Changing Landscape: Inclusive Education-Diversity & Difference
Core Questions: You will focus on the diversity, difference & inclusiveness in the school and classrooms.In what ways do the teachers and educational assistants honour inclusive education practices? How are the needs of EAL learners being met in the classroom? In what ways do teachers, administrators and students honour diversity, equity, and human rights for gender and sexual diverse students in their classrooms and within their schools and communities?
This week at McVeety school I gave attention to the inclusivity of the school. This school is very diverse, and they seem to have a great EAL program. Nearly every week when I am in a classroom, I have noticed groups of students being pulled out of class for EAL. This school gets new students every week like crazy. They had 11 new students last week and many don’t speak English when they arrive. The teachers work really closely with the students to teach them and help them learn English.
The classrooms all have diverse seating options and I noticed that there are accommodations made for any students that need. There is flexible seating and quiet places. I was surprised that they had a quiet space to be used as a prayer room because often schools are scratching for space but it is nice that they set a space aside completely for the students. I think this is awesome and that all schools should do it. They have a teacher supervisor everyday just like recess and lunch time. I saw so many kids ask to use it to pray during lunch and I think this is great to have a safe space like this. McVeety school has lots of reminders that it is an inclusive school and welcoming to everyone. I am not sure if they have a gay-straight alliance club, but it really feels like a welcoming school. All the teachers took it upon themselves to have pride decorations and make it comfortable for students.