Inclusion and Teaching in Chicago

I'm asked a lot by friends and colleagues to share "proof" with me that inclusion works, is necessary, or allows for student success. I individually share information with these people but thought others might be interested in my top articles. SWIFT Center is a national center that is committed to inclusion and providing research based supports to create inclusive districts. Here is their report showing how the achievement gap between students with and without disabilities decreased after three years of inclusion. Check out page 1 for a list of benefits of inclusive education and pages 2-3 to see graphs on the achievement gap.      Jennifer Kurth is a professor at KU. She has done a lot of amazing research on test scores of students that were included versus those that were segregated. Check out page 11. This one is really worth looking at. It's about how inclusion isn't a choice or a philosophy... it's the LAW!   Page 31 and 32 o...

Thank you for everyone that came out last night to the Matteson District 162 and Southland College Prep High School for hosting us last night. Thank you to all of the parents that showed up, asked questions, and joined us for our session! We had a great time and really appreciate everyone who came. CLICK HERE for the powerpoint on Time Management and Organization for Students.

I love nothing more than to dive into a new teacher resource or book. I take a sip of my coffee, push my hair behind my ears, and dig right in! The problem is that many books about teaching don't take into account the busy lives of teachers. My favorite books are those that are incredibly visual, give information in short chunks, have examples, and provide forms, checklists, and other sheets that you can print off or copy right away. Below are my top five books at the moment for busy co-teachers working in the inclusive classroom. Brew some coffee, dump in some sugar, and get to reading!   5. Informal Assessments for Transition Planning by Gary M. Clark, James R. Patton, and L. Rozelle Moulton This has been a go-to book of mine for the past four or five years. Research shows links between teaching self-advocacy and self-determination and future success, employment, and independence. This books is jam packed with surveys and assessments. It is a great resource to use with stu...

An IEP-at-a-Glance is a great tool to use when you want to quickly share the most important information from a student's IEP. I've gone through many iterations of this template throughout the years, but the one I've created (see below) is my favorite by far. IEP-at-a-Glance Uses: Share with gen ed teachers at the beginning of the school year. Share with gen ed teachers after an annual IEP meeting  Share with gen ed teachers after a revision. Share with paraprofessionals working with student. Share with any related service staff or other staff members that work with student. Share with student when talking about their IEP and self determination. One of the learning specialists at my school came up with a new, wonderful use... fill it out and share it with parents at the IEP meeting! This is a quick and clear way to talk about the IEP and give parents a visual. https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/At-A-Glance-1921129