Ten Inclusion Mistakes Even Good Educators Make

updated November 2020

Inclusion takes intentional planning and hard work. Especially now in the time of remote and hybrid learning experiences. Even the most seasoned educators are figuring out a new way of teaching and will make mistakes from time to time. It is not a time to be critical of ourselves or others. Rather, the key is to recognize that mistakes will happen. Our goal is to accept responsibility and grow in the process.

Here are what I believe to be the ten most common inclusion mistakes:

1. Not devoting enough time for planning

Most teachers will agree; there are just not enough hours in the day to do it all. Yet successful inclusion requires intentional planning. It can not be accomplished by short-cut. Each of us is guilty of rushing from time to time, but to be committed to inclusion means to devote the necessary time to appropriate planning.

2. Going it alone

Jumping off from number one above, inclusion is at its best when teachers plan intentionally AND collaborate. There is no shame in asking for help; ever. Despite this, many teachers feel that asking for support or assistance is a sign of weakness or lack of competence. Many teachers also believe that they have do it themselves if they want it done right. Letting go of some of the control and working in collaboration with others is not only acceptable, it is critical for successful inclusion.

3. Forgetting that successful education isn't one-size-fits-all

When we find strategies that work, it’s easy to assume that those same strategies will continue to work. However, the truth is that many students, particularly those with disabilities, require different strategies across different learning situations. Educators must have a “bag of tricks”, but consistently pulling the same trick out of your bag will prove unsuccessful.

4. Assuming that accommodating is the same as inclusion

Making accommodations is necessary to ensure that the needs of all students are met. However, simply adapting or adjusting lessons is not inclusion. Inclusion is about belonging. It is about every student being fully integrated into the life of the classroom. Making accommodations is an integral part of the process, but it is not sufficient in and of itself.

5. Believing that group work is the same as differentiating instruction

Differentiating instruction is a methodology which enables students to progress at their own pace via activities that are developmentally appropriate. It exposes all students to a vast array of learning opportunities and experiences. Simply assigning students to work in groups is not an effective form of differentiation.

6. Thinking that fairness in the classroom is best accomplished by equality.

Fair is not equal. Fairness is when everyone gets what he or she needs to be successful. Students should not be compared to one another or to an arbitrary level of expectation. All students should be working toward progress from their own current level of functioning.

7. Not having an inclusive school community despite highly successful special education programs

This one is hard for teachers to control on their own, but ignoring it altogether will not move a community forward. Advocates for inclusion must raise their voices at every opportunity and support those who have yet to fully embrace the value of inclusion. Special education teachers have a unique vantage point in a school community and can help colleagues and school leaders learn to advance their inclusive practices. It may not be part of your “classroom work”, but it is absolutely a part of the job.

8. Underestimating a student

We have all done it; been wonderfully surprised when a student accomplishes something we never expected. We do not mean to underestimate our students, but sometimes we haven’t yet seen what he/she is capable of achieving. It is essential for us to always push our students to their highest potential, even if that potential has yet to be fully discovered. This is what it means to expect competence.

9. Not practicing what you preach

Do you teach special education, but justify parking in a handicapped spot because “you are just running in for a minute”? Do you advocate for school inclusion, but then allow your own child to exclude another child in her class with disabilities from her birthday party? We need to work toward a place where we are as inclusive in our personal lives as we are in our professional ones. It’s important to be consistent models for our peers and our children, not just in formal situations, but in day-to-day life choices and experiences.

10. Reinventing the wheel

Educators too often recreate materials and/or lessons that have already been successfully developed and utilized. Collaborating, sharing resources, and taking the time to find a proven differentiated lesson will pay off later as you free up more time to devote to student’s individual needs and issues.

None of these mistakes make you a bad teacher! Rather, recognizing our natural human tendencies and our own limitations will enable us to grow both personally and professionally.

The day we stop learning is the day we should stop teaching!

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