You Want Us to Do Inclusion too? - Creating Schools for Everyone Mara Sapon-Shevin May 21, 2014 Green Bay, Wisconsin

WHAT IS INCLUSION? It’s not a place It’s not a set of services It’s a commitment to how we want the world to be

What kinds of classrooms do we want? What kinds of schools do we want? What kind of communities do we want? What kind of a world do we want?

One that will help explain  Why inclusion is really important  Why it’s hard in this current moment  Why we should do it anyway

Inclusion as a Revealing Tablet

TURN TO YOUR NEIGHBOR AND TELL THEM ONE REASON YOU THINK INCLUSION IS IMPORTANT AND ONE REASON YOU THINK IT’S REALLY hard

But what about Common Core High Stakes Testing Privatization of Education Corporate Control

How do we create the kind of citizens we want?

TURN TO YOUR NEIGHBOR AND DISCUSS: 5 characteristics of a good citizen

A good citizen is Competent Well-informed Knowledgable Caring Involved Responsible Compassionate Courageous Powerful

We are at a crossroads:

Ten Things Best Learned in Inclusive Communities

UNDERSTANDING DIFFERENCES Lesson #1:

TURN TO YOUR NEIGHBOR AND DISCUSS: WHAT’S ONE ASPECT OF DIVERSITY YOU WISH SOMEONE HAD EXPLAINED TO YOU BETTER

Lesson #2: PERSPECTIVE TAKING

TURN TO YOUR NEIGHBOR AND DISCUSS: WHAT TOPICS OR LESSONS COULD YOU TEACH THROUGH THIS BOOK?

Lesson #3 REAL SAFETY

Lessons from the Kindergarten Jeff Tate

TURN TO YOUR NEIGHBOR AND DISCUSS: WHAT MAKES A PLACE OR SITUATION FEEL “SAFE” TO YOU?

Lesson #4: EXCLUSION IS PAINFUL (for everyone!)

You Can’t Say You Can’t Play Vivian Paley

TURN TO YOUR NEIGHBOR AND DISCUSS: YOUR MEMORIES OF SCHOOL RELATED TO EXCLUSION AND CLIQUES

Lesson #5: COMPASSION

Lesson #6: HONESTY ABOUT HARD TOPICS

TURN TO YOUR NEIGHBOR AND DISCUSS: WHAT’S A TOPIC ABOUT WHICH YOU FIND IT HARD TO FIND THE RIGHT WORDS TO TALK TO YOU CHILD?

Lesson #7: GIVING AND RECEIVING HELP GRACIOUSLY

TURN TO YOUR NEIGHBOR AND DISCUSS: WHAT’S SOMETHING YOU CAN GIVE HELP ABOUT? WHAT’S SOMETHING YOU NEED HELP WITH?

Lesson #8: COURAGE

Lesson #9: RESPONSIBILITY TO ONE ANOTHER

What the Children of Jowonio Know

How do we keep doing this important stuff:  Seek allies  Seize every moment to build community  Educate about diversity whenever and wherever you can  Teach for social justice  Remember what YOU know is important

Lesson #10: FAITH AND HOPE

The world I want to live in: Danny and Tommy this is what inclusion can teach us

The content of this presentation is the property of Mara Sapon-Shevin, Ed.D., and may not be reused or redistributed, in whole or in part, without her consent. Participants of the Wisconsin State Personnel Development Grant (SPDG) may download and use the presentation for purposes of the 2014 SPDG Spring Institute.