Inclusion

During our class about Special Learning Needs, we watched a short video about the closing Woodlands in New Westminster, the last asylum / hospital / school for people with developmental disorders in BC. The video was based on the art and testimony from past residents of Woodlands which closed in 1996.

The video is the perfect counter example of what inclusion means. In the past, when people where born different, the society chose to lock them behind closed doors and barred windows...

As human beings, we are all born with the same rights and freedoms. We are also born with the same needs to belong, be respect and be loved. By excluding some members of our society, we create a dangerous balance of power where the one in charge reflect the normality and commonality. Knowing that we are all very diverse, the acceptance of exclusion remind me of same very shameful part of our past were people were killed because they did not have blue eyes...

Creating a community of learners who are respectful of diversity is a key element in inclusion both in the school system and in the community. All human beings have a gift and our role as educators is to help the youngster member of our society to bloom and find their path in life.

While I believe in inclusion in a classroom, full inclusion has its limits. I think that a differentiated education that focus on the need of the diverse students create a safe place for students to sometimes leave the classroom and be supported in their learning by trained professionals.