... are the words that come to mind when I reflect on a recent situation. I found myself frustrated and unable to problem-solve my way out of a bag. Hence, feeling frozen and stuck. I, like so many of my students with disabilities needed additional supports. I am fortunate to have a brilliant mentor that talked me off of the proverbial ledge, and quite simply said: "You need some goal setting." After speaking with her, I had an a-ha moment: I have spent years developing learning goals for students, implementing them, and supporting teachers in the implementation of goals that they had set for their students. But I had forgotten to set a new goal for myself. And therefore, found myself frozen and stuck in the mire of "I don't know what to do." Sidebar: I really do know what to do... I just didn't have a plan of action or a goal. When we have goals, a plan, and a way to reach that goal, we are infinitely more successful. With that, too, comes feelings of accomplishment, pride and success in knowing that "YOU DID IT""! And so it is for our kiddos. We set goals that are relevant. We set goals based on present levels of performance, assessments, observations and feedback. We provide them with explicit and systematic instruction so they can reach their goal. We have a plan. We aren't randomly teaching, right? So, I will meet again with my mentor, and we will create a goal that includes a plan that is systematic and explicit. And it will be relevant! And purposeful! And, like our kiddos, I will feel accomplished and successful when I meet my goal. Huh... Imagine that. At Inclusiveology, we want every child to be included in learning, with relevant goals and instruction, feeling accomplished, successful, and empowered. www.inclusiveology.com

I love setting goals. I am also one of those folks that makes a list with pencil and paper to ensure that I can map out my goals and cross things off as I go. Quite rewarding if I do say so... Some of my goals are small: reach out to those who have sent me emails, post on social media. Some are more lofty: create a system that supports teachers with ongoing professional development, resources and a learning community designed to grow inclusive practices. That's a big one! As a former special educator and instructional coach, I have developed goals for children with varying abilities and have supported teachers in creating relevant goals for both themselves and their students. Do I pick one from a list? NO! Do I copy the goals of another student? NO! Do I "make something up"? OF COURSE NOT! In order to create relevant and meaningful goals, we have to have data from multiple sources. Let's move beyond just the state or required "district" assessments. Those give us some information, but we must go deeper. For example: 1:1 reading assessments to determine where there are deficits Are there deficits in decoding or encoding? Comprehension only? It matters where the deficits are. You wouldn't write a fluency goal if a child could not yet decode... Check out more here: https://www.whatisthescienceofreading.org/science-of-reading-guide daily formative assessments, like "tickets out the door", impromptu quizzes, review of student work or an interview. There are so many additional authentic ways to determine a child's present levels of performance and gather information to create a meaningful goal. If you're not sure how, ASK. If you're overwhelmed, ASK. But don't just sit on the goal and think that you'll score. It won't happen... Find out more at: www.inclusiveology.com

We want every child to achieve, right? Whether we're parents, teachers, or the cashier at Walmart, we want children to be successful. We want them growing and make learning gains and developing as amazing little humans. But what if a child doesn't believe that he can? Achieve, that is. In order for children to be confident achievers, they have to first believe that they can do it. That support can come from many sources: The mother that encourages her child to read every night and sits and listens and engages The bus driver that sings songs on the bus because some kiddos need that uplifting lightness and fun in the morning The teacher that says, "You've almost got it!" The peer partner that let's you use your finger to track as you read together, even though he doesn't need to The teacher that shows you a different way to learn something when you didn't quite get it the first time. Regardless of where the support comes from, BELIEVE comes before ACHIEVE. When a child believes in himself and knows that he has supports when he needs it (peers, adults or tools and strategies)... That's when the achieving begins. Believe it or not, it looks different for everyone.

Orange Cones? Strange title, right?! What does that have to do with children? Orange cones are barriers. To places that we are not supposed to go. We know this already... You know what is not a barrier? Classrooms. School communities. Neighborhoods. But somehow, these areas are STILL a barrier to some students that learn in an alternate way or have a cognitive difference. It never feels good to come across a barrier or not be allowed to go somewhere or engage in something that we want to do. Imagine having this feeling every day at school while you are trying to: Read an article, but you are below grade level and can't fully access the content Solve an equation in Math, but you don't have the manipulatives that help you solve it Share your thoughts with a partner, but can't quite find the words Or the ultimate educational barrier, not being allowed to attend your neighborhood school at all... It takes an inclusive mindset, flexible planning and a big toolbox to remove barriers to education that SHOULD be accessible for all. EVERY child deserves to learn in a way that makes sense to them, with the right tools to help eliminate the barriers and grow confident and empowered. WHY would we place barriers in front of children to inhibit them from being successful? Going as far as they need to go? Feeling empowered? Not nice. #inclusiveology #inclusionrevolution #everychild

