Lynn the Art Teacher

In special education, there are two kinds of inclusion.  There is the kind that describes physical location only.  This kind of inclusion is when a student with a disability is physically in the room, but not participating with peers or taught the curriculum.  In this situation, the teacher does not know anything about the student beyond his or her name.  There is also the kind that describes the student's membership in the classroom.  In this model of inclusion, the teacher values every student equally.  The teacher engages with the student who has a disability as much as he or she engages with typically developing peers.  When the student engages at his or her level, the teacher supports that interest in order to encourage development.  Inclusion describing location meets the basic criteria of the law.  Inclusion describing classroom membership makes mama very, very happy.

Mrs. S, Sam's art teacher, is one of several people who have made his Jr. High experience truly wonderful.  When he started 7th grade, he was at a turning point in his social and language development.  He really needed to have experiences with peers and higher expectations from adults.  Not only did Mrs. S provide this in her classroom, Sam really enjoyed the class.  One project from last year was completed by he and another boy.  It was a "bookworm."  The worm was reading a book in bed about "26 boys....they were all special, but they were all named Sam."  That is the story Sam's classmate wrote in tiny letters in the worm's  book.  He gave it to Sam to keep.  When it came home and we were looking at it, Sam giggled.  This year, Sam made a tiny family of snowmen.  It was before Christmas when all he could talk about was snow.  I don't think it was an "official" class project, but Sam had found his muse and Mrs. S just went with it.  That little snowman family resides in my living room. 

Mrs. S, thank you for providing the best kind of inclusion and helping to release Sam's inner artist.