“Dreaming ties all mankind together.” – Jack Kerouac
There are times in education when things seem very complicated. Between legislation, standards, and such a diverse set of needs, it can all seem overwhelming. As the Inclusion Specialist, my job is to step back and get a comprehensive picture of what is happening, and then create opportunities to maximize the potential of our diverse community of learners. For me, inclusion is a matter of finding the obvious amidst all of the confusion, and shining a light on it.
The fact is we are all in this together. As teachers, parents, students, employers, government officials, and across the board, we are connected in this world. When students come into Culver City Unified School District, our job is to open our arms to them and help them find out who they are, and how they are going to lead successful, fulfilling lives. As educators, our clients arrive whether they like it or not, and our job is to draw them in to the material that we are presenting. In order to do this, we must be resourceful and creative. We must be able to focus on the present moment while keeping the destination in mind.
So how do we do this? How is it possible to create a space that works for everyone? For me it starts with recognizing the obvious. We do it because it is what is here for us to do. Every child has a right to be heard and seen: Every child has a right to access their full potential. If we do not provide the space for this to happen, they will create their own space, outside the confines of the school walls, or the family structure, where they can be who they have come here to be.
The biggest allure of the groups that I facilitate for our district is the opportunity for everyone to come in and be heard. This is a process that many students are not used to. Some of my students come in with so much to say that they cannot contain themselves. There are other students who have lost touch with their voice and must be prodded to speak up. I often have to silence the people around them who have become accustomed to speaking for them, and give them the space to be heard. I look at the lunch groups as a place to activate the potential in these young people, or to calm those who are already over active. Then I have the privilege of watching a community come together, work together, and play together.
Sometimes we have to look beyond the logic that dictates our behaviors and decisions, and find the obvious. We are all here together. The more opportunities we have to get to know each other, not based on accomplishment, but based on actively listening and learning about one another, the sooner we learn that we have much in common. We learn to work together because it is natural for us to do so. We learn to relax and stop competing for attention and approval, and instead give others our attention and our approval.
Take some time to look at the world around you. Send a silent “thank you” to everything and everyone in your life. See if you can open up to a more inclusive perspective on the world. Then see if something wonderful happens as a result. This is what I aim to do every time I step into the room with a group of students for a lunch group. The results are inspiring.
Edward Biagiotti is the Inclusion Specialist for Culver City Unified School District. He is also co-host of the popular radio show, Funniest Thing! with Darrell and Ed, live each week at 3 pm on www.UnityOnlineRadio.org. Visit www.TappingIntoGenius.com for more articles and a free, inspirational parenting download.