Exquitenger! He was five years old with autism and a language impairment... and had a love for learning new, and BIG words. I had a fire extinguisher in my classroom (as most classrooms do), and he would slide into our classroom every morning on his knees right up to it, looking closely. "Ms. DJ, what is this?!", he would exclaim with great enthusiasm and a wiggle of his tiny hands. "That's a fire extinguisher. It helps to put out fires.", I replied. This interaction between us and the fire extinguisher continued for weeks. Until... He walked in, found the fire extinguisher (like every other day), wiggled his fingers and stated excitedly, "Ms. DJ. This is an exquitenger!". Exquitenger. He was so excited that he knew what it was (I was excited that he was attempting new language) that we had our own little celebration of success right there in front of the "exquitenger". Throughout his kindergarten year, his vocabulary expanded and expanded. With new common words, multisyllabic words, and all of the random mispronunciations that go with learning, he grew into a social, word-loving kiddo. He went on to first grade in an inclusion setting and blossomed. He became a lover of reading, science, and silliness. And yes, exquitenger is not a word, but for me and my memory of this kiddo, that silly word represents so much. Excitement. Enthusiasm. Patience. And a love of learning that is honest and true.

I would like to think that the definition of words which are often used to define something negative can be reconsidered. To look at the definition and potentially reframe it in a more positive light. In a way that can encourage an action rather than simply instilling a negative thought or connotation. Let's consider the word "disability". Unfortunately, when considering the prefix "dis-", here is what Merriam-Webster has to say: deprive of exclude or expel from opposite or absence of These prefix definitions are all horribly negative when combined with "ability": deprived of ability excluded from ability the absence of ability Let's STOP that! The negativity that exudes from these "definitions" are abhorrent, and humans, let alone human children, should NEVER be considered in this manner. So... let's shift our thinking to consider differences rather than disabilities. A difference is neither negative nor exclusionary. It is simply "the quality of state of being dissimilar" or " being unlike" or, my favorite, "a characteristic that distinguishes one from another or from the average" (from M-W). When we can look at differences as something to be celebrated, there is a definite shift in definition of how we view people, but there also grows a new way of thinking. Our thoughts become creative, curious, and wondering. How can I help Juan with comprehension? What is the best way for Sarah to access the article that she needs to read? Which children in my class would benefit from a peer partner or small group work rather than working alone? When we can work to meet the differences of every child, we help to grow their independence, confidence, and learning achievement. We foster empowerment. Every child is different. Let's stop putting them all in the same box and expecting the same outcome at the same time, in the same way. Build your toolbox of strategies and supports so you can meet your children where they are... Because where they are, is not wrong... All it takes is a shift to see it differently. For more teacher and parent resources, join The Academic Inclusion Network. For school communities, go to inclusiveology.com for information on professional development, coaching, and workshops.

Brace yourselves... Florida School grades are out... It's always an exciting time to find out your school's grade, right? Is my school still an A? We moved from a C to a B! I hope we're not still a D... As hopeful as we can be for a positive overall school grade, it's time to dig a little deeper, especially if your child did not score at a Level 3 (proficiency) or above. And if your child has a disability, how are they scoring? If they are below proficiency, are they making learning gains? If your child is making learning gains, great! That means they more than likely have: accommodations that are relevant to their needs and are being provided specially designed instruction that is closing learning gaps teachers who review, re-teach, and pre-teach opportunities to engage in learning If your child is not making learning gains, no matter how small, it's time to start asking questions. It might be as simple as asking, WHY? If your child with a disability is not making learning gains, it's time for us to have a conversation. Schedule a call: https://calendly.com/djnicholson/30min For information on 21-22 school grades: https://www.fldoe.org/accountability/accountability-reporting/school-grades/ For information on subgroup scoring for 20-21: https://edudata.fldoe.org/ For additional support, go to The Academic Inclusion Network for resources, workshops and strategy sessions. For support for your school community, check out Inclusiveology!

