Inclusive Learning Has Become More Prevalent in the Modern Classroom, Which Gives Me Tremendous Hope for the Future, by Jason Hahr

Imagine you had just graduated from high school and you are considering what to do next. You have a passion for learning and helping others, so you decide to pursue teaching as a career. For those who do pursue this noble profession, the world says thank you. I went to school to become a teacher, but due to circumstances and individual biases, I did not end up becoming one in the traditional sense. I have indeed found my way to teach through this blog and my advocacy efforts; however, this particular piece is a nod to teachers in the traditional sense. It will discuss teaching as a profession and a teaching style that I wish had been more prevalent when I was in school pursuing my post-secondary education. What is that style, you may ask? It is known as inclusive learning.

To begin, let’s discuss what it takes to become a teacher in America versus other places around the world. To become a teacher in America, one has to obtain at least a bachelor’s degree in either education or a particular subject. For example, I have bachelor’s degrees in History and Theater. I pursued a degree in History because I love the past and the lessons we can learn from it, and I pursued Theater because I’m a nerd and a musical lover, but I digress.

As I was saying, after obtaining a bachelor’s degree, it is required that prospective teachers go through a teacher certification program. This certification is designed to teach those who will teach essential techniques to both manage a classroom and communicate their knowledge effectively. At the end of a teacher certification program, it is required that they go through what is known as student teaching. This involves a semester or two of free teaching by a student under the guidance of an experienced educator.

Unfortunately, due to circumstances and biases, I was unable to complete the student teacher requirement of my certification program; however, during my certification program, a new concept within teaching as a whole was gaining traction. The rest of this blog will discuss inclusive learning and its potential to enhance the integration of people with disabilities into modern classrooms.

Before we can discuss the uses of inclusive learning, we must discuss what it means. According to The Center for Teaching and Innovation, Inclusive learning involves creating a learning environment where all students, regardless of their backgrounds, abilities, or learning styles, feel valued, respected, and have equal access to quality education and opportunities for success. It’s about removing barriers and adapting the learning experience to meet the diverse needs of all students, rather than expecting students to adapt to a one-size-fits-all approach.

Inclusive learning can benefit all students, but it is particularly beneficial when teaching students with disabilities. Not all disabilities are the same, and some disabilities may force a student to learn differently or at a different pace than their peers. Even though I am not a certified teacher, I have this advice for those teachers, new and old. The quicker you embrace an inclusive teaching style, the more engaged your students will be, not only with the content, but also the more confident they will be as people.

Inclusive learning is a fantastic concept that needs to be adopted more widely, not only in America but also in other countries. However, I am pleased to see that there are programs that now make it possible to become certified in inclusive instruction.

Until next time, your neighborhood super-friendly, always ready to learn and teach, super advocate, Jay