The Perfect Storm?

As anyone who has read my blog knows, I am a co-teacher in an inclusion classroom. Christine Southard, the special ed part of the program, and I are in our third year together, second full time. We have many successes to speak of, are often complimented by our colleagues for how well our students are doing, and hear very positive comments from our parents. We are frequently asked how we run our program...why we have such success. And Christine and I disagree about whether or not our program can be duplicated. Our assistant superintendent called us "The Perfect Storm." She is not so sure our program can be repeated by different teachers. I am not so sure I agree with her. I do believe that our program can and should be duplicated. But I do think certain factors have to be set in place.

1. Philosophy

Christine and I share a very important philosophy. It is one in which we believe that all the children in our class are part of the class. I know that sounds basic but what it really means is that we have the same expectations for all our students. And we give all students what they need to meet those expectations. We differentiate instruction, provide tools, give additional help...all within the setting of a regular education classroom. And we both provide this service. Christine and I do not have my students and her students. We are both responsible for all the children.

Now it is true that we came by this philosophy ourselves. And not all co-teachers have this philosophy but I do believe this idea can come top down. If an administrator set up a program following this set up, the teachers would have to work under these constrictions. And the children would benefit.

2. UDL Helps Inclusion

Christine and I understand that certain children learn better using tools. One might need a slant board to eleviate writing fatigue, another might need voice activation on a computer, a third might benefit from using a digital recorder to get thoughts down. By making these tools available to all children, the children who need them don't stand out quite so much. If four different children pick up a digital recorder during writing time, the one that needs it won't feel so uncomfortable using it. Now it is true that some children need tools that cannot be offered to others, such as a wheelchair or hearing aides. Then it is important to speak openly about the situation. Let the child using the tool explain to the class how it helps. Make this assistive technology understandable instead of unusual.

How can this work for other teachers? Don't make technology available for only small parts of the day. Keep baskets of fidget toys, allow children to move around the room as needed to see better or be more comfortable, make computers available whenever possible. Teach children how to figure out how they learn best. Then allow all the students the freedom to use what tools are necessary to meet their needs. Don't just focus on the children who have been labeled. Give all the students the responsibility for their own learning.

3. PBL Also Supports Inclusion

While much has been written about using Project Based Learning to help children better engage in content and have deeper understanding, Christine and I have found that PBL also helps all of our students meet with success. The child who struggles with writing can create a fabulous video demonstrating knowledge. The one who cannot yet read on grade level can be read to or can watch videos to learn the information that another can learn in a textbook. And the child who loves talking can create podcasts of information his classmates can use to learn content. By allowing all students choices in how they learn, the child who struggles in a particular area does not stand out so much for not reading well or writing well. This child, who normally fits into the bottom of the class, has an opportunity to shine and be the expert reporter, producer, or editor.

Administrators should spend staff development time and money to help teachers learn how to use PBL in their classrooms. Once again, when the top says do PBL, the bottom will do it. Maybe not happily at first but hopefully the administrators know how to encourage teachers so they will understand the benefits and want to try it out.

4. Children Work Better in Smaller Groups

Christine and I create groups for almost all subjects. We have leveled groups in math, reading, writing, and language arts. We preassess for skills and provide small group instruction to assist students who need support with these skills. We have found that often children move in and out of need groups as the skills change. The child that struggles with spelling might not need the punctuation group. By moving children in and out of groups, they begin to see that all of us need help in some areas and none of us need help in every area. Children get comfortable understanding that they are getting what they need, when they need it. We don't have "dummies" and "smarties" in the class. Just children who are learning.

There are three reasons this is easy for us to accomplish - so administrators take note. First, we are together full time. Christine is with me every day, all day. When we worked together only part time, it was much harder to have consistency with small groups. Second, we have a separate room into which we can move a group. This allows us to both teach at the same time. We don't always pull kids to the "break out room" but when the groups are large enough, it is easier to move down the hall then it is to move to a back table. We also take turns moving to the "break out room." It is not just the special ed room. And the third reason is that we work hard to avoid having students pulled out for extra help. We support our math, reading and writing resource students in class. Sometimes, a resource teacher will push in to the room, sometimes we provide the services ourselves. Keeping them in the room makes scheduling small group instruction much easier.

