Experience in an Inclusion Classroom

 
          I am observing a Marine Science class with twenty-seven students and co-teachers.   Of the twenty-seven students fifteen students have Individualized Education Plans (IEP).  All fifteen of the students fall under the high-incidence category of learning disabled.  One student in the category is also diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).  This disorder is not a disability category that can be indicated on the student’s IEP, but it does affect the student’s performance.  Newtown High School is full inclusion and does not have any self-contained classrooms.  The two teachers, Ms. H and Mr. Fu, are joined by one paraprofessional for a student that requires a one-on-one.  Ms. H is the special education teacher and Mr. Fu is the general education science teacher.  Ms. H and Mr. Fu use a co-teaching model that is most similar to team teaching.  As described in the textbook, “Special Education for All Teachers” team teaching is when, “the general educator and the special educator lead the lesson together adeptly transitioning throughout the lesson from one leading the instruction to the other” (Colarusso, 2013).  The class usually begins with Mr. Fu introducing the lesson, and answering the Do Now questions with the entire class.  After the Do Now, Ms. H jumps in and begins the direct instruction portion of the lesson.  The direct instruction only lasts approximately ten to fifteen minutes and then Ms. H introduces the group work activity for the day.  During the group work both teachers walk around and help small groups of students complete tasks, as well as helping them with concepts that they may need extra instruction on.  When the students are finished with their group work Mr. Fu finishes the class by leading the “share out” to go over the group work.  The students seem to be very receptive to this teaching method.  They enjoy the change of instructor, crave the one-on-one time during the group work, and most of all they enjoy the structured routine.  The students know what to expect each day, they know that they will not have to sit through forty minutes of lecture and look forward to their group work activities.  They get to do new activities and work with their peers.  I like this method of instruction because it gives the students a routine and it also allows for them to always have access to a teacher.  While Ms. H is lecturing if a student has a question they can quietly ask Mr. Fu without worrying about the social acceptance of their peers or disrupting the flow of the class if their question is not content related.

This experience in an inclusion classroom as been very valuable to me.  I love seeing the simple accommodations that the teachers are able to make to make learning easier for all students.  When ever the teachers implement a new accommodation I always think, "Isn't this something that could be valuable for all students, learning disabled or not?"  I think this helps me to think differently about my lesson planning and what type of instruction my students will find the most helpful.