Inclusion Statement: Diara Hindle
Inclusion is the cornerstone of a successful classroom. In order to succeed, every child should feel that they are represented in their classroom, that they are seen and heard, safe and important. There are so many simple (and difficult) ways to establish this type of classroom culture and community, a few examples of how I see this being executed in my classroom are as follows.
The demographic of a classroom changes every year, you can not predict the students that will come into your classroom, their history, their needs, or their identities. Because of this, your classroom also has to change every year. The resources and artifacts we use in our classroom are not stagnant, and must constantly grow with our practice and our student base. For example, if you suddenly have an influx of students of different cultures, like a few new immigrant families, it is part of your job as a teacher to make those students feel included in the classroom. Finding literature that represents them as best we can, incorporating their culture into our classroom decor and practices, these are all steps that we can take to make a student feel like an important part of the classroom. Something as simple as adding a new culture’s holiday to your classroom calendar can make a world of difference in making a student feel included in the classroom culture.
Making all students feel safe in the classroom is not merely accomplished with representation. Beyond that we must also connect to our students, without knowing who they are as individuals, and what experiences they bring with them, we can not cater to their needs. Getting to know your students may be the most vital part of inclusion, as we can not accommodate what we do not know. A student whose parents are currently separating may struggle to hear stories of traditional family structures, making the classroom unpleasant while these books are being studied. A simple shift in the literature we choose can help to make that student feel more safe to express themselves in that space.
Safety is also a practical concern, with a strong stance on bullying and behavior issues also being important in the classroom. These policies can in some cases seem exclusionary, but I believe that by establishing strong classroom relationships and classroom culture early in the year, with clear behavioral expectations, students are very capable of participating in keeping the classroom safe and accessible to all.By using a collaborative problem solving model, incorporating the students in the discussion while resolving issues, we can approach classroom safety in an inclusive and fair way. (The book “Lost at School” is a great resource for collaborative problem solving).
Beyond the basic rights of safety and representation in the classroom, it is vital for student development for them to feel important. Students can feel important when they have an active role in the classroom, when they feel they are involved in the classroom culture, and most importantly, when they feel they matter to their teacher. Once again I feel that this comes down to the relationships we form with our students. When students feel that they matter to their teacher, they are more likely to succeed, and more likely to strive for higher achievement. For some students, having a safe adult to talk to and interact with may be a new experience, and it is with great reverence and respect that we must take on this role. Every student should feel that their teacher cares for them, not just at a surface level, but a real connection. This takes significant effort on the part of the teacher, and will obviously be easier with some students than others. But this is an effort that is not only worthwhile, but essential to the success of our students.
Inclusion in the classroom is very relationship based, without knowing our students we can not adequately support them in all that they need. By building relationships with our students, we can create an environment in which all students feel seen, represented, important and safe. This is the type of environment that I feel facilitates students’ success in all facets of their lives.