Innovations in an Inclusive classroom: Moving away from traditional approach

My experience of working as a pupil teacher in one of the private schools of North Delhi helped me develop a perspective regarding the much hyped ‘Inclusive Education’. I taught Psychology at the senior secondary level and social science at secondary level. The 9^th standard classroom was typically an inclusive one where students from diverse geographical and linguistic backgrounds, and with hearing disability were enrolled. On my first day of teaching practice, I was aghast to see the insensitive and inconsiderate attitude of their peers towards them. The peers used to call them names, bullied them, considered them as ‘different’ and alienated them. This made me reflect upon the effectiveness of the inclusive model. Does the inclusive model genuinely serve its purpose? Does it incorporate the deeper concerns like recognizing the individuality of each student and celebrating their diversity in addition to giving them a common platform? This article purely depicts the ways I adopted to struggle with my trepidations regarding inclusive education.

What is Inclusion?

Philosophically speaking, inclusion is a paradigmatic shift from segregation through mainstreaming and integration to inclusion. Inclusive education seeks to address the needs of everyone, including children, youth and adults with a special emphasis on those who are vulnerable to marginalization. It not only means to include children with disability but also those with diverse abilities and backgrounds like geographical location, language, socioeconomic status, caste, gender, ethnicity, color etc. The major issue underlying inclusion is the acceptance of diversity, and moving beyond simple tolerance to embracing and celebrating the rich dimensions of diversity contained within an individual.

The inclusive approach suggested by the Salamanca Statement and Framework of Action (UNESCO, 1994), NCF (2005) and RTE (2009) ensures the right to education for all, regardless of individual differences. There is an effort to modify the teaching learning process in accordance with the individual needs, their personal learning styles, and environmental consequences of the learners in order to enrich their lives and draw out the full potential of every individual. However, the problem lies in the gaping chasm between the suggested measures and their implementation. Introducing innovative methods in the classroom can not only bridge the gap but also address the inadequacies of the conventional system of education. However, before employing innovations, it is fundamental for the school and teachers to realize that inclusion is not a compulsive burden which they have to abide by but the right of every child.

Preparing teachers for Inclusion  

“It is only when the mind is free from the old that it meets everything anew, and in that there is joy.” ― Jiddu Krishnamurti

Teachers must psychologically free themselves from the traditional ways of education which implied a one way flow of information from the “know-it-all” teachers to the “know-nothing-at-all” students, and make a shift towards an interactive teaching learning process where the teacher and the learners collaboratively construct knowledge. Inclusion is a challenge for the teachers as it demands personalized pedagogical approaches in order to address the varying needs of all the learners in a classroom. However, with innovative classroom modifications, patience and sensitivity a teacher can successfully engage all the leaners and give them a sense of meaningful existence in the classroom.

Sensitize the Peer Group: The peer group must be sensitized about the varied needs as well as the strengths of their classmates in order to develop an amiable and trustworthy relationship. They must be aware about the facts and myths surrounding special needs in order to develop empathy and compassionate thinking.

Create a Conducive Environment using Humor: There is nothing more contagious than a humorous teacher. Using humor in classroom not only fosters cordial relationship between the teacher and the learners but it also helps the teacher to create a conducive environment for learning and communication by reducing stress and relaxing the learners.

Altering the physical environment: Apart from the psychological wellbeing, appropriate accommodations in the school building and classroom for the children with physical disabilities and manipulation of classroom environment for children with mental impairment is very essential.

Innovative Practices in an Inclusive Classroom

Teachers are making efforts to put the innovative practices to use in the classroom. They recognize the potential of innovation in individualized instruction, exploratory opportunities, collaborative learning, developing social skills, individualized educational plans, and effective classroom management to include all the students in an inclusive classroom. Incorporating innovative practices is also contingent upon the attitudes, beliefs and experiences of the teachers which in turn influence the decisions and actions regarding teaching progresses and change.

