How Do We Make Adolescent Inclusion Work?

1. How Do We Make Adolescent Inclusion Work? Peter L. Kozik New York Higher Education Support Center What are the values, skills, and knowledge necessary for success in inclusive adolescent settings?

2. The Process of Appreciative Inquiry: • Discover: through paired interviews, understand the participants’ positive core. • Dream: in small groups, prioritize what’s working currently. • Design: in small groups develop a vision of the whole through possibility statements based on priorities. • Deliver: locate and acknowledge individuals to carry out the potential future.

3. Think Tank Process and Participants • An opening panel of 11 school district professionals and 1 parent • Appreciative Inquiry with the panel, plus • teacher educators from 14 institutions • 3 technical assistance network providers • 2 parent advocacy group representatives • 2 NYSED policymakers • 1 transition site coordinator.

4. Outcomes: Decide: What? “In order for inclusive adolescent education to be successful, teachers should demonstrate (2) values, (2) skills, and (2) knowledge.” Decide: How? • What do teacher preparation programs/inclusive adolescent settings need to look like, sound like, feel like, and be like to best prepare, recruit, and educate teachers with these values, skills, and knowledge? (Plan) • What will I do in the next month, 3 months, 6 months to ensure and support these teachers? (Commit)

5. Values

6. Skills

7. Knowledge

8. 1) In order for inclusive adolescent education to be successful, teachers should demonstrate the values of social justice, fairness, and an appreciation of diversity, the skills of differentiated instruction and assessment, and the ability to communicate effectively with students, parents, and other teachers, and possess the knowledge of research validated practice and adolescent development. Design: How can we create the future?

9. Design: How can we create the future? • 2) In order for inclusive adolescent education to be successful, teachers should demonstrate the values of the courage to change and lifelong learning, the skills of listening and communication and empowerment, and the knowledge of the power of relationships and how to teach differently.

10. 3) In order for inclusive adolescent education to be successful, teachers should demonstrate the values of the courage to change and an appreciation of diversity, the skills of communication and collaboration, and the knowledge of diversity in a broad sense and the useful knowledge of research based practice. Design: How can we create the future?

11. Design: How can we create the future? • 4) In order for inclusive adolescent education to be successful, teachers should demonstrate the values of social justice and for parental involvement, have skills in collaboration and differentiated instruction and curriculum, and knowledge of research based practice and knowledge of “the system.”

12. Deliver: Where do we go from here? • What do teacher preparation programs/inclusive adolescent settings need to look like, sound like, feel like, and be like to best prepare, recruit, and educate teachers with these values, skills, and knowledge? • What will I do in the next month, 3 months, 6 months to ensure and support these teachers?

13. Plan • Differentiated instruction, all methods across all courses: adjuncts = profs • Certification of a liberal arts major—integrated studies • Prepare students for the culture of the building • With students, dry runs for what CHANGE will be like. • Teach collaboration. • Recognize successful building cultures. • Post secondary models of inclusive teaching. • High quality field work, connected to courses and the real world. • Match with the values, skills, and knowledge that we’ve identified across the board. • Help teachers see what their own success would look like.

14. Plan • Teach students to take the long view with IDing and supporting their diverse learning needs. • Support my own risk taking and recognize my successes. • Recognize, celebrate success and encourage growth. • Listen to parents about what they know about their student and share what we’re learning. • Help students belong and assure their growth. • Keep close track of progress. • Do what works.

15. Commit • Create a structured, focused inclusive field experience • Share practice and resources throughout my school. • Work for social justice and fairness. • Model what students need in their classrooms and bring the world in often—students with disabilities and parents. • Go to the Inclusion Conference.

16. Commit • Develop “power standards;” change “inclusion” to “a strategy.” • Create mini-version of the Think Tank for faculty at my school. • Pressure to support and align with special ed. • Use my district’s current tools that we’ve worked hard to build to increase our capacity (APPR, PDP, etc.) and use THESE to promote inclusive education.