The dedication; Children are naturally curious and recognize differences in one another. This book was inspired to help create conversations as a parent, teacher, educator, or caregiver to children as they begin to question those differences. To encourage an inclusive and welcoming world where differences can exist together, this book demonstrates, guides, and encourages children who face everyday obstacles that they will find what works for them, that each person grows at a different rate and pace, and that through sharing kindness, love, and respect, children can feel free to be themselves and embrace who they are.
As my daughter began recognizing the differences between herself and her peers, I wanted resources to share with parents who face similar situations. It can be challenging to effectively and meaningfully explain and support children through these observations. The book supports social and emotional awareness in children.
Through the experience of writing this book, I began reflecting on past experiences with my daughter and the noticeable differences I viewed. This created a challenging self awareness, but one I wanted to demonstrate as I know there are other parents out there that go through the same thing.
In my teaching practice, I believe this project has taught me how to work with parents who are in the process of receiving a diagnosis for their child, or who have just received one. I hope this has prepared me to support the parents and child to the best of my ability and create an inclusive and welcoming environment where each student feels safe.
Inclusion Manifesto
| Jessica Temple T00632333 April 2, 2024 |
As an Early childhood Educator, I am committed to creating an inclusive environment in which each child, regardless of their exceptionalities, diversities, and differences feels welcomed, safe, and celebrated. This commitment is manifested into a syllabus that guides me in making decisions as we all together inquire and acknowledge the variety of each human within a classroom. In my practice I strive to show my dedication to the field of early childhood education, by offering a warm heart for each child, recognizing the unique differences of individuals, and accepting the responsibility that parents entrust in me to provide optimal care for their child.
Thinking with the ECEBC Code of Ethics, I believe that as educators, we reach our goals of raising each other and welcoming one another with open arms by seeking out opportunities to further our knowledge in areas of inclusion so we can best serve the children in our classroom. With the knowledge gathered from outside support and resources, I implement it into our curricula and allow flexibility on our part to create an environment in which a child does not have to fit, but rather the environment welcomes the child and adapts to the necessary measures. I endeavor to welcome those who may otherwise have no other support by seeking opportunities that will assist our knowledge growth.
Reference:
ECEBC Code of Ethics. Early Childhood Educators of BC. 2024.
Kummen, K. TRU ECED 3350 Professor. 2024.
Hendra, K. TRU ECED 3310 Professor. 2024
Buysee, V., & Peisner-Feinberg, E. (2013) Handbook of Response to Intervention in Early Childhood Education. (22), 340. https://web-p-ebscohost-com.ezproxy.tru.ca/ehost/ebookviewer/ebook/ZTAwMHhuYV9fNTcxNzIwX19BTg2?sid=9eb02e58-2948-41a1-bfb3-3887e1fe7f84@redis&vid=0&format=EB&lpid=lp_381&rid=0#
This is my inclusion manifesto that I wrote while enrolled in the ECE Special Needs certificate program. This assignment proved to guide me in creating a new outlook on how I viewed my ECE classroom, and one that I will bring with me on my learning journey as a TC and future teacher. While I believe I always had an open mind and created a welcoming environment that would accommodate each student, this assignment encouraged me to think deeper, think about how I would implement that inclusive environment, and acknowledge and learn my inclusive pedagogy and the meaningful impact an aware outlook can make.
Annotated Bibliography by Jessica Temple
Eliers, N. (2020). Critical Disability Studies and ‘Inclusive’ Early Childhood Education: The Ongoing Divide.
Journal of Disabilities in Education, 1(1-2), 64-68
https://brill.com/view/journals/jdse/1/1-2/article-p64_64.xml
This article contains valuable information regarding inclusive education within an early learning environment. It touches on the example that inclusive education should not just be directed towards those with physical barriers and challenges children face, but rather include being academically and socially inclusive, and considering what a well-rounded inclusive environment would consist of. This article provides beneficial knowledge to consider when building this environment with the abilities of all children in mind. Children are their own unique humans who contain their own strengths and weaknesses. As the author states, ECEs are responsible for building upon children’s strengths and providing support for their vulnerabilities.