Following are some of the innovative practices that I adopted in my classroom:

·       Peer Tutoring and Support: A peer (tutor) of the same status or higher provides assistance to the other peer (tutee) who has difficulty in learning. Apart from a rich educational experience to the tutor, it facilitates the experiences of the school life and enhance a sense of community among the participants.

·       Cooperative group learning: I designed appropriate group tasks and taught process skills to deal with problems. This strategy created a positive interdependence among the learners yet then remain individually accountable for their work. Teacher may provide scaffolding where necessary.

·       Individualized Education Program (IEP): It is an individualized adaptation of the curriculum for the learner who is not able to cope with the regular curriculum. After assessing the student in all the required areas, IEP is tailored according to the educational goals that correspond to the specific needs of the learner.

·       Learning styles: Children learn in diverse ways i.e. visual, auditory, tactile and/or kinesthetic, abstract conceptualization and/or concrete experience. Therefore, it was a challenge to assess the learning styles of the learners and choose the method which best fits each student’s learning style.

·       Make appropriate use of Context: I included contextual examples in the classroom to create an appreciation for diversity. For instance while teaching geography, a student from a different geographical location was asked to describe the weather and soil of his/her native place, thus fostering an acceptance of diversity. 

·       Information and Communication Technology (ICT): Incorporating multimedia in education leads to better learning as students use multisensory modalities for receiving, processing and retention of information. ICT creates an adaptable and effective learning environment in an inclusive setup especially for learners with visual/hearing impairment and learning disabilities.

·       Other Strategies: Various other learning strategies were used including semantic mapping, cognitive strategy instructions, storytelling/drama, discussion webs, key word picture, alternative algorithm, scaffolding, analogy, acronym, music etc.

It is essential for the teacher to regularly assess the learners and provide explicit and timely feedback. Informing learners about their progress helps them identify areas of improvisation and enhance their performance.

 

Conclusion

The identity of inclusive education would be reduced to paper if we as teachers don’t intervene to end all forms of discrimination and foster social cohesion. We must realize the crucial role we can play for the welfare and sustained improvement in the quality of life of the children with special needs. Nothing gives more satisfaction than nurturing your learners in a way where they develop individual strengths and realize their maximum potential.

This is published in EducationMatters@ETMA in its September 2014 issue. You can also log on to www.etma-india.in for the e-magazine. 

Exploring the role of Social Media in Education and Career Planning

Mother: “Rohan! I am fed up with the way you waste time on social networking sites. They are simply a hindrance in your studies.”

Rohan: “Mom, it’s not as redundant as you think. In fact, nowadays social media has been very effective and helpful. It not only entertains us but also help us in apposite networking and information.”

Mother, “Haha! Stop befooling your mother. How can social media be of any good use? Does it assist you in your studies or in making an appropriate career decision?”

Rohan, “Of course mom. It definitely does! Provided we use it to good effect.”

You all must have experienced similar conversations wherein parents stress on the detriments of social medial whereas you advocate its essentiality but in vain. Through this article, I intend to break your mental blocks regarding the uses of social media and assist you in discovering its multifaceted roles in your education and career planning.

Now, you must be wondering how social media can help you explore plausible career opportunities and decide an appropriate course of action for a successful career. While keeping in mind the inherent risks involved in social media, it is equally important to be familiar with the plethora of potential benefits that social media offers in order to attain your educational objectives.

Social media redefines the way we relate to other humans and to the organizations with which we are affiliated. It is dialogical – a two way communication that brings people together to discover and share information, build networks and enhance professional development.  

