5 Reasons We Love Inclusive Teachers

When we think back to our favorite teacher it’s often not what the person said or did that we remember, but how that person made us feel. The best teachers lift us up, show us our worth, and make space for us to truly belong. For Teacher Appreciation Week, we want to lift up and show our gratitude to inclusive teachers. Those that go out of their way to do the hard work of including all learners together.

What Makes a Teacher Inclusive?

1. Inclusive Teachers are explicit about belonging. So, you successfully advocated for your child to be in the regular classroom for most of the day, but when you visit your child at school it seems he/she is like an island in the classroom. Your child doesn’t have their name on a desk, their classmates don’t know them, and the general education teacher ignores them. Parents realize that getting into a regular classroom doesn’t always equate to meaningful inclusion. That’s why parents are always so grateful when an inclusive teacher clearly defines meaningful inclusion in their classroom. Little things like explicitly modeling how to include a student with a disability, creating a physical space that shouts “You belong here” assigning peer models, not grouping by ability, using a paraeducator to support all students and the teacher, and social-emotional curriculum can go a long way to create a space of belonging and inclusion.

2. Inclusive Teachers have a Growth Mindset. Let’s be honest. Colleges of Education do not teach special education law and research to special education teachers, let alone general education teachers. I have a Master’s in Secondary Education and only took one class on teaching students with disabilities. So it’s always incredible when I meet a regular or special education teacher or paraeducator who has an open mind and is willing to relearn teaching strategies that will be effective for all learners. Teachers with a growth mindset take responsibility for improving their teaching practices and see setbacks and feedback as an opportunity to grow their skills. These types of teachers also have high expectations for all learners, and actively seek out new challenges.

Related Blog Post: Back To School Guide for Inclusive Education

3. Inclusive Teachers make time for UDL. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is supported by research and the law. It’s a teaching approach that works to accommodate the needs and abilities of all learners and eliminates unnecessary hurdles in the learning process. It’s also the most effective way to include even students with the most significant disability in the regular classroom. Inclusive teachers know worksheets and direct teaching are the least impactful way to reach any student. They get that teachers should never teach just one way, and learners don’t need to show what they learned just one way. Inclusive teachers always make the least dangerous assumption and believe that all learners deserve the chance to show what they know and can do.

4. Inclusive Teachers build relationships. The best teachers care deeply about all their students, even and especially the “hard” students. Inclusive teachers know that all students do well when they can, and building a bond with their students is the best way to motivate all learners. When was the last time you wanted to work for a rude or disrespectful boss? Never! We’d leave, but we expect kids to just suck it up when it comes to dealing with rude or disrespectful teachers. Inclusive teachers understand the power of relationships and create a safe space for learners to belong.

Related Blog Post: 7 New Research Studies to Win the Fight for Inclusion

5. Inclusive Teachers expose students to culturally relevant material. We currently live in a world where many teachers are afraid to teach culturally relevant material that speaks to a student’s lived experience as a disabled person, a person of color, or non-gender confirming, etc. It takes courage and moxy to go against the current political trend and explicitly honor a child’s true self. Inclusive teachers know that a child with a disability is going to perform higher and be more engaged if they see someone like themselves in a lesson plan. Nondisabled peers are going to broaden their perspective of the human condition and will be more likely to treat their disabled peers as equals when they understand the history of the disability community and our fight for inclusion. Inclusive teachers create advocates for change and inclusion. And those students will one day be doctors, lawyers, and teachers themselves who will remember what they learned and will hopefully include a person with a disability in their work, home, and community.

Thank you to the inclusive teachers of the world that have opened their hearts and shaped the future into a more inclusive place for us all. We appreciate and celebrate you!