How easy it's to say: I can read, do math, speak, run and many other activities... Whenever you are a person without any limitation all these things that we do thinking that it's normal to be done or that every person can do them. But whenever we sit down to think that there are people who did not have the same luck as us and who can not read because they suffer from dixlesia or because they have a physical problem like use a crutch or wheelchair, or because they can't speak fluently, or simply have concentration problems and it's so difficult to memorize anything because they don't retain the information.
Now, what happen when we have a room with different types of students, average children and also children with difficulties, children that we have to help more frequently, children to whom we have to have a different teaching technique, and taking into account their limitations we have to redesign a whole class trying to reach them in a different way than other children and evaluate them in a different way as well.
How do I feel about this? I don't feel trained at all, first to understand every limitation, because the possibilities are endless. In a certain way I feel that it's an additional work, that I have more activities to work on, and although it sounds selfish, I think that qualified people should attend to children with these limitations so these people who does have the training and expertise can be the ones that take them by the hand and helps them achieve their goals. A part of me is in agreement with the inclusive education, but that part of me that is not an expert in this, that does not know how to handle each case, and that I do not have training in what type of technique is the most appropriate to help each child is not agree at all. It makes me feel frustrated. What can I do about it? Self-training seems to be the only option. I remember that I attended a seminar where they talked about the different types of limitations that a student can have in a classroom, that day I understood that a child with ADHD is not guilty at all of being distracted and that does not achieve on average the objectives of the class, but I still need help when creating an activity to get to develop the learning process in that particular student and then be able to measure how much of a lesson the student has learned.
Hi, Arlenis!
ReplyDeleteI totally understand your concern. I do not know how it is in Panama. In the USA, the public schools hire special education teachers. They are the experts who will help the children with learning disabilities. There is also a several tests that those children have to go through. Special Education also involves lots of documentation. It is not simple, and it has to be done the right way.
I think you raised very interesting questions. An inclusive education should for sure have special ed professionals. They have studied and have the knowledge to help special ed children be successful. We should all be working in a team for the best of our students.