REFLECTION! :)
This weeks discussion in class opened my eyes to a lot of things, and i am sure had the same impact on other students in the classroom. Although I believe that it is very important with students who have down syndrome, or any other disability get all of the attention that they need, I also believe that it is important to interact these students with your typical everyday student. It only benefits each person and it brings out the best in people. It makes people with a disability more open and they feel more accepted if they are part of the group, and it makes your average student more open to things, and becomes a well rounded person. Though out this week I was thinking about how my high school dealt with the issue of integrating students with disabilities into the regular class room setting. My high school did an awful job at it. There was one class room, room 104 that was at the back wing of the school that hardly any students ever made their way over too. There was only 3 other classrooms in that wing, and what used to be a very crowed place filled with seventh graders, three years ago when the school changed from a jr/sr high school to a straight 9-12 high school that hallway became vacant. It was a shame to see this students not have a lot of interaction with other students, when in reality thats something that they could use.
I believe that the students should be incorporated into everyday classroom settings, along with a teacher assistant so that students can learn how to act and help these students, and the disabled student will feel more welcome. Most of the time these students can brighten someones day because they have such a positive outlook on life and are usually always happy. When ever i got a chance, I would always go out of my way to say hello to these students, because they were so excited and proud to call you their friend.
I think that it is morally wrong to seclude these students just because they have a disability. They are your average student, they just need a little more help then others and their is nothing wrong with that.
It only help build better people, and helps everyone become more well rounded.
Was your resource/inclusion classes separated from your regular classes in high school?
In my high school the self contained special-ed classes (there were 2) were literally the first classroom you came to when you walked into either one of the main doors. One of the special-ed teachers in particular was very proud of that. His students weren't going to be pushed out of the way. They were going to be front and center. But inclusion has to be more than just having a visible classroom. Ideally, inclusion would mean that there was no self-contained classroom, and I think my school failed at that sometimes.
ReplyDelete