Week 1: What are the features of an inclusive school?
9. Working with families, communities and stakeholders
|
“There are many ingredients to successful inclusive education from trained inclusive teachers and accessible schools, to the right kind of policies and action plans at national level, but without getting the support of the local communities, and changing attitudes where there is stigma about disabilities, there will never be true change.” Julia McGeown, Humanity Inclusion (2020, p11) |
When teachers meet children in class, they only see part of the story of the child’s lives. The other people who interact with the children, will see a different side of them, and will know different things about them. What the teacher knows and can therefore use to support them in class, will depend on who they ask.
One teacher may have a different story from a classroom assistant, a parent, a friend or an expert. The teacher may not know that the child has domestic responsibilities, is feeling isolated with no friends, is ashamed of their body, misbehaves to avoid reading or loves to draw.
By working in teams, different expertise and information can be shared in order to support children who feel excluded for some reason. By working together, we are acknowledging that disabled and other children at risk of being excluded, face several connected barriers and that these may be intersectional in areas of marginalisation such as gender. In Week 4, you will look at a school as part of a wider community which draws on expertise from a range of organisations and stakeholders.
Activity 1.8 StakeholdersAllow approximately 40 mins for this activity UNICEF has produced many resources to support inclusive schools. Download this booklet about Parents, Family and Community Participation in Inclusive Education. Read the example on Page 10 under the heading: Looking at Examples: the Cross-sectoral nature of inclusive education. As you read, note down all the organisations that are involved in supporting Salim and helping Shirina in her work as a teacher in a school which welcomes all children. Apart from parents, the School Management Committee and the District Education Officials (or equivalent in your country), can you think of examples of community-based teams or charities that work in your context and do, or could, provide support to schools. Make a list in your study notebook. You will return to this list in Week 4. If you have time, skim through the rest of the booklet and note down anything of interest to you. |