My Observation For Inclusion In The Classroom

I saw a great amount of planning for inclusion during my observation in the kindergarten. The teachers in the classroom set up the classroom so it was suited for students with and without disabilities. The classroom had objects that incorporated sensory elements. Such as a play chest with manipulatives, an area with housekeeping toys, an area for clay creations, an area for blocks, an area for coloring, and an area to listen and read to a book. The teachers also often used simple language when giving instructions and repeated them to help the students understand what they had to do to succeed in what they had to do. Models of what the student had to do were often shown and even students provided examples to show the classroom. The activities …show more content…
I oversaw how an inclusive classroom worked and how teachers included the students with the exceptional learning needs in the general education setting. It gave me a more concrete understanding of how to provide proper instruction for the students with the learning needs and how to handle an inclusive classroom. What surprised me was that the teachers did not have much help in the classroom. Often teachers did not have aids when having a student with learning needs. The teacher had to learn how to handle the students with special needs and provide proper instruction for them and all the other students in the class. Another thing that surprised me was that the school had a 98 percent poverty rate. Many students could not afford backpacks, school supplies and even a jacket. Teachers were often left to by all the supplies for the students themselves and much of the money came from their own pockets. I was also surprised of the diversity of the school and how accepting and caring everyone was for each other. The only questions I really have is why is the funding for public education so low. Teachers should be provided with all the supplies they need to set up the classroom to be accessible and engaging for all students and should also be provided with the supplies the students need to succeed in the classroom. Something needs to be done about state and federal funding for education. It is important students have the supplies they need to have a positive and effective education. This school did not have much funding. Many classrooms had old supplies, the gym was the size of a classroom at Westfield State, and the cafeteria could not fit the amount of students per lunch group. The students ate in their classroom. I think that this is a topic that people need to be more aware of. Not everyone realizes how other schools are and that many of them are struggling.