Characteristics of Effective Teachers in Inclusive Programs

The Exceptional Child: Inclusion in Early Childhood Education; Allen, K. Eileen and Cowdery, Glynnis E.; 2012

Chapter 11

Teachers

• “most significant element in early childhood classrooms” (Allen & Cowdery, 2012)• Quality• Attitudes about children• Philosophy of education for children

• Provide DAP• Understand child development in general• Understand that all children have individual needs and developmental

patterns• Respectful of diversity and cultural family characteristics

Teacher as Team Member

• Must work with other professionals to meet needs of children• Interdisciplinary teams• Each professional brings expertise• Team members support one another• Knowledge of team members used for decision making• Support and information is provided - accommodations and adaptations

need to be made• Teachers are the experts in providing developmentally appropriate

environments

Philosophy of High Quality Inclusive Programs

• Early childhood is a unique phase in a child’s development• Families are very important in a child’s early education• Teaching practices need to be developmentally and individually

appropriate• Inclusive settings are the preferred service delivery model• Professionals must be culturally responsive• A collaborative interdisciplinary model is important for high quality

delivery

**Developmentally Appropriate Practice **

•Teacher knows child development•Teacher knows what is individually appropriate•Teacher is culturally responsive• DAP Overview from NAEYC Position Statement

Teachers’ Concerns

• Worried about their abilities to provide for children with special needs• Worried about having adequate support• Related services• Instructional assistance from a special educator• Additional classroom assistance

• Worried about having need knowledge of special need and the unique challenges involved

Finding Help

• Own research and pursuit of information• On-the-job experience• Knowledge and support from interdisciplinary team• Parents of the child – they are the ultimate experts on their child

Information for Your Key Assessment!

• Look on p. 286 in the section “Teacher and Program Self-evaluation”• When you complete your research and your observations, you are

going to consider these issues. When you prepare your inclusive environment, you are planning in these areas as they relate to the type disability you researched. • What accommodations need to be made to meet the child’s needs?• What barriers need to be removed that might keep the child from

participating fully in the classroom?• What changes need to be made in the physical environment? In the

scheduling, curriculum, materials, communications, etc.?

What Else Do We Need to Remember When Working in an

Inclusive Classroom?• A child is a child first and foremost • Problems should be thought of as developmental issues, not disability

issues.• Teachers must be experts about typical growth and development• Teachers must remember that development occurs in sequential

patterns; that is more important than expecting development at particular ages.• Developmental domains are interrelated; delays in one area may

cause delays in other areas.

More to Remember

• Development is irregular; developmental inconsistency means that new skills may come and go until they finally become part of the child’s behaviors; unsettled periods following rapid development are known as developmental disequilibrium. • Children interact with their environment that facilitates new learnings

in transactional learning• Teachers’ responsibilities include providing appropriate activities,

facilitate learning in a positive climate, and allow children to explore and experiment.

Case Studies

• Look at the scenarios on p. 289 in your text• What changes would you suggest his teachers make in their responses

to James? Remember EDU 146? The negative transactional learning and responses from his teachers are actually encouraging his “flitting about”• How would you interact with the infant who is visually impaired to

maximize her attachment and increase her social skills?• What contingent stimulation would you recommend to her parents?

More Terms

• Readiness to learn – a term used for beginning school with the prerequisite skills for beginning formal academics; it is an ironic term considering children come into the world ready to learn • Multiple influences impact a child’s readiness to learn• Teachable moments – naturally occurring opportunities to learn

something new• Milieu teaching or incidental teaching – child initiated teaching

opportunity

Who’s the Best?

• Has a thorough knowledge of child development• Has many teaching skills and strategies• Knows how to adapt curriculum, activities, and materials so that all

children can participate• Develop positive relationships with the children and their families• Use developmentally appropriate strategies• Use individually appropriate strategies

What Else?

• Enthusiastic• Sense of humor• Patient• Consistent Be sure to know examples for• Flexible all of these• Trustworthy• Sets and enforces limits• Facilitates experiences• Scaffolds