Barton, E., E. & Smith, B. J. (2015). The Preschool Inclusion Toolbox; How to Build and Lead A High Quality Program. (2), 50 https://web-p-ebscohost-com.ezproxy.tru.ca/ehost/ebookviewer/ebook/ZTAwMHhuYV9fOTcyNTQ2X19BTg2?sid=195c274f-ab76-4100-b137-7b73b5dcddc3@redis&vid=0&format=EB&lpid=lp_33&rid=0
Investigating inclusion within an Early Learning Center, this article completed a survey that asked parents with those in preschool what their concerns were regarding inclusion within the classroom, and 16 % voiced a lack of understanding/ awareness. Parents of those who require extra support in the classroom face uncertainty about what kind of care their child will receive as some general educators are not supportive of inclusive education. Segregation is often a thought for general educators as they feel they shouldn’t have to put in the extra time and effort to offer extra support, but what does that teach children? Within the Early Childhood Education field, it’s acknowledged that no two children will be the same, and to support a classroom, ECEs need to understand that to help a child thrive, they may need to make changes to their education style, classroom, and their education to best support that child. By furthering ECEs’ education and training, an inclusive, welcoming, and safe atmosphere within a center is created.
Buysee, V., & Peisner-Feinberg, E. (2013) Handbook of Response to Intervention in Early Childhood Education. (22), 340. https://web-p-ebscohost-com.ezproxy.tru.ca/ehost/ebookviewer/ebook/ZTAwMHhuYV9fNTcxNzIwX19BTg2?sid=9eb02e58-2948-41a1-bfb3-3887e1fe7f84@redis&vid=0&format=EB&lpid=lp_381&rid=0#
Environments in which Early Childhood Educators can adapt their curricula, plans, and classroom layout to support children with a variety of needs are essential to constructing an inclusive environment in which children can thrive to their fullest potential. The author explains the notion that Early Childhood Educators design a classroom that can be modified for extra support for children who have exceptionalities, whether it be mental, physical, emotional, or social. In the ECE environment, as an educator, being flexible to meet the individual needs of each child helps build trust between the educator and student, as well as between the students. As it’s stated, inclusion within an early learning center is a must as it provides many benefits not just to those with exceptionalities, but also to the other children whom they interact with throughout the day.
Tempriou, A. (2017). Leadership and Inclusion: Creating and Ethos, Culture, and Provision. Sage Publications. (5), 80-81. https://sk-sagepub-com.ezproxy.tru.ca/books/special-needs-in-the-early-years/i497.xml
The author explains the challenges that are faced when implementing inclusive education as children can participate regardless of their exceptionalities, race, and gender identity. Enforcing inclusive education into policies and procedures has proven to present many difficulties in meeting the diversity of the children within early learning centers and appropriately identifying and removing the barriers that children face every day, regardless of what they bring into the center. Educators containing sensible values and approaches to administer the necessary procedures to create an inclusive learning environment ease the challenges faced as they have each child’s well-being as their main priority. Furthermore, by advancing their knowledge to the latest research in determining the most effective approaches to accomplish an inclusive education, they are more successfully able to scrutinize approaches that have been practical. As the article further states, those who have demonstrated examples of inclusive education are the main sources providing significant information on the accomplishment of the implementation.
Within my ECE Special Needs Certificate Program, we were assigned a project in which we examined scholarly articles discussing inclusive education within an early learning center. A noteworthy point for myself was, “As it’s stated, inclusion within an early learning center is a must as it provides many benefits not just to those with exceptionalities, but also to the other children whom they interact with throughout the day.” To me, this is interpreted as it should not be made obvious what the educators and teachers are doing to create an inclusive classroom for each child. It should not be brought to the attention of the students that the accommodations are always taking place, but rather by creating an environment that is naturally welcoming for each child, whether it be exceptionalities, diversity, and/ or visible or invisible differences, it creates a new “normal” environment. Normal is a term created to fit the “majority” of the population, and children, students, or people who do not fit within the “norm” are seen as having to accommodate. Rather, when an educator or teacher creates that naturally inclusive classroom through research and learning, they create an environment in which each student interacts with each other without creating noticeable challenges and barriers. Bearing in mind that each teacher and educator does it to the best of their ability. It’s a learning curve that may involve trial and error, but recognizing and learning from those mistakes is what will create those meaningful opportunities in reaching the goal of the classroom.