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Kris Stutchbury Post 1

• 19 February 2021, 10:38 AM

Summary from Week 1

Thank you your contributions to the discussions in Week 1. I picked a few themes which are summarised here: 

1. Many of you shared some sad stories about being excluded. The most sad are those when you were a child and people were unkind or ignored your needs. This is a helpful reminder to all of us that children are not empty vessels - or parcels to be passed from one place to another - but have feeling and opinions. They are probably the ones best place to tell us how to make them feel included! In the next course - Creating an Inclusive school - there is a section on listening to learners.

2. The wave model seems to be well understood and appreciated as a helpful way of thinking about inclusive education. If you have experience of knowledge of other models - do share them. 

3. The thread on behaviour had some interesting contributions, highlighting the complexity of the issue: children can behave badly if they feel excluded; but consistently poor behaviour means they are more likely to be excluded. The contributions to the discussion highlighted the importance of noticing children and trying to work out why they are behaving badly, and the importance of getting the level of the work right. Children will behave badly if they are bored (too easy) or feeling inadequate (too hard). 

Zainab Shuaibu Post 2 in reply to 1

• 19 February 2021, 6:27 PM
This is educative

FLORENCE Kamonjo Post 3 in reply to 1

• 20 February 2021, 6:46 AM

I had always thought that segregation of learners with disability was a noble thing. Now I know that  segregating them them makes them feel less of human that normal learners. It is good to include everyone since they didn't choose to be disabled. 

Laurette Osaso Post 9 in reply to 3

• 3 March 2021, 11:59 AM

I too thought that having the children with diabilities study in special schools only was a proper solution but after the study I realize that we can support them without excluding them.

I also learned that as a teacher, the first responsiblity to make a difference is on you and we are able to make a difference.

Rose Nyambura Post 11 in reply to 3

• 7 March 2021, 8:13 AM

I also thought special scools is the way to go for the abled differently children until i watched the clip of the inclusive class. The teacher really impressed me - her skills, patience and the love for all children made me change my mind. 

FLORENCE Kamonjo Post 12 in reply to 11

• 9 March 2021, 5:08 AM

Thank you for your feedback Rose. Good to hear that you have changed your mind towards inclusive teaching. Hope you class will be more inclusive going forward.

Tonny Mbughi Post 16 in reply to 11

• 13 May 2021, 9:52 AM

I also had the same thoughts. thanks to this course.

Cathrine Anyango Osaso Post 4 in reply to 1

• 22 February 2021, 3:57 AM

summary

Thanks so much for the summary.I can now relate behaviour and exclusion in a child life.

Kris Stutchbury Post 5 in reply to 1

• 22 February 2021, 2:18 PM

Thank you for your positive feedback! On reflection -I also think that language came up as a way in which people can feel included or excluded. 

What did you notice from the discussions last week? 

FLORENCE KISIRKOI Post 8 in reply to 5

• 27 February 2021, 4:21 PM

So true. Language is terribly excluding. Here in Kenya we have 42 different languages and when people want to exclude you they switch to local language and make sure they do not include any Kiswahili or English borrowed word and you feel terribly lonely in the middle of a crowd of people. In school situation, children transiting from home to school in early years or moving  one school to another where mother tongue is used in school, could feel excluded if not well supported.

Tebogo Gabana Post 6 in reply to 1

• 25 February 2021, 11:55 PM

very true...

FLORENCE KISIRKOI Post 7 in reply to 6

• 27 February 2021, 3:54 PM

Thank you Kris. Your summary motivates one who had not gone through it desire to go back and get the details

Rose Nyambura Post 10 in reply to 1

• 7 March 2021, 8:08 AM • Edited by the author on 7 March 2021, 8:15 AM

Kris, thanks for the good summary of week one

Children will throw tantrums especialy the disabled ones if they are continuosly ignored or mistreated. People around them will then proceed to label them negatvely. As an educator, now I know better. 

Mary Ngugi Post 13 in reply to 1

• 16 April 2021, 1:05 PM

Summary

I have lear t that there are times I gave participate d in excluding my learners. Attitude change is a noble thing

Margerly George-Joseph Post 14 in reply to 1

• 27 April 2021, 3:22 AM

Awesomeness!!!

Sainab Nasirudeen Post 15 in reply to 1

• 29 April 2021, 11:34 AM
Informative

Merle Lopez Post 17 in reply to 1

• 16 June 2021, 8:53 PM

thank you Kris the summary was very informative and interesting 

Kéké Kossi Agbogan

Kossi Agbogan Post 18 in reply to 1

• 19 June 2021, 4:45 PM

Not only learners with some disabilities can feel excluded from a given group (here frome school). One must know that we are all different one another and the level of comprehension, of doing things, and the  look  also differs accordingly. The tendency is to keep going only with the children with minimum requirements. All children are born free, but not usually equal. The society needs to try to have a balanced situation where all children can feel valued.