I will continue this series of interviews with different teachers by questioning an elementary school teacher. For having access to another vision of inclusive education.
I hope in realizing this to succeed in connecting the different teachers so that as C. says in this interview there is a real correlation between all.
1. Introduce yourself / Who are you ?
I am C and I am a school teacher. I passed my competition in the 2012/2013 session in private Catholic education.
Before passing my competition, I did a year of substitution in the « grande section. »
Since my success in the competition, I have taught 5 years in « petite section » and 2 years in CE2.
I got my literary bac. Then, I did two years of preparation for the speech therapy contest to finally do a BA in modern letters followed by a MEEF master. At the end of these 5 years of study, I presented a thesis on "autonomy in dyslexic children".
2. What do you think of inclusive school ?
Inclusive school is important. Each teacher notices, over the years, that a class ultimately consists of completely different profiles which pushes the teacher to rethink his teaching, his learning methods but also the path to learn. At a time when we are teaching children at SEN (special educational needs) but also with disabilities, inclusive school is the key to not creating gaps between each student.
3. What are / were your fears regarding the reception of students with disabilities ?
What is not obvious in the reception of children with disabilities, is to accept, as a teacher, that we do not always know the pathology of the child because we are not a doctor, to also accept that health professionals are not always available (and sometimes do not communicate because there is medical secrecy)
Thus, the essential and the objective of the schooling of the children in situation of handicap are a benevolent environment, the creation of the bonds between the children and install mutual confidence and a serene climate.
Having been in a « petite section » for 5 years, I learned to adapt. I have already had children with severe disabilities. With the teaching team and the support of the school partners (PMI, school psychologist etc.), we cooperated and this allowed us to move forward step by step. I was guided and advised to best meet the needs of children.
I believe that like any teacher, I feared at the beginning of not being available enough for all.
4. Do you currently have a student (s) with a disability in your class (es) ?
In my class of CE2, two students with special educational needs but not with disabilities.
During my 5 years of « petite section », I welcomed two children with disabilities.
5. Do you know how to adapt your supports,(for one type of handicap/several) ?
if so is this time consuming for you? Easy or hard ?
We are going to say that there is a kind of framework for the supports to know according to the needs of the children what can be implemented to help them. There are support materials but there is also all the support for adults. Whether by the teacher or by AVS / AESH.
There are ideas on the internet according to the needs of children (especially for dys) but what remains difficult is when the tools are not usable in class because the school is not equipped. It can be time consuming I think if the tool in place is not used regularly. It is better to create a useful tool than a series of tools because it should not be forgotten that often children in need are not independent. So it’s time consuming when we start creating, reading, researching but it still makes us win time in class when the tool is understood and accepted.
6. Do you know if there are training courses to help you ?
If yes, did you follow it ? and did you find it easily ?
In private education, at the end of each school year, the director gives us the training catalog for the coming year. The trainings are not all there yet, but it also allows the team to see if there are joint trainings for the team (a school project). This catalog is also available on the « Formiris » website. So we are well informed. What remains more difficult is the content. As for SEN or disabled students, I have no memory of having seen training to better accommodate these children or better understand certain dys disorders.
If you want to get to know better and enter the inclusive school, you have to follow a training course on it which is done in three modules. This was formerly known as ASH bearings. A teacher who wishes to specialize and take the CAPEI must follow this training in three modules. Modules open also for regular class teachers. I did these three modules over two years. It is very enriching. Module 1 should be in the continuing education of those entering the profession because it is the global vision of all disorders and pathologies. It is also a module that allows you to rethink your teaching and talk about a student in the monitoring team with objective words because, naturally, we tend to translate our emotions when faced with certain behaviors. Modules two and three are very intense, but finally when we get out of there, we have made a lot of progress. We go back to class with specific goals and applicable objectives. It’s concrete. But beware, we mustn't believe that we are given the tools or any ready-made leads at all. It is a real work and personal commitment.
7. Do you have an AESH in your class ? is this person a real help or rather an embarrassment ?
Yes, I have an AESH in my class for one of my two multi-dys and ADHD students. The situation is special because my students follow a ULIS system, they are in a suitable class with a teacher where they are followed in French and in mathematics (because the level is different from the ordinary class - late GS / mi CP level) and come in age class / ordinary class for other subjects. The presence of the AESH is important. The difficulty lies in the lack of training and not in the lack of know-how because it is very motivated. Thus, we slowly advance to three with the mistress of the specialized class.
Until these AESH are trained and teachers are not all made aware or even interested in inclusive school, this will create unnecessary tensions in the classroom.
8. If you had a magic wand, what would you change from inclusive school ?
I think I will mostly change the mindset of teachers, parents first. Inclusive school is a system which makes all partners dependent on each other. When the teachers are properly trained and involved as well as the AESH (trained and not there just because it takes a lot of work), parents will be more confident for their children with disabilities.
Teachers must be made to understand that we are not expecting a revolution in their teaching, but a small pebble that will allow the school to advance and re-found teaching.
I think inclusive school is possible in kindergarten and elementary (primary school) but more difficult in high school classes in particular. The inclusive school really has to go through middle and high schools since we notice in our school / college that the children at SEN at the entrance to the college no longer have any adaptations ....
interview made by Sabrina