Crowley, A EDI 413: Inclusive Philosophy Statement 6/16/23

Crowley, A
EDI 413: Inclusive Philosophy Statement
Part 1: Understanding Diversity and Inclusion

There are various factors that play a role in a student’s education, such as language barriers,

culture, and ethnicity, as well as other factors such as individual differences, abilities, disabilities,

strengths and needs. These all influence the learner differently, and can impact their ability to

learn compared to their peers who may have different circumstances. For example, in the sense

of socioeconomic status, students who are raised in a middle-class family are more likely to have

parents who are more engaged in their educational achievement, and have the means to provide

additional support than students who come from a lower-class family (Lyu, 2019). Aside from

socioeconomic status, there may also be a gap in student’s cultures and ethnicity and how that

affects their learning in the classrooms. Typically, students of Asian American culture tend to

excel in school more so than their white peers. This may be related to their culture and ties to the

Confucianism era in Asia that celebrates the importance and access to education. These students

have higher academic expectations for themselves and by their families, and tend to have a more

enhanced work ethic compared to their peers (Lyu, 2019). Another factor to consider is students

who’s first language is not English (ESL) students, may experience inequity or segregation in

schools due to a language barrier hindering their education. Across the United States, there are

about twenty-two percent of students whose first language is not English, that experience gaps in

their education due to inadequate resources or educators that suit their needs. If they do have a

program that fits their needs, unfortunately, these students are segregated from their peers and

placed in a stand-alone program (Educ, 2017). In addition to the segregation these students face,

they are often placed in a low-academic achieving category falsely simply due to their inability

to communicate successfully in English. There is also a stigma that follows these students that
Crowley, A EDI 413: Inclusive Philosophy Statement 6/16/23

they come from low-income families where their parents have low-education levels, therefore

the students will too. This leads to the assumption that they will be poor performers in school,

and they get misjudged in the opportunity gap (Educ, 2017). For an inclusive classroom, it is

important that all students feel welcome, respected, and know that their education is valued as

much as any other student, regardless of diversifying factors, abilities, or strengths. One way to

do this is to ensure that as an educator, there is a shared interest between teaching style and

information learned, that coincides with interests of the students. When students feel included in

the material and feel as if it is relatable to them, they are more likely to learn information more

effectively and become more engaged in the learning environment (Harackiewicz, 2016). It is

also imperative to strive for teaching strategies that are inclusive to students with certain special

needs or adaptations. In recent years, it has been shown that the ability to prepare and train

teachers to educate those with disabilities or adversities has been dwindling; teacher quality to

students begins with preparing educators with proper teaching strategies to succeed. The

foundation of teacher preparation begins with a basis of knowledge of content, beliefs and

values, as well as effective classroom management techniques (Brownell, 2019). Educators

should be better trained on recognition of certain cases, such as if a student needs additional help

through a language barrier, or if they may need further assistance through an IEP. It is also

essential to teach these students who fall in these categories how to advocate for themselves and

their needs in the best way possible. This may look different for each student, but no one knows

themselves better than themselves, and the individual is the only one who can truly advocate

their needs without assumption. This can be done by teaching these students self-determination

and autonomous behavior. It will allow the student to have a voice, promote self-regulating

behavior, and focus on self-efficacy (Wehmeyer, 1998).

Part 2: Ethical Practice in Inclusive Education

Disability should not be seen as something that limits or hinders and individuals’ ability to

achieve an education, especially at a high level. Disability should be celebrated in more of a way

that highlights its diversifying factors and how to overcome them to be successful. There are

multiple ways to do this, based off of the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) Code of

Ethics. The first ethical principle listed in the CEC describes how educators should place high

educational standards to reach the highest possible learning outcomes on individuals with

disabilities. By doing so, students will rise to the occasion and strive to reach those standards. By

assuming a student will fail to meet certain criteria, is to inadvertently lead them to failure. In a

study, it showed that about two percent of individuals with disabilities could benefit from

alternant achievement standards; however, the others would succeed at what is expected to be

taught at each grade level. Educators cannot make assumptions about what students can or

cannot learn, they must try to meet the student where they are, and provide them the best

possible opportunity to achieve these standards (Thurlow, 2019). This ties in nicely with

principle four, practicing collegially with others who are providing services to individuals with

exceptionalities. This reinforces the idea that it is a team effort, and in order to have a successful

education system, there must be collaboration across the board. This includes assistance from

general education teachers, special education teachers, counselors, parents, etc. This will lead to

a well-rounded and inclusive education that gives the students the best possible opportunity to

achieve. The third principal touches on the idea of promoting meaningful and inclusive

participation of individuals with exceptionalities in their schools and communities, and explores

the idea of how this can be beneficial. Inclusion of these individuals goes far beyond the
Crowley, A EDI 413: Inclusive Philosophy Statement 6/16/23

classroom; it incorporates other ways that all children can learn and grow. Inclusion in the

community allows students to grow socially, create friendships and a sense of belonging in the

environment they live in. This creates more opportunities for the individual to be involved in

local activities with other children their age, and develops a culture of respect and belonging

along their peers (Inclusive Education and It's Benefits, 2023). In addition to the educational

principles in the academic sense, students must be protected physically and psychologically, and

should not be engaged in any activities or surrounding other individuals that can be harmful to

them, per principles seven and eight in the CEC. All individuals should have the right to physical

and emotional wellness without harm. According to the CDC, individuals who have disabilities

report experiencing mental distress about five times more often than those without (CDC, 2020).

Just like anyone else, individuals with disabilities manage their mental health, and often struggle

with challenges regarding the stigma of their disability. By promoting good mental health and

management techniques, individuals with disabilities will have the tools they need to keep their

mind healthy. By doing so, this will increase their ability to achieve all things they face on a

daily basis; both inside and outside of the classroom (UDS Foundation, 2022). Finally, supported

by principle number six, all education, for students with and without exceptionalities, should be

evidence-based and structured around research and data. This ensures that the information is

factual, relevant, and from valid resources that avoid opinions.

Part 3: Collaboration in Inclusive Education

All students should be educated in a person first mentality, and in a manner that is inclusive and

well-rounded. When working with students who have disabilities, they often have various means

of support. It is important to collaborate with professionals they interact with on a daily basis to

give the opportunity for the professionals to share their knowledge regarding their expertise for
Crowley, A EDI 413: Inclusive Philosophy Statement 6/16/23

that individual. The main idea behind the collaboration is to share effective academic techniques,

as well as strategies that positively influence behavior and socio-emotional skills. This ensures

that the techniques are consistent across all professionals to benefit the student (NCLD, 2021).

Students have proven to have more success through inclusive programs that collaborate with

other professionals and even co-teaching tactics. Having a trained team in schools that can

provide multidisciplinary evaluations on students in schools to develop a program that would be

most beneficial to them. Their strengths and weakness will be assessed and supported on an

individual basis, and the collaborative team can work together on the best course of action for the

student (Hayes, 2017). Collaboration is also beneficial for the staff, as they do not feel alone it

isolated in the progress of their students. They collectively are responsible for the planning and

problem-solving of a successful implementation program for the student, and can bounce ideas

off each other’s expertise (TKI, 2023).

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