Well... FIRE at the target, of course! For children that need instructional modifications to access grade level content, it is possible that the target needs to be adjusted. And that is ok. The concept of "Ready, Aim, Fire!" is the same. What's different is the target. Let's consider this principle when creating instructional modifications for children with intellectual disabilities. You are still: planning (the "ready") setting a goal or target for learning ( the 'aim") delivering instruction (the "fire") Is the plan the same as that for a typical peer? NO Is the goal or target the same? NO Is the instructional delivery the same? NO And that is OK! When we modify instruction (i.e. standards, curriculum, pacing guides, modules or whatever else your district is calling the materials you use to instruct), you may change, alter, and adjust to meet the needs of a specific children based on their intellectual ability. Side bar: Criteria for meeting the requirements of an intellectual disability vary by state, so check with you State Department of Education. Let's take a look at an English Language Arts (ELA) standard and consider some instructional modifications. For the benefit of all, let's use Common Core. Here's a 3rd grade ELA standard for reading informational text: RI.3.10 By the end of the year, read and comprehend informational text, including history/social studies, science and technical texts, at the high end of the grades 2-3 text complexity band independently and proficiently. Depending on the needs and present performance levels of the child, here are some possible modifications to ensure access to grade level material. Listen to a audio recording of a grade level text, then answer comprehension questions orally. Listen to a portion of an audio recording or a grade level text, then answer comprehension questions using visual supports (i.e. pictures, images, real objects). Read or listen to an informational passage at the child's independent level and orally share a key detail(s) with a partner. This standard can be additionally modified by addressing 3 or fewer subject areas and eliminating the need for proficiency. The better you know the needs of your students and the availability of materials, the easier this becomes. There are many benefits to modifying instruction for children with intellectual disabilities. Provide access to grade level content Encourage engagement with peers Provide equity to grade level learning Maximize engagement and accessibility Increase opportunities for inclusion and high quality instruction For more support and information on how to modify instruction and meet the needs of children with intellectual disabilities, join us in The Academic Inclusion Network. For more information on how to create inclusive school communities, visit www.inclusiveology.com

"I gave up teaching after three years." Yesterday was the first officially hot day of the summer season in Florida, so off to pool I went. The pool is usually quiet on most days, but yesterday was packed and social, so I found myself engaged in a conversation with a woman who "used to be" a teacher. I was baffled by the phrase "used to be" because she was so young-looking, so I asked her how long she spent in the classroom. "I only made it three years." There is so much to unpack in that one simple sentence: "Only made it" as if teaching were some type of year long military training exercise or a task so grueling that it takes everything you have to get through it. And "three years". This woman, like so many others, acquired a 4-year degree in education, only to turn around after three years and abandon it completely. Sidebar: Abandon is the accurate word as she is now working in the sales department of a massive local corporation. Of course, after hearing that she had "only made it three years", I simply had to ask... "Why?" Turns out, she had several students with disabilities in her high school courses, she had never received professional learning on best practices, and there was no professional support for her. Ever. THIS is a problem. Essentially, she had no support, training, or coaching, so therefore, she was unable to support her students. She abandoned her teaching career because she felt frustrated by the lack of support and was left to "figure it out". The education profession is losing teachers in droves. There are articles, news stories, social media posts written every day about the mass exodus. Do I think teachers would be more likely to stay in their chosen profession if they had training? No. I do think that teachers would feel more successful and confident in their expertise if they had the knowledge to best support their students. If they had a toolbox with plenty of strategies, ideas, and resources. If they had time to meet with coaches to learn how to make learning accessible to students with learning differences. There is so much that needs to change in our current educational climate. Professional learning relevant to the students they serve is just one of the pieces. Perhaps, if we did that, they just might stay a bit longer... Inclusiveology provides professional learning, coaching, and support for school communities so every child can have what they need to be included in learning. CLICK HERE to learn more.

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) has never been fully funded. When Congress passed IDEA, they promised to cover 40% of the extra cost of special education. In other words, they would pay for nearly half of the additional cost required to educate students with disabilities (when compared to the cost per student without disabilities). Unfortunately, Congress has never come close to fulfilling that promise. The number of students with disabilities served under IDEA has increased by 25 percent in the past two decades. Yet, the IDEA state grant program was only funded at around $12 billion in 2017. The federal government is only covering 14.6% of the additional cost. (https://ncld.org/news/policy-and-advocacy/idea-full-funding-why-should-congress-invest-in-special-education/) Side bar: Each state is responsible for how the money is spent, but that's another topic. How does Congress pass a law, then not fully fund it?! Before we get into the funding, or lack thereof, what is IDEA? And why is it so important? IDEA is the federal law that replaced the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (1975-1990) that ensures a free appropriate education for all children with a disability that is tailored to their needs. Their needs, of course, are addressed in an Individual Education Plan (IEP) that contains evaluations, assessments, present levels of performance, specially designed instruction, related services and a myriad of other details that support individual needs. So with all these individual needs, where is all of the funding coming from that goes towards supporting children with disabilities in public education? Hiring appropriate professionals? Purchasing accessible materials? Herein lies the problem. Since the original law's inception in 1975, IDEA and its predecessor have not ever had the funding required to meet the needs of children with disabilities across the United States. 1975? Gerald Ford was still the president, and I was seven. That was a very long time ago... Here are a few components of the federal law. If you are wanting to read IDEA in its entirety, you can find it here: https://sites.ed.gov/idea/ to ensure equal opportunity to access educational programming to create educational environments that encourage the participation and inclusion of children with disabilities to encourage independence to provide each child with a disability access to an education where they are considered a general education student first If each of these components was available to every child with a disability, how would that make a difference? Think about it... (pause for consideration) Here's the good news...! The United States Congress’ 2022 Fiscal Year budget includes additional $448 million for special education. The first attempt at moving closer to more appropriate funding. We'll just have to wait and see. Disability is a natural part of the human experience and in no way diminishes the right of individuals to participate in or contribute to society. Improving educational results for children with disabilities is an essential element of our national policy of ensuring equality of opportunity, full participation, independent living, and economic self-sufficiency for individuals with disabilities. ~U.S. Congress statement included in the IDEA law Want to know more about how Inclusiveology supports school communities with inclusion and supports for children with disabilities and learning differences? CLICK HERE and take a look around!