Social networking sites like Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn, iBibo, Hi5, Myspace etc. are not only a platform for meeting new people and getting in touch with old friends but it is also a common dais for sharing and exchanging information, knowledge and creativity with concurring individuals. Social media fosters deeper learning experiences, promote collaboration, and provide timely feedback. A few ways have been listed below which can help you explore the new dimensions of learning and career planning with the help of innovative activities on social media:

·       Discussion Forums: You can create study groups on sites like Google+, Facebook etc. in order to initiate discussions about specific subjects. Members of the group can post links, media, queries, editable documents, events, and can comment on the posts too. You can invite students from various schools to be a member of your groups as it will augment informative and qualitative aspects of the trending discussions. Request your teachers and seniors to monitor the authenticity and appropriateness of the content, and answer the queries posted on the study groups. Learning in collaboration with your peers and teachers will enable you to build better school communities. Moreover, it is fun too!

·       Class Blogs: If you are fond of blogging, create your own class blogs on sites like edublogs, weebly, kidsblog etc. Blogs are a form of online journal with one or several authors that encourage creative writing, improve grammar skills and enhance your knowledge about various subjects. You can also import study relevant blogs from Blogger, LiveJournal and other blogging services to your individual profiles or study groups.   

·       Expand your circle of knowledge: Sharing knowledge (or study material!) with others help you expand your knowledge horizon. You can help each other with homework and research by sharing documents, study material, assignments, and notes on sites like dropbox, scribd, icloud etc. Slideshare is the world’s largest community for sharing online presentations. You can also tag your friends in Facebook notes to share relevant information and embed images about specific educational topics and career information.

·       Nailing down the competitive exams: Preparation for competitive exams may elicit anxiety and stress. However, joining groups related to specific competitive/entrance exams like SSC, IAS, AIEEE, JEE, CLAT, NET, CTET, NCHMCT, NIFT and many more, wherein individuals discuss queries, share their experiences and other relevant information regarding the exams can provide some relief. It serves as a good platform for interaction between people who have passed the exam and those who are aspiring for it.

·       Straight from the horse’s mouth: Locate an expert in the field of your interest and ‘shadow’ them on the net. Sites for professional networking like LinkedIn helps you to view the profiles of professionals who are well placed in their careers. You can also follow them on Facebook to familiarize yourself with the ideas they broadcast and their public updates. You may also join career related pages or groups to know further about the practical aspects of your impending profession and the latest developments. Joining pages and groups of the colleges in which you are interested to study would acquaint you with the ethos of that college including its students, alumni, events and happenings.

Not only this much! In the age of Web 2.0, you can do much more with social media like initiate a campaign; spread awareness; assess the reviews of a particular educational course, college, and career; use google tools for education, find breaking news stories on Twitter, use geotagging to find places you are studying, download e-books and audio books from sites like libgen and ebooks, etc.

A Word of Caution!

In this digital age if you err in judgment, you could have massive repercussions. Any injudicious post on social media can be used against you in future by your prospective employer. Deletion is just an illusion as everything is recorded on their database even after it appears deleted. When in doubt, remember to opt for the discretion of your parents and teachers. Also, over dependence on the internet for every idea may surpass your own thoughts and creativity. 

“Participation is no longer an option as Social Media isn’t a spectator sport” (Solis 2008). Engaging in social media not only helps you shape your online presence but also make you digitally literate. So go ahead cautiously and discover the power of social media!

The article is published here: http://www.idreamcareer.com/social-media-for-career-planning/

A ‘Royal Road’ to Psychology!

If your mind is often boggled by the way our brain processes information, how we learn, why we forget; how  we think, why  we feel , why  people react the way they do, etc.; then your quest is likely to be answered by Psychology.

Psychology is a science that helps us understand describe and predict human (and animal) behaviors. It also explains cognitive processes, affective states, experiences and states of consciousness. This study is growing dynamically with the ever evolving society. It is a multifaceted discipline which lies at the crossroads of other disciplines like biology, medicine, sociology, linguistics, medicine, anthropology, history and education as its content overlaps with other subjects, with unfailing regularity It is considered  both as a Science and a Social Science, even though a majority of schools, offer it  with the Humanities stream.

What is ‘not’ Psychology?