Do other factors come into play?

We both work very hard to make our classroom engaging, fun, and supportive. We spend a great deal of time teaching the children acceptance and respect for each other.

We both are capable of showing our students that we are learners, too, and as such, have our own struggles to overcome.

We both believe in telling children the truth. We want them to understand their struggles so they can compensate. And so they can understand that others might also have the same struggles.

And we are very different types of learners and, therefore, different types of teachers. While Christine, the Queen of the Graphic Organizer, is demonstrating how a graphic organizer can assist the students with their writing, I, who cannot work with graphic organizers, am supporting those who find them confusing by showing them how I organize my writing. This allows the students to see more than one way to tackle a situation.

Do I think these factors help create the Perfect Storm? Well if they do, then maybe our program can't be duplicated. But I am still an idealist. I see how our students thrive. And I want that for all students. So I want to believe that it can be duplicated. And I want to believe it is relatively easy. So when people ask how, I want to keep telling them. But I also want to make sure Christine and I stay together for as long as we are both teaching. I don't want to take any chances.

Photos
'rayo 3'
www.flickr.com/photos/48926078@N00/2176941958
' Jeff Bezos'
www.flickr.com/photos/12426416@N00/134671943
'Fellow Commuter Enjoying Adam Curry's Podcast'
www.flickr.com/photos/44124452748@N01/22423994
'Fernando explaining something'
www.flickr.com/photos/90151774@N00/2703679047

A Magic Wand

On Thursday, Teachers are Talking hosted David Warlick as our guest. He answered questions about changes he's seen in the classroom, a bit about politics, and a great deal about the future of education. And then he posed a question of his own. "If you had a magic wand," he said, "no obstacles...what would you make happen for all teachers?"

Now this is a powerful question. The question really asks one to think about sweeping changes, huge reform, major differences in education. So I wave my wand and what happens?

First, my wand would eliminate state testing caused by NCLB. I have watched, over my 20+ years of teaching, some amazing teachers move from making learning fun to making learning all about preparing for a test. Now I don't believe things have to be this way and I don't think they are in my classroom but, even in my own classroom, we talk "test". And I hate taking time out of learning to talk "test". I do believe we need to be held accountable for our students learning but there has to be a better way than using a test that doesn't really measure learning.

Second, my wand would put two educators in each classroom. And let's throw in an aide also. This is the setting I work in right now. There is a regular educator (with a special ed. background) and a special educator in the room full time. And we have a full time aide, there to support children and help with the classroom minutiae. This setting is ideal. We teach ALL children on their level, giving all students the support and enrichment they need for every subject. Having a second teacher in the room allows for small group and individual instruction to occur all day, not just when I have a moment.

Third, technology would be available and working all day. One to one laptops would be on hand at all times, the interactive whiteboard would be running, no sites would be blocked - enabling us to use any tool available online, the cameras and digital recorders would have charged batteries, with extras in the charger, and the webcam would be on and accessible.

Fourth, there would be ample time every day to plan with my co-teacher, meet with parents, post podcasts, edit videos, etc. David suggested 3-4 hours a day. I am not sure I need that much time. But one day a week with no students would cover it. Or an hour long prep each day with an hour long duty free lunch would be great. I have now an hour long duty free lunch and a 35 - 45 minute prep each day. It is almost enough time.

Fifth, all teachers would have to set up a PBL classroom. No more using textbooks and worksheets, no more having students sit at desks for hours listening to lectures. Children will be engaged and energized working in cooperative groups to create - and demonstrate their knowledge. And it would be great if those cooperative groups could be outside the four walls of the classroom.

