybody else, really.
13. Participation Do you encourage and facilitate my endeavours
to be part of the wider group? Do you appreciate and understand my
interests and abilities and those of my family? Do my family and I
feel a sense of belonging here? Do you know us? Can we trust you?
Do you meet our daily needs with care and sensitive consideration?
14. Present, but not participating 15. Am I participating? Is this
place fair for us? Do you know us?
- Parent: The Head Teacher used to have to come to our IEP
meetings in her lunch hour. but the teachers never actually took
Clare off the ESW
- Some teachers in Kerrys study gave the responsibility of
teaching tamariki to ESWs or EI teacherssome ESWs knew more about
the child with a disability than their teachers did.
- Parents said they had to remind teachers about their legal
obligations to include and teach their child andto make
environments more accepting and inclusive
- (Gordon-Burns et al., 2010)
16. In the classroom but not participating
- Luke (age 13 ): Im happy and unhappy ( with the teacher aides).
They help me do my work, but they can get on my nerves.
- Lukes maths teacher : I see Luke at lunchtime he doesnt really
hang out with other kids they dont interact with him. But then
again, he interacts so much with the teacher aide in class, I dont
see him even talking to other kids in the class really.
17. Not participating - feeling left out
- Harry (age 16):They should have, like, people with disabilities
in, like, prefect roles, like that, head girl or boy or something
like that.You kind of feel left out, like all the popular students
in that year get a role and we dont.
- Harrys mother : Wed love to see him leave on Friday afternoon
and come back, you know, Sunday night, 3 oclock in the morning,
something like that that would be great wouldnt it?
- (Clark, MacArthur et al., 2007).
18. Scared to participate Emma (age13) 19. Achievement Do you
invite me to communicate and respond to my own particular efforts?
Do you hear us? Do you let us fly? Do you engage my mind, offer
challenges and extend my world? 20. Do you hear us? Do you let us
fly?
- Midwifes assessment in a written report:Clare is not able to
talk.
- Clares mother, Fran:If you dont know her (Clare), she cant
talk.
- How might these perceptions of Clare impact on her learning and
participation?
21. Do you hear us?
- High quality interactions take place when children feel that
their teachers value them
- Teachers in Kerrys and Bernadettes studies tended to view
children as too disabled and too difficult to teach and they were
therefore unlikely to:
-
-
- create challenging learning environments or provide the
assistance children needed to learn
22. My teachers make me feel different - and they dont hear
me
- Joanne (age 13):I feel like I am an equal, and (being put in a
low group) sets me down a bit like thinking, Oh well, I have to go
in this group because I am different
- Interviewer:Would you rather just be in the other class?
- Joanne:Yeah, just in the normal homeroom and like in the other
reading group.
- Interviewer:Do you get any chances to say that to your
teachers?
- (MacArthur, Sharp, Kelly and Gaffney, 2007)
23. Te Whaariki as a framework for inclusion Bernadette
Macartney 24. Key points
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- Physical presence does not equal inclusion
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- Children experience the curriculum in different ways
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- Cultural norms include some and exclude Others
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- Inclusion is an on-going process not a destination
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- On-going, deep critical reflection is essential
25. Assumptions about inclusion in ECE
- Physical presence = inclusion
- All children experience the curriculum in the same way
- Inclusion is a destination to be reached
26.
- The curriculum is forallchildren and families
- Defines curriculum as the sum total of the experiences,
activities and events, whether direct or indirect, which occur
within an environment designed to foster childrens learning and
development (p.10).
27.
- Te Whaarikias an ethical, philosophical and practical guide to
teachers
28.
29.
