It should be accepted that not everyone who tries the position will find the job suitable. Some teachers find it difficult to switch to a collaborative consultant role. Others will find they miss the security of regular teaching assignment and want to return to it. A reasonable agree of turnover should be welcomed and can prove beneficial by bringing new people with new ideas into the position. Experience shows that those who leave the position return to the classrom with improved skills and an anhanced perspective on meeting student’s individual needs.
Teachers and principals in districts 28 and 29 indicated that they needed more training and experience to understand the M&R teacher role. This is essential if M&R teachers are to play their part in the process of inclusion. For the program to work well teachers need to gain an understanding of the value of school integration and their responsibility in carrying it out. Direct experience with a student with a disability appears to be a critical part of this process. Successful experiences must be shared and the idea that integration is a fad or a cycle needs to be put to rest.
M&R teachers identified a number of strategies they have found effective in working with regular class teachers. It will be important to share that information and develop additional approaches. Many principals also need to be more involved in the program. Their participation, understanding and support is critical. It’s clear that when principals take an interest and show leadership they can give the program the credibility it takes to be successful.
It is important to consider the classroom practices that facilitate the inclusion of students with disabilities. Instructional practices need to change. The reliance on teacher-directed instruction and mastery of content does not encourage participation by students with disabilities and it is questionable how much it benefits other students. Progressive teaching methods like multi-level instruction, cooperative learning, peer-tutoring, project work and activity-based learning need to be promoted.
