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Rachel Li

Reflective Writing May 15, 2017

TQS: Establishing Inclusive Learning Environments


Inclusive Education and Applying Foundational Knowledge (First
Nations/Metis/ Inuit/ Special Education)

Journal Reflection: What does Inclusive Education mean?


(one page for both practicum and seminar)

Philosophical Inquiry: It doesnt matter what you do for a living. I want to know what
you ache for, and if you dream of meeting your hearts longing.
Bishop T.D. Jates

Connections: Beliefs and Core Values


Sea Shell Activity
KSA: Relationship
Inspiring Education Document
Contemporary Issues
Consider the Walls
Image of Child

The professor demonstrated inclusive education today during seminar in a very creative

way. She wrote out the many types of children one can encounter in their classroom on cue

cards. She then wrote out the different attributes that these types of children can have. One may

overlook these unique attributes because he/she is too focussed on labeling the child. A

problematic child is only as problematic as you view them. Say for example, instead of

focussing on the fact that the child has grown up in foster care, one can choose to see that

because the child grew up in foster care, he/she is very understanding towards others. This made

me become more aware of my own judgements towards the people around me. Often, I will pass

judgement onto someone who I barely even know. Perhaps this is due to the influence of

judgement from social media or from trained habits, I am not sure. However, after this exercise,

I began to practice readjusting my own judgements. How can I judge someone without even

understanding their circumstances? I then began to realize that teachers have a responsibility to
Rachel Li

be open-minded to the different types of children that they teach. Furthermore, they have a

responsibility to respect these differences and treat these children as they are unique and special.

If I can adjust my own personal judgements, how can I also teach my students to readjust their

own judgements towards their peers?

After reading the Image of Child article, I noticed my personal image of the child. It

was especially apparent during our ELL gingerbread baking time that I noticed that I viewed the

child as someone who always needed my help. Once I remembered what I had read in the article,

I made a conscious decision to step back. At first, I wanted to roll all the dough out for the

children so that they would be the perfect thickness all the way through, but then I realized that

the children are completely capable of rolling their own dough. What if it isnt perfect? What is

theyre not all the same thickness? I began to tell myself that its okay! As adults, we need to

learn to let go of our constant desire to help a child when they can perform the task at hand on

their own. In fact, our constant help does no good in fostering a child who is independent.

Instead, we end up having children who are reluctant to perform tasks on their own. How can we

as teachers ensure that we facilitate a learning environment in which independence is valued and

fostered? I think that my personal image of the child has a lot to do with how I was raised. My

father still sees me as a little child who is incapable of managing her own affairs. When I am

home, he still finds the need to be my alarm clock! However, after moving out of the house for

university and travelling abroad, I proved to my father that I am an adult who is more than

capable of being independent.

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