Inclusion

This semester I had the opportunity to be placed in an inclusion classroom. I felt really lucky but scared at the same time! I had no prior experience being in an inclusion classroom. And, working with students  While we have learned about inclusion, it is completely different in a real life situation. When I had meet my mentor for the first time she told me that it would be her first time doing it too. I felt a little relieved knowing that my mentor and I were in the same position. At the beginning of the semester I got to meet the Special Education teacher who would be helping my mentor with the inclusion. During my time at my placement I got observe, teach and find other ways to be involved in the class. Inclusion involves co-teaching but most of the time I see my mentor as the head teacher while the Special Education teacher as a helper. Although, it may help the students with one-one help but the purpose of inclusion is be able to co-teach lessons for any student whether or not they have an IEP. 
Recently, my mentor told me she would be pulling out of the program. She showed me an article and asked her if it would be okay if I took it home to read. The article is called, "Factors Affecting the Success of Inclusion." It talks about a school that underwent full inclusion within the school and her research. I have yet to finish the article but this paragraph really stood out to me...

"Successful inclusive schools provide a unified educational system in which general and 

special educators work collaboratively to provide comprehensive and integrated services 

and programming for all students.  At these sites, inclusive practices have been carefully 

developed and implemented by the entire school system and are provided with resources 

to support and maintain change (para. 4)."

I feel in order for inclusion to be a success...there needs to be collaboration between the special educators and a support system to help maintain it. Everyone needs to be involved not just a set a staff but the whole school. Having everyone to support you sets everyone for success in the long run and consistency.

I tell myself this is only one setting or example of inclusion that I have experienced and seen. There are so many other variations of an inclusion classroom I have not seen yet. I'm curious as to what they may implement within their class in order to make it successful.

http://gothenburg.k12.ne.us/StaffInfoPg/Papers/A_Richeson.pdf

GT

 In elementary school I went to Kahala Elementary School. Several of my classmates would leave the class in 5th grade. This would make them stand out because they would leave in the 10 to 15 minutes into class. It was odd to see since in my previous grades my classmates would rarely leave the classroom unless they had to go see the nurse or the principle. I did not even know what GT was until I asked one of my classmates I remember her telling me, "Oh, GT is for the smart kids." They were instantly labeled the "smart kids" in our grade. In my current placement they had a GT program in place which is different from my last two placement. One of placements did not have a GT program at all but they had a support reading group to provide extra support for the students who were having trouble reading or comprehending the material. In my first placement they had a STAR program which I really liked. In this program students who were not doing well in a certain subject (Math/English)  they would receive extra help. The groups tended to be smaller to give one-one help. Students who were doing well would be able to projects to help expand their learning while challenging them. My current placement pulls students from their Language Art, Hawaiian Studies and Math classes. I'm still unsure how I feel about this. I think it's wonderful to be able to challenge students who are not being challenged enough in the classroom. To them it's a breath of fresh air. But, to be pulled out 3 classes...my mentor and I find ourselves with half of the class gone especially on Mondays. For most of her lessons they are short and concise because the GT students will have to leave. And, my mentor needs to find other activities for the other students who do not go to GT to do. And, to miss Hawaiian Studies upsets me because I feel it is so important to know the history and culture of where you live. I always enjoyed when my Kumu would visit our classroom to teach us about the Hawaiian islands and the Legends of O'ahu. I always found it exciting. 
With most of my GT students they have good work habits. Often they will come after school to make sure they didn't miss anything else or to make up a test. This does not apply to all the GT students. Some students even if you give them the homework the students will not complete the homework or make-up the test or quiz that they have missed. Which I talked to my Field Supervisor about, I always thought in my mind GT students were perfect model students stereotype. This is not true at all. Some students may have good habits other may not. But, it does not necessarily mean that they are "bad" student. Another question was brought up, "Do they really need homework?" I'm not sure...maybe the material does not  challenge the student enough. It would probably have to depend on the student. 
All in all I still have mixed feelings about it. I plan to visit the a GT class to learn more about what they do and to gain a better perspective.

New Placement

Every time being placed in a placement is always nerve wrecking. Will I get along with my mentor? Will I get along with the staff? What are the students like? For our placements we always started a few weeks after school started. This always felt awkward to me. I was felt like I was intruding in my mentor's classroom. This semester was great because I had the opportunity to go my placement and help my mentor set up her classroom and meet my students on their first day of school. This was very exciting to me.
My class is unique because we have inclusion class for Language Arts this is their first time doing something like this. When I found out from my mentor it made me nervous and worried. I had no experience working with students who needed additional support. You learn about it in school but it's completely different when you experience it in real life. My mentor reassured me that she would help me and that it was her first time teaching an inclusion class. I got to meet my second mentor on the first day in school, they both co-teach together. They way they work together is amazing :)!