So there are my "magic wand" wishes. The reality is that I have a pretty ideal classroom situation. While there are things I would love to change, most of it I just love. And so do the children. So my magic wand would offer what I have to all of you. Can you create the ideal classroom? Have you?

Image: 'The truth brings no answers sometimes.' www.flickr.com/photos/70213268@N00/315842577

Image: 'Four heads are better than one' www.flickr.com/photos/26406919@N00/279625345

The Successful Inclusion Program

Recently, my co-teacher, Christine Southard, and I found out that all of our AIS reading students tested out of reading for next year. Each one of them! I have been teaching for 23 years and have never had that happen. In addition, 2 classified students improved reading scores so much that comprehension skills are no longer a part of their IEPs. When we tested the class ourselves with IRIs, using the Fountas and Pinnell levels, we found each child made at least a year's progress but most made much more. And 17 out of 24 students leveled out of the test, achieving an equivalent comprehension score of grade 6 or higher (level X or higher).

So this, of course, begs the question - How did this happen? What was it about our program that enabled these students to improve to such a large extent?

First, I need to tell you that I have been an inclusion teacher for many years. Although I teach regulary education, I do have my Masters' in Special Ed and have always believed in differentiating instruction to help all students succeed. I truly believe that a perfect classroom is one in which two teachers work toward a common goal. So I have had many co-teaching situations. Two have been quite successful, most have been very unsuccessful.

In examining the successful ones, I realize it all has to do with philosophy. And certain rules need to be followed.

Some co-teachers (both regular and special ed) believe that "you have your students and I have mine." I have worked with a teacher like this. She would come to the room and say, "Ok, my students come with me." I would then watch as the children, with mortified looks in their eyes, would slink out of the room.

Rule #1: Do not separate the children. They should not stand out for being classified. Remember: inclusion means to be included, not separated.

There's also that belief that we should be so private as to not speak about the needs of the children. Don't embarrass Johnny by telling him to put on his glasses, hearing aids, etc. Don't make Susie feel bad by handing her a fidget toy to play with so she can pay attention. In our classroom, fidget toys are in a box for all the children, glasses are mentioned frequently, students are encouraged to move to the front of the room, grab a spell checker, use the computer or alphasmart, pull out the E.Z.C. Readers, etc. The difference? These tools are demonstrated to and available for everyone. (Well, not glasses or hearing aids but you get the point.) So when a lesson begins, up jumps the classified student along with the gifted student. They both gather tools they need to be successful. So..

Rule #2: Don't hide special needs. Point out that we all need assistance at times. Make it available to everyone.

Then there's the idea that a special educator is only there to work with the special ed children. This leaves a lot of other children behind and makes the classified children really stand out. We believe that we both are there to teach all of the students. We group children for various subjects and rotate who teaches the groups. When class tests are given, volunteers leave the room with one of us to go to a more quiet setting or to have tests read to them. Amazingly, the children, all of them, really do choose what they need. Some leave the room for the novelty but most choose the setting in which they work best.

Rule #3: Mix the teachers up and allow students to choose their style of learning.

This year, we also eliminated reading pull-outs. Students remained in class during reading and ended up receiving much more reading service time than they would have in the pull-out program. And keeping students in the classroom as much as possible is helpful for having them not miss content. Next year, we are going to do the same for math pull-outs. Note: This was not an easy goal to achieve. Reading and resource room teachers may feel it threatens their jobs. If necessary, try to make your pull-outs push-ins instead.

Rule #4: Keep students in the classroom as much as possible. Eliminate as many pull-outs as you can.

Of course, other aspects of our program have not been mentioned here. Christine and I spend a great deal of time reading and writing in all subjects. With blogging as a large part of our program, it was inevitable that progress would be made. We also believe in a project-based learning program. This method of differentiating instruction allows all of our students to find success. But I really believe it was a combination of the technology and the philosophy that made it all work. I can't wait for next year!