Free Inquiry- Cozy Corner

When we were told in our ED Tech class that we would be tasked with completing an inquiry project, I quickly wondered what topic I wanted to inquire about for my future classroom. Should I question ethics in the school system, wonder about technology implementation, or stick to something I am familiar with? For this project, I decided that I wanted to inquire about a need/gap I have seen in my professional experience working as an outdoor preschool teacher, SEA, and as a caregiver. Which is…..

How do we move beyond just talking about “inclusion” in the school system —> to promoting equity, access, and opportunities for all children in the classroom?

So often when professionals talk about ‘inclusion’ which is meant to be a practice that promotes equity and access for all students, they actually mean integration. Integration is where students with diverse needs are placed in mainstream education without changing the system of education. This is not inclusion!! Below I have included an image that depicts the inclusion model, to better understand the differences. 

So how do we as educators create spaces in our classrooms that support ALL children, instead of asking children to go to the resource room, principles office, or outside because we do not have the information/resources/spaces to support children when they become dysregulated? 

Through my inquiry I am planning on addressing this gap, by researching how to implement and create a cozy corner (aka “safe space”) for all students to use. My hope is that through this inquiry process, I will be able to provide resources around this topic to help other professionals and myself embark on this journey from moving from “integration” to inclusion.

Stay turned for all that is to come,

Ms Nemeth 🙂