The Inclusion Classroom
By Peter Barnes

I teach in an inclusion classroom. Every year I have five to 10 students on Individual Education Plans (IEPs) for all kinds of learning disabilities and behavioral issues. I am lucky to have the support of a special education teacher who visits my classroom and a resource teacher who pulls out students for small group instruction. Here are some of my methods for dealing with these obstacles.

Modifications
Many of our inclusion students have IEPs that stipulate modifications like shortened assignments, guided notes and help with organization. These modifications level the playing field and help make these students successful. The danger is that sometimes they become crutches. Students might think, "Why should I take notes and pay attention if my teacher is going to give me a copy of the notes anyway?" or "Why should I clean my desk if someone will do it for me?" The key is to gradually wean these students from their modifications as their abilities increase. They need to be reminded that they receive support not to make school easy, but to help them learn as much as possible.

Realistic expectations
Most of our parents are extremely supportive of our efforts and work closely with us to help their children learn. Unfortunately, some parents believe that once they get their child on an IEP, any academic difficulties they were having will soon disappear. They see the IEP as a free pass that shields their child from bad grades. When their child gets a C on a math test, they blame teachers for not modifying it enough. We find it helps to remind these parents that our job is to prepare their child for life after school. I use positive phrases like "learning responsibility" and "meeting their potential" to persuade parents that I'm trying to help their kids by challenging them.

Fitting in
Special education students struggle with labels. Other kids can be very cruel with names and attitudes toward anyone who is different. We can't solve this problem completely, but we can minimize its effects with careful manipulation. I pass out modified assignments along with all the others so that it's not obvious the special education students are receiving something different. When the special education teacher is in the room, she works with the entire class and obscures the fact she is there to help the IEP students. I make sure all students are present before we make major classroom decisions and I do my best to make them comfortable in our classroom community. These students are still different to their peers, but I think these extra efforts minimize the negatives for them.

Peter Barnes teaches fifth grade in New Albany, OH.