When I first moved to Florida in 1998, there was still self-contained programming for students with physical disabilities. 1998. Let that sink in... I worked in a school where there was a grade level class for children with physical disabilities for each elementary grade Kindergarten through fifth grade, and children from across the area went to school there. If they had leg braces. Or used a walker. Or if they were in a wheelchair. Except for Robert... These children were "placed" in this setting simply because they had a physical disability. The only additional support needed for most of these kiddos was support for transfers (chair to floor, chair to chair) or support for strength building. Let's be real... both of these supports can happen ANYWHERE, right? They were taught the same standards-based curriculum, using the same materials, and taking the same assessments, so again, their supports COULD have happened in the general education setting. So what about Robert? Robert's parents advocated for him, were very outspoken and insisted that Robert be part of his peer group in the general education setting. Robert had no legs, and used a wheelchair. He also had some of the most powerful arms I've ever seen on an 8 year-old. Robert needed supports at times for transfers and using the restroom. Totally doable. He got it... all in the general education setting. So bravo for Robert's parents for believing in Robert's abilities and ensuring that his school provided everything he needed in the general education classroom. You know what else he got? a large friend group invitations to birthday parties field trips time to play outside with typical peers Wouldn't you want that for your kiddo, too? Inclusiveology supports school communities with all things inclusive. Inclusion works when you have all of the pieces. CLICK HERE!

Traditionally, teaching has been teacher-led. The teacher stands mostly in the front of the room, perhaps in front of a board. Students are seated in rows with desks and chairs. Maybe the teacher is writing on the board with the expectation that students are to copy down what has been written. In the process of writing, students are also looking at the teacher and listening to what she/he is saying. And perhaps asking and answering questions. Whew...!!! That's a lot. Especially when you are only in the third grade!! write look listen ask questions answer questions PLUS: process information... figure out how to hold your pencil... oh wait... it's not sharpened! get a piece of paper from your friend... can't see the board... forgot your glasses... So much of what is happening in this traditional teaching scenario is content-based. The teacher has a job to deliver the content, and often, is given the specific way in which to deliver it. But what if the content is delivered (i.e. tells students what they need to know) and 35% of the class doesn't "get it"? Or they are only able to regurgitate it back with no real meaning or application? This is not teaching. It's not engaging. And it certainly is not preparing students to "dig deeper" and think critically. What if we shifted to student-led or student-centered learning? The ultimate goal of education is not the teaching, but the learning. In student-centered learning, students are given more options on what they learn and more importantly, how they learn. The role of the teacher shifts from sharing information to facilitating the learning of students. The teacher provides: parameters on how understanding of content will be measured and celebrated modeling on how to "think", asking guiding questions and challenging students to look further rubrics, rather than a grade, so students are responsible for the work that they accomplish options on how the learning will be shared (i.e. orally, written, media creations) flexibility on how students engage with each other (i.e. work alone, work with a partner, work in a group) Simply put, students hold responsibility for their own learning while the teacher facilitates what is happening in the classroom. In our ever changing society, it is important that we are growing critical thinkers, not children that can regurgitate information. Retelling and recalling information has a low "depth of knowledge", and the information is often lost because it doesn't mean anything. Sounds like my high school chemistry class... I sat, took notes, listened, didn't understand a single thing, and got a D. Sorry, Mr. K... The ultimate engagement is to put the learner in charge of learning. -Ben Johnson