- Close, respectful and responsive relationships with each
child
- Families-whanau having an integral part to play in their childs
education
- A commitment to every child and families right to belong,
actively participate and contribute to what happens in the
curriculum
- A view of each and every child as unique ;as having the same
rights as others; as a competent and capable learner
- Valuing differences and diversity as expected, normal and
desirable
- Approaches to teaching that place an emphasis on each childs
strengths and interests
- An expectation that teachers will work collaboratively with the
wider community in the interests of childrens learning and full
participation
- (including other professionals such as EI teachers, teachers
with specialisations related to particular impairments, therapists
etc)
- Supporting learning through responsiveness relationships, and
interactions
30. Focusing on the key aspect of aTe Whaariki-based curriculum
on your sheet, discuss and record your thoughts about this
question:
- What things could prevent disabled children and their families
from experiencing Te Whariki in ways that reflect and support this
aspect of teaching philosophy and practice?
- We would like you to consider thebarriers.
31.
- What could teachers do to remove these barriers?(Discuss this
questionin relation to the aspect ofTe Whaarikiyou have been
looking at.)
- Consider teacher philosophy, beliefs, attitudes and
practices.
32. Implications for practice
- Attitudes are the biggest barrier/enabler
- Teachers taking responsibility for inclusion
- Creating strong partnerships with families
- RELATIONSHIPS NGA HONONGA
33. Working in Collaborative Teams to Support Inclusion Jude
MacArthur 34. The team
- Parents, whanau, teachers, ESWs, specialists, therapists, EI
teachers, GP, EC services, child development services, pediatrician
etc etc etc
- To support childrens learning and their social experiences, it
is important for all involved to:
- share a visionof the learning and social relationships for each
child
- work togetheras a teamto realise that vision
35. Interprofessional collaboration
- Learning with, from and about each other to develop a shared
understanding of each others areas of knowledge and practice,
roles, responsibilities
- Singing from the same song-sheet.
36. What makes an effective team?
- A caring focus on the child and family who are central, family
participation and leadership, valuing of whanau relationships,
shared values,a shared desire to make a positive difference for
children and to build teacher capability , trust, open and clear
communication, respect, ethical behaviour,shared goals and
understandings (e.g. about diversity, inclusion),
participation,flexibility (there are a number of ways to do
things), Aroha, open to new learning, cultural sensitivity and
support, sharing knowledge, approachable, curriculum knowledge,
inclusive values and practices, knowledge of team protocol,
confidentiality,positive relationships, knowledge of the community,
taking time to develop a shared purpose and clear roles, a shared
philosophy of collaboration - together we are better.
37. What makes an effective team?
- We arenot the expert , but we allhave expertise
- Weshare responsibility for children- Families and whanau, EC
services, schools and their communities all contribute to childrens
learning
38. EC teachers
- When teachers take responsibilityfor tamariki with
disabilities, they:
- Understand the roles and responsibilities of ESWs and EI
teachers in ways that encouragethe childrens independence and
interdependence
- Value their own knowledge and role - supportallchildrens
learning through interactions with others
- (Gordon-Burns et al, 2010)
39. Understanding Diversity What families and disabled people
can tell us about inclusion Bernadette McCartney 40. Nothing about
us without us!
- What do disabled people tell us about their lives, rights and
aspirations?
41. 42. Wretches and jabberers
- http://www. youtube .com/watch? v=2FlIyJJRc0E
43. 44. 45. families & whanau
- What do families of disabled children say about and want/need
from an
46. Inclusion in practice.
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- Examples from a kindergarten and a childcare centre
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- What was important to each family?
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- What was important to each teachers?
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- What was missing/not emphasised from a Te Whaariki-based
perspective?
47. Families want
- Teachers and peers who have a good relationship with their
family and child
- Teachers who see and treat their child as a learner
- Equitable rules, systems & access
48. A family story
- How do the parents view their disabled child?
- What do the want for him?
- What do they want from others?
49. Thank you for coming to our workshop
- Creating Inclusive Schools & Communities
50.
- UNESCO DVD :A world for inclusion
- http://www. unesco .org/archives/multimedia/? s=films_details
& id_page=33 & id_film=213
- This short film introduces inclusive educatin and explores its
meaning from an international perspective.
- Booth, T. and Ainscow, M. (2011). The Index for Inclusion.www.
csie .org. uk
- The Index is a professional development tool for schools that
is widely used internationally.CSIE also have a version of the
Index that is dedicated to early childhood education.