You may have heard a lot of notion about Psychology which are commonly constructed and concretize the already existing myths regarding Psychology. For instance, we often hear that psychology is a ‘luxury for the rich’ and that it does not have much scope in the Indian context.  It is essential to deconstruct these false notions prevalent about the subject, so that you can make a well informed career decision.

a)    Psychology will not help you read minds, or predict what the other person will do next. Psychology is not an occult science but it empowers you to derive meaning from the otherwise not so obvious situations.

b)     A lot of students perceive psychology as easy and think that it would require no hard work. As they say, there is no shortcut to success! Psychology includes a lot of understanding and critical thinking as the subject matter deals with humans. In most of the boards like CBSE, there is due weightage allotted to practical work as well. Psychology is a challenging yet interesting subject. You can succeed with your efforts and determination.

c)    

    Psychology is considered as sheer common sense. People think that psychologists get paid huge sums of money for listening and giving advice which their family and folks can also give. They think that psychologists waste their time researching about stuff which is typically common sense. Just because something seems true does not necessarily make it so.. Psychologists study these research questions in a scientific manner and predict human behaviors based on the results and observations. Our commonly held beliefs and attitudes are assessed for truth and falsehood in a rational and objective way.

d)  An interesting misconception is that psychology will help you hypnotize people and extract their private information against their wishes. Hypnotism is a special technique which is practiced by a particular school of thought and their therapists. Not every counselor or psychologist knows how to practice it.

So the next time you hear any such myth, don’t forget to debunk it. After all, awareness is contagious too!

Career Prospects

The increasingly complex world has helped opportunities for psychology graduates to grow manifold. These range from working in hospitals and schools to NGOs and corporate houses. An undergraduate course in Psychology is career oriented as it offers atheoretical understanding ofthe major schools of thought along with providing practical skills in psychometric testing and various psychological tools. Specializations in the areas of Social Psychology, Abnormal Psychology, Counseling Psychology, Organizational Behavior (OB), Rehabilitative Psychology, Health Psychology, Sports Psychology and Medical Psychology are available. Those of you who opt for Counseling Psychology can further specialize in marital counseling, child counseling, family counseling, drug rehabilitation and trauma counseling. 

You can add to your skills  by opting for additional courses like Special Education and learning disabilities which train you to become special educators; both in mainstream and  special schools. As a matter of fact, it is now mandatory for schools to employ both a counselor and a special educator. Given the complexity of managing and retaining human capital, there is a growing demand for psychologists in the corporate sector as well. An MBA degree preceded by graduation in psychology, preferably Human Resource Management, is well sought in corporates. Well-established companies seek such professionals for recruitment, training, talent management, and learning and development. Research analysts studying consumer behavior and market trends are also sought by market research companies.

One can pursue a career in journalism, public relations and advertising too. A specialization in forensic psychology can get jobs in police departments and crime branches. You can study social work and pursue careers in NGOs, family courts and social welfare organizations. Further specialization in child and women welfare, educational needs and criminal behavior can be obtained. 

There is a lot of scope to pursue career in academics as a researcher, school teacher and assistant professor. After post-graduation in Psychology one can pursue B. Ed. and work as a PGT Psychology or clear the National Eligibility Test (NET) which is held every six months for eligibility as an assistant professor by the University Grants Commission (UGC). UGC also qualifies the meritorious candidates for Junior Research Fund (JRF) for pursuing PhD.

Your career choice notwithstanding, there are a few basic prerequisite qualities and skills that you need to possess, for a successful career in Psychology. Firstly, you should have good interpersonal skills and an inherent interest in human behavior Secondly, you should be able to empathize with people, and be patient and tolerant to various situations. Apart from this, trustworthiness, open mindedness and emotional stability are also essential qualities of an effective psychologist.

Studying psychology will not only give you a wide spectrum of career options to choose from, but is also likely to add positivity and harmony to your life. Apart from the financial benefits, intrinsic satisfaction and rewarding relationships are almost certain with a career in Psychology. What else can one ask for!

This article is published here:  http://www.idreamcareer.com/career-as-